Juventus begin to hire backroom staff for Liverpool boss Benitez

[Heinze]

oneill is a turd burglar.

[Liquid football]

That's what the Celtic fans thought before they went to Seville for the final of the same competition, only it was worth winning then.

 

loser talk

[Hermes]

loser talk

 

That's what the competition is for now mate, losers.

[Liquid football]

you've changed, Hermes

[Hermes]

you've changed, Hermes

 

I have no interest whatsoever in a competition that you can be parachuted into because you failed in another one. I'd rather we win it than go out, but it's at the bottom of my list of honours if we win it and quite frankly I will be embarassed if we do win it.

[Sangria]

I think if Martin O'Niel did come here he would like all managers get a fair crack of the whip. We are more than tolerant with managers and he would be no exception.

 

He is just a manager I have never liked and that was prior to the Barry incident. I never thought he did much wrong there to be honest.

 

Again I cannot put my finger on the reasons I dislike him, I just do, call it one of those faces syndrome.

That said I would give him my full support if he did come in.

[Jose Jones]

I think if Martin O'Niel did come here he would like all managers get a fair crack of the whip. We are more than tolerant with managers and he would be no exception.

 

He is just a manager I have never liked and that was prior to the Barry incident. I never thought he did much wrong there to be honest.

 

Again I cannot put my finger on the reasons I dislike him, I just do, call it one of those faces syndrome.

That said I would give him my full support if he did come in.

 

I don’t mind O’Neil, but the sheen has come off his managerial career a bit I think.

He did a good job at Leicester, and was good at the start at Celtic, getting to the UEFA cup final was a good result, and they were generally hard to beat at home in the CL.

He’s done a decent job at Villa, but as that article above noted, he’s spent a fair whack of cash, and does seem a bit one eyed to me. Two wide men and a big lump up front, and that seems to be it. Would get us playing with a bit of passion I think, but flair and tactical nuance at the top level would be missing.

[Hermes]

Brian Glanville's opinion on Rafa to Juve:

 

Last week at San Siro, Juventus lost 2-0 to Inter, the latest in their protracted series of disappointments and disasters.

 

Almost concurrently, it was announced that they were prepared to offer Rafa Benitez a £16 million contract to leave Liverpool and manage them. But why? What is it they so obviously must see in Benitez as manager which is invisible to the naked eye and certainly to mine?

 

 

He surely bears heavy responsibility for Liverpool’s miserably disappointing season which could hardly be compensated even by success in that frankly second rate competition, the Europa Cup.

 

 

First, he almost suicidally sells Alonso, far and away his most creative midfield player, to Real Madrid. We know that the two of them didn’t get on but surely in the interests of the team, Benitez should have seen to it that oil was poured on troubled waters and Alonso encouraged to stay.

 

 

Next, to replace him, Benitez spends a fortune on Roma’s Italian international midfielder, Alberto Aquilani. Yet not only in Italy but surely throughout European football it was all too well known that Aquilani, whatever his undoubted talents, was particularly susceptible to injury. So alas and indeed it proved.

 

 

For most of this season Aquilani was unfit to play. True, when at long last late in this season Aquilani was able to play frequently, he looked the accomplished and versatile player that he unquestionably is. But it was far too little, far too late.

 

 

A still dottier transfer was that of Robbie Keane from Spurs who also cost a fortune. It was very hard to see just where Keane for all his ability and pace would fit in; nor did he. In no time at all, he was out of the revolving door and back at Tottenham.

 

 

Mysteriously often, you see Benitez praised, rather than blamed, for Liverpool’s breathless success in Istanbul in that memorable European Cup Final, recovering from a 3-0 half time deficit against Milan to win on penalties in extra time and prolongation. But just why were Liverpool 3-0 down by the interval. Answer; because Benitez’s misbegotten tactics allowed Kaka the freedom of the field. Not till Hamann came on as a second half substitute to close mark him was Kaka and his team subdued, enabling Liverpool to get back into the game.

 

 

I have never been impressed by Benitez's tactics, even in domestic matches. I well remember a game they lost to Arsenal at The Emirates when he stubbornly stuck Steven Gerrard, motor of the midfield, out on the left flank and even kept him there when bringing on the Dutch left winger Bodo Zenden as a second half sub; deploying him in central midfield. Still, Juventus may know what they are doing. I don’t.

[Whelan]

I was going to read that, then I saw your name and I thought I wonder if he would post a balanced article that shows both sides of the story, then I saw Brian Glandville and I though no.

 

Prick.

[Antynwa]

I too have no idea why they are trying to hard to get Benitez, but he does it in a snide way.

[Dicko]

Brian Glanville's opinion on Rafa to Juve:

I have never been impressed by Benitez's tactics, even in domestic matches. I well remember a game they lost to Arsenal at The Emirates when he stubbornly stuck Steven Gerrard, motor of the midfield, out on the left flank and even kept him there when bringing on the Dutch left winger Bodo Zenden as a second half sub; deploying him in central midfield. Still, Juventus may know what they are doing. I don’t.

 

The only time Steven Gerrard played on the left against Arsenal was at Anfield when we beat them 4-2.

 

I assume he applies this sort of logic to Capello as well?

[Guest PurpleNose]

Proper spazzy article that from Glanville.

[toneloc]

Silly season continues ....

 

http://www.footylatest.com/man-city-want-benitez-to-replace-mancini/13893

[aws]

Anyone come up with a song for O'Neill yet? Maybe something based on Marvin Gaye's "Abraham, Martin and John"?

[Guest davelfc]

Silly season continues ....

 

http://www.footylatest.com/man-city-want-benitez-to-replace-mancini/13893

 

Bloody hell, is Mancini injured too?

[coachpotato]

With regards to O'Neil, if we get him we'll have settled for mediocrity.

 

He's at his level now with Villa and if he's got any sense he'll stay there.

 

We need someone better than Benitez to come in if he goes or is sacked, Capello would be, I believe, ideal. I think he would get us and he commands respect from players.

 

Failing him then a respected coach/manager to turn us around before we sink any further. Not bothered who really, as long as we stop being a laughing stock.

[aws]

Silly season continues ....

 

http://www.footylatest.com/man-city-want-benitez-to-replace-mancini/13893

 

Wouldn't be surprised to see either Rafa or Mourinho there.

[coachpotato]

With regards to O'Neil, if we get him we'll have settled for mediocrity.

 

He's at his level now with Villa and if he's got any sense he'll stay there.

 

We need someone better than Benitez to come in if he goes or is sacked, Capello would be, I believe, ideal. I think he would get us and he commands respect from players.

 

Failing him then a respected coach/manager to turn us around before we sink any further. Not bothered who really, as long as we stop being a laughing stock.

 

PS, and who gets us going forwards with something resembling pass and move!!

[bigjohn]

What is a real worry to me is that if Rafa goes at the end of the season who, in their right mind , would want to replace him ? Its 99% certain that there will not be new owners in place by then (these things take time and, if the press is to be believed the Yanks want too much for the club) - nobody will want to come in to a club not knowing who the owners are and what financial restictions they will have.

It could work in one of two ways I guess - 1) the owners are panicked into selling asap or 2) they refuse to accept that the club's value is reduced and we go into the newseason with a caretaker manager,an uncertain future and our top players asking to leave :(

Fuck ! I am staying off the internet until its all sorted...its really getting me down now. Not even in the Souness era did I feel so worried about the future of our club. If this mess is not sorted very soon we could easily lose our top players and become a mid-table team.

Edited April 27, 2010 by bigjohn
spelling

[keysaint]

on the BBC breaking news ticker..

 

Rafael Benitez's agent says reports Liverpool boss has agreed Juventus deal are absolutely false

[usernameunknown]

I think he'll go but big game this week so his agent is playing it down.

 

I'm torn whether I want him to go or not. Guess it depends on how we do in the Europa, you can't grumble in a season where you win a trophy.

[Randy Marsh]

I think he wants to say but he will see how the next month or so pans out with investment.

 

If he feels sure that the yanks will be off and new owners will come in and give him an actual positive transfer budget instead of a message to balance the books then he'll stay. He's fought so long to stay at the club when we could have walked in to another job years ago, so I don't believe he'd walk now if the new owners he's been waiting for arrive.

 

But if that's not to be the case and he's going to face another summer of bargain bin shopping in Netto then I believe enough will be enough. He would not be able to take us any further and as has happened this season he will be smashed from pillor to post by the press and many of our supporters when Lionel Messi doesn't sign. I wouldn't blame him if he walked if that was to be the case.

[Bogman]

I think he wants to say but he will see how the next month or so pans out with investment.

 

If he feels sure that the yanks will be off and new owners will come in and give him an actual positive transfer budget instead of a message to balance the books then he'll stay. He's fought so long to stay at the club when we could have walked in to another job years ago, so I don't believe he'd walk now if the new owners he's been waiting for arrive.

 

But if that's not to be the case and he's going to face another summer of bargain bin shopping in Netto then I believe enough will be enough. He would not be able to take us any further and as has happened this season he will be smashed from pillor to post by the press and many of our supporters when Lionel Messi doesn't sign. I wouldn't blame him if he walked if that was to be the case.

 

Nail on head, that's how I see it mate.

He ain't daft, and he'd be mad not to have a readily available escape route.

[Tom R]

on the BBC breaking news ticker..

 

Rafael Benitez's agent says reports Liverpool boss has agreed Juventus deal are absolutely false

 

must be true then.

 

edit- actually, it probably is. I imagine he's probably angling for more money and a deal that favours him over all things, least of all the club.

[Hermes]

on the BBC breaking news ticker..

 

Rafael Benitez's agent says reports Liverpool boss has agreed Juventus deal are absolutely false

 

Of course he hasn't, he can't agree a deal with them while he's under contract here or he'd be sued.