A thread about a man named Xabi

[t1971]

Guess your a Red?

 

Your not a Red,Your a Rafa Basher of the highest order and won't rest until Alonso goes, then you and your cronies will wade into Benitez saying the Manager forced him out.

 

Why don't you act your fuckin age and grow up,your relentless tedious digs at the Manager are becoming mind numbingly boring!!

 

Certainly comes across that some posters are desperate for Alonso to go so they can lay into Rafa for forcing the poor fella out.

[Guest Ulysses Everett McGill]

Certainly comes across that some posters are desperate for Alonso to go so they can lay into Rafa for forcing the poor fella out.

 

 

In one

[Jose Jones]

If your boss had been trying to get rid of a you for a year, you'd make arrangements to end up where you wanted to go, rather than wherever your boss wanted to dump you. Alonso would have been a fool not to plan his exit this summer after the farce of last year.

Anyone that thinks Barry was not Alonso's intended replacement is deluded.

 

I must be deluded, as I think it's far from clear that Barry was intended to be Xabi's replacement this summer. That was certainly the case last year, however we started the season with Gerrard back in midfield, playing 442 with Keane up front. This summer it seems Rafa is finally set on playing Gerrard behind Torres so we would ideally need an extra midfielder to compete with Xabi and Mascherano. Plus the fact that Barry can cover on the left as well would have made him a bonus.

 

I think it’s naive in the extreme when people go on about Rafa having a “masterplan” to replace Xabi with Barry, especially after Xabi’s performances this season, as with everything the situation is very fluid. I reckon Rafa knew there was a chance that Xabi would want to leave, and as this became more obvious, he got pissed off that Barry went to City for the money. I reckon if it was such a definite plan we would easily have gone to 12 million for Barry, especially as Rafa was happy to go up to 17 million last year and also spend that amount on Glen Johnson.

 

I think Xabi is fully within his rights to want to go to Madrid – back to Spain, massive club, probable pay rise – and also because he couldn’t be entirely sure Rafa wouldn’t want to sell him again. There’s no doubt his agent was in talks with Perez well before Madrid made any offer and as a professional decision that certainly makes sense, one of the two biggest clubs in Spain rather than (hypothetically) any old club willing to stump up what we want.

 

I also think it’s pretty naive for people demanding Xabi hand in a written transfer request, why would he do that when leaving isn’t certain? It’s pretty obvious to him now that Rafa isn’t as keen to sell as last season, and is going to try to get the most out of Madrid as possible, and it’s still possible a move may fall through. Look at some of the reactions to Xabi on this very thread, some fans aren’t very forgiving of players who say they want to leave - why alienate some more when he might stay and still has respect for the club?

 

It certainly looks as though he will go though, and Rafa’s briefing of Tony B in the echo certainly makes it clear we’ll eventually come to an agreement. It’s a shame Rafa does this, but I can’t really blame him too much when you look at the uproar from some of the fans and also the negative spin that has been put on every move Rafa has tried to make for the last 2 years.

[MLB]

Certainly comes across that some posters are desperate for Alonso to go so they can lay into Rafa for forcing the poor fella out.

 

 

Certainly seems that way to me too.

[Yahweh]

 

Is it? For two consecutive seasons he did as much as the Americans to destabilise Liverpool's efforts. There was a time and a place to conduct his war on the hierarchy. It wasn't mid-season and in the public eye.

 

So despite the Americans lumbering us with all manner of debt,failing to build a new stadium,their own public feuding and undermining the manager,Benitez was every bit as guilty of destabilising this football club and its future??

 

Maybe it's because it's very early in the morning but i'm utterly dumbfounded by that comment and the agendas of some on this here forum.

[Ian Sea]

I hope this is all sorted out soon, can't be doing with it dragging on for another month or so. If Xabi wants to go, let him go, and as soon as possible.

 

If the price is an issue I'd try and get some Madrid players as part of the deal. I reckon Sneijder would be a good replacement for Xabi and I'd love to see us go for Higuain as well. I'd take Huntelaar off them as well, and Drenthe come to that.

 

Surely something can be worked out so all parties are happy, that way we aren't shafted at the end of the transfer window without Alonso and a load of cash that we can't spend. It would also be an advantage for us to bring in any new players (using the Xabi deal/money) so they can get a few pre-season games in for us before the season starts.

[ToxtethTerror]

The Count rules. At last some impartial information.

[Catch22]

Unfortunately not all of the time. And that is the undead's problem with the man. The Robbie Keane affair, the years of threatening to quit the club to join Inter or Madrid, the petty internal squabbles - all of which have undermined Liverpool. All of which have been only for his benefit.

 

Robbie Keane was a mistake he made that he corrected at personal cost to minimise the club's losses.

I bet the Mancs wish they could take a £5m loss on Berbatov right now

 

He used RM's interest as a negotiating tool.

That is what anyone would do (we wouldn't pay Gerrard £140k/wk if we didn't have to due to other outside interest in him that his agent makes our Board fully aware of) & is absolutely no different to how Xabi has behaved.

You can take a moral position & criticise all of them or you can say that it is the modern world but it shows the agenda here that Rafa gets hauled up for it & yet people are rushing to make up nonsensical soap operas to pretend Xabi isn't doing it.

[coop]

 

Is it? For two consecutive seasons he did as much as the Americans to destabilise Liverpool's efforts. There was a time and a place to conduct his war on the hierarchy. It wasn't mid-season and in the public eye.

 

Im not wearing that mate.

 

Rafa is far from blameless but there is no way he has done as much as Gillett and Hicks to destabilise Liverpool season.

 

The contract issue which was finally resolved needed sorting when it did as the last thing we wanted was to go into the end of the season with the future of the manager unclear.

 

Now we have everything in place going into pre-season with Rafa and his coaching staff sorted all we need to do now is sort out Alonso one way of another and really build on last seasons performance.

 

I have a lot of time for some ex Liverpool players and they don't come any bigger a legend for me then Kenny Dalglish and when you have him saying that the contract needed sorting when it did then i tend to listen to him.

 

I vouch for instead of a picture of Alonso at the top of the forum we stick a picture of Rafa with a big target on his head.

[Red Phoenix]

All of which have been only for his benefit.

 

.....

 

There's blood in this somewhere for you, not sure if I can trust you.

 

The Count rules. At last some impartial information.

 

Why is it impartial? I know the Count is respected around here, but what if he's just pissed off with Rafa like some others on the forum? You're after blood too, it's a big agenda.

 

If any of you track me down : turn me, don't kill me.

[Spy Bee]

The Rafa bashing on here is a fucking joke!

[crouchaholic]

I guess Barry must be feeling a right git at this present time. That is, until he picks up his paycheck.

[rondeco]

Heavy is the head that wears the crown.

[ToxtethTerror]

I am happy with whats happening on the pitch, a good team playing good football. I think he is a good manager. I'll be honest though, I don't trust him on transfers or his the politics he feels he needs to do and thats the crux of it for me. It won't go away unless of course he delivers the big tropies or atleast challenges.

[crouchaholic]

I must be deluded, as I think it's far from clear that Barry was intended to be Xabi's replacement this summer. That was certainly the case last year, however we started the season with Gerrard back in midfield, playing 442 with Keane up front. This summer it seems Rafa is finally set on playing Gerrard behind Torres so we would ideally need an extra midfielder to compete with Xabi and Mascherano. Plus the fact that Barry can cover on the left as well would have made him a bonus.

 

I think it’s naive in the extreme when people go on about Rafa having a “masterplan” to replace Xabi with Barry, especially after Xabi’s performances this season, as with everything the situation is very fluid. I reckon Rafa knew there was a chance that Xabi would want to leave, and as this became more obvious, he got pissed off that Barry went to City for the money. I reckon if it was such a definite plan we would easily have gone to 12 million for Barry, especially as Rafa was happy to go up to 17 million last year and also spend that amount on Glen Johnson.

 

I think Xabi is fully within his rights to want to go to Madrid – back to Spain, massive club, probable pay rise – and also because he couldn’t be entirely sure Rafa wouldn’t want to sell him again. There’s no doubt his agent was in talks with Perez well before Madrid made any offer and as a professional decision that certainly makes sense, one of the two biggest clubs in Spain rather than (hypothetically) any old club willing to stump up what we want.

 

I also think it’s pretty naive for people demanding Xabi hand in a written transfer request, why would he do that when leaving isn’t certain? It’s pretty obvious to him now that Rafa isn’t as keen to sell as last season, and is going to try to get the most out of Madrid as possible, and it’s still possible a move may fall through. Look at some of the reactions to Xabi on this very thread, some fans aren’t very forgiving of players who say they want to leave - why alienate some more when he might stay and still has respect for the club?

 

It certainly looks as though he will go though, and Rafa’s briefing of Tony B in the echo certainly makes it clear we’ll eventually come to an agreement. It’s a shame Rafa does this, but I can’t really blame him too much when you look at the uproar from some of the fans and also the negative spin that has been put on every move Rafa has tried to make for the last 2 years.

 

Good post, Jose. As far as I remember, Barry took exception to being regarded as competition for the midfield pair and possible left side cover, he wanted to be first choice centre midfield. At least that was his excuse. I wouldn't be surprised if he's got a nagging feeling in the back of his head that he should have known that Xabi eventually would leave Liverpool.

 

That last point is pretty spot on also. I have said that he should turn in a request, but I also believe he'd rather stay here if Real is unable to buy him. And they are unable if they won't accept our club's valuation of the player. Dropping the fee to Real's rumoured level of about 25m would be a massive blow for us in my opinion.

[coop]

I am happy with whats happening on the pitch, a good team playing good football. I think he is a good manager. I'll be honest though, I don't trust him on transfers or his the politics he feels he needs to do and thats the crux of it for me. It won't go away unless of course he delivers the big tropies or atleast challenges.

 

He has already delivered the biggest trophy in European club football with the Champions League.

 

He has also delivered the FA Cup.

 

We challenged for the league last season.

[Whelan]

I am happy with whats happening on the pitch, a good team playing good football. I think he is a good manager. I'll be honest though, I don't trust him on transfers or his the politics he feels he needs to do and thats the crux of it for me. It won't go away unless of course he delivers the big tropies or atleast challenges.

 

Well he has done that! and yet people are still complaining, so I presume it won't go away until he starts winning those trophies and that sort of renders any personal criticism of Rafa as meaningless!

 

"He really annoys me Rafa, picking petty squabbles with players, gents like Xabi, forcing them out through backhanded means, destabilising the club with politics, it really is not befitting of a Liverpool manager and I want him gone"

 

"Well, the above still counts but we won the league so fuck it, RAFA, RAFAEL! RAFA, RAFAEL, RAFAEL BENITEZ!"

 

IF you want him gone because of his personality, then you want him gone, full stop. Don't start taking the moral high ground UNTIL we win the league.

[crouchaholic]

Keith Hernandes??

[YOUTUBE]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gcaq4ElAJrE&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gcaq4ElAJrE&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YOUTUBE]

[Guest Dog Chaser]

Despite having a very good season last year, i would take £25 million for Alonso, which would be a substantial profit on the player. Replacing him as a cog in the Liverpool midfield will be more difficult as we don't have a player in this mould already, therefore this transfer needs to go through sooner rather than later to give us more time to find a suitable replacement.

[RedinSweden]

Some seriously shit quoting going on in this thread. Count and Johnny, sort out the fucking code when you reply!

 

As for the subject of the thread, I can understand making plans, but the bottom line is that Xabi still has 3 years on his contract and he is going to have to accept that he doesn't have much room for manouvre right now.

[shanks59]

Unfortunately not all of the time. And that is the undead's problem with the man. The Robbie Keane affair, the years of threatening to quit the club to join Inter or Madrid, the petty internal squabbles - all of which have undermined Liverpool. All of which have been only for his benefit.

 

Clearly, you're very bitter towards Rafa. Hence, your objectivity is questionable .. :whistle:

[Stouffer]

Scalextric boogaloo.

[Count Morfeo]

Clearly, you're very bitter towards Rafa. Hence, your objectivity is questionable .. :whistle:

 

Well, what do you expect. The man left crumbs in the undead's toaster. The next time the Count used the toaster, it set off the smoke alarm. His Majesty of the Midnight Sky enjoys toast. And toasted tea cakes. You English and your funny ways. Your toasted teacakes, scones and cups of tea. Real butter tastes so much better than the soya spread in the undead's larder.

[Whelan]

It certainly says something when a poster acting the part of a puppet seems to be a more realistic proposition than some of those posting as a normal person.

[redrosetints]

Oh no that old liar chestnut again! :whistle:

 

What was he supposed to say last summer "I am not fine with it, I think Rafa is a cunt for trying to sell me".... and for the kit episode he could have said "I am not doing the kit pictures as I am leaving" which if it got out then he would have been blamed for disrupting our title challenge.

 

Xabi is the consumate pro IMO.

 

We are going round in circles...

 

Stepping aside from the Xabi question. Why do you big up Xabi, who is clearly wanting to move, stating he's been unreasonably treated and yet the manager of the club, had to contend with far more shite and underhand activity (remember Klinsman) and yet inspite of signing a new contract and commiting to us, being a consumate pro and agreeing to work with the board who tried to get rid and yet he's sill some kind of Cnut ?

 

It seems to be lost on some, but Rafa could easily have been manager at Madrid, having 200 odd million to spend (How Xabi would laugh if Rafa ended up there whilst he is!) buying up the best talent in europe with his boyhood club, the dream managers job ? But he stays, signs a new contract with us and some silly billies constanlty round on him to slag him off using Xabi, Fin, Alonos as the example of why Rafa is bad !

 

Xabi and Rafa are both good men, both have had run ins with their management. Rafa decided to stay and finish off his job here, inspite of being offered more money and a bigger transfer budget at Madrid, but is frowned on, indeed, accused of 'only being in it for the money' when he hadn't resigned his new contract. Yet Xabi falls out with his boss and then looks for pastures new, yet 'he's not looking for money' its all nasty Rafas fault.

 

The mind boggles.

 

Good luck Xabi, you've been good. Thanks but you're going to miss out on the title with us, silly boy. But lets be clear Rash, the Consumate pro is not Xabi, for leaving, the consumate pro is Rafa for staying and finishing off what he started, inspite of being offered more money, more transfer budget and the opportunity to head up the Real revolution which happens to be the club he grew up supporting and who he has always loved.