Would you have Rafa back?

[aws]

I am genuinely surprised by this outcome.

 

Why? It was only a very vocal minority on here who wanted him sacked in the first place.

 

Those who wanted him to stay but have now decided it's best not to go back have probably been matched by those who wanted him gone but have now realised what a blunder it was to sack him before lining up someone better.

[Major Tom]

Why? It was only a very vocal minority on here who wanted him sacked in the first place.

 

I am equally surprised. In my experience, if it actually was a minority who wanted him gone, it was a marginal one.

[Walton Park]

I dont know many people who wanted Benitez to stay to be fair.

By the way them banners outside his house were hilraious and I actually cringe for the clowns who put them up on those railings.

 

Their demands for him to come back will fall on deaf ears.

Just when new owners come in and try and settle the club down this all kicks off.

If he did come back (which he 100% isnt) it will kick off again with people who dont want him and there are plenty.

 

Why dont we just all agree to having a new young talented manager and put all this to bed and let the club breath for the first time in years.

[Kevin D]

Therein lies the crux of the problem: many people felt it was inevitable that the board in charge of the club at the time would not appoint the right man. Many wanted Rafa to stay not because they'd overlooked or apologised for all his deficiencies, but because it seemed clear that no better manager would come to work for the club with the condition it was in.

 

Pellegrini would have been a good shout but Purslow/Broughton were media-men and they appointed Hodgson short-sightedly on the back of some good press and an LMA award.

 

That is a huge part of why there's so much bitterness involved. A lot of people who wanted Rafa to stay didn't think he was the messiah, but hated the way he was portrayed by the media as a villain, hated the people running the club, and hated that those who were in charge of the decisions allowed them to be made by newspapers and commentators who have no idea what's best for the club.

 

You say you wouldn't have Rafa back under any circumstances, but it doesn't take a genius to figure out who you'd pick between him and Hodgson. Well a lot of people felt that our choice was that - or similar - before Benitez was sacked and we sold ourselves down the river to please the papers. It doesn't surprise me that people can't stop talking about it because within that context it is one of the most foolish and pathetic things our club has ever done, and it stands as a remnant of the absolute travesty the club could have become if G&H were still around.

 

20 million a year net spend, seventh place finish, sacked by NESV with an ambitious young coach waiting in the wings and we wouldn't even be talking about this. All of the division isn't about Benitez, it's about the direction the club was taking when it allowed him to be sacked. Fans are pulling against one another because some think that the direction was right and others think it was appalling.

 

Superb post and for that very reason it has to be ignored or dismissed.

 

The poll results are amazing - Jose Mourinho, who may be the best manager in the game, would struggle to duplicate them - when considering how bad last year was. They also confirm a suspicion that most didn't/don't have the patience to deal with the inevitable stream of hysteria or mistruths which accompany most threads about him, which is why we got a false reading of his support on here.

 

There's also a view that both sides - that is the 10% of extremists who seem to have monopolised the debate - are as bad each other and, so far as this site is concerned, that isn't remotely true. I'd suggest that Johnny H was Rafa's most vocal supporter and he was willing to concede that it was time for a change. Conversly his biggest detractors are ubiqitious, continue to throw unsubstantiated abuse and deride his accomplishments at every turn.

[Major Tom]

 

Why dont we just all agree to having a new young talented manager and put all this to bed and let the club breath for the first time in years.

 

Amen

[goatboy59]

Sorry mate but this is just a lie, plain and simple.

 

Try searching 'Tom R' for one.

 

Do some more searching.

 

I'm sure Tom will often count himself as worth 20 of 'you lot', but in the real world that ain't so.

 

I like sarcasm, even the heavier variety, but there are limits.

[goatboy59]

But he won't take on Henry and Weiner.

 

 

First Hyppia, now this.

 

I'm sure that's a big insult in the States, too.

 

Gulp.

[ronnie38]

I dont know many people who wanted Benitez to stay to be fair.

By the way them banners outside his house were hilraious and I actually cringe for the clowns who put them up on those railings.

 

Their demands for him to come back will fall on deaf ears.

Just when new owners come in and try and settle the club down this all kicks off.

If he did come back (which he 100% isnt) it will kick off again with people who dont want him and there are plenty.

 

Why dont we just all agree to having a new young talented manager and put all this to bed and let the club breath for the first time in years.

 

Got any more ITK info for us?

[Kopite]

Like a shot. The Liverpool Way was built upon the fact that you replace with an improved version. This was usually players; whether ability-wise (Dalglish for Keegan), tactically (Beardsley & Barnes for Rush) or simply youth (Nicol for Neal).

 

For the first time in my life we have replaced the manager with a sub-standard version (even Souness had a great record at Rangers), and a seriously underwhelming appointment too. We were never in a million years going to get an externally-recruited adequate replacement for Rafa (Mourinho, Deschamps) with Twit & Tw*t in charge.

 

You also had the likes of Purslow making the decision so there was never any chance the only man who could stabilise and ultimately carry the club forward (Kenny) was going to get the job. Purslow went for the "flavour of the month"; the man who'd put his arm around the players and get more out of them than that cold, emotionless Spaniard could. Kenny saw the list of potential nerw managers, knew Hodgson was Purslow's first choice and became that concerned he put his name forward as he knew even with 10+ seasons out of football management he was a better candidate than Hodgson.

 

I said at the time of his appointment Hodgson would push Souness up the table of great Liverpool managers. I haven't seen any reason to doubt this view as Poulsen & Konchesky are right up there with Torben Piechnik, Istvan Kozma and Paul Stewart. Jeez, even Julian Dicks could take a good penalty. Our tactics away from home are that poor they are in serious danger of making Souness's away record look like the Liverpool team of 87/88.

 

I really think with the right manager this squad should be pushing for a Champions League place (at best), Europa League qualification (at worst).

 

It looks like we will miss out on both. Then again, Roy is very good at dampening down expectation. At this rate we'll be made up with a top-half finish...

[Guest the boy]

I think you're mistaking the views of internet fans with those of match-going fans.

 

This forum has never been anti-Benitez. Any cursory totting up of the pro and anti Benitez posts will tell you that. The reason pro-Benitez fans think it's anti their hero is because of the inordinate amount of offence and hurt they feel at every post that criticises him. It's certainly not borne out by the numbers of posts.

 

hahaha. right. this forum is as generally least representative of match going fans and season ticket holders as there is. we'll see what the reaction is at Wolves if he remains out of a job, I suppose.

[goatboy59]

And there's no dampening down of expectation when Rafa's around eh?

 

Not when you challenge for the title and your conquerors lose Ronaldo and Tevez. Not when the Times print a pile of bullshit stats, allowing Tomkins et al to claim 63 points as one below reasonable expectation!

 

And you'd never find Rafa and an army of bootlickers telling the Italian treble winners what they can and can't expect.

 

Nooooooo.....

[Guest the boy]

And there's no dampening down of expectation when Rafa's around eh?

 

Not when you challenge for the title and your conquerors lose Ronaldo and Tevez. Not when the Times print a pile of bullshit stats, allowing Tomkins et al to claim 63 points as one below reasonable expectation!

 

What you forget in your satirical bravado is that nobody suggested, match-going or otherwise, that 2008/2009 was remotely acceptable. There are those that considered it a blip, and considered Benitez as a man proven capable of rectifying it. There remain those who perceive a manager with his resume as being of a greater chance for success than Owen Coyle of Burnley and Bolton. There are those who were able to put that season into some sort of context, considering the state of the club and those seasons that came before. Those who cry perfection for Rafa are as few as you so vociferously shout call him a cunt etc. There's a difference.

[Spartacus]

Got any more ITK info for us?

Walton Red is the ITK, isnt he?

[sh#t waffle]

Maybe I'm being too suspicious, but I'm just starting to get the feeling that goatboy might just think that Rafael Benitez is defended too vociferously by his supporters? Anyone else picked up on this?

[Guest PurpleNose]

Maybe I'm being too suspicious, but I'm just starting to get the feeling that goatboy might just think that Rafael Benitez is defended too vociferously by his supporters? Anyone else picked up on this?

 

What we need is a load of people to call him a cunt to counter it.

[Randy Marsh]

What you forget in your satirical bravado is that nobody suggested, match-going or otherwise, that 2008/2009 was remotely acceptable. There are those that considered it a blip, and considered Benitez as a man proven capable of rectifying it. There remain those who perceive a manager with his resume as being of a greater chance for success than Owen Coyle of Burnley and Bolton. There are those who were able to put that season into some sort of context, considering the state of the club and those seasons that came before. Those who cry perfection for Rafa are as few as you so vociferously shout call him a cunt etc. There's a difference.

.

[Guest TK-421]

Maybe I'm being too suspicious, but I'm just starting to get the feeling that goatboy might just think that Rafael Benitez is defended too vociferously by his supporters? Anyone else picked up on this?

 

I don't think he cares either way. It's not like he posts much on the subject.

[King Emlyn]

Well maybe he has a point. Benitez did well when he was here but imo he had to go. I can understand somebody having a different viewpoint but there are definitely a percentage of his supporters who are weird, it borders on creepy at times, deffo something "village of the damned" about it.

[Kopite]

Well maybe he has a point. Benitez did well when he was here but imo he had to go. I can understand somebody having a different viewpoint but there are definitely a percentage of his supporters who are weird, it borders on creepy at times, deffo something "village of the damned" about it.

 

Equally you could say that about the other-side of the argument Paul.

[goatboy59]

Vociferous is good. Passion is good.

 

Slyarse is not.

 

"You'd never get Rafa lowering expectations like that orrible odgson" - oh do fuck off.

[King Emlyn]

Equally you could say that about the other-side of the argument Paul.

Bloody hell mate good to have you back, where you been? Hope you're well.

[Spartacus]

Well maybe he has a point. Benitez did well when he was here but imo he had to go. I can understand somebody having a different viewpoint but there are definitely a percentage of his supporters who are weird, it borders on creepy at times, deffo something "village of the damned" about it.

Aye, I agree. Youre either in the 'silent majority' (of 30%) or youre a fucking loony!

[King Emlyn]

Vociferous is good. Passion is good.

 

Slyarse is not.

 

"You'd never get Rafa lowering expectations like that orrible odgson" - oh do fuck off.

"Orrible Odgson" I'm having that.

[RobbieOR]

Like a shot. The Liverpool Way was built upon the fact that you replace with an improved version. This was usually players; whether ability-wise (Dalglish for Keegan), tactically (Beardsley & Barnes for Rush) or simply youth (Nicol for Neal).

 

For the first time in my life we have replaced the manager with a sub-standard version (even Souness had a great record at Rangers), and a seriously underwhelming appointment too. We were never in a million years going to get an externally-recruited adequate replacement for Rafa (Mourinho, Deschamps) with Twit & Tw*t in charge.

 

You also had the likes of Purslow making the decision so there was never any chance the only man who could stabilise and ultimately carry the club forward (Kenny) was going to get the job. Purslow went for the "flavour of the month"; the man who'd put his arm around the players and get more out of them than that cold, emotionless Spaniard could. Kenny saw the list of potential nerw managers, knew Hodgson was Purslow's first choice and became that concerned he put his name forward as he knew even with 10+ seasons out of football management he was a better candidate than Hodgson.

 

I said at the time of his appointment Hodgson would push Souness up the table of great Liverpool managers. I haven't seen any reason to doubt this view as Poulsen & Konchesky are right up there with Torben Piechnik, Istvan Kozma and Paul Stewart. Jeez, even Julian Dicks could take a good penalty. Our tactics away from home are that poor they are in serious danger of making Souness's away record look like the Liverpool team of 87/88.

 

I really think with the right manager this squad should be pushing for a Champions League place (at best), Europa League qualification (at worst).

 

It looks like we will miss out on both. Then again, Roy is very good at dampening down expectation. At this rate we'll be made up with a top-half finish...

 

Top post. Welcome back Col, its been a while, eh?

[Dan Vito Corleone]

Absolutely no chance.

 

Thanks for Istanbul, Monaco and Cardiff but he's no longer the same manager as he was back then and has an element of damaged goods about him to me.