Rafa backs down?

[Pacman]

yeah maybe

still at the end of the day, Rafa started it. He washed the laundry in public to begin with and not Hicks

It's a totally different situation though Daniel.

These 2 clowns are over in America it's not as if Rafa works in the same office as them.

We don't know how often Rafa gets to speak to them.

Maybe the only way Rafa thought of communicating with them was through the media.

I do think he went about it the wrong way and I also think he thought saying he was interested in the England job would shake them up a little however I think it has back fired and I do think his days were numbered anyway.

[kopdan]

It's a totally different situation though Daniel.

These 2 clowns are over in America it's not as if Rafa works in the same office as them.

We don't know how often Rafa gets to speak to them.

Maybe the only way Rafa thought of communicating with them was through the media.

I do think he went about it the wrong way and I also think he thought saying he was interested in the England job would shake them up a little however I think it has back fired and I do think his days were numbered anyway.

Rafa should go to Parry

Parry goes to the Owners

Perhaps Rafa bypassed Parry too many times for Owners liking?

[sonsofthedesert]

As I say I'd love to see them try

I think there chances of proving that are slim to say the least

UK law is very employee orientated

True but this is all pointless as if they sacked him he would get his £6m payout.

[carlton]

Its not just the outbursts in the press though. Rafa has obviously been doin Parrys job by negotiating deals, pehaps he was told to stop and leave it to Parry but he went ahead anyway. Parys been in the yanks ear about Rafa usurping his power and hence the present drama. Rafa was told to pull his head in and he didnt. The rank thing is that this drama is being conducted in the press-not very classy.

[Pacman]

Rafa should go to Parry

Parry goes to the Owners

Perhaps Rafa bypassed Parry too many times for Owners liking?

Again it's all speculation but maybe he's done that and still got no-where.

I mean there are rumours the yanks aren't even talking to each other. Hardly an ideal situation when you are the manager of a football club and your job hangs on how successful you are.

[fred_plasticine]

where hasnt he though?

Whats to say Hicks isnt planning to give Rafa £30m for January? Just because they havent talked about it doesnt mean he isnt planning to.

I honestly think its a case of Hicks and Gillette not really getting the whole coach, manager thing in football.

all i'm saying is that i don't think rafa has simply thrown his toys out. no way. there's something rotten and not every party involved deems it urgent enough to solve it straight away.
if they don't understand the difference between a coach and a manager , fair enough, but they should sit down get their homework done.
i am on rafa's side all the way on this one. we have a proven track record of being too slow and sedate in the market which has probably cost us big time in the past.

[kopdan]

well whatever is going on, I'd rather not know about it every time I log on or watch Sky Sports News.

[kopdan]

all i'm saying is that i don't think rafa has simply thrown his toys out. no way. there's something rotten and not every party involved deems it urgent enough to solve it straight away.
if they don't understand the difference between a coach and a manager , fair enough, but they should sit down get their homework done.
i am on rafa's side all the way on this one. we have a proven track record of being too slow and sedate in the market which has probably cost us big time in the past.

fair enough fella

[Guest]

All these things should have been sorted and made clear since the beginning (re hierarchies etc ...) Where's Foster Gillett ?

[disco]

I doubt they can sack him.

They can pay him the rest of his contract at 2-3m a year to get rid of him....

[kopdan]

back in the US probably

[tomasjj]

I asked my boss

If I acted like that infront of the world media making him look a cunt, would he sack me.

What do you think he said?

"no, but you would have to suck my cock every day at lunch"

seriously, yeah sure, but were they made to look like cunts because they were doing some cuntery?
probably a bit.

I see your point, though.
Rafa was a child.

[Pacman]

FanCast columnist Rob Facey cannot understand the so called crisis at Anfield and feels that Tom Hicks and George Gillett would be crazy to sack Rafa Benitez.

When Liverpool host Porto on Wednesday night Rafa Benitez may be facing his last game in charge of Liverpool; a suggestion so staggering and ridiculous that it makes Martin O'Neill's suggestion that Alan Shearer should become England coach look sensible.

Benitez has been dubbed a dead man walking in the same was that Martin Jol was at Spurs. When you compare the two it only emphasises what a bizarre business football is; if sacking your clubs most successful manager in recent years because he has mentioned a few transfer targets, becomes acceptable.

It is ludicrous that just before a vital European game at home the owners and the manager have such a public falling out. Both have since moved to try and quell the speculation but it is not healthy that prior to this they seemed happy to communicate via the media rather than talking to each other, which cannot be healthy for anyone at the club.

It is made all the more ludicrous that before this episode they seemed to be getting along famously.

The fans were optimistic when Tom Hicks and George Gillett bought into the club and they began to dream. Big name signings, a new stadium, the Premier League title...Liverpool would be a club reborn.

But tensions have since grown strained. Understandably, the owners are upset at what they see to be a lack of appreciation to what they have already done for the club. In the immediate aftermath of the 2007 Champions League final, Benitez, who was still standing on the pitch that his heartbroken team were scattered across, demanding the new owners to back him in the transfer market immediately; this is exactly what happened!

Youngsters arrived from far and wide, no doubt in response to the walloping the Arsenal kids gave them in the domestic cup competitions earlier in the season. Torres was the most high profile but was backed by Babel, Voronin, Leto et al and soon after the ink had dried on these contracts the plans for a magnificent new stadium were revealed.

This season Liverpool are very strong domestically, lurking just under the summit with a game in hand as well as a favourable goal difference.

It is only in the Champions League in which Liverpool are struggling, yet they still have a good chance that they will qualify. This year is only deemed a failure because of the ease Benitez has negotiated his way through tougher ties in the past few seasons. This is what makes the situation so ridiculous.

If last weeks bizarre team press conference was anything to go by then Liverpool fans have every right to believe that there could be something going on at Anfield. Benitez repeated the phrase "I am focused on training and coaching my team" over a dozen times and seemingly put his name forward for the England job, and the press have been quick and unimaginative in equal measure to link Mourinho and Capello to the post should Benitez have his contract terminated.

But, if Benitez's past achievements mean that his position as manager is still under threat then the only person who could successfully better him would be Clark Kent. He is so popular at Liverpool the owners would have a tough time trying to appease the fans if they were to move to get rid of him. Though it shouldn't, the American dream at Anfield may soon turn into a nightmare.

[Guest]

Breakdown in communications because they don't own one business. Therefore, they're there and everywhere. If they can't appoint someone to dedicate his time to LFC, they can **** off.

Rafa has seen it coming for a long time and he emphasized the problems after our CL match, because he must have seen some transfer targets slipping away because of the lack of feedback. It's clear cut for me ...

[Tom]

Breakdown in communications because they don't own one business. Therefore, they're there and everywhere. If they can't appoint someone to dedicate his time to LFC, they can **** off.

Rafa has seen it coming for a long time and he emphasized the problems after our CL match, because he must have seen some transfer targets slipping away because of the lack of feedback. It's clear cut for me ...

Rafa has been repeatedly approached by Real Madrid, he stayed because he was given assurances that he would be allowed and backed to build the team he thinks he needs to win the league. He must be feeling completely shafted.