Back Rafa.. or the Kop wilderness years could stretch on to eternity(Reade)

[blacky]

I don't know how accurate it is, but it certainly hints at everything that I'm concerned about.

If the club is beyond their means, then I really hope they admit their mistake and sell up to someone who can drive us forward, and not hold onto it in the vain hope of making dividends and big capital gains.

Gutted that we've been stuck with these two and the uncertain times that will inevitably lie ahead. They came in with a whirwind of publicity, a blitzkrieg of a PR campaign to reassure the fans this was no Glazer-style takeover, no debt on the club, new stadium, wave dollars to signify there's money for the manager. Less than a year later what have we got? Speculation over the manager's job security, stadium plans in limbo, tight purse strings, club about to be burdened with debt, two owners who talk and talk but say nothing honest or any substance, while the Glazers quietly get on with it, signing the cheques as the Mancs go on to win trophies.

Time for Gillett & Hicks to put up or shut up. Or preferably **** off.

Couldn't have put it better myself lad. Prepare for the Pro H&G crew to have their say!!

[RedProf]

Nice to read a journo support our manager for once.

For me theres no-one else for the job but Rafa. I can't think of anyone out there who can not only catch Chelsea/Man U/Arsenal, but overtake them as well. It's a **** of a job. You're up against Chelsea (almost limitless funds although no-one truly knows the character/credentials of Grant yet), Man U (Ferguson who has been there done it knows the PL inside out and is a fantastic manager in the PL, with massive funds) and Arsenal (maybe not the money of the former 2 but in Wenger they have a genius of a manager).

I genuinely can't think of anyone else who could come in and overtake them without spending the kind of money that Rafa would like to spend and needs to spend if he is to significantly upgrade the quality of the 1st team and squad in a short ( 1 or 2 years) period of time. A new manager would mean starting again with a new ethos and finding/buying players that can fit into it. So back to the 5 year plan again.

However, old Maureen did manage this at Chelsea but he had the funds to go out and buy in top quality immediately, the likes of Duff, Drogba, Robben, Cech etc.

[reds123]

luck is not only the issue.

the way we play we aren't up to the level of the big 3 especially arsenal and man.utd

we play good football for only a small time during a whole match!

[Kopite_Colin]

If we want Rafa as our manager, then we need a board prepared to back him. But Rafa needs to admit his mistakes (style of play - defensive attitude - and transfer dealing with attacking players)

I really hope David Hodgosn is right and DIC are back in to put another bid in.

[Neil Young]

Couldn't have put it better myself lad. Prepare for the Pro H&G crew to have their say!!

Is there actually a "Pro H&G crew"?

Why would anyone support the board over the manager? I mean, I could understand someone being neutral but...

[Kopite_Colin]

With Rafa's transfer dealings record (attacking players) I can see why G & H could have a slight cuase for concern. The counter-arguement is - you give me more money the better players I buy, and the less uncertainty there is.

But there is 2 sides to this arguement. Rafa is not flawless at all when is comes to buying attacking quality.

[sonsofthedesert]

Is there actually a "Pro H&G crew"?

Why would anyone support the board over the manager? I mean, I could understand someone being neutral but...

Why do people have to bring things into sides? I haven't seen anyone on here by pro G&H, there are people like myself however that think we should all wait and see and not take paper speculation as fact.

[Roboklopp]

Nail on head that article.

What it should also mention tho is that Wenger inherited a better squad than Rafa did to begin with for short term success & has 10 years to see the benefit of his youth policy which Rafa is only jsut beginning on.

Nice to see some balance for once- the selective use of facts on Sky today pissed me off so much I had to turn off.

[Jesus]

It's alright Reade saying that, but there has to be signs of improvement in every dept or we become in danger of stagnating again with a manager not up to the job. At the moment I still see the same old problems reappearing.

[Guest]

Why do people have to bring things into sides? I haven't seen anyone on here by pro G&H, there are people like myself however that think we should all wait and see and not take paper speculation as fact.

Wait and wait and wait and wait then. I hope you'll be able to see something.

[sonsofthedesert]

Wait and wait and wait and wait then. I hope you'll be able to see something.

Your so right, the papers say they think there's something wrong, they must be right. How have I been so wrong thinking we should get some facts first, do you want to join me as we go burn down all G&H's other business and string them up?

[Red Chilli]

Terrible, terrible article.

[Fowler_God]

It's alright Reade saying that, but there has to be signs of improvement in every dept or we become in danger of stagnating again with a manager not up to the job. At the moment I still see the same old problems reappearing.

Are you kidding mate?

Look where we are now compared to when Rafa took over.
He had 2 seasons just to get rid of the dead wood he inherited. Diouf, Diao, Cheyrou, Letallac, Traore, vignal.
It was also a case of moving players who just werent up to it, pongolle, mellor, henchoz, murphy, baros, cisse, kirkland, mellor, dudek, smicer..... the list goes on.

When we took over their were 2 centre backs, 1 rightback, 1 winger (who has always been injured) and a totally unbalanced squad. It wasnt just tweaking we needed, it was full blown surgery.

All players who were sold, were sold at massive losses compared to fee's paid and brought in virtually nothing in fees. There was a handful of players upto the task, Finnan, Carra, Hyppia, Gerrard and Owen (who left). The club would get screwed over transfers recieved and paid silly money. We now control the market better and clubs dont see us as an easy touch

The squad is now worth alot more, with virtually no dead wood. When recently would we be starting at £3million for a reserve player as an asking price (Guthrie). Virtually any player bought could be sold on for a profit.

All this has been done with ****ing around from the board and little money (compared to Chelsea and the Mancs). Until this summer little money has been brought in from players sold. We could in reality sell crouch this month for a 5 million profit, Momo the same and Carson for 9.5mill profit.

Rafa has performed a minor miracle as far as im concerned. He will win us the league with proper backing. We are light years ahead of where Rafa took over from and any comparison to the last days of Houiller are just laughable. The only danger of stagnation is from the new owners.

......... oh and lets not forget 4 finals in that time as well.

[Jesus]

Do I sound like I'm kidding?

You're just spouting the same old tired excuses.

He's had proper backing and wasted a good chunk of it on average players.

Kuyt, Sissoko, Pennant, Gonzalez and Bellamy - are just a few of the names who cost an absolute fortune and yet were nowhere near good enough to play for this club, and in most cases no better than those going out.

I would preferred just one Torres type signing over all of them, but he needed his "possibilities" to play around with didn't he, which is when it really started to go wrong for me.

The lack of money excuse just doesn't wash anymore and neither does any past success. He's reiterated many times that he has the squad to win the title, so now is the time to judge him on that.

Barring major disaster, he gets another season for me and another transfer window to get it right. But I fear that will do nothing to solve the more fundamental issues that are the reason for our stagnant progress.

[DannyMan2006]

Do I sound like I'm kidding?

You're just spouting the same old tired excuses.

He's had proper backing and wasted a good chunk of it on average players.

Kuyt, Sissoko, Pennant, Gonzalez and Bellamy - are just a few of the names who cost an absolute fortune and yet were nowhere near good enough to play for this club, and in most cases no better than those going out.

I would preferred just one Torres type signing over all of them, but he needed his "possibilities" to play around with didn't he, which is when it really started to go wrong for me.

The lack of money excuse just doesn't wash anymore and neither does any past success. He's reiterated many times that he has the squad to win the title, so now is the time to judge him on that.

Barring major disaster, he gets another season for me and another transfer window to get it right. But I fear that will do nothing to solve the more fundamental issues that are the reason for our stagnant progress.

Has Rafa made mistakes? YES.

But when you are given £30m you have to decide how to spend it. If you need 6 positions filling then you have to split the cash 6 ways. There's no good just buying one and hoping your squad doesn't get hit with injuries and suspensions.

Some of the players you mention weren't first choice, but he had no choice in reality with some of them. He wanted Simao and Alves over Pennant, but the board wouldn't go any higher.

Gonzales was a young player with potential, who didn't cut it, but we didn't make a loss on him. Sissoko could leave LFC with his value doubled.

I would say of the lot only Dirk Kuyt was first choice. Would he have been first choice if he had Man Utds budget? Who knows.

All the majority of us are asking is that he is given the backing to get players that are first choice. If he then fails to deliver the required standard, then we can complain.

People forget that we have no divine right to success. FFS we are fans of LFC, not Newcastle, let's get realistic, eh?