Mourinho 'keen on Benitez's job'

[Kilteragh]

He won it didnt he? What's the following season got to do with it, he won the title with £80m spent.

Yes and if Rafa got the same opportunity he would probably come close at least too.

[dww]

With produced I mean silverware and results.

But you were talking about the academy right? Even our new director said that results were irrelevant what matters is producing players. In which case it is far to early to judge what Rafa has done, even though the signs are promising.

I would agree with Kurt that Houllier couldn't take credit for Gerrard's development before he gave him his chance in the first XI.

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

Did he?

I think he was already at the Acadamey when Houllier took over wasnt he?

Yep.

Was just about to post that.

Did he not join the club as a youth when Souness was in charge?

[paulcooper4]

The last 3 and a half years suggest he cant.

It's not 'csi anfield' but you just go around making points like 'he can win the title' without backing them up whatsoever.

Why 'can' he? Because you like him and say so? Oh...ok then, that settles it, clearly...

No syd, I go around saying things like I BELIEVE he can win the title, there is a huge ****in difference

All through the squad the players individually have improved tenfold since houllier was here IMO and he will get it right IMO because he has done a fantastic job of restructuring the entire club, on the field AND off it. Ive gave my reasons many times syd and you know I have.

Unfortunately youre just an arsey **** that just ignores all of the points I make and come out with ridiculously patronising statements alaong the lines of me knowing **** all about football and only supporting the manager cos hes "nice"

[Kilteragh]

You have to give Houllier credit for bringing Gerrard through,

Gerrard himself refutes that in his book.

[Craig_H]

It's quite simple. If the situations were reversed and Rafa got the wad of cash to spend as he liked and Jose got it in dribs and drabs and a lesser amount then Rafa would have won the leagues and not Jose IMHO.

Possibly. But when i look at Rafa buying Kuyt for £10m and Mourinho buying Robben for £12m (who was a superb player), then i'm unsure.

The point is, we are SEEING that Rafa, under the conditions at LFC, cant seem to win it.

Mourinho hasnt had the chance.

[The Glove]

Yeah but his touchline antics at United were somewhat akin to the 'shhh' thingy...yet most of us found it funny.

I honestly think you're being over sensitive to the whole 'shhh' thing...it was harmless (if cocky) banter.

But it isnt just that one incident though is it?

[kurtangle01]

He won it didnt he? What's the following season got to do with it, he won the title with £80m spent.

As for money spent before he was there...money's been spent at Anfield too.

But in fairness, Syd, and surely you can recognise this. Both Rafa and Mourinho took over completely different teams in terms of quality. While we had Dudek, Cisse, Cheyrou, diouf etc... Mourinho had
Cole, Robben, Cech, Duff etc...

The difference in quality was huge and only this season, thanks to Rafa's work, do we have a squad almost as good as theirs.

[Craig_H]

Yes and if Rafa got the same opportunity he would probably come close at least too.

Rafa would buy 22 players with £89m...they'd all be hard workers, and lack real genuine title-winning quality...

Rafa came in nearly 4 years ago and nearly £150m later, we're in the same position, in terms of league challenges...

[Red Chilli]

Gerrard himself refutes that in his book.

I know, I've read what Gerrard says, that Houllier claims to have "discovered Gerrard" in the reserves. I know that is bollocks, but Houllier DID give Gerrard his opportunity and he did manage him well when he had an injury every other game because of his back etc.
I thought he handled Gerrard really well from academy to first team, Gerrard could easily have fallen by the way side.

[tomasjj]

He won it didnt he? What's the following season got to do with it, he won the title with £80m spent.

As for money spent before he was there...money's been spent at Anfield too.

I am sure you see that there was a difference in quality between the team Mourinho inherited and the one Rafa got, no? Choosing to turn the blind eye to this point like you and Red Chilli appear to do is just arguing for the sake of it, being tits.

And he got 80 mill to spend in 2 seasons? I don't recall exactly. He got Drogba, Carvalho and Ferreira (who is crap anyway) in the first summer IIRC.

[Kilteragh]

The point is, we are SEEING that Rafa, under the conditions at LFC, cant seem to win it.

Mourinho hasnt had the chance.

And the people who are disagreeing with you either think he is a cunt and don't want him here or think he couldn't do it either under those constraints so we just disagree.

[Craig_H]

No syd, I go around saying things like I BELIEVE he can win the title, there is a huge ****in difference

All through the squad the players individually have improved tenfold since houllier was here IMO and he will get it right IMO because he has done a fantastic job of restructuring the entire club, on the field AND off it. Ive gave my reasons many times syd and you know I have.

Unfortunately youre just an arsey **** that just ignores all of the points I make and come out with ridiculously patronising statements alaong the lines of me knowing **** all about football and only supporting the manager cos hes "nice"

Why then, in nearly four years, are we performing little better than Ged's league campaigns?

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

Syd.

This is Rafa's 4th season. Houllier got 5, surely Rafa should get the same?

I have my doubts that his style of management will win us the league, in fact of what I've seen it simply won't.

But he should get more time. I'd like to see if he can correct his seemingly opaque tactical tendencies, and bin a few underperformers.

I'll admit it, at this point I'm sceptical and I've lost faith in him. He deserves the chance to prove me wrong though.

[Craig_H]

But it isnt just that one incident though is it?

Well no, granted. You were just highlighting that one quite considerably, is all.

The only one i'd be truly ashamed of is the Anders Frisk one. I'd like to think, if Mourinho came to Anfield, that he'd have learnt his lesson on that count and it wouldnt happen again.