Would you have Rafa back?

[goatboy59]

Honestly if you need one then just pm me and i will call round and we can have a snuggle train.

 

 

Human centipede alert!

[marcus50bucks]

Absolutely cracking post.

 

One thing that often gets overlooked is the fact that Rafa is still only 50 years of age. Which is ridiculously young for a top manager. By the age of 46 he had already racked up 2 La Liga titles, The UEFA Cup, The Champions League, The Super Cup, The FA Cup, as well as being UEFA Manager of the year twice. Even his sternest critics must admit that at the tender age of 50, Rafa has one of the best Managerial CV's in the game. It often makes me laugh when I see the whoppers on here naming the likes of Hiddink, Capello, Pellegrini et al, as managers they would love to see at Liverpool. These guys are all 10 to 15 years older than Rafa.

 

Heck, when Ferguson was Rafa's age all he had on his CV was 3 Scottish League titles and a UEFA Cup winners Cup. Ferguson was 57 before he managed to reach a European Cup final. Rafa had been in 2 of them at the age of 47, and a UEFA Cup final to boot. I bet Arsene Wenger would give his right bollock to have the same European track record as Rafa, and Wenger is almost 12 years the elder. The crux of my point is, Rafa was a top manager at a very young age. And despite the last 18 months, he is still without a shadow of a doubt, one of the best coaches in the game. In another 10 years he will be even better. His appetite for learning will ensure it. The man eats, sleeps, breathes, and shits football. I wouldn't be surprised if he tags on another couple of European Cups before he reaches 60.

 

The thing you have to remember about Rafa is, he is not the type of coach who likes to swan into a club for a couple of years, and then fuck off elsewhere. He isn't in the game for money, fame, or attention like that whore in Madrid, he is in it because he is a football obsessive. Rafa likes to build clubs from the ground up. His ideas are long term. He got it right when he was at Valencia. In their pomp they were a supreme football machine. Anyone who remembers Valencia's visit to Anfield should recall how they literally embarrassed us in our own back yard.

 

The biggest fuck up that Valencia made was that their board didn't share the same long term vision as Rafa. Had he stayed there, and had they backed him accordingly, Rafa would have wreaked havoc on the continent with that side. No question or doubt about it. Even more havoc than he wreaked with us. You can bet your bottom dollar Valencia realized what a fuck up they made when they saw Rafa holding the Champions league trophy in 2005.

 

He almost got it right with us too. 2009 should have been our year. We were just desperately unlucky. Some of the football we played that season was Valencia-esque. Man Utd, Real Madrid, and Aston Villa in particular, all felt what it was like to be on the receiving end of a fully functional Benitez side. I.E they got absolutely battered from start to finish. Rafa was on the verge of putting us on roughly the same level as he had put Valencia in 2001. We were almost there. It's agonizing to think back on it, but that's football. Sometimes you get the breaks, sometimes you don't.

 

Speaking of breaks, we got a bad one when Xabi wanted to leave. People often underestimate just how much of an impact Xabi's departure had on the team. Rafa built the side around him from day 1. He was Rafa's eyes and ears on the pitch for us. Gerrards admission that he almost cried when he heard Xabi was leaving is proof of this. It was a killer blow, but it was a blow which we could have recovered from. It just needed time. A lot more time than Rafa was afforded.

 

I'm not saying Rafa doesn't have his flaws, he clearly does. Of course he has made mistakes. But he is young, he is still learning. We're not talking about a guy who just came in and got lucky with us in 2005. This is a guy who had already proved himself, a two time European Manager of the year who wanted to finally realize his grand vision for a footballing institution. That institution should have been us.

 

Which is why I fear if we don't allow him to return to finish what he started here, then he will probably go to Man City and build a team that will dominate for years. The thought of which is too much to even ponder. Rafa will realize his vision one day. It may take him a few years, but do it he shall. My biggest fear is that when does, we will all look back from a top the hills that we all thought were greener, and think "fuck it, we should have given him a second chance"

 

Bring him back I say. Fuck the myopic, short memoried idiots who lambaste him. They are fools. Fools who simply do not grasp that the working methods of Rafa Benitez are part of a masterplan. We have Bondel and Segura working with the youth team now, with tremendous effect. All thanks to Rafa. The future is bright. We have owners with a track record of achieving long term success. We just need a manager who can make it work. A manager who loves the club, and loves the fans. That man is sitting in the Wirral right now. Please John Henry, bring back Rafael Benitez. Give him his chance to make himself a hero. Lord knows, for all he has done for us, he deserves it.

[dennis tooth]

I checked the poll before I posted. The poll about who we wanted as manager at the start of next season. It was less than 30% in favour of Rafa. The other poll is a bad indicator as it has been mixed up with whether or not people want Rafa over Hodgson.

 

Now that I can agree with. The one about the start of next season, to me is a different matter on what I am talking about here. I said 'as things stand right now' and most fans, as it stands right now would take Rafa, most would take Rafa over Roy.

 

As to next season, if we are still in the prem, then yes I agree he'd be down to about a third, considering he was here, what, 6 seasons and out of all the managers in the world a third of our fans would have him back about 6 months after he left. I'm not one of them fans but considering Evans and Houllier when they left there was near universal support for them going I think that is still impressive.

 

It is all down to how far we have fallen I suppose which is down to Roy's appointment. Had they 'wanted' Kenny it never would have been an issue but the decision clearly wasn't about football so here we are, reduced Purslows experiment and H and G 'Trading Places: one dollar' bets.

[JohnnyH]

It is a decent post, if slightly rose tinted, but it does show how talented a manager he is and puts to shame some of the imbeciles who would try and tell you he is shite.

 

However, now is not the time to bring him back. Maybe when all the players who were under him are gone in many years, but not now. We need harmony right now. We didn't get it with the recent appointment, but need it in the next one. Someone the fans as a man can get behind.

[Guest TK-421]

Internet fans? Match going Reds? What's the difference? There are idiots amongst both. Do Internet fans boo when we go top of the league?

[Kevin D]

It is a decent post, if slightly rose tinted, but it does show how talented a manager he is and puts to shame some of the imbeciles who would try and tell you he is shite.

 

However, now is not the time to bring him back. Maybe when all the players who were under him are gone in many years, but not now. We need harmony right now. We didn't get it with the recent appointment, but need it in the next one. Someone the fans as a man can get behind.

 

They'll like him when we win.

[Guest PurpleNose]

Absolutely cracking post.

 

Gave up reading it in the first paragraph when it was suggested only a whopper would consider Pellegrini, Capello or Hiddink.

 

Really isn't necessary to be so incredibly patronising whilst defending Benitez.

[Spartacus]

Internet fans? Match going Reds? What's the difference? There are idiots amongst both. Do Internet fans boo when we go top of the league?

Yeah well, didnt see too many internet fans campaigning against Hicks & Gillett, did you?

All the match going fans did though. Brought tears to me eyes seeing 44,000 marching against them, so it did.

[Skidfingers McGonical]

Yeah well, didnt see too many internet fans campaigning against Hicks & Gillett, did you?

All the match going fans did though. Brought tears to me eyes seeing 44,000 marching against them, so it did.

 

Any need? Especially after the Kop Faithful campaign that is quite a statement.

[INTORRESTING]

But he is NOT coming back so get over it.

 

IF

[rubberduckstyle]

Yeah well, didnt see too many internet fans campaigning against Hicks & Gillett, did you?

All the match going fans did though. Brought tears to me eyes seeing 44,000 marching against them, so it did.

 

 

I moved to the UK from Ireland to follow The Reds more closely on the 4th of October 2009. On that day were beaten 2 nil by Chelsea. To say the last year or so has been a bit of a rollercoaster both personally and for the club would be a gross understatement.

 

I have met some of the most amazing people in the world in my time in the UK. From the Manchester City supporter in The Albert after the City game (drew 2-2 and certainly the worst game l have ever seen) P211109_16.060001.JPG Picture to the Juventus supporter that was moved to tears after l brought him to Anfield for the Lyon game (lost 1-2 but l felt l / we as Liverpool supporters broke down some walls with at least 1 Juve supporter that night) and all the mad scousers, southerners and northerners inbetween.

 

l have been to the marches P251009_13.000001.JPG Picture have been lucky enough to be able to pay my respects to Shanks on his 50th anniversary P161209_20.020002.JPG Picture and as much joy and pride as l've felt in that time, when Rafa was sacked l was devastated. lt kinda took it all away.

 

People like Paul Mc on here who watch the youth sides know how much work Rafa put into our club from the floor up. Some amazing appointments like Rodolfo Borrell and Pep Segura will see us safe long into the future. Bringing back Kenny and Sammy, which l think took courage but were done in the best interests of the club.

 

l used to love coming on here but for the last 6 months or so, the nonsense on here is staggering. People blinded by their own petty squabling, heads so far up arses that the stench of shit is revolting.

 

John Henry, if you really want to make a go of running this fantastic club it is imperative you reappoint Rafa Benitez as our manager. Forget all about the politics he was embroiled in with those 2 parasites. Someone had to try stop those animals from running our club into the ground and Rafa fought tooth and nail to prevent that from happenning and paid the ultimate price for doing so.

 

Come home Rafa la.

[Turkish Delight]

What's all this shite about match going fans and internet fans? I am a season ticket holder that engages in internet debate and there's many others on here who are in the same boat as well.

 

As for Rafa, personally I think he would do a good job for us if he came back over a period of time. He'd have had 6 months to think over the mistakes he made and what he would do differently and I believe he would be the right man to make the brave decisions that will need to be made over several players at the club and whether they will ever re-produce the peak form we saw from them. I would definitely consider him lower risk than many other people being touted for the job.

 

Having said that there is a significant enough number who would oppose the appointment and jump on him at the first opportunity. We would need quick success or the arguments in the ground would start which in turn could feed onto the pitch.

 

In many ways I think the ideal appointment would be a Rafa who doesn't have all the water under the bridge. Somebody with a vision who would unite the fanbase.

 

I clicked yes but only because I can't think of anyone who I am certain would do a better job that would be available. I think that this is the only criteria we should look at and believe any other likely appointment would be a roll of the dice as to our medium term future.

[RedKnight]

You could write an ITV soap opera with some of the melodrama in here.

[Bobby Hundreds]

Rafa is just a man. A very good manager and a decent bloke. Reading some LFC sites though you would think he was Jesus reborn. I dont want him back we had 6 years thats a damn long time these days. Lets try something new and no I didnt want Roy hes a journey man chicken hawk.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

Posts that last more than one paragraph on the subject of Benitez miss my radar. It's bordering on the edge of a cult.

[Major Tom]

Absolutely cracking post.

 

Cracking post if you already subscribe to that view. If you subscribe to the view that Benitez is merely a good manager who had his time at Liverpool and blew it, well then that post is not so cracking.

[MLB]

Sorry, but the pro-Rafa people are far too much like cult members for my liking.

[billypilgrimnz]

Gave up reading it in the first paragraph when it was suggested only a whopper would consider Pellegrini, Capello or Hiddink.

 

Really isn't necessary to be so incredibly patronising whilst defending Benitez.

 

And the talk of a fucking "masterplan". Religious zealots.

[billypilgrimnz]

Sorry, but the pro-Rafa people are far too much like cult members for my liking.

 

Not all of them, but a certain subset who wax on about visions and masterplans. They are simply embarrassing. We have fucking OWNERS whose job it is to run the club. I want a manager who is happy to manage, work with the owners and do a good job with it.

 

Rafa has never owned a club before. He has never had full control of every aspect of a club. Why do so many people feel the desire to hand the entire club over to one man based on absolutely no fucking evidence whatsoever that he would be any good at running a club?

 

Because he won the Champions League in 2005? Well fuck, lets get Traore in a defensive coach for the entire clube.

[MLB]

Not all of them, but a certain subset who wax on about visions and masterplans. They are simply embarrassing. We have fucking OWNERS whose job it is to run the club. I want a manager who is happy to manage, work with the owners and do a good job with it.

 

Rafa has never owned a club before. He has never had full control of every aspect of a club. Why do so many people feel the desire to hand the entire club over to one man based on absolutely no fucking evidence whatsoever that he would be any good at running a club?

 

Because he won the Champions League in 2005? Well fuck, lets get Traore in a defensive coach for the entire clube.

 

 

Cisse and Baros can coach the strikers!

 

I've got no beef with Rafa, honestly. I actually quite like him. But I definitely don't want him back as manager.

[HJohal]

Personally, I think the perception of Rafa would have been totally different if he had left in the summer of 2009, and gave his reasons for leaving as 'a lack of trust' with the management team due to numerous broken promises.

 

In any case, there is now a need for everyone at the club to pull in the same direction, something which is against Rafa for at least the next 2 years until the dust settles.

[Heinze]

I like how tards bring up inters shite form and fail to mention the injuries to their key players.

 

whoppers.

[a stoner]

Not on your nelly. He's had his chance here and has fucked up at inter now and alot of it seems to be his comments to the press.

Didn't like his tactics and hated his bizarre substitutions.

[Guest davelfc]

I like how tards bring up inters shite form and fail to mention the injuries to their key players.

 

whoppers.

 

But that would dilute their argument a little. It sounds better if you concentrate on the negatives and completely ignore any of the mitigating circumstances.

 

Of course in doing so you can sometimes be made to look whopper, as you so rightly mention.

 

Fair minded people know the score, they ignore such biased shite so really these whoppers do themselves no favours.

[billypilgrimnz]

But that would dilute their argument a little. It sounds better if you concentrate on the negatives and completely ignore any of the mitigating circumstances.

 

Of course in doing so you can sometimes be made to look whopper, as you so rightly mention.

 

Fair minded people know the score, they ignore such biased shite so really these whoppers do themselves no favours.

 

But with Rafa, it is ALL mitigating circumstances. Except when something goes right, then it is all pure 100% Rafa.

 

You're not wrong, but it works both ways mate.