Rafa calls for change

[carheex]

complaining about the fixture list, not just early kick offs......think you missed that bit

I miss lots of things!

[sonsofthedesert]

Sorry, but your reply to one of my messages was simply...:whatever:

That's not really having an opinion on the topic either. My apologies but I thought the best way to communicate with you would be to bring myself down to your level.

You really need to read the thread before passing comment, I never posted that comment. Grow up.

[dww]

Well Barca and real madrid always seem to play late on Saturday and Sunday night

In an act of blatant favouratism or are most games held later after internationals?

I can see why top coaches who are very concerned with tactics like Rafa would care about the amount of time he has to prepare a team and I think this should be accomodated. The problem I have with what he has said is the implication that the PL should favour the big teams. I think he is right to air his grievances as only if pressure is applied will anything ever change.

[red g]

In an act of blatant favouratism or are most games held later after internationals?

I can see why top coaches who are very concerned with tactics like Rafa would care about the amount of time he has to prepare a team and I think this should be accomodated. The problem I have with what he has said is the implication that the PL should favour the big teams. I think he is right to air his grievances as only if pressure is applied will anything ever change.

I watch a fair bit of spanish football and real Madrid and Barca always seem to kick off late on Sat/Sun I presume for TV.

Although obvious advantages are gained .....this week.....

15 Sep 19:00 Real Madrid v Almeri
15 Sep 19:00 Valencia v Valladolid
15 Sep 21:00 Athletic Bilbao v Real Zarag
16 Sep 16:00 D Coruna v Real Betis
16 Sep 16:00 Espanyol v Getafe
16 Sep 16:00 Mallorca v Villarreal
16 Sep 16:00 Murcia v Atletico Madrid
16 Sep 16:00 Racing Santander v Levante
16 Sep 18:00 Sevilla v Huelva
16 Sep 20:00 Osasuna v Barcelona

[carheex]

You really need to read the thread before passing comment, I never posted that comment. Grow up.

Oops, sorry about that!

[sonsofthedesert]

I watch a fair bit of spanish football and real Madrid and Barca always seem to kick off late on Sat/Sun I presume for TV.

Although obvious advantages are gained .....this week.....

15 Sep 19:00 Real Madrid v Almeri
15 Sep 19:00 Valencia v Valladolid
15 Sep 21:00 Athletic Bilbao v Real Zarag
16 Sep 16:00 D Coruna v Real Betis
16 Sep 16:00 Espanyol v Getafe
16 Sep 16:00 Mallorca v Villarreal
16 Sep 16:00 Murcia v Atletico Madrid
16 Sep 16:00 Racing Santander v Levante
16 Sep 18:00 Sevilla v Huelva
16 Sep 20:00 Osasuna v Barcelona

Does seem to go their way that. Got to say though in contrast the fixtures seem to go against us.

[Morph]

Don't see how anyone can be of the opinion that Rafa should keep his mouth shut on this issue, he's arguing the tosss to try and bring issues like this to light so as to benefit our club.

2 things here first of Pompey are the home side so they get longer to prepare anyway, we shouldn't be playing an early staurday fixture just after an international break, it stands to reason that this doesn't create a level playing field. Rafa's said himself before that even the extra few hrs between an early and a late kick off are valuable to him as he gets longer to spend with the team.

Okay so if we lose on sat we can't go blaming the early fixture but it might have contributed to the result in some way if it does happen, also those slagging rafa off, go and have a look at the fixture list of games after internationals and you'll see we get shafted after every international break this year, now that's obviously not fair is it?

[Redspin]

Sorry, but you're moaning about nothing Mr Benitez. Even if we had a 3pm kick off it would only mean an extra 2hr 15mins preparation time! Besides, it's not as if Portsmouth are getting any longer to prepare.

Yes and I'm sure their travelling time to the game will be exactly the same too. I understand that Liverpool players will be running up and down the aisle of the coach in turn as part of their pre-match training.

[Sir Bob]

Don't see how anyone can be of the opinion that Rafa should keep his mouth shut on this issue, he's arguing the tosss to try and bring issues like this to light so as to benefit our club.

2 things here first of Pompey are the home side so they get longer to prepare anyway, we shouldn't be playing an early staurday fixture just after an international break, it stands to reason that this doesn't create a level playing field. Rafa's said himself before that even the extra few hrs between an early and a late kick off are valuable to him as he gets longer to spend with the team.

Okay so if we lose on sat we can't go blaming the early fixture but it might have contributed to the result in some way if it does happen, also those slagging rafa off, go and have a look at the fixture list of games after internationals and you'll see we get shafted after every international break this year, now that's obviously not fair is it?

Why shouldn't we play the Saturday fixture early. just because we have more international players than pompey is irrelevant.

rafa can't have any complaints in my book. We take the TV cash and are happy to do so. As a result we are at Sky's mercy for changes to the fixture list. They've chosen our match and thats it. To suggest that an extra 2 & 1/4 hours would make any difference is a nonsense. As much as I love rafa he's getting as bad as Ferguson & Mourinho with his moaning.

[Morph]

Why shouldn't we play the Saturday fixture early. just because we have more international players than pompey is irrelevant.

rafa can't have any complaints in my book. We take the TV cash and are happy to do so. As a result we are at Sky's mercy for changes to the fixture list. They've chosen our match and thats it. To suggest that an extra 2 & 1/4 hours would make any difference is a nonsense. As much as I love rafa he's getting as bad as Ferguson & Mourinho with his moaning.

I never said anything about international players mate go and read my post again.

Seeing as i have to point it out again - we have an early fixture after every international break for the rest of this year, thats three times we're the early fixture and it's an away fixture every time. Now that's simply not fair, call it luck of the draw or whatever you want, it's not fair and shouldn't be allowed to happen. It gives our players a less recovery and preparation time, because they have to travel and because the kickoff is early.

No one minds the odd one, but it happens everytime, and it's a criticism of the FA/PL for alowing this to happen. Sure we take the cash like any other team, but does any other team suffer the same amount of early kick offs as us? Go and do some research and see who had the most early kickoffs last season, i'm sure the answer won't surprise you too much.

The extra time does make a difference, he's said it before and he's saying it now, he wouldn't say it for a ****ing laugh would he, he said it makes a difference to his schedule and his preparation, so i'm inclined to believe him when he says so, being the great attention to detail man that he is.

Now why don't people start supporting the manager instead of trying to pick holes in things he says or calling him a moaner, ****ing ridiculous

[El Jefecito]

I never said anything about international players mate go and read my post again.

Seeing as i have to point it out again - we have an early fixture after every international break for the rest of this year, thats three times we're the early fixture and it's an away fixture every time. Naw that's simply not fair, call it luck of the draw or whatever you want, it's not fair and shouldn't be allowed to happen. It gives our players a less recovery time, because they have to travel and because the kickoff is early.

No one minds the odd one, but it happens everytime, and it's a criticism of the FA/PL for alowing this to happen. Sure we take the cash like any other team, go and do some research and see who had the most early kickoffs last season, i'm sure the answer won't surprise you too much.

The extra time does make a difference, he's said it before and he's saying it now, he wouldn't say it for a ****ing laugh would he, he said it makes a difference to his schedule and his preparation, so i'm inclined to believe him when he says so being the great attention to detail man that he is.

Better than I could have said it.

[red g]

I never said anything about international players mate go and read my post again.

Seeing as i have to point it out again - we have an early fixture after every international break for the rest of this year, thats three times we're the early fixture and it's an away fixture every time. Now that's simply not fair, call it luck of the draw or whatever you want, it's not fair and shouldn't be allowed to happen. It gives our players a less recovery time, because they have to travel and because the kickoff is early.

No one minds the odd one, but it happens everytime, and it's a criticism of the FA/PL for alowing this to happen. Sure we take the cash like any other team, but does any other team suffer the same amount of early kick offs as us? Go and do some research and see who had the most early kickoffs last season, i'm sure the answer won't surprise you too much.

The extra time does make a difference, he's said it before and he's saying it now, he wouldn't say it for a ****ing laugh would he, he said it makes a difference to his schedule and his preparation, so i'm inclined to believe him when he says so, being the great attention to detail man that he is.

fantastic post fella, you eloquent *******

[Sir Bob]

I never said anything about international players mate go and read my post again.

Seeing as i have to point it out again - we have an early fixture after every international break for the rest of this year, thats three times we're the early fixture and it's an away fixture every time. Now that's simply not fair, call it luck of the draw or whatever you want, it's not fair and shouldn't be allowed to happen. It gives our players a less recovery and preparation time, because they have to travel and because the kickoff is early.

No one minds the odd one, but it happens everytime, and it's a criticism of the FA/PL for alowing this to happen. Sure we take the cash like any other team, but does any other team suffer the same amount of early kick offs as us? Go and do some research and see who had the most early kickoffs last season, i'm sure the answer won't surprise you too much.

The extra time does make a difference, he's said it before and he's saying it now, he wouldn't say it for a ****ing laugh would he, he said it makes a difference to his schedule and his preparation, so i'm inclined to believe him when he says so, being the great attention to detail man that he is.

Now why don't people start supporting the manager instead of trying to pick holes in things he says or calling him a moaner, ****ing ridiculous

i'm not denying we've had our more than our fair share of early kick offs but thats the way it goes i'm afraid. I think that Rafa continually going on about it may effect the players mindset in this and later games. The TV deal clearly doesn't stipulate how many early kick offs any one club can have, we are happy to take the cash and are therefore at Sky & Setanta's mercy. It would be a joke to tell Sky you can't have certain clubs playing at certain times after international matches.

For my money i hate the fact that Rafa is becoming a moaner. i detest Mourinho, ferguson & wenger for their moaning ways but rafa's getting as bad. He continually compares the English system to spain, about fixtures over Xmas, winter breaks, reserve teams playing in the lower leagues etc. we play in England not spain.

As for not getting behind the manager, don't make me laugh, i've supportred the Reds all my life and as Rafa won't read any posts on here, my comments won't shake rafa up will they.

I love rafa but if i think he's wrong on an issue, i'll say so and by doing so it doesn't manke me any less of a fan.

[El Jefecito]

i'm not denying we've had our more than our fair share of early kick offs but thats the way it goes i'm afraid. I think that Rafa continually going on about it may effect the players mindset in this and later games. The TV deal clearly doesn't stipulate how many early kick offs any one club can have, we are happy to take the cash and are therefore at Sky & Setanta's mercy. It would be a joke to tell Sky you can't have certain clubs playing at certain times after international matches.

For my money i hate the fact that Rafa is becoming a moaner. i detest Mourinho, ferguson & wenger for their moaning ways but rafa's getting as bad. He continually compares the English system to spain, about fixtures over Xmas, winter breaks, reserve teams playing in the lower leagues etc. we play in England not spain.

As for not getting behind the manager, don't make me laugh, i've supportred the Reds all my life and as Rafa won't read any posts on here, my comments won't shake rafa up will they.

I love rafa but if i think he's wrong on an issue, i'll say so and by doing so it doesn't manke me any less of a fan.

Slur Alex et al have been getting it easy for the last few years based on their moaning. Why should Rafa not seek to secure us the same advantage? So it pisses off a few niave people. Small price to pay, if it actually gets us enough time to prepare for a game

[Sir Bob]

Slur Alex et al have been getting it easy for the last few years based on their moaning. Why should Rafa not seek to secure us the same advantage? So it pisses off a few niave people. Small price to pay, if it actually gets us enough time to prepare for a game

Believe me mate, i'm far from niave but we don't need to stoop to their tricks to succeed. One of the reasons we are a different type of club to Utd & Chelsea is that we've never moaned about such stuff. i'm a great believer in doing your talking on the pitch not off it. would paisley have bothered with such stuff, not a chance but we'd still have gone out & beat the likes of Pompey.