diego

He told Benayoun to go and Mascherano wanted to leave before Rafa went. All the other decent players are still here.

 

That shows who was having the biggest negative effect on the players.

Don't take this wrong, but you're full of shit. You know nothing about Rafa or the players.

Mascherano wanted to go and Rafa persuaded him to stay using his authority as a strong manager to warn off Barcelona. Mascherano has recently spoken highly of Rafa as his "teacher" who was responsible for his "development" and he would have gone to Inter if there had been an offer.

Benayoun several times over two years talked to the press about leaving if he was not played enough. Every time Rafa coralled him in. Benayoun then said Rafa was a wonderful manager. When Benayoun got a sniff from Chelsea he gave Rafa an ultimatum - he would leave if he was not first choice. Rafa said, then leave if you must, for the right price. When Benayoun left, he was persued by Bascombe who's leading anti-Rafa questions prompted Benayoun to repeat his whining about how Rafa had never played him enough.

The fact that most of the players stayed is due in part to the fact that Rafa tied them down with long contracts and the fact that Hodgson did not want to replace them. Any one of them could have left if they put in a transfer request and if another club was willing to pay their wages and a transfer fee. Maybe some of them regret that they didn't.

I'd rather we get relegated than see Benitez here again.

Which just about sums up the ethos of TLW.

Never mind. Rafa's team won again yesterday.

Agger was the first to say publicly that Rafa's going meant nothing to him - he worked for the club not for the manager. Then last week he gave an interview in Denmark which was translated to say in effect that everybody was very much happier at the club with the change in regime. A week later he is criticising the new regime in a fundamental way.

It shows again that players are mainly interested in themselves. A manager is good if he plays him and offers contract extensions and bad if he doesn't.

That said, he has a point about Hodgson's style of play and selections.

As I said in the match thread, Hodgson's relationship with Ferguson means very little. Rafa was always at war with Ferguson yet we got fucked there five times out of six.

 

Rafa was judged on his ability to get the team playing winning football and it will be the same with Hodgson.

For much of Rafa's time Man Utd were at the top of their game and top of the league. They were never so vulnerable and ready for taking as they were this week. Rafa always gave Man Utd a hard time, even when he didn't win, and he never conceded three goals.

Top post.

Purslow owes Carra him for giving him an excuse to say Rafa had lost the dressing room. So that will probably cost the club another couple of million in a ridiculously blasted contract renewal.

Roy picked the line up today ....... I expected us to lose...we didn't play well by any stretch today and were second best throughout .......next two games v Sunderland and Blackpool are massive and six points are a must, the team is low on confidence.......

Since your only justification for your campaign on here against Rafa was the team's results last year (although you were on your campaign when we were still a point or two from the top four) - can we assume you will soon start your campaign against Hodgson based on his worse results?

Our problem since 1998 has been we failed to appoint a manager who is positive and go for the win, which is the main base a manager needs in this league.

 

Houllier was negative. Rafa was negative. And now Hodgson looks the same.

For that to be true you would have to ignore the 4-1 drubbing Rafa's team gave them at Old Trafford and all the other games his team won or put serious pressure on them.

Its just as well we lost. If we had won Fergie might have been upset with Hodgson, refused to offer him a glass of wine and a chat about Rafa. We can't have Ferguson not liking our manager. No win is worth that.

If Dave U is reading this - remember how you negged me for suggesting that we have a Rafa thread on here - and then the next day you started a new thread about Rafa taking down Mourinho's picture at Inter? I suggest you go to RAWK where they have a Rafa thread in the Flagpole Corner section. One item is a long interview in which, among other things Rafa discusses Mourinho and Chelsea v Liverpool. He firmly denies that anyone took down Mourinho's picture at Inter.

Inter Milan - Rafa thread

Rafa's reply to Ferguson's rant today:

F.C. Internazionale Milano

Benitez: "Ferguson? I'm surprised"

Saturday, 18 September 2010 15:16:01 permalink

APPIANO GENTILE - Rafael Benitez is very surprised to learn that he is still the focus of attention on the eve of tomorrow's English Premier League match between Manchester United and his former club Liverpool. The Spanish coach is entirely focused on Inter and the upcoming Serie A games, starting with tomorrow afternoon's clash in Palermo.

At the end of today's press conference at Inter's training ground, and after reading the comments of Alex Ferguson reported by British and Italian websites, Benitez remarked: "I am genuinely surprised that an experienced and important coach like him said these things and talked so much about me. I have been in Italy for three months now... I can only add that the Liverpool fans know the story and the truth. And they know that it is easy to pass judgment if you have been in power for 24 years."

BarCap's primary role is to facilitate the sale of the club. The contingency plan is to find alternative forms of finance in order to prevent the club from going into administration, as RBS would appear to have no appetite for taking ownership of the club on. Barcap and Broughton would, for many reasons, would much prefer the club to be sold. Broughton, Purslow and Ayre have already moved to block refinancing. BarCap have refused to provide funds themselves to the current owners. It should be clear where the priorities are.

What exactly is the point of your post? Periodically you appear and pontificate on the obvious. Most of us know what a bank is and a business. Most of us have read the reports about the attempts to refinance and sell. Perhaps you need to repeat the obvious to make it clear to yourself. But judging by the condescending tone you adopt I suspect its more to do with your never-ending quest to sound knowledgeable. It 'aint working!

I believe that Broughton's objectives and priorities are broadly aligned with our own; i.e. to find a buyer who is willing (highly likely to be for profit rather than the love of the club) to invest in the squad and a new stadium.

You're changing your tune aren't you? I don't know how may times you said the club would be sold earlier than most supporters thought and no later than September, October, November 2010 (you kept changing the goalposts). As usual you delivered these predictions with the air of someone who was ITK just as you try to imply that you have direct knowledge of the club that supports your agenda driven sneering against Rafa and some players.

You don't know anybody at the club, you have no direct knowledge of the potential sale and refinancing - you`re what my mother would call a gaseous gossiper.

No spelling mistake, down to the limitations of the username field old chap. Do keep up!

 

Makes me laugh these ubber fans from the members forum who think they're a cut above others.

It gets more like Kraptalk every day. Gold Members, Silver Members, LifeTime Members, phantom ITK's.

The funny thing is that a good number in the MF were also in the Kraptalk Gold and Silver fora and had to be dragged away screaming and kicking when it blew up.

When Rafa was asked he said Kenny should get the job because he wanted it and because nobody knew the club better than he and because of his successful record as manager and player. Many former players also said he should get it.

But Purslow persuaded Broughton they would be better off with a patsy.

I agree that it was better for Rafa to leave rather than take any more of the bullshit. He should have left one year before. But his commitment to the club and determination to overcome the odds clouded his assessment of what was best for himself.

I just can't comprehend how rational, reasonable people are trying to make assumptions and predictions in mid September, especially given the difficult start we've had, and the fact that it's a World Cup year.

Your central argument fails - the fact is that the board made "assumptions and predictions" about the effect he would have on the club immediately and throughout the rest of the season. They even gave him a lucrative three year contract. They were advised that he was unlikely to do well in footballing terms - but they were not hiring him for footballing reasons just as they were not trying to force Rafa out for footballing reasons.

They calculated that the supporters would give Hodgson a chance for about a year - enough time for them to do their funny business.

Supporters should not be hoodwinked by these obvious ploys.

you'll find the ignore button works as an effective muzzle. That's what I do with all the naughty dogs who insist on chasing parked cars.

You can dish it out but can't take it.

Why do you repeatedly tell the forum that you use the ignore button? Does it help you save face? Seems odd to spend hours sneering on a chat forum while ignoring the chatters. But you do peep, from behind your drawn curtains, don't you?

The rise of Dan Cuntkins to such prominence in a short space of time is almost unprecedented.

 

He's been here no time at all, and is already one of the Top 3 Massive Cunts on the website.

Quite the stalker aren't you? Not to worry, though, nobody comes close to your cuntery on so many sites - Koptalk, Sixty Minutes, TLW - where will you be challenging for honours next?

Hysteria against Roy and the performance ? Oh I quite agree, its nuts.

 

I dont think Roys done anything wrong so far, given he's had all of 5 minutes to achieve anything. He's here, whatever the circumstance, he deserves our full support.

 

I am worried by the Citeh and todays games, I am worried Carras legs have gone, I am worried that Gerrard and Torres have forgotten how to play together, that Xabi and Masch have moved on without being properly replaced, concerned that from redesigning 4th as the new first under Ged and then Rafa, were now looking to find the gloss in the top 6 and europa league, but, as far a I can tell, none of those concerns are down to Roys actions and its a rell pisser to find so much hysteria and angst aimed at Roy already.

There's no hysteria - that's just the language of the propagandists on here who cannot tolerate reasoned criticism of the manager because it implies that Rafa was a better manager (and of course he was). I do not include you personally in that remark but certainly the guy you were responding to.

As for your other comments about Carragher, Gerrard and Torres - they played better before because we had a different manager.

Carragher is long past the time he should be warming the bench - one of the reasons he politicked against Rafa because he hoped a new, weaker manager would give him a nice, long lucrative contract. Gerrard has never played better in his entire career than under Rafa and the same is true of Torres.

. ...I don't understand it.

No you don't.

As for saying you know for a fact that Hodgson is well liked by the players etc - you are full of bullshit. You have no first-hand knowledge of anybody at the club. You never met Rafa and spent two years sneering at him and can't stop yourself even after he has gone.

One thing (well obviously there are lots) for me that is disappointing is the lack of a psychological boost to the squad the appointment has made. The way the previous regime was described, especially on here I expected to see a squad of happy players, working hard for each other and playing like a cloud had lifted.

 

Just hasn't happened.

And don't forget the media campaign from Carrahger, Gerrard and Purslow about the new buzz at Melwood, how everyone seems happier and looks forward to training etc. etc.

It was a pathetic attempt to justify all the back-stabbing they did against Rafa.

What do you expect from a manager who won only three away PL games in the last two years? He is doing exactly what he always does. Those who talk about treading water and it getting better are delusional. He has a 34 year record to judge by.

In addition to that he spends a lot of time talking about club politics (not very astutely), he is self-contradictory, changing his opinions as events change them for him, he spends a lot of his media time positioning himself, personally, is quite garrulous and during a match looks a bit like a deer staring into oncoming headlights.

He fas far less experience of LFC and knows far less about the club than any supporter I know. Therefore I object to his stream of judgements. He should shut his mouth and try to learn. Above all he should remember he is in the position he is because the owners and their agents want a patsy.

Do you think Hodgson will be gone by the end of the season ? Im not talking about results, im talking about performance.

Yes, he'll be gone. But this assumes the club will be sold first. If not Purslow and co will keep him on for all the same reasons they hired him in the first place.

A more interesting question is who the next manager will be. If Rafa wants the job he will be a serious contender. But he won't want it if Purslow is still here.

I just wish he would take Carragher with him. Maybe he could get Owen on a free and persuade Gerrard with a big fat contract. All he would need then for the return of the scouse Mafia would be Murphy. Houllier could try to recapture his LFC glory days of kick and rush. And if that failed they could have a whale of a time whining to each other about how Rafa never appreciated them.

In his interviews-conferences Houllier has out-done Hodgson in setting himself up for mediocrity and failure. His scouse mafia would have a whale of time telling each other how Rafa never appreciated them.

He said he liked the job because the owners persuaded him of their ambitions and were honest and nice etc. The point is did he persuade them of his ambitions and did he convince them he is honest and nice?

He emphasised that Aston Villa wanted "gradual" improvement - thereby giving himself a licence for about 3-5 years before he gets sacked for failing to improve them.

Apart from what he said about how inferior AV were to LFC he never mentioned any of their players or achievements or any other substantive reasons why AV were a good club except to say they were in the European League and therefore must have good players. Villa do have a substantial history and its too bad Houllier couldn't bother to do some research on it before signing a lucrative three year contract.

It sounds to be like its his retirement project - his last big pay day. When he looks back on his career his big boast will still be that it was really him, not Rafa, who won the Champions League with LFC.

Gerrard has been playing for LFC for about 12 years - that's more than half of the time since we last won the league. We will never win the league with him as a key player and certainly not as captain. His inconsistency allows him to play well for the occasional cup game or a short burst of wins in the league or when he is in his manic mood, but over the period of a season he not only gums up the team too often he also depresses it too often. His politiking against the manager did not help the team spirit last year and his forming a little club within a club with Carragher and Murphy (formerly) and the other junior "locals" , his briefing Bascombe and his other friends in the press and on the internet against the club and against other players was treacherous.

He has clearly written LFC off but he is just about intelligent enough not to admit it publicly. He has put all his eggs in the England basket. That's were his enthusiasm has been for a couple of years. In the 2008/2009 season when we were chasing the title it was Torres, Pepe and some of the other foreign players - not Carrragher or Gerrard - who drove the team forward.

If players were judged by the same standard as managers, Gerrard's constant failure over 12 years in the league should have seen him sacked or demoted. After all he is captain. I think the vice-captain should also take a lot of the responsibility.

When his career is over he will be judged to have been among the second tier of Liverpool players in skill and application and considerably short of the first tier. He will be seen to have enjoyed a bloated reputation due to the fact that Houllier, a media manipulator, promoted him to Captain before his time because he was local, displacing a far better captain in Hyppia. History will note his Owen-like tendency to prefer an England profile over LFC. (In his case it is due to a fundamental lack of self worth and insecurity). History will note his lack of self control for much of his career, his inconsistency as a player and his lack of leadership. It will also note that he is quite unintelligent and easily led by the likes of Owen, Murphy and Carragher and the various yobs he hangs out with.

But History is also kind and will remember various anecdotes in which his contribution was first class.

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.

You're hypocrite as well as sneering fool. This forum is full of your posts referring to Rafa as "poisonous" and various other hate-filled epithets as well as many references from you to Rafa at Inter. You are obsessed with him.