"Rafa is leaving" is the new "Stevie is leaving"

[tomasjj]

Should our manager throw his toys out and run to the press though?
Do you think that was necessary to get G and Ts attention?

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

Its been reported that we've lost out on potential summer targets as Rafa doesn't know how much he has to spend.

It's very much possible that I'm retarded, but lets assume for a moment I am not, how does the above make any sense whatsoever? It's March, you cannot sign anybody.

[Sir Bob]

It's very much possible that I'm retarded, but lets assume for a moment I am not, how does the above make any sense whatsoever? It's March, you cannot sign anybody.

I know but much of the groundwork for the summer transfers are done months before. Imagine for instance Villa is to leave Valencia in the summer. Valencia will want the deal sorting well before the summer so that they have time to buy replacements before news of Villa's sale is widespread. If villa was available there will be lots of interested clubs and if Rafa doesn't know if he can afford him we will be left behind whilst other clubs court Valencia & Villa. Transfers are massively complicated nowadays and take months to sort out,. Waiting for the summer for targets would be a recipe for disaster.

[tomasjj]

Where was it reported that Rafa lost out on targets?
I must have missed that.

[Johnny]

I honestly think Raffa will stay to 'finish the job he's started'. I think he would regard leaving without winning the Premiership as being a failure.

If we'd won the Prem this year there would be a much greater chance of him going to Real IMO.

I do agree though that he should have conducted himself better and not gone public with his concerns which in turn send out more signals.

What he said

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

I know but much of the groundwork for the summer transfers are done months before. Imagine for instance Villa is to leave Valencia in the summer. Valencia will want the deal sorting well before the summer so that they have time to buy replacements before news of Villa's sale is widespread. If villa was available there will be lots of interested clubs and if Rafa doesn't know if he can afford him we will be left behind whilst other clubs court Valencia & Villa. Transfers are massively complicated nowadays and take months to sort out,. Waiting for the summer for targets would be a recipe for disaster.

Possible. I don't doubt that the club will put out feeders for potential targets now, if they haven't already.

But even so what's the harm in declaring an interest in a player, then not following it up if we can't afford to?

Money talks. End of story. Groundwork or not, if we bid more money than anyone else for a player we'll get him.

I think Rafa's whinge is more to do with the supposed lack of communication with Gillett and Hicks, but then again what the **** is Rick Parry there for?

[Sir Bob]

Where was it reported that Rafa lost out on targets?
I must have missed that.

It was in lots of the daily papers. Like anything in the press you should treat it with caution but it rang true with me as Rafa felt the need to go public on wanting to meet the new owners asap. for him to do that something pretty important must have happened, such as missing out on potential signings.

[IrishPaul]

IMO it's the usual drama queen tabloid bollocks

I honestly don't think Rafa will leave in the near future, he still has unfinished business with us i.e. No 19 and he and his family are very settled on Merseyside. He strikes me as a man of integrity and once he gets to sit down with T & G to get the financial **** sorted it'll be onward and upward. Let's not forget that Rafa is a very shrewd cookie, he only tells the media what he wants them to know. He has already stated not so long ago that he won't be leaving LFC anytime soon but is flattered by the Real interest because he is from there so just like SG, how many times does the man have to answer the same question about is he leaving or not just cos of press speculation FFS???

[bazza76]

Americans reassure Benitez

Last Updated: 12:03am GMT 22/03/2007

Liverpool's American owners have set up crucial talks with manager Rafael Benitez following reports that Real Madrid are preparing a new bid to lure him back to Spain.

The club's joint owner Tom Hicks, who is close to completing a £470 million takeover of the club with partner George Gillett, told The Daily Telegraph that they will meet with Benitez the morning after the Premiership clash with Arsenal on March 31.

Despite Benitez's frustration at the Americans' failure to discuss the money available for transfers in the summer, Hicks said the Spaniard understood that no commitments could be given until the takeover is formally complete - a process due to be finished next week.

Hicks said: "We have set a meeting for the morning after the Arsenal match, which will be the first opportunity after we close the transaction to get together."
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Hicks and Gillett are confident Benitez understands why they have been unable to discuss plans for the team and funds for new players. They believe he is happy at the club, where he has three years remaining on a contract he signed last year.

But the Americans will have to move swiftly to ensure they don't lose the manager they regard so highly. According to sources in Spain, Real Madrid have identified Benitez and not Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho as the man they want to replace under fire Fabio Capello.

Although Benitez rejected Real's last approach 12 months ago amid concerns over the club's hierarchy, his close friend Juan Angel Sanchez is expected to be appointed general manager in a move designed to marginalise sporting director Predrag Mijatovic.

Yesterday, in an effort to play down the speculation, Benitez's agent insisted Real Madrid had not made an approach for Benitez.

Manuel Garcia Quilon said: "I have heard the rumours in the Spanish media linking Rafa Benitez with Real Madrid. However, as far as I know, Real Madrid have not shown an official interest in Benitez.

"I cannot speak for Benitez, but the fact is that he has three years left on his contract with Liverpool."

[bazza76]

So there is a meeting in 10 days time with Rafa to discuss transfers and the future of LFC.
Well it looks like we are going to have to brave through the best part of another two weeks of increasing speculation milking Rafa with the Real job.

[dww]

I can't help but feel that this sort of uncertainty was inevitable with a takeover. When Glazier took over United Fergies job was questioned, the only real difference is that there is a genuinely plausable place for Rafa to go should he want to leave us.

Our new American owners had to wait until they had got all the paperwork sorted before they could talk to Rafa, seems fair enough to me. rafa wanted to be in the most powerful position he could be in for those discussions - also seems fair enough to me. When a new board comes in a certain amount of jockeying for position/control is inevitable. I also think that Rafa is right in that in footballing terms the manager should have control or at least influence over all footballing issues at the club. However in terms of transfer targets I think he is mostly playing politics / trying to keep other teams guessing as to his intentions.

In previous seasons we have seen Rafa make overtures to players who he thinks may have to be a future taret due to budgetary constraints, I see no reason he wouldn't do the same now. The actual transfers being contingent on funds but that doesn't stop us talking to people.

[Red_Polo]

I am actually getting increasingly pissed at Rafa for playing this card in the media. He is being a politician here to get what he wants, but I dare say, this is not the Liverpool Way. Naive perhaps, but still, I want no more of this "holding the club for ransom" ****.

I agree with you. No need to do **** like this publicly.

[El Jefecito]

I am actually getting increasingly pissed at Rafa for playing this card in the media. He is being a politician here to get what he wants, but I dare say, this is not the Liverpool Way. Naive perhaps, but still, I want no more of this "holding the club for ransom" ****.

Winners do what they have to do to win.