Probably the best article I have read about Rafa Benitez

[redfromtubebar]

On the Johnson point; would we not have lost most of the money Pomey owed us once they went into administration and began offering the companies they owed money to(including our £8 million from the Crouch deal) something like 20p in the pound?

 

Apologies if I'm mistaken but that was my understanding of it.

 

As for the player, I agree that he is an average defender but attacking wise he is one of the best in the world. Personally, I prefered Arbeloa, who was criminally underrated here, but Johnson is a good replacement though quite overpriced even taking the Pompey situation into account.

[piscinin]

He said:

 

"Some people mentioned the more attractive tax laws in Spain compared to England as a reason for me coming back, but that's not something I ever thought about. The rewards here are not so different to what I could have earned in England and I would never have considered this an important factor."

 

You're only trying it on because catch-22 isn't here to straighten you out. In memory of our dear departed:

 

Alonso is refusing to commit himself to Liverpool next season, with Real Madrid eager to to take him to the Bernabeu, and with Alonso estimating he is losing a third of his earnings he is edging closer to a return to Spain.

 

"Of course we footballers think about it; we are not stupid, we keep an eye on it," Alonso said. "When you see your contract down by 30 per cent you cannot be happy. I cannot do anything – it must be Gordon Brown or David Cameron.

 

" I think the weakness of the sterling is not helping the Premiership because for those competing and fighting against the European teams it is a big weak point. Hopefully over the next few months and years it will get back to what it was not so long ago."

 

"I worry about losing my team-mates, of course," Torres said. "But when you play for a team like Liverpool you don't have to worry about that. You are a top player and you will get a good contract. You don't have to be scared to lose a little bit of money."

 

That depends on your definition of 'little'. Alonso signed a five-year contract with Liverpool in 2007 worth an estimated £65,000 a week. At the time there were €1.48 to the pound so he was on €96,200 per week but due to the weakness of the pound that has fallen to €76,700 a week. When the 50p tax rate comes in next April that will drop to €69,000 a week, so he could be losing €27,200 every week compared to what he was earning back in 2007. Overall, Alonso fears he could end up losing nearly £1.2 million per year.

[Original202]

On the Johnson point; would we not have lost most of the money Pomey owed us once they went into administration and began offering the companies they owed money to(including our £8 million from the Crouch deal) something like 20p in the pound?

 

Apologies if I'm mistaken but that was my understanding of it.

 

We might have done in the end, but it doesn't really matter. We were still owed that money and we still spent £17m or £18m on him.

 

If anything that makes it worse as we should have forced Portsmouth into accepting a lower price for him knowing they needed cash.

[Unrighteous]

Err.... That article isn't one sided or anything. Ha!

[Unrighteous]

Oh, and Piscinin... You're retarded if you think that he wasn't asked specifically about the tax changes. It isn't exactly a minor thing happening... a massive change in tax laws.

 

He doesn't say, "I AM LEAVING BECAUSE OF THE TAX LAW", so you're speculating...

 

Whereas Xabi Alonso said himself: "Some people mentioned the more attractive tax laws in Spain compared to England as a reason for me coming back, but that's not something I ever thought about. The rewards here are not so different to what I could have earned in England and I would never have considered this an important factor."

[Whelan]

Upon arrival at Madrid

 

"Some people mentioned the more attractive tax laws in Spain compared to England as a reason for me coming back, but that's not something I ever thought about. The rewards here are not so different to what I could have earned in England and I would never have considered this an important factor."

 

Whilst at Liverpool

 

"Of course we footballers think about it; we are not stupid, we keep an eye on it, " Alonso said. "When you see your contract down by 30 per cent you cannot be happy. I cannot do anything – it must be Gordon Brown or David Cameron."

 

Never crossed his mind guvnor!

[piscinin]

Oh, and Piscinin... You're retarded if you think that he wasn't asked specifically about the tax changes. It isn't exactly a minor thing happening... a massive change in tax laws.

 

He doesn't say, "I AM LEAVING BECAUSE OF THE TAX LAW", so you're speculating...

 

Whereas Xabi Alonso said himself: "Some people mentioned the more attractive tax laws in Spain compared to England as a reason for me coming back, but that's not something I ever thought about. The rewards here are not so different to what I could have earned in England and I would never have considered this an important factor."

 

Oi, Unrighteous you are retarded, Benitaur didn't say he left because of the tax changes. He said Alonso felt they were unattractive. That quote talks to that issue. So a) I'm not speculating and b) you are just demonstrating an inability to read without being tripped up tabloid memes.

 

And in my experience when you go from being well paid to being even better paid, Money is never an important issue. Go figure.

[RobbieOR]

We did spend £18m on him.

 

Lets say I sell you a tv for £100. But I owe you £20, so you just give me £80 for the tv. You've still paid £100 for it because you're not going to get the £20 from me are you?

 

What I meant to say was thats what influenced us to buy him. Benitez knew he wouldnt be able to get money to buy a right back off the owners so it made sense. I would have prefered to keep Bob myself but when Real Madrid come calling its pretty hard to turn them down.

[Unrighteous]

I didn't read anything in this thread besides the first post and the last three... So no, I didn't show an inability to read without being tripped up tabloid memes.

 

I showed that I didn't bother reading the drivel that most people would be spewing in this thread.

 

I'll let you get back to leading the mong brigade.

[Il Fenomeno]

How brilliant is Torres?

"I worry about losing my team-mates, of course," Torres said. "But when you play for a team like Liverpool you don't have to worry about that. You are a top player and you will get a good contract. You don't have to be scared to lose a little bit of money."

 

Who needs Xabi when you've got Torres.

[Benitaur]

He said:

 

"Some people mentioned the more attractive tax laws in Spain compared to England as a reason for me coming back, but that's not something I ever thought about. The rewards here are not so different to what I could have earned in England and I would never have considered this an important factor."

 

Of course NOW he says that. While at the time when he was being linked to Real:

 

"Of course we footballers think about it; we are not stupid, we keep an eye on it," Alonso said. "When you see your contract down by 30 per cent you cannot be happy. I cannot do anything – it must be Gordon Brown or David Cameron.

 

" I think the weakness of the sterling is not helping the Premiership because for those competing and fighting against the European teams it is a big weak point. Hopefully over the next few months and years it will get back to what it was not so long ago."

 

Xabi Alonso warns that tax will drive top players away - Telegraph

 

Of course NOW he says:

 

“The pursuit of Gareth Barry took some time for me to accept and, in all honesty, it changed the course of my future.”

 

http://www.thesportreview.com/tsr/2010/01/gareth-barry-talk-forced-me-out-xabi-alonso-liverpool/

 

Now, Real has recently bought Ozil. I guess Alonso will feel equally unwanted and want to leave next season right? Or how about next season when Real buys the next big think for their midfield? Nope, didn't think so

 

Where are all of your quotes anyway? As far I was aware Gareth Barry put in a transfer request to move here, had murder with O'Neill which got him banned from training.and was in the press at the time saying he wanted to leave Villa to go to Liverpool. You seem to be basing your opinion on myths doing the rounds on websites not quotes as you put it.

 

Rafa:

 

“Football is a funny game. The plan was for Barry to play on the left and feed the ball to Robbie Keane, who would play up front with Fernando Torres. This blueprint had to be scrapped. The collateral damage was Keane, who signed from Tottenham Hotspur before the Barry deal had been done. When we wanted to sign Barry, we were sure we were signing a good player with a very good mentality and the quality to play in the Premier League. The priority was Barry, then Keane.”

 

Rafael Benitez: when door was shut on Gareth Barry | Liverpool - Times Online

 

 

"We have a good player (Alonso) and we have another good player coming in soon. We can improve the squad, so we will try to do that. We will bring in one more player if we can. I do not know when but clearly we have problems on the left, Kewell has gone, Aurelio is injured and Leto cannot get a work permit. Babel is away in the Olympic Games. Maybe he can come back and fill that role, but I know we can improve in this area. Who comes in? It could be another left-sided player rather than a central midfielder. Maybe he can play in three different positions, that is a positive thing. I am talking about one player, but I won't say the name."

 

BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Aston Villa | Benitez drops strong Barry hint

 

And strangely by coincidence we moved for Reira when our chase for Barry ended:

 

Liverpool to Sign £16M Spanish Flying Winger as Gareth Barry Interest Fades

 

I'll post the Barry quote when I find it

[piscinin]

I didn't read anything in this thread besides the first post and the last three... So no, I didn't show an inability to read without being tripped up tabloid memes.

 

I showed that I didn't bother reading the drivel that most people would be spewing in this thread.

 

I'll let you get back to leading the mong brigade.

 

Ah, the old "I'm not stupid, I'm just ignorant" defence. Well played, sir.

[goatboy59]

So no, I didn't show an inability to read without being tripped up

 

Be fair, the ability to read can be quite important

 

 

 

You fucking bastards!

[Whelan]

I didn't read anything in this thread besides the first post and the last three... So no, I didn't show an inability to read without being tripped up tabloid memes.

 

I showed that I didn't bother reading the drivel that most people would be spewing in this thread.

 

I'll let you get back to leading the mong brigade.

 

And yet you still felt obliged to open your account with this observation!

 

Err.... That article isn't one sided or anything. Ha!

[Code]

 

Never crossed his mind guvnor!

 

Not in his decision to move back to Spain no, how difficult is that to undestand?

 

He left because he thought Rafa was a deluded smalltime bellend who had lost his way and that he would never win anything again under his management.

[Juan Galonso]

To quote Old Biff Tannen in Back to the Future 2: "There's somethin very familiar about all this".

 

To quote Marty McFly from the same film: "Talk about Deja Vu".

 

Just need Tom Wilson to make an appearance now. Did he play the old Biff as well as the young Biff?

[Il Fenomeno]

 

He left because he thought Rafa was a smalltime bellend.

 

Fuck him then, the cunt.

 

No one is bigger than Liverpool F.C.

[Code]

Fuck him then, the cunt.

 

No one is bigger than Liverpool F.C.

 

Thankfully Purslow and Broughton made that clear to Rafa in the summer.

[Il Fenomeno]

Thankfully Purslow and Broughton made that clear to Rafa in the summer.

 

Shame no one ever told Purslow.

[Randy Marsh]

 

He left because he thought Rafa was a deluded smalltime bellend who had lost his way and that he would never win anything again under his management.

 

Dick head. 2 European Cup finals in 5 years you ungrateful bastard. We won't reach 2 in the next 15 years. Go and support the blueshite.

[goatboy59]

Dick head. 2 European Cup finals in 5 years you ungrateful bastard. We won't reach 2 in the next 15 years. Go and support the blueshite.

 

Are you still pretending you didn't post the original article in the full knowledge that this is what it would descend into?

[stringvest]

Randy, perhaps you should go and support Inter Milan. That piece was almost as one-eyed as you can get, with the partial exception of the last paragraph, presumably tagged on in the interests of 'balance'.

 

I hope you won't be too disappointed if we reach 3 finals in the next 15 years. Sometimes it's right to be wrong.

[Randy Marsh]

Are you still pretending you didn't post the original article in the full knowledge that this is what it would descend into?

 

I take exception to a manager who gave many of us the best day of our life being referred to as a "small time bellend". 99% of other clubs would kill for an ounce of the success we had in the last 5years.

 

Randy, perhaps you should go and support Inter Milan. That piece was almost as one-eyed as you can get, with the partial exception of the last paragraph, presumably tagged on in the interests of 'balance'.

 

I hope you won't be too disappointed if we reach 3 finals in the next 15 years. Sometimes it's right to be wrong.

 

I support Liverpool. I support the management, the staff, the players, everyone but the boardroom. I've been going the match week in week out for the past 15 of my 22 years. Because I point out an article that doesn't totally blast Rafa Benitez, I should go and support Inter Milan? Bollocks. Funny now how anyone with the nerve not to consider Rafa a "cunt" should go and support Inter Milan.

[goatboy59]

That is a fuckin great piece of journalism. I do not agree with every point but it covers all bases and opinions and sums him up well I think. Incredibly balanced and well worthy of a read, just hope we can not let it decent in to the usual slanging match.

 

Divvy.

 

If you're too mentally incompetent to engage in a discussion

 

Didn't realise there was a blanket ban on mentioning anything to do with him

 

Dick head.

 

You ungrateful bastard.

 

Go and support the blueshite.

 

And the most priceless of all

 

the mere mention of his name clearly touches a nerve with some people

 

Quite so.

[stringvest]

I take exception to a manager who gave many of us the best day of our life being referred to as a "small time bellend". 99% of other clubs would kill for an ounce of the success we had in the last 5years.

 

 

 

I support Liverpool. I support the management, the staff, the players, everyone but the boardroom. I've been going the match week in week out for the past 15 of my 22 years. Because I point out an article that doesn't totally blast Rafa Benitez, I should go and support Inter Milan? Bollocks. Funny now how anyone with the nerve not to consider Rafa a "cunt" should go and support Inter Milan.

 

I was making a reference to your abusive post aimed at Code - 'Go and support the blueshite' I think you said. It's always better if you try to remember what you've posted a few minutes before, otherwise when you have a pop at someone for making the same jibe at you (albeit in a less offensive manner) it makes you look like a bit of twit.

 

Most people don't believe Rafa is a cunt - that doesn't mean they thought he was doing the club any good. Everyone has an opinion, but that piece wasn't the best piece on Rafa imo. Miles from it, and light years from being balanced.