Minimum Requirements for 2008-2009

[Shanks]

Yep, reducing the gap will do for me too.

We need to make a proper challenge, but 'until May' isnt necessary.

Continual improvement would be my answer.

So if we finish less than 10 points off the winners, that'd be acceptable.

Unbelievable.

We could spend another 100 mill and we'd probably get the same answer.



Rafa has now got the best squad he's had since arriving,

I can't believe that 10 points off 1st place at the end of the season is acceptable.

How long are you guys prepared to wait??

Reducing the gap by how much FFS.

There is no reason at all, why we cannot realistically win the Prem this season.

[Woobus]

So what is your minimum requirement for Rafa to get a new contract at the end of the season?

Would say we will finish top 3 this year and not to many points behind. As stated before hard to pick a position apart from the top 4 were we should be happy.
I know I would be happy enough if it was Arsenal 1 point above us, 2 for Chelsea 3 United and us just 4 points behind. Really need to see how the season goes with injuries to ourselves and other teams and other teams. Our injuries really messed our last season up.

[Guest]

Unbelievable.

We could spend another 100 mill and we'd probably get the same answer.



Rafa has now got the best squad he's had since arriving,

I can't believe that 10 points off 1st place at the end of the season is acceptable.

How long are you guys prepared to wait??

Reducing the gap by how much FFS.

There is no reason at all, why we cannot realistically win the Prem this season.

We could win it, but at the same time Chelsea are strengthening. So it's all down to Rafa's acumen because on paper I don't think we're good enough yet to match them.

[Shanks]

We could win it, but at the same time Chelsea are strengthening. So it's all down to Rafa's acumen because on paper I don't think we're good enough yet to match them.

but they have a new manager with new plans, who doesn't know the premier league.

[Parm]

If he meets NONE of the options who do we replace him with?

I say if he avoids relegation then OK.
Support the club and support the best manager we have had in years.
The guys is constantly striving to improve our club but has his hands tied much of the time by upper ranks.

I am not part of the RCDNW brigade, but who the **** comes close as a replacement?

(To think that MON was 1st on many a list a while ago)

dont forget Strachan and Curbishley were on that shortlist as well at one point.

tbh I think we do need to put in a strong title challenge this season, we seem to have phases in the season where are going along well, stutter, do well, stutter and then finish strong. We just allow the mancs and chavs to build too much of a lead on us and they dont really tend to drop too many easy points.

[Roboklopp]

Wheres the "brutally kill Rashid" option?

On every other Liverpool forum.

[Red_Polo]

Well he needs to perform well as manager.

There are many ways to gauge that and I don't really see any need to narrow it down and go by something that might not tell the whole story. If another team has a blistering season winning the title with ease then we have 'failed to compete' - but it doesn't necessarily mean Rafa has underperformed.

[Elvoz]

So what happens like under Mourinho if Chelsea win it in April and just play their reserves allowing us to close the gap from 20 to 10 points?

IMO we need to be in the mix when the business end of the season is at it's climax.

get ya tin hat on fella

4th place finish but outta the title fight by december and cl 1/4s will do for many on here

[el matador]

get ya tin hat on fella

4th place finish but outta the title fight by december and cl 1/4s will do for many on here

may be for you but you dont speak for 'many on here'.

CL Final, and 2nd in the league will be a good season, and should buy benitez one more season.

Anything less will be disappointing and will spell the end for rafa.

[The Erectile Banana]

We haven't won the league for eighteen years.

We haven't mounted a realistic title challenge for many years.

Let's mount a realistic title challenge this season and see what happens. Anything more is a bouns, anything else and Rafa is in trouble.

We have a chance of winning the league but so do three other teams who all have more experience of winning it than us. Expecting us to win it is unrealistic. Hoping we can is not.

[Hammer]

I think Rafa will only have a year left on his contract at the end of this season.

So to be offered a new contract, the minimum requirement should be to sustain a genuine title challenge up to April/May, have an increased points tally to previous seasons, and show progression and proof that we are closing the gap to the top. If the improvement is clear to see, give him a new contract.

If we are there or thereabouts but not really challenging as per previous seasons, but comfortably qualify for CL and not showing signs of decline, then give him another year but without the new contract.

If we struggle/fail to qualify for CL and signs of decline are there, like Houllier's final years, only then should we consider parting ways with him.

[Craig_H]

Relegation and he'd still be getting a new contract from me.

RCDNW ?

WUM

[calvoboy]

We abslutely must be in the running for the title with 8 games to go. No excuses this year. This team and squad is now pretty much entirely Rafa's so if we are not challenging then I think he has some explaining to do. We contended for a season in each of Evans and Houllier's reigns, and Rafa needs to have us doing the same.

I'm confident that we will be though.

[Vermilion]

Where's the option of finishing below 4th?

That's actually a good point, because i would give him another contract regardless, just so he can bring this squad up to it's potential, add a couple more names, carry on what he has begun.

Whatever happens this season i would want him to stay, (and no i'm not considering relegation) It's taken successful managers longer than this to win a title, and without as much competition as Rafa has.

[Rashid]

It's taken successful managers longer than this to win a title, and without as much competition as Rafa has.

Apart from Fergie, who has taken longer in any big league in Europe these past 25 years?