Chris Bascombe

[WaltonRed]

when Houllier left/was shoved How many people on here thought of Benitez as the replacement?? There wasn't one single person

 

Irregardless of whats going on at the moment ,when the Liverpool job becomes available in 4 months whoever the board (and players ) want WILL be available

 

I remember Dave's cover and I could name everyone on it and I had to ask around who Rafa was, then before you know it he was the new manager.

[spider-neil]

To turn that around if rafa cant learn his players to pass the ball five fucking feet he cant be very capable can he

 

managers don't teach you to pass the ball, that's like saying its the managers fault a keeper can't catch the ball. passing should be a prerequisite for footballers.

[Gav]

I know the post wasnt directed at me, but i just wanted to answer one of your points. I think we need to stick with Rafa, regardless of whether or not we finish outside the top 4. This season will go down as a failure, but look at the progress made in the first 3 under his stewardship. Its naive and ignorant of us to think we will automatically make huge strides every season. It doesnt always work like that. Rafa has earnt the right to be allowed ATLEAST next season to turn things round. Who knows, we still might go and win the FA/European cup! We cant go sacking a manager because of one poor season. Thats very spurs/newcastle-esque. In all honesty, earlier on in the season we where flying, and we where in the run up to xmas. Since the united game, the wheels have come off. The same time as all this current bollocks has been headline news everyday. Its hardly a coincidence in all the current instability, the teams form has dropped.

United gave fergie 5years before he even won anything at old trafford. Look how much that has paid them off. We need to give Rafa time. It will not happen over night. There will be set backs, as this season proves. But it isnt going to be plain sailing. Just look at the stats this season. We have lost only 3games, the same as united and chelsea. It is the draws letting us down. We are not THAT far away, despite what andy grey says. The spine of the team matches up to any other in the top 3. Its around the fringes where we lack. If the board and fans back Rafa, give him funds to spend at the top end of the market, i am confident he will deliver. But while the club is in such a state off the field, things will not progress on the field.

 

I genuinely cant think of another man to do the job.

I am 100% certain that if Rafa is given time and money, and if we the fans stay patient and back him, in time, he will deliver what we all want.

KEEP THE FAITH PEOPLE, PLEASE

 

so we finally see the Liverpool way, we stuck with Houllier a season too long ,so ergo we should stick with benitez a season to long also

[Gav]

I remember Dave's cover and I could name everyone on it and I had to ask around who Rafa was, then before you know it he was the new manager.

I saw (and still have) the exact same cover ,and mentioned it in another thread.Dave himself mentioned a few years ago that he only included benitez in that cover on a snippet or conversation he had/heard from someone.

What i'm trying to say though is that when the Liverpool job is available,managers will become available.Theres no honour in football anymore and a managers contract is worthless as a piece of paper .Managers that people on here are claiming are unavailable is simply not true,every manager is available

[Dropkick]

managers don't teach you to pass the ball, that's like saying its the managers fault a keeper can't catch the ball. passing should be a prerequisite for footballers.

 

Yes they do I remember Lothar explaining how Trap had worked with him to use his left foot and it had payed off in getting a goal in the wc semis or something.

[Dropkick]

They shouldn't be playing professional football if they need the manager to 'learn' them to pass the ball five feet.

 

Well they can thank the manager for giving them a professional footballer's contract. After that they are the manager's responsibilty and he has to do what is necessary to get the most out of his players for the club that is his job and if he doesnt do it he is neglecting his duty.

[stringvest]

I heared a rumour the other day that Rafa went into Melwood with statistics proving he was the fourth most successful manager in Liverpools history. Don't know how true it is but it's illeged to have come from a very senior player who's beginning to think Rafa has 'lost the plot'.

 

It's hardly going to make him friends when the performances have been very poor of late, kind of like saying "you all must be shit 'coz I'm proven to be the fourth best manager of Liverpool FC ever, it's all your fault"

 

That's Houllier Brock, not Benitez.

[Liam]

when Houllier left/was shoved How many people on here thought of Benitez as the replacement?? There wasn't one single person

 

Irregardless of whats going on at the moment ,when the Liverpool job becomes available in 4 months whoever the board (and players ) want WILL be available

 

If your only talking about British managers I agree.

 

Foreign managers will look at what Benitez has done and wonder how they could do any better.

[Randy Marsh]

so we finally see the Liverpool way, we stuck with Houllier a season too long ,so ergo we should stick with benitez a season to long also

 

Its easy to say things in hindsight. How do we know we stuck with houliier a season too long? How do we know that houllier wouldnt have won the league in the next season if he hadnt been eased out? Rafa has not become a bad manager overnight, look at the man's record. Name me a manager who has achieved more than him in such a short space of time. Id say only mourinho comes close. Its my opinion that it would be criminal to axe the manager now, because of one poor season. I think he will go on to achieve what we all want. I may be wrong, he may relegate us next season. But who knows? And what of the next manager who comes in? Will we all want him out if he doesnt win us a trophy in his first 2seasons? Rafa is a victim of his own success. He has raised the bar, raised our expectations. One season without a european cup final or a league title, and people want him gone.

 

I really hope he goes and wins us the european cup this season. just to silence his doubters again. And i wouldnt put it past the man. He hasnt let us down before.

[spider-neil]

If your only talking about British managers I agree.

 

Foreign managers will look at what Benitez has done and wonder how they could do any better.

 

except of course jose whose smiling picture is in the dictionary under 'ego'

[Liam]

so we finally see the Liverpool way, we stuck with Houllier a season too long ,so ergo we should stick with benitez a season to long also

 

Houllier made big mistakes in the transfer market, Diouf over Anelka the best example.

 

Benitez has proven what he can do when backed.

[Liam]

except of course jose whose smiling picture is in the dictionary under 'ego'

 

That would be a very sad day for this club.

 

Mourinho's limitations will be exposed in his next job, I just hope that isnt here.

[rondeco]

Gav, trying to take away from Benitez by saying he won a champions league with Geds team is laughable.

[Gav]

Gav, trying to take away from Benitez by saying he won a champions league with Geds team is laughable.

 

I'm not trying to take away at all ron,it was a amazing feat,but it was a title that should have been repeated last may,but facts are It was geds team, only Xabi was added...oh and Josemi

[theRedHorse]

I'm not trying to take away at all ron,it was a amazing feat,but it was a title that should have been repeated last may,but facts are It was geds team, only Xabi was added...oh and Josemi

 

LUIS GARCIA!

 

He came from Barca... because of benitezzzzz

 

and got the only goal in the CL semi-final.

[Liam]

I'm not trying to take away at all ron,it was a amazing feat,but it was a title that should have been repeated last may,but facts are It was geds team, only Xabi was added...oh and Josemi

 

And Garcia.

 

Without Garcia and Alonso we wouldnt have got anyway near Istanbul.

[Gav]

If your only talking about British managers I agree.

 

Foreign managers will look at what Benitez has done and wonder how they could do any better.

 

regardless of whats going on at the moment we are still thought of as the biggest club in england,any manager,not just british,will be available

[theRedHorse]

And Garcia.

 

Without Garcia and Alonso we wouldnt have got anyway near Istanbul.

 

neither without Rafas tactics. FACT.

 

Ask Jose... Ask Juve... Ask AC Milan.

[Moschops II]

when Houllier left/was shoved How many people on here thought of Benitez as the replacement?? There wasn't one single person

 

Irregardless of whats going on at the moment ,when the Liverpool job becomes available in 4 months whoever the board (and players ) want WILL be available

 

Well, Klinsmann thought better of it. Still, plenty more fish in the sea.

[G Richards]

Superbowl about to start. Patriots want no.19. We want no.19. Maybe we should sign Tom Brady.

[kop]

Superbowl about to start. Patriots want no.19. We want no.19. Maybe we should sign Tom Brady.

 

We've been over this tea lady thingy enough now!

[Anny Road]

I would agree with everyone who wants to back Rafa if the team showed even a hint of class. We have been utter shit.

[aws]

I'm sorry Neil but that is absolute tosh, mate. I hate to say so but it really is.

 

There seems to be this myth amongst some of our fans, and i've seen it a few times on here, that we are 'becoming Newcastle' or becoming impatient. GH had five years and by the end of the season Rafa will have had four years.

 

How the fuck is that comparable to Newcastle, Villa or Spurs?

 

Rafa came here because he said that he knew he'd get time to build his own side. As I said before, by the end of the season he'll have had four years to build a team capable of progress in the league, but we're competing with Everton, Villa and Man City.

 

I hate this notion that we're impatient cunts - we're not and we never will be. Whoever our next manager is, and whenever that is, he will get time.

 

I think a big section of our support has become as bad as anyone. At least Newcastle can justify their impatience because they haven't won anything for 50 years.

 

We seem to be saying four years maximum and you're out even if you've won the CL.

[Guest Ulysses Everett McGill]

I just think that it sends out the wrong message that we would sack a manager a year after getting to a champions league final.

 

It's the kind of thing that Italian and Spanish clubs do and we scoff at it

 

Obviously if we ended up 5th or worse and with no saving grace such as an FA Cup Final or a strong showing in strong showing in the later stages of the Champions League then questions would obviously have to be asked, but even then, I wouldn't be too keen on drastic measures.

[redrosetints]

I think they're four points behind aren't they? If so, then yes i'd say they are in the hunt. I don't think they'll win it but thus far they have done well and are in the hunt as I say.

 

We've been '9 points behind with a game in hand', '12 points behind with a game in hand', '15 points behind with a game in hand' etc for months now.

 

We were 5 behind with a game in hand before the manc game, which by the criteria set, made us in the hunt but yes in the last 5 weeks thats the way it's gone. I'm not saying it's not a problem, we've had these under Rafa before, indeed a criticism and weak point of his tenure and bounced back, why not now ?

 

You go on to say that the players want the league, its our bred and butter. But thats just not true. It's not been our bread and butter for nearly 20 years. Our bread and butter, for most of that time, was limited to a couple of FA cup finals and a league cup. Our bread and butter now is European cup finals.

 

People say "we dont expect to actually win the title, just challenge" , well thats not the liverpool way. Being second is nowhere, winning trophies is the lfc way, even Parry got that one right. We dont exist to be third in the league, just 8 points back, we exisit to make dreams come true like istanbul. Do you really think we can win the title, regulalry, on teh budget Rafa has ? i dont and most people seem at pains to stress that, so why chase 2nd. Chase the dream. Millions watch the CL final, its the pinnacle of club football. When Keane is quoted as saying your not a great side until you dominate european football like liverpool, you know how important it is.

 

So if you think we can win the title, fine, but if your saying you'd trade nights in athens and Istnabul to win at Wigan on a cold january evening to come 2nd, 'but only 5 pointsback' then your bonkers, Ian me old mucker.