Rafa Exclusive in The Times

[WaltonRed]

I admire his firm belief he will turn it around.

 

I still dont think he will.

 

Saying you will in an interview is one thing, doing it another.

 

Talking about the worth of the squad means nothing to me in all honesty.

[cmuller]

Decent set of articles that - obviously written from a pro Rafa bias but that what you'd expect from Liverpool fans I suppose?

 

Usual suspects attempting to put a negative spin on it and re-write history, also what you'd expect I suppose?

[Herp McDerp]

If you made a team outta all the players we've supposedly missed out on I reckon it'd be equally as good as or better than our starting 11.

[goatboy59]

I still like Rafa and hope he can turn things around this season - but that's a pretty sycophantic article and makes for a bit squeamish reading for me.

Fair enough to let Rafa put forward his reasoning, etc. But it reads like a piece written before the season started. Where are any tough questions about how we've actually been, like pretty shit?

 

Well, quite.

 

"The name of this club is at the same level as it was in the 1980's"

 

"Yes, Rafa."

 

Woodstein it ain't.

 

As bad as Tomkins' multi-stroke, that.

 

Rick Parry - the scapegoat that just keeps on giving?

 

Wrong. Beat City and Everton, Rafa. You can't talk your way out of this one.

[Herp McDerp]

Well, quite.

 

"The name of this club is at the same level as it was in the 1980's"

 

"Yes, Rafa."

 

Woodstein it ain't.

 

As bad as Tomkins' multi-stroke, that.

 

Rick Parry - the scapegoat that just keeps on giving?

 

Wrong. Beat City and Everton, Rafa. You can't talk your way out of this one.

He may not be able to 'talk his way out of this one' as you put it, but can you really see him being given the boot?

[goatboy59]

Boot or not, 1 in 10 or 1 in 11 and this sort of shit will just make him look beyond stupid.

 

When the arguments centre on "who else is there" or "worrabout the injuries" or "did you know what Parry did or didn't do years ago" or "mid-season changes never fucking work, la" it's not good. He's still talking about what he was left to work with, five years on? And if 86 points is a sign of progress, what will the 2010 total ie less than 86 be a sign of?

 

Let me guess; interference from the top, injuries, bad luck, injuries, Rick Parry, injuries, internationals and oh did I mention injuries?

 

He sounds more like the flailing Houllier by the week. He'll be telling us he was only asked to get in the CL once every two years at this rate.

[llego]

This claim about Macia and Ramsey.

 

Rafa's given his version to The Times, he's allowed himself to be recorded. If he's not telling the truth, it's a way for the owners to get rid of him when they want to without paying him all his contract. It's also a way of getting himself a lawsuit.

 

<snip>

 

Great post mate.

[cmuller]

When the arguments centre on "who else is there"

 

I prefer "who else could do a better job?", something critics of the manager are quite silent on.

[23_Carra_Gold]

So Rafa answers a few questions and people pick holes in it again?

 

We're on a bad run of form so these articles are more interesting thus we analyse them more. If we were winning and he gave that interview nobody would even think twice about it.

[Antynwa]

TOP JOURNALISM

 

In all seriousness though, it was a good read from Rafa, although that being said it's not a typical Rafa thing to do.

 

I'd say he's feeling the pressure, and that isn't a dig, that is a genuine assessment.

[Antynwa]

I prefer "who else could do a better job?", something critics of the manager are quite silent on.

 

That's not true. People just block their ears and shout LA LA LA LA LA LA LA when anyone reels off a list with the likes of Mourinho and Hiddink are mentioned.

[Whelan]

Boot or not, 1 in 10 or 1 in 11 and this sort of shit will just make him look beyond stupid.

 

When the arguments centre on "who else is there" or "worrabout the injuries" or "did you know what Parry did or didn't do years ago" or "mid-season changes never fucking work, la" it's not good. He's still talking about what he was left to work with, five years on? And if 86 points is a sign of progress, what will the 2010 total ie less than 86 be a sign of?

 

Let me guess; interference from the top, injuries, bad luck, injuries, Rick Parry, injuries, internationals and oh did I mention injuries?

 

He sounds more like the flailing Houllier by the week. He'll be telling us he was only asked to get in the CL once every two years at this rate.

 

Well considering the fact he has not failed to get us into the champions league during his tenure, I would say your last statement borders on the hyperbole!

 

As for you pointing out 'excuses' to defend him, well that is what you were doing last year (by you, I mean, those who criticised him, you're now them!), point out that we are in our first genuine league challenge and you got 'yeah but' straight back! Point out that he gave us a challenge that was demanded from him, we got 'yeah but, never won a cup did he', point out the cups that he has won and we got 'yeah but never challenged for the league has he'

 

As a supporter of Rafa I don't have a lot to back my argument up at the moment, 1 win in 8 is not good reading, but like you I watched Ged's season and I watched the pathetic, shithouse performances that we put forward by the players, I don't see that at the moment, I think we have been unlucky not to have won that last four games, we have played well and got nothing out of them, that suggest to me that the squad depth IS the problem. And Rafa does have to take responsibility for that, but once again people have been pointing out the need for top class players over squad players and if (like this year) you have no money for extra players you run the risk of a slight squad.

[Herp McDerp]

That's not true. People just block their ears and shout LA LA LA LA LA LA LA when anyone reels off a list with the likes of Mourinho and Hiddink are mentioned.

Yup, I'd love to see Mourinho here, why stop there though, lets sign Villa and Messi while we're at it.

[cmuller]

That's not true. People just block their ears and shout LA LA LA LA LA LA LA when anyone reels off a list with the likes of Mourinho and Hiddink are mentioned.

 

This is well trodden territory...there's a long list of reasons why those two would be put off taking the job. If you think that they are a possibility then fair enough.

 

Any other candidates?

[Antynwa]

Yup, I'd love to see Mourinho here, why stop there though, lets sign Villa and Messi while we're at it.

 

That's for the Mourinho thread.

 

But anyway, Rafa is giving more interviews, heck he's even given one for special subscribers to what ever super-fan bollocks package the club have brought out.

 

It's a power struggle, it's a popularity battle it's Rafa coming out fighting. Fair play to him.

[23_Carra_Gold]

That's not true. People just block their ears and shout LA LA LA LA LA LA LA when anyone reels off a list with the likes of Mourinho and Hiddink are mentioned.

 

I'd like to see Hiddink here if/when Rafa goes. Mourinho not so much. He tucked tail and ran from Chelsea as soon as things got difficult at board room level and on the pitch. I reckon he'd take the job because the timing of his 'I want to manage in England again' comment coinciding with Rafa under pressure is more then a coincidence in my eyes. I do also believe that if the United job came up he'd jump at it.

[Antynwa]

This is well trodden territory this...there's a long list of reasons why those two would be put off taking the job. If you think that they are a possibility then fair enough.

 

Any other candidates?

 

Code72 had a cracking list

[Whelan]

Code72 had a cracking list

 

Code had a list!

 

Our last managerial appointment had won two la liga titles, and a european trophy, that is where we start the bidding!

[cmuller]

Code72 had a cracking list

 

But your suggestions are?

[Antynwa]

Code had a list!

 

Our last manager had won two la liga titles, and a european trophy, that is where we start the bidding!

 

Correction.

 

Our last manager won La Liga with a side who reached two CL Finals Prior.

[23_Carra_Gold]

Correction.

 

Our last manager won La Liga with a side who reached two CL Finals Prior.

 

He also won the European Cup with a side who had done fuck all in 4 years.

[Antynwa]

But your suggestions are?

 

Hiddink

Mourinho

King Kenny

Jesualdo Ferreira

Pako Aysteran

[Antynwa]

He also won the European Cup with a side who had done fuck all in 4 years.

 

Decent that, he did that 5 years ago.

[Whelan]

Correction.

 

Our last manager won La Liga with a side who reached two CL Finals Prior.

 

Irrelevant revisionist bollocks, we have won one game in 8 and the best you can come up with is pointing out that Rafa managed to do what his predecessor was incapable of doing!

 

If you want to talk about ease, then lets look at Maureens record at Chelsea, if you want to dismiss Rafa;s acheivements then Maureen took over a side that had just finished runners up and reached the champions league semi final, he has just taken over the current champions of Italy, so lets obviously dimiss all of that eh!

 

See you have put Kenny in, didn't he take over a club that had just reached two European cup finals and finished runners up in the league? Dimissing him as well, oh and his last trophy win was 15 years ago! (THIS IS NOT A CRITICISM, NOT AT ALL)

[Lucky Pierre]

How long do we give it though, Randy?

 

Do we wait until we're sitting in ninth in March?

Until he's had a fair crack of the whip and been able to buy his first choice targets.

I am glad that Barry wasn't signed, but if he had been signed and been a failure, then I would have nothing to back it up.