Rafa - I'm here to stay

[barnes10]

Sorry mate, that's factually wrong. All of his 18 goals last season came when he started - none from the bench.

fair enough got me there. no idea why i thought he was a bench player then. in response to another scenario, i think if torres was injured, crouch would be the player to lead the line not kuyt. speculation tho and god forbid we need to make that choice.

[Shaggy]

I would actually rather play Nemeth as a lone striker than Kuyt or Crouch.

That's crazy man. I have high hopes for Nemeth but we've got to take a look at him at first team level before arriving at these conclusions.

I watched Nemeth in the flesh for the first time last week and he did quite well, but it's too early to declare him ready for the first team in front of two internationals, one of whom has been his country's top scorer for the last two years!!

[Craig_H]

Never heard the phrase "giraffes for courses".

[AFII]

Never heard the phrase "giraffes for courses".

[Craig_H]

Hehe...an old classic that

[Shaggy]

[AFII]

That's crazy man. I have high hopes for Nemeth but we've got to take a look at him at first team level before arriving at these conclusions.

I watched Nemeth in the flesh for the first time last week and he did quite well, but it's too early to declare him ready for the first team in front of two internationals, one of whom has been his country's top scorer for the last two years!!

Well, I don't rate Kuyt or Crouch that much, but it's my opinion. Kuyt and Crouch are the more complete players but Nemeth is the better goalscorer.

[Shaggy]

Well, I don't rate Kuyt or Crouch that much, but it's my opinion. Kuyt and Crouch are the more complete players but Nemeth is the better goalscorer.

How do you know?!? We've only seen him at reserve level!! He could turn out to be an absolute duffer. Mellor tore up the record books at that level, and he wasn't good enough either.

I actually rate Nemeth - been seriously impressed with him so far - but I just think you're being too hasty. You could well be right but you've got nothing to go on other than a hunch.

[AFII]

How do you know?!? We've only seen him at reserve level!! He could turn out to be an absolute duffer. Mellor tore up the record books at that level, and he wasn't good enough either.

I actually rate Nemeth - been seriously impressed with him so far - but I just think you're being too hasty. You could well be right but you've got nothing to go on other than a hunch.

My hunches when it comes down to youth team players usually are very good but I agree with you, it's still only a hunch.

[nbryan1764]

what certain people seem to be forgetting is the money that were paid off for **** players (that were inherited) contracts. We were skint, bones of our arse job. I am seeing one certain person spouting about what he has spent but the fact was we had to get rid of expensive **** for too much money. Added to that we lost £10m paying off the man that bought the next zidane/viera etc etc for stupid money. Rafa has wheeled and dealed and this last 10 months is the first time that he has had real money to spend. Even then he has spent this after recouping money for Bellamy, Cisse, Luis, Momo (and more I am sure there are more).

Another comment was that the squad he inherited was better than Fergies. Sure about that, I am not. Added to that Fergie had money to spend pretty much straight away, he broke the transfer record (for pallister) not long after he joined.

Finally, can somebody explain the "give him 10 years and £60 a year" point. I have probably missed something but when has he ever had £60m to spend?

[Reece]

My hunches when it comes down to youth team players usually are very good but I agree with you, it's still only a hunch.

Lord give me strength

[Skillz]

There's several youngsters, who either get overlooked or loaned out.

£25m buys you one world class player, to add to a squad already good enough to finish 4th.

One of the reasons Rafa had to buy quantity over quality is the fact we had Daio, Cheyrou, Diouf and Le Tallec (even FSP to an extent) on inflated wages and we could not offload them.

Wages are a critical part of structuring your club, probably the most important from the CEO's position. This point is rarely taken into consideration when we look at the job Rafa had when he first came in.