Here we go again

[Johnny]

If Carrick and Hargreave are worth that money then so is Barry. IMO he is a better player than both.

[blacky]

Rafa doesn't need to talk in public, in fact he needs to shut his mouth and get on with the business of winning football matches. His board refused to play a certain amount for a player, so what? It happens in every boardroom in the world. Get over it.

Rafa is getting his excuses in early, and having a sly dig at Bascombe is ridiculous.

Why? Bascombe's been ridiculing Rafa since he left the echo to write for that sh#trag. Fair play to Rafa for highlighting the fact that Bascombe and co are writing fiction week in week out.

[blacky]

I would laugh if Rafa left because he couldn't sign whoever he wanted. Name me a club he could go to and then have 100% say on transfers?

Comments like that Rash are why people on here don't take you seriously. You couldn't make your anti - rafa agenda more obvious.

[blacky]

Rafa told the club he could sell Alonso and buy Barry AND make a profit. Instead, we are looking at a £5m deficit. No board in the world is going to play those games especially for a player who has only just come onto the scene, doesn't have any CL experience and it is debatable whether he is any better than Mascherano, Gerrard and Alonso.

We don't know that as fact. That was reported in one article last week. I seriously doubt Rafa thought he could sell Xabi for 25million this summer considering his 2 previous seasons of mediocrity.

[el matador]

Benitez ‘talked out’ of decision to quit
Aug 16 2008 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

RAFAEL BENITEZ had to be talked out of quitting as Liverpool manager last week over the protracted Gareth Barry transfer that is causing a fresh rift with the Anfield hierarchy.

It has emerged the Spaniard decided to resign after being told the club’s American owners would not stump up the £18million to sign Barry from Aston Villa.

After conversation with close friends, Benitez ultimately stepped back from the brink and vowed to continue in his post.

But the Liverpool manager remains far from happy with what he regards as interference from Tom Hicks and George Gillett over his prolonged pursuit of Barry.

The midfielder was close to finally completing his transfer last week when Liverpool’s owners put the block on the deal after Villa changed their demands over methods of payment.

Chief executive Rick Parry then released a statement over the weekend stating the club considered the asking price as being “too high”, with the Anfield chiefs privately believing there would be little sell-on value for 28-year-old Barry at the end of his proposed four-year contract.

And the Anfield manager, frustrated at being singled out as the reason Barry is not yet at Liverpool, yesterday insisted he was not to blame for a transfer saga that has overshadowed preparations for this evening’s Premier League opener at Sunderland.

“Everybody has been talking and it is clear that I am being blamed for everything: global warming; rises in petrol prices; everything,” said Benitez.

“In this case, I want to be clear: since I talked with Martin O’Neill in April, I haven’t talked with anyone else at Aston Villa. All the talks have been between Rick Parry and the owner and chief executive of Aston Villa – and they have been pretty good.

“If someone wants to talk about Barry in the future, they will have to talk to the owner or chief executive of Aston Villa, or Rick Parry. I was not involved in the talks about Barry; I was not involved in the talks about Xabi Alonso and Arsenal.

“I just want to clarify because every time people say ‘oh you were doing this’. I talked to Martin O’Neill in April and after this I was not in charge.

“I talked just with Martin O’Neill. I haven’t had any contact with the owner or the chief executive of Aston Villa. I haven’t talked with Martin O’Neill since April.

“If you want to talk about players, talk to Rick Parry. If you want to talk about football, then talk to me.”

Benitez is still keen to sign Barry, despite his appearance for Villa in the UEFA Cup on Thursday night that means he would be cup-tied from European competition until the new year.

The Anfield manager acknowledges the need to strengthen the left side of midfield and has been told sufficient funds will be made available – although whether they will be released to sign Barry remains open to question.

“We do have some problems on the left because we have lost John Arne Riise, Harry Kewell and Sebastian Leto,” said Benitez.

“I think we need something on the left but anyway, I will continue to try and improve and progress with the players that I have. I want to be clear.

“I don’t have any problem – any problem – with the owners. So I am not talking about anything like this. It’s just that I will try to improve the squad.”

While Barry remains the first-choice target, Benitez admits Liverpool are now considering alternatives.

“We have time so we will continue working,” he added. “We have players in mind. I don’t think it will be a problem to find players. The question is to find the right players for us, the right left-footed players for us.

“I was in contact with the owners and they told me that we had some money, I think enough to get the player we want. It’s not a problem. I feel we can progress.”

http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-news/2008/08/16/benitez-talked-out-of-decision-to-quit-64375-21543792/

the owners need to give rafa the tools he needs to do his job and get out of the way. the season hasnt even started yet and ive already had enough.

[Woobus]

Rafa told the club he could sell Alonso and buy Barry AND make a profit. Instead, we are looking at a £5m deficit. No board in the world is going to play those games especially for a player who has only just come onto the scene, doesn't have any CL experience and it is debatable whether he is any better than Mascherano, Gerrard and Alonso.

Ahh did I miss Rafa coming out and saying this or was it another piece made up by a journalist? Its wonderful how journalists are allowed into the board room and know the secret talks between the top men.

[JPK]

If Carrick and Hargreave are worth that money then so is Barry. IMO he is a better player than both.

Both are better than Barry

[blacky]

Both are better than Barry

In your opinion of course. I disagree with that statement and happen to think Barry is a more complete player than both.

[Reece]

In your opinion of course. I disagree with that statement and happen to think Barry is a more complete player than both.

The last two England managers would also agree.

[JPK]

In your opinion of course. I disagree with that statement and happen to think Barry is a more complete player than both.

Carrick sits there and gives the ball to the attackers without much fuss.
He is not a liked figure but does a good job and is consistent. Played a great season with Spurs and continued it with the Mancs contributing to them winning two league's and a CL. Hargreaves has two CL medals and was Englands star player in the World cup. Another consistent performer with the Mancs. Everyone likes to discredit United players but Barry is not better than these too. Wes Brown gets called a donkey too and he was excellent last year.

If Barry was with United he would be a donkey too

[Norbs]

Carrick sits there and gives the ball to the attackers without much fuss.
He is not a liked figure but does a good job and is consistent. Played a great season with Spurs and continued it with the Mancs contributing to them winning two league's and a CL. Hargreaves has two CL medals and was Englands star player in the World cup. Another consistent performer with the Mancs. Everyone likes to discredit United players but Barry is not better than these too. Wes Brown gets called a donkey too and he was excellent last year.

If Barry was with United he would be a donkey too

They play different roles, it's a bit pointless to compare them tbh.

Barry is more akin to Anderson than he is to Carrick, IMO. There would be no reason not to play Hargreaves or Carrick in a midfield pairing with Barry. Hargreaves, Carrick and Mascherano are deeper playing midfielders and generally the price for this type of player is less than an attacking midfielder. Ergo, the Hargreaves' £17m and Carrick's £20m transfer fees are respectively more than the £18m value on Barry. Even moreso considering they were signed 1 and 2 seasons ago, and in an increasing market for transfer values.

[Sarb]

If Carrick and Hargreave are worth that money then so is Barry. IMO he is a better player than both.

He isn't better than Hargreaves

[El Jefecito]

Rafa spoke to the written press after the game:

Benitez made it abundantly clear that he blamed Parry for the club’s failure to sign Barry, the player he had identified as his prime target back in April, and revealed he had gone straight to the owner to ensure there was a resolution of the issue.

“I was in contact with Tom Hicks and I was told we have the money because we were selling players for more than £20 million, so we had enough and we have enough,” Benitez said. “And if we sell or one or two players we’ll have enough to sign another good player. I will not say which player but I have the support of at least one of the owners.

“I sent emails to all of them. He was clear that we had some money, he told me if I sell players, you can buy these players. So it isn’t a question of money. We have problems because we are not doing things that, in my opinion, we have to do in terms of signing players.’’ When asked directly if the problem was with the chief executive, Benitez made it clear he felt the club’s business was not being conducted properly.

“The question is that we have to be quicker and I told them these things four years ago and I continue thinking the same,” he said. ‘‘That way we can save more money and be able to sign the targets we have.”

Benitez was also clear in denying reports that he was prepared to quit because of the problems at Anfield. “My commitment to the club is 100 per cent, to the fans, with the players, with the club in general. I’ve said it 100 times — my family is really happy here and I want to win trophies with Liverpool.”

[Rashid]

I hate Parry and have wanted him out since 1999 for presiding over the ticket office and of our lack of commercial acumen. I have also always wanted us to have a Director of Football to do our transfer dealings allowing the manager to concentrate on coaching the team and recommending players.

However, Rafa's constant moaning makes me want to back Parry. Rafa is going above his head to Hicks to get money knowing Hicks wants to please him so the fans are happy. He knows Gillett will tell him to "talk to Rick". So why would Parry like Rafa under those circumstances?

If transfers are slow, then why are we so slow to challenge for the league title Rafa? The pressure is getting to everyone but the manager will know more than anyone he has to deliver - no wonder he was ****ting himself about DIC - he knows the score with them and if rumours are to be belived, he would have been forced to work with a DoF woth DIC in charge as he would any other club he could go to.

[qabiri]

I hate Parry and have wanted him out since 1999 for presiding over the ticket office and of our lack of commercial acumen. I have also always wanted us to have a Director of Football to do our transfer dealings allowing the manager to concentrate on coaching the team and recommending players.

However, Rafa's constant moaning makes me want to back Parry. Rafa is going above his head to Hicks to get money knowing Hicks wants to please him so the fans are happy. He knows Gillett will tell him to "talk to Rick". So why would Parry like Rafa under those circumstances?

If transfers are slow, then why are we so slow to challenge for the league title Rafa? The pressure is getting to everyone but the manager will know more than anyone he has to deliver - no wonder he was ****ting himself about DIC - he knows the score with them and if rumours are to be belived, he would have been forced to work with a DoF woth DIC in charge as he would any other club he could go to.

I cannot see how you haven't worked out that it will be more disruptive to lose our manager and start from scratch.
If you're not saying you want Rafa out then explain your solution to the current test of our patience.
At this moment in time everybody seems to have answers but they all involve us spending money we do not have.I want to understand where you're coming from but it just doesn't make sense.

Any change in management would mean the Mancs moving ahead of us in titles,surely no one on this forum wants this do they?
There is no manager on earth at this time that will take over this season and win the title.
YNWA