Rafa to Juve?

[Hermes]

Usually I'd agree with you but these are hardly normal times.

 

He's got two employers who wanted to sack him a while back but backed down when their plans leaked, one of them is said to still want to sack him

 

So why haven't they? They were looking for an alternative because Rafa was constantly leaking stories to the press about which clubs were after him, as he is also doing now.

[stringvest]

So why haven't they? They were looking for an alternative because Rafa was constantly leaking stories to the press about which clubs were after him, as he is also doing now.

 

I'm not one to defend the owners at all because I can't stand them but Benitez on more than one occasion did give them the perfect excuse to go looking.

[Catch22]

Why sign a new 5 year deal then Andy? Purslow has come out plenty of times over the past few months saying Rafa is here for the long haul. You cant have it both ways mate.

 

He knew what he was working with when he signed on the dotted line,

 

 

He signed a 5-year deal because it was in his interests to do so at the time, just as Xabi did in 2007.

 

Then if a club, be it RM or Juve, contact your agent with a proposal which offers a lot more cash then you listen to it.

 

If a new supplier called you now & offered to cut the price of the goods you sell by 50% you would listen to them.

 

It is their job & in any job if you get contacted by a headhunter offering a lot more money, you listen to them.

 

Xabi would have been stupid to turn down the chance of a contract worth £50m.

Rafa would be stupid not to at least listen to Juve & if they offer him a similar sort of rise, he would be stupid if he didn't go.

[navbasi]

So why haven't they? They were looking for an alternative because Rafa was constantly leaking stories to the press about which clubs were after him, as he is also doing now.

 

I still haven't seen the story... Am I missing something or looking in the wrong place?? Links?

[Catch22]

Well I'm glad you have confirmed Rafa is only in it for the money.

 

Yes, it's his job.

That plays a major role.

I will apply the same consistency as i did for Xabi,Barry,Lucas Neill, Adebayour, Ladyboy, Toure, Tevez, Mcmanaman, Keegan, Souness, etc,etc.

[navbasi]

Well I'm glad you have confirmed Rafa is only in it for the money.

 

Al, not sure where the story has appeared or whether you have heard off someone within the club, but if Rafa was just "in it for the money" I think he could have moved a couple of years ago when his stock across Europe was a lot higher than it is now, he probably could have named his price after the Athens final, but instead stayed to call out the cunts that are in charge... I think it was then that we first all realised that we'd been hoodwinked by the Yanks....

 

Yes money will play a part in any contract that he will sign, why wouldn't it.. He has to safe guard the future of his family, but I don't think you're right to say that "He's only in it for the money.."

[Guest ShoePiss]

Well I'm glad you have confirmed Rafa is only in it for the money.

 

He's in it for the same reason as the players;career progression, money, prestige.

 

It would be silly to think any different, the current embodiment of LFC right now wouldn't play for free either.

[Catch22]

He's in it for the same reason as the players;career progression, money, prestige.

 

It would be silly to think any different, the current embodiment of LFC right now wouldn't play for free either.

 

 

Yes, you would have to be incredibly naive to think that any of them are in it for any other reason.

[Antynwa]

So he wanted and got a 5 year contract and is ready to split when shit hits the fan. As Al said, you can't have it both ways.

 

I stand by my thoughts at the time, he shouldn't have got a 5 year contract. Out of the owners, players and fans he has worked himself into a position where if he fucking played Torres right back and Reina upfront he wouldn't be sacked.

 

We can't afford to sack him, he's got a shit load of control and he's got one of the best contracts in the league. Yet the club itself on and off the field is in an incredibly bad position.

[aws]

Why sign a new 5 year deal then Andy? Purslow has come out plenty of times over the past few months saying Rafa is here for the long haul. You cant have it both ways mate.

 

He knew what he was working with when he signed on the dotted line,

 

That's a good question and he knew what he was dealing with when he signed up.

 

My take has always been that he wants this club to be his "project", wants to be here long-term and probably thought he could out-stay the yanks and enjoy working for proper owners. Signing up then makes perfect sense for his strategy for the club while at the same time securing his own position (I don't think anyone would accuse him of being an altruist).

 

Circumstances have changed for the worse over the last year - both on and off the field. My guess is that the job is rapidly becoming intolerable for him and he's coming (has come) to the view that if nothing breaks on the ownership front in the near future he'd best push off before he's pushed off.

[Bogman]

Nobody knows what the fecks going on, it'll all come out, or not, in the wash.

No point fretting over something or nothing.

 

It's facts we need, stone cold, hard facts.

[shaunstrudwick]

best thing that could happen to this club would be to get new proper owners and a new positive manager this summer

[navbasi]

Nav, I never said he is in it for the money, Catch22 did.

 

Ahh.. Ok.. I thought you were agreeing with him as that was your viewpoint as well... Catch22 is wrong then..

[navbasi]

best thing that could happen to this club would be to get new proper owners and a new positive manager this summer

 

If it was a choice between the two.. New owners any day of the week. We need to start at the top and work out way down cleaning up the mess as we go along... Even with a new "Positive" manager, with the current owners, I think the problems would remain largely the same.

[shaunstrudwick]

If it was a choice between the two.. New owners any day of the week. We need to start at the top and work out way down cleaning up the mess as we go along... Even with a new "Positive" manager, with the current owners, I think the problems would remain largely the same.

 

WHY does it have to be a choice between the 2 though?

 

new owners AND new manager

 

job done

[navbasi]

WHY does it have to be a choice between the 2 though?

 

new owners AND new manager

 

job done

 

Because if you are a new owner looking in... They'll see that Rafa still has the "Support" of the majority of the fans, they won't want to come in and start sacking people straight away. If it was me, then I'd give Rafa another season, if things didn't work out, then you sack him and get your own man.. That way you keep all the fans on side.

 

I think any new owner is going to want to keep the fans happy to a certain extent, considering and knowing what the Yanks have put us through..

 

Do you get where I'm coming from?

 

I do agree though, it shouldn't have to be a choice... If new owners are coming in and willing to spend £50m+ on transfers, then they might not "trust" Rafa with it and they are entitled to get rid if they chose.. Personally speaking I think it would be the wrong thing (but that's only my opinion)..

[G Richards]

That's a good question and he knew what he was dealing with when he signed up.

 

My take has always been that he wants this club to be his "project", wants to be here long-term and probably thought he could out-stay the yanks and enjoy working for proper owners. Signing up then makes perfect sense for his strategy for the club while at the same time securing his own position (I don't think anyone would accuse him of being an altruist).

 

Circumstances have changed for the worse over the last year - both on and off the field. My guess is that the job is rapidly becoming intolerable for him and he's coming (has come) to the view that if nothing breaks on the ownership front in the near future he'd best push off before he's pushed off.

 

This is how I see it too. When he signed the 5 year deal I bet he thought he would be here longer than the owners, that better owners were just around the corner, that he would get more money to work with in the market, and that with all of that we could put up a good strong challenge. The new stadium would be coming soon and the whole club would be on a solid footing for a generation to come.

 

I bet that's what Rafa thought when he signed that 5 year deal.

 

Obviously things have changed dramatically for the worse, so it is natural that he should keep his options open. I've no problem with that, though obviously, the more discreet the better.

[Skidfingers McGonical]

Did a runner? I cant say who told me it would cause him problems, but I dont make things like this up, I mean who knows If Xabi spoke to madrid in Jan etc etc.

 

This lad is as honest as any other person I know, he has very strong links to Marcotti.

 

Now for those who say Rafa is keeping his options open etc dont blame him, what are lot on about? Is it ok for everybody employed at the club to start looking elsewhere.

 

We have the worst owners in the world, the club is on its knees and The Manager is giving Juve the old nod, Well I expect a hell of a lot more from my manager, Supporters marched for him when they found out the owners had gone behind his back, people disgusted in it, Yet now that Rafa does it, its "dont blame him".

 

Its wrong and an insult to LFC.

 

What if it was you in that situation Al? Would youput up with the amount of shit from upstairs he has had to deal with?

 

Put your love to for the club to one side and ask yourself what you would do in that situation? If you still feel the same then fair enough.

 

If we had different owners I don't think this potential scenario would be in discussion.

 

I just don't understand how it is deemed ok for a player, not just Xabi, to do it but not a manager.

[diego]

Another laughable thread. Poking around for some anti-Rafa propaganda, ATK, who boasts that he does not go to matches at Anfield, comes up with a rumour about a rumour, which rumour was actually only a speculative "what if" remark by a journalist.

 

The topic is that someone in Italy thinks that Rafa might have had talks with Juventus. Against this nonsense, we have Rafa's own clear statement, on the record, that he has had no talks with Juventus and all the claims that Juventus had sent people to talk with him and his advisors are bunkum.

 

Why would genuine supports of LFC not believe their manager over some Italian gossiper they don't even know or some malcontent from Bootle posing as a moralist and guardian of the club's spirit?

 

It could be that the malcontent doesn't like Rafa because Rafa is Spanish, probably Papist, who has brought a lot of foreigners - also probably Papists - into the team, and in the process denied a place to some third-rate "local boys" - probably loyal Protestants, or at least Agnostics. He doesn't like him because he was instrumental, after four years of monitoring their progress, of sacking a couple of hangers-on who were not doing a very good job running the Academy - hangers-on who knew somebody, who knows somebody else, who drinks at the malcontent's pub.

 

How hypocritical that the names of Paisley and Shanks should be brought into this pseudo-discussion of a non-event.

[RedKnight]

Religion?! What a bellend you are.

[Ted]

You still not reading atk's posts then?

[Hooch]

Hmmmm. *Bites tongue*.

[Wor Horse]

Fuck off now Rafa.

[Red Mist]

Juventus would be barking mad to want Benitez. The most successful club in Italian football deserve better.

[Antynwa]

I've got a full tank Rafa, I'll even take Aquilani with you.