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Rafa Benitez not to blame for Liverpool FC's awful start


RedMyst
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For those who are criticizing Rafa for speaking up. He didn't even want to bring Liverpool up:

 

Benitez said: "I will be clear. I don't want to talk about Liverpool but I will because they are asking me again. I feel that Mr Hodgson, he doesn't understand. Every single press conference is worse than the last one. He's talking about things he doesn't know. Some people cannot see a priest on a mountain of sugar. He doesn't understand. Maybe he has been in the job for not so long.

 

"We (the Benitez regime) gave the (Liverpool) fans the pride. Again. We fought for the fans, we fought for the club and we fought for our players. Maybe he cannot understand this. I brought back Kenny Dalglish to do a role in the club. Christian Purslow (the former managing director) gave him another role. So he doesn't know but I will explain to him.

 

"He (Hodgson) signed nine players. I left that squad with £10m net spending, I left that squad with a value of £300m value and 13 internationals. So instead of talking about flips and flops, he has to concentrate on the job, try to do his best and not talk about the level of his players. Let the new players come in and concentrate, try to do their best, because it will be the best for the clubs and the best for the fans."

 

Benitez slams Hodgson in 'priest on a mountain of sugar' tirade - Soccer, Sport - Independent.ie

 

Oh please do give me a break.

 

Just like last week, when he said 'I do not want to talk about Liverpool' only to proceed to talk about Liverpool for minutes on end, he has done the same again here.

 

He is well capable of stone-walling questions, as we all know. He chooses not to do so and I, for one, find that sad.

 

Seriously, why does he feel the NEED to constantly respond to a man who clearly is not his equal in managerial terms?

 

Defend Benitez, fine. But let us get away from this idea that he is somehow a VICTIM in all of this. He is far too clever not to know what he is doing with all this.

 

If I was the Inter president I would certainly be having a word with him: Rafa, you don't work there anymore. Let it fucking go.

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Trouble with high maintenance people is that their rep goes before them, hence the short contract with Inter.

 

Manager with huge European tie ahead of him has spat with another manager, wins trophies with Valencia and leaves because ahem he wasn't being allowed to do his job properly!

 

Years and years of politics, foot-stamping and petty little feuds in England. Not one them his fault? Ever? Ooooooookay.

 

Stalled a promising season by 'focussing' on his 5 year contract and picking more fights (Mr Ferguson).

 

Got rid of Parry and did his best to get rid of Purslow, sniped at Broughton before he'd even got here, whilst his gruesome little toadies still agitate on his behalf after he's gone.

 

And all for what? Last 'achievement' 7th place, swift Champions League exit from a squad that was better than that and (yes) from a coach that was FAR better than that.

 

 

 

Yeah, stay by your phone Rafa lad.

 

I hardly think that Rafa said to the players before they lined up to go out, "Eh lads, do us a favour and be a bit shit today because I still haven't signed my contract". Ludicrous to suggest that had any impact on our record breaking season where we lost 2 matches. And "picking more fights with Ferguson"? One press conference he laid in to him, just one. That was in response to Ferguson calling our team out a few days before. He was defending his team, maybe Roy could learn a ting or two about doing that.

 

It still amazes me that, after 5 seasons of undoubted progress in the league and consistent success and high performance in Europe, one bad season which co-incided with our most turbulent off field period in the club's history wipes everything out. One bad season in six. One. After 2 European Cup finals, a feat only achieved by Bob Paisley, a feat which Alex fuckin Ferguson took 20 years to achieve, and the closest we've come to winning the league in 2 decades, he gets hung out to dry because of one shit year. He built up more than enough credit to earn himself the chance to turn things around. Ask Arsene Wenger, he hasn't won a pot in 5 years. Who's calling for his head?

 

goatboy59, your bitterness towards a man who gave you, me, and this club so so much is just astounding. I just can't fathom out were your hatred comes from. Did he burn down your house or run over your cat? I don't get it. He gave us some amazing days following the club, days I never thought I'd ever experience as a Liverpool fan. Sitting there in Istanbul and Athens about to watch my team play in a European Cup Final still seems like one big dream. I don't see how anyone connected with the club could hate him after what he's given us. Short short memories.

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Trouble with high maintenance people is that their rep goes before them, hence the short contract with Inter.

 

Manager with huge European tie ahead of him has spat with another manager, wins trophies with Valencia and leaves because ahem he wasn't being allowed to do his job properly!

 

Is there anything wrong with that

 

Years and years of politics, foot-stamping and petty little feuds in England. Not one them his fault? Ever? Ooooooookay.

 

 

Stalled a promising season by 'focussing' on his 5 year contract and picking more fights (Mr Ferguson).

 

 

Got rid of Parry and did his best to get rid of Purslow, sniped at Broughton before he'd even got here, whilst his gruesome little toadies still agitate on his behalf after he's gone.

 

And all for what? Last 'achievement' 7th place, swift Champions League exit from a squad that was better than that and (yes) from a coach that was FAR better than that.

 

 

 

Yeah, stay by your phone Rafa lad.

 

You ever thought to consider the Liverpool job may play a factor in some of this. Hodgson who was roundly acclaimed to be a "gentlemen" an almost Gandhi style figure by some seems to be unraveling by the day. This in

less than four months in the job.

 

Rafa has his faults but it is also a bit cynical not to acknowledge he was working under exceptional times at Anfield in his later years.

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You don't have to.

 

Justify the "ten times worse" quote and we can talk.

 

I too think Hodgson is mediocre and we can (thanks to NESV) do better, but there are ways of saying it and that thread - which isn't even as bad as something on the rattle for example - is disgraceful.

 

I wouldn't want to plough through the threads especially in Rafa's leaner times last season, but what's happening now is just horrible. NOBODY has ever brought that kind of shite on themselves, I don't care who they are. Maybe McKenzie.

 

And FYI I think it does include at least one reference to Roy trying to get himself sacked for his pay-off.

 

Sorry about the tit thing.

 

10 times worse was just used as an expression. I saw a comment earlier where someone said that for every 1 bit of abuse Rafa got, Roy gets four. I didn't call him on it as I assume he just means that in his opinion Roy gets it worse as I'm guessing he hasn't counted the abuse both have got on this forum (he'd be a while if he did).

 

Perhaps I should have said Rafa got it "much worse", but choose "10 times worse" instead intending to mean the same thing.

 

Roy is getting horrible things said, but nothing compared to what Benitez was accussed of, and I think it's even worse when you consider what Benitez had given us. And he was even getting this abuse when he was racking up 86 points and our first genuine title challenge (one we were very unlucky to lose) in 20 years.

 

I think calling a Liverpool manager a wanker or a prick or a cunt is terrible and out of order and it is unfortunately something both have suffered; but accusing someone of throwing games, taking bungs, trying to move on the locals and get in a totally foreign team, etc, is far far worse in my opinion. Also, the press are still badgering Benitez until he gives them a quote and then hammers him in the press. If Rafa came out with some of the nonsense Hodgson is coming out with he would be slaughtered by the press whereas Hodgsons very surreal comments are all but let go by the majority of journos.

 

At the end of the day, neither man should have to suffer the abuse they are getting from people who claim to love the club and understand what it is to be a Liverpool fan.

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Oh please do give me a break.

 

Just like last week, when he said 'I do not want to talk about Liverpool' only to proceed to talk about Liverpool for minutes on end, he has done the same again here.

 

He is well capable of stone-walling questions, as we all know. He chooses not to do so and I, for one, find that sad.

 

Seriously, why does he feel the NEED to constantly respond to a man who clearly is not his equal in managerial terms?

 

Defend Benitez, fine. But let us get away from this idea that he is somehow a VICTIM in all of this. He is far too clever not to know what he is doing with all this.

 

If I was the Inter president I would certainly be having a word with him: Rafa, you don't work there anymore. Let it fucking go.

 

The inter president did make a comment on rafa yesterday, he said there is no difference between mourinho and rafa, infact rafa is different he not only thinks about today but also tommorrow. thats what a footballing man and a president/chief executive sounds like when he has some footballing knowledge.

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Something that really pisses me off with all this is Hodgson blaming Benitez and using the squad he inherited as an excuse for the crap performances and results he has dished up so far.

 

players left : Benayoun, Mascherano,Insua,Riera,Aquilani,Degen,Cavalieri.

 

players in : Konchesky,Merielles,Cole,Poulson,B Jones,Jovanovic.

 

Now not only has the squad changed considerably, But roughly £20Million (+ Cole and Jovanovic wages) has been spent on new players.

 

So how can Hodgson pin the blame on the previous manager when no one knows where he would have spent that £20 Million, which players would have left.

 

Benitez might have bought another striker to play with Torres an issue that was obvious needed addressing, he may have altered the shape of the side, the variables are huge.

 

So Im sorry Roy but your arguement is invalid as you knew the squad when you arrived and you oversaw numerous outgoing and incoming transfers.

 

The performances are yours, the style of play is yours, and without a shadow of doubt the results and league poisition are yours. So stop shifting the blame.

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Guest davelfc
Something that really pisses me off with all this is Hodgson blaming Benitez and using the squad he inherited as an excuse for the crap performances and results he has dished up so far.

 

players left : Benayoun, Mascherano,Insua,Riera,Aquilani,Degen,Cavalieri.

 

players in : Konchesky,Merielles,Cole,Poulson,B Jones,Jovanovic.

 

Now not only has the squad changed considerably, But roughly £20Million (+ Cole and Jovanovic wages) has been spent on new players.

 

So how can Hodgson pin the blame on the previous manager when no one knows where he would have spent that £20 Million, which players would have left.

 

Benitez might have bought another striker to play with Torres an issue that was obvious needed addressing, he may have altered the shape of the side, the variables are huge.

 

So Im sorry Roy but your arguement is invalid as you knew the squad when you arrived and you oversaw numerous outgoing and incoming transfers.

 

The performances are yours, the style of play is yours, and without a shadow of doubt the results and league poisition are yours. So stop shifting the blame.

 

Not to mention the incredible boost to those players confidence and their resale values.

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I suspect Roy's insult per day ratio probably is higher than Rafa's, but it's also true that some more serious allegations (match throwing and finger rubbing) were thrown Rafa's way by a handful of people. In any event, it all seems a bit pointless and divisive to start getting into which "side" was/is worse. It's wrong whoever its from.

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It still amazes me that, after 5 seasons of undoubted progress in the league and consistent success and high performance in Europe, one bad season which co-incided with our most turbulent off field period in the club's history wipes everything out. One bad season in six. One. After 2 European Cup finals, a feat only achieved by Bob Paisley, a feat which Alex fuckin Ferguson took 20 years to achieve, and the closest we've come to winning the league in 2 decades, he gets hung out to dry because of one shit year. He built up more than enough credit to earn himself the chance to turn things around. Ask Arsene Wenger, he hasn't won a pot in 5 years. Who's calling for his head?

 

Agree with all of your post, most profoundly this bit. Well said.

 

Roy is getting horrible things said, but nothing compared to what Benitez was accussed of, and I think it's even worse when you consider what Benitez had given us. And he was even getting this abuse when he was racking up 86 points and our first genuine title challenge (one we were very unlucky to lose) in 20 years.

 

I also agree with this. You won't find me calling any Liverpool manage denigrating names (although I have been somewhat disparaging of Hodgson's behaviour), but the difference for me is that Hodgson was appointed during a turbulent period, under a poisonous regime, by people who I honestly believe did not know a great deal about football or what was best for the club. I think it was essentially an appointment by media, which was the result of a long, protracted political battle through media, which came at the expense of dragging our club and a manager who gave his best to achieve success with the team, through the mud.

 

I think that duty and fidelity to the club, the players, and the manager are all hugely important, as long as the club is being run in the right way and staying true to the ethic of LFC. Hodgson's appointment was the culmination of the club being run in precisely the wrong way. Whether he ought to bear any responsibility for that is admittedly a matter of opinion, but given the context of his appointment I can more easily understand hostility towards him than I can towards his predecessor who, for all his failings, came to the club in good faith, gave us some truly memorable nights, and stuck by the players, the fans, and the off the field causes (donation to the HFSG, for example).

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Trouble with high maintenance people is that their rep goes before them, hence the short contract with Inter.

 

Manager with huge European tie ahead of him has spat with another manager, wins trophies with Valencia and leaves because ahem he wasn't being allowed to do his job properly!

 

Years and years of politics, foot-stamping and petty little feuds in England. Not one them his fault? Ever? Ooooooookay.

 

Stalled a promising season by 'focussing' on his 5 year contract and picking more fights (Mr Ferguson).

 

Got rid of Parry and did his best to get rid of Purslow, sniped at Broughton before he'd even got here, whilst his gruesome little toadies still agitate on his behalf after he's gone.

 

 

And all for what? Last 'achievement' 7th place, swift Champions League exit from a squad that was better than that and (yes) from a coach that was FAR better than that.

 

 

 

Yeah, stay by your phone Rafa lad.

 

What a load of wank!

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10 times worse was just used as an expression. I saw a comment earlier where someone said that for every 1 bit of abuse Rafa got, Roy gets four. I didn't call him on it as I assume he just means that in his opinion Roy gets it worse as I'm guessing he hasn't counted the abuse both have got on this forum (he'd be a while if he did).

 

Perhaps I should have said Rafa got it "much worse", but choose "10 times worse" instead intending to mean the same thing.

 

Roy is getting horrible things said, but nothing compared to what Benitez was accussed of, and I think it's even worse when you consider what Benitez had given us. And he was even getting this abuse when he was racking up 86 points and our first genuine title challenge (one we were very unlucky to lose) in 20 years.

 

I think calling a Liverpool manager a wanker or a prick or a cunt is terrible and out of order and it is unfortunately something both have suffered; but accusing someone of throwing games, taking bungs, trying to move on the locals and get in a totally foreign team, etc, is far far worse in my opinion. Also, the press are still badgering Benitez until he gives them a quote and then hammers him in the press. If Rafa came out with some of the nonsense Hodgson is coming out with he would be slaughtered by the press whereas Hodgsons very surreal comments are all but let go by the majority of journos.

 

At the end of the day, neither man should have to suffer the abuse they are getting from people who claim to love the club and understand what it is to be a Liverpool fan.

 

I think that's a decent moment to draw the line.

 

Fair play.

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The thing is goatboy actually rates Rafa as one of the best coaches in Europe. So by that reckoning you have to give such a coach the "right" conditions to work in.

 

We as a club failed to do that.

 

Some of that is exaggerated though. His gross spend almost doubles his predecessor's, even taking inflation into account which was just clubs like Chelsea and City, United to an extent, throwing their weight around.

 

The whole priest thing has camouflaged that 'wank' :whistle: about 10m net spend, he's getting away with that I notice.

 

As for the 300m squad value, fat lot of good it did us last season and if anyone mentions Gerrard and Torres' troubles that only reinforces the point.

 

Rafa was hugely distracted by the end. Any pretence that wasn't go happen again won't stand up.

 

People accuse me and others of banging on - it's okay for them to keep the Rafa mythology machine at full speed, like - but don't you suspect there's anger in us too?

 

We had the best coach in Europe and now we don't, that's enough for anyone to wig out. What's worse though is the sheer weight of propaganda used to enforce the notion that Rafa, or more accurately his character, played no part in his eventual failure.

 

Even now he seems incapable of letting stuff float by, though the latest isn't inconsequential.

 

Press conference is done, dusted. Wallop Strokeface tonight and focus on training and coaching your team.

 

That it isn't for us still rankles.

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Hodgson's comments threaten Benitez' livelihood. In such circumstances, he has every right to respond.

 

He could have torn Hodgson a new one if he'd wanted to be vindictive. That he kept it polite, and did it in such an amusing fashion ("priest/sugar", "flips and flops"), in my opinion illustrates the calibre of the man.

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I hardly think that Rafa said to the players before they lined up to go out, "Eh lads, do us a favour and be a bit shit today because I still haven't signed my contract". Ludicrous to suggest that had any impact on our record breaking season where we lost 2 matches. And "picking more fights with Ferguson"? One press conference he laid in to him, just one. That was in response to Ferguson calling our team out a few days before. He was defending his team, maybe Roy could learn a ting or two about doing that.

 

It still amazes me that, after 5 seasons of undoubted progress in the league and consistent success and high performance in Europe, one bad season which co-incided with our most turbulent off field period in the club's history wipes everything out. One bad season in six. One. After 2 European Cup finals, a feat only achieved by Bob Paisley, a feat which Alex fuckin Ferguson took 20 years to achieve, and the closest we've come to winning the league in 2 decades, he gets hung out to dry because of one shit year. He built up more than enough credit to earn himself the chance to turn things around. Ask Arsene Wenger, he hasn't won a pot in 5 years. Who's calling for his head?

 

goatboy59, your bitterness towards a man who gave you, me, and this club so so much is just astounding. I just can't fathom out were your hatred comes from. Did he burn down your house or run over your cat? I don't get it. He gave us some amazing days following the club, days I never thought I'd ever experience as a Liverpool fan. Sitting there in Istanbul and Athens about to watch my team play in a European Cup Final still seems like one big dream. I don't see how anyone connected with the club could hate him after what he's given us. Short short memories.

 

what he said.

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I hardly think that Rafa said to the players before they lined up to go out, "Eh lads, do us a favour and be a bit shit today because I still haven't signed my contract". Ludicrous to suggest that had any impact on our record breaking season where we lost 2 matches. And "picking more fights with Ferguson"? One press conference he laid in to him, just one. That was in response to Ferguson calling our team out a few days before. He was defending his team, maybe Roy could learn a ting or two about doing that.

 

It still amazes me that, after 5 seasons of undoubted progress in the league and consistent success and high performance in Europe, one bad season which co-incided with our most turbulent off field period in the club's history wipes everything out. One bad season in six. One. After 2 European Cup finals, a feat only achieved by Bob Paisley, a feat which Alex fuckin Ferguson took 20 years to achieve, and the closest we've come to winning the league in 2 decades, he gets hung out to dry because of one shit year. He built up more than enough credit to earn himself the chance to turn things around. Ask Arsene Wenger, he hasn't won a pot in 5 years. Who's calling for his head?

 

goatboy59, your bitterness towards a man who gave you, me, and this club so so much is just astounding. I just can't fathom out were your hatred comes from. Did he burn down your house or run over your cat? I don't get it. He gave us some amazing days following the club, days I never thought I'd ever experience as a Liverpool fan. Sitting there in Istanbul and Athens about to watch my team play in a European Cup Final still seems like one big dream. I don't see how anyone connected with the club could hate him after what he's given us. Short short memories.

 

Good post.

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