Benitez on jose and their friendship...

[bazza76]

Rafa is the only one who knows how to deal with Jose's nonsense. Usually by ignoring it or making the odd carefully placed comment. The fact that he doesn't rise to the bait like Fergie and Whinger really gets to Jose.

I know, I'm actually convinced that Rafa and his wife do be sitting in thining of carefully planned out responses for Jose's jibes

[desertscouser]

He got death threats from the guy whos wife/girlfriend he was shagging if I remember correctly.

First I've heard of such a rumour. Sounds like baloney to me mate.

[bazza76]

Yeah but Sky lead their article with "Rafa Benitez kicked off the war of words..." talk about sensational :whatever:

Yeah true, ITs like reality TV show for them, they will blow everything up out of proportion to try get more viewers, sad thing is, I can honestly see them getting worse. I have no doubt they are told to pick up on every single misplaced word that they say and could possibly be used against them, not just Sky, but most of the newspapers too

[Chrono]

First I've heard of such a rumour. Sounds like baloney to me mate.

Dunno mate, just what I heard. Thought everyone knew of it as I remember a discussion where he was called a pansy when it was revealed it was his exploits and nothing to do with the club.

Probably is balls though.

[Bob]

Rafa is the only one who knows how to deal with Jose's nonsense. Usually by ignoring it or making the odd carefully placed comment. The fact that he doesn't rise to the bait like Fergie and Whinger really gets to Jose.

I said exactly the same thing in an email conversation today...

.....

No, the Romania one AND (this is a tad unfair, the commentary equivalent to a hospital pass...)

"will David Batty score Kevin"...

"YES" (empathically).

<Batty skies it over the bar>.

Producer in ear: "Kevin, collect your P45 at reception"

...

I WILL guarantee Rafa will win that battle. He can't be fazed, 9/10 he doesn't even bother replying... wheeling out, "we're just thinking about the next game. We leave talking to others."

You just KNOW the likes of Mourinho hates that! A reaction of ANY sort is a mini victory most of the time.

He'll never lose it like Keegan. Of course I'm biased, but the grilling he got in Israel underlined just how good he was under pressure.

-----Original Message-----
From: Mark
Sent: 12 April 2007 09:50
To: Robert
Subject: Re: I would LOVE it if we beat them!

True - much like

"There's only one team going to win it now and its England" (shortly before Romania beat them 3-2)

and

"He's had a very good game and has just had one rash moment. He barely touched the guy and shouldn't have received a red card" (shortly before Cladio Reina is stretchered off unconcious with a fractured cheek bone courtesy of Leonardo's rash elbo)

ear-makred the end of commentry for KK.

Shame, very entertaining. Can't quite see Rafa saying "For him to say what he's said about professional footballers" although Mourinho's jibe about Liverpool being favourites because they are only playing in one competition and Rafa's response about we used to get on then we started to beat them were both very good. Roll on round two!

Robert wrote:
> That moment ear-marked the end of management for KK.
>
> Can you imagine Wegner or Mourinho going toe - to - toe with him. Gawd it
> would be cringing.
>
> That drunken tramp Fergie must have been rubbing his hands when he saw
> that.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mark
> Sent: 12 April 2007 09:37
> To: Robert McCreary
> Subject: I would LOVE it if we beat them!
>
> We've just been reminiscing about this little gem so I thought I would
> share it with you... "For him to say the things he's said..."
>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXpUdBlRZe8

[Monkeywool]

Was talking to fiddybucks today or whatever I wanna call him this week about Rafa today, I love Benitez so much. I wouldn't be suprised if he doesn't say anything else until the day of the match now where you will get a Mourinho soundbite every day of the week getting more and more paranoid and crazy.

[Dhav]

There were rumours that his family had received death threats, hence his lack of celebration. If these rumours are true, then it's understandable.

I hardly think any of Rafa's words above constitute a 'war of words' ...

It says a lot about the class of the man (or lack of it) when his team have shocked Europe to win the biggest trophy in club football that he's too worried to celebrate that triumph because of death threats he's received.

When Chelsea played Porto subsequently he was attacked and spat on by Porto fans - he should be a god there for winning them the CL. That says a lot to me.

If he does leave this summer, then he's been entertaining if nothing else. A classless **** for his antics in Cardiff in the 2005 League Cup Final, he did at least make beating them in the CL semi all the sweeter.

[Sir Bob]

All this war of words stuff between managers is a load of bollox. We won't win or lose the Chelsea tie over whats said by whom beforehand.

[lfc4ever]

All this war of words stuff between managers is a load of bollox. We won't win or lose the Chelsea tie over whats said by whom beforehand.

Makes good copy, and good threads though, I love it.