Rafa Discussion Thread

[blacky]

Personally I'd get an ex-player, someone who will let the players express themselves
and play without inhibitions.

A few people may laugh but he's done brilliant jobs at Newcastle, Fulham and Man City. Keegan is an option for me.

I don't think we're far off a title winning side. It's undermined by tactics and selections. Even someone like Rijkaard could come in and do the job

5 years and 25m net spend a season is ample enough time to show progress towards winning the title...maybe even getting there

That's a joke right ?

I like Keegan but he simply cannot cope with the pressure's of managing a football club.

[Rashid]

Rijkaard for me.

[Exiled_red]

Personally I'd get an ex-player, someone who will let the players express themselves
and play without inhibitions.

A few people may laugh but he's done brilliant jobs at Newcastle, Fulham and Man City. Keegan is an option for me.

I don't think we're far off a title winning side. It's undermined by tactics and selections. Even someone like Rijkaard could come in and do the job

5 years and 25m net spend a season is ample enough time to show progress towards winning the title...maybe even getting there

Rijkaard for me.

I agree Rijkaard could do a good job, I wouldn't go near Keegan though.

How long would you give someone like Rijkaard though?

[Harv]

Personally I'd get an ex-player, someone who will let the players express themselves
and play without inhibitions.

A few people may laugh but he's done brilliant jobs at Newcastle, Fulham and Man City. Keegan is an option for me.

I don't think we're far off a title winning side. It's undermined by tactics and selections. Even someone like Rijkaard could come in and do the job

5 years and 25m net spend a season is ample enough time to show progress towards winning the title...maybe even getting there

KEEGAN!!

[EwarWoo]

5 years and 25m net spend a season is ample enough time to show progress towards winning the title...maybe even getting there

17.29m.
But a numerical value doesn't really give a true display.
In those 5 years Chelsea have spent 3 x as much as us. No wonder they got ahead.
Mancs have spend only slightly less than us (15.61m), and that's coming from a long way in front so we've not had the chance to catch them unsuprisingly.
The only exception are Arsenal, but Wenger is in a world of his own with getting value out of the youth system so no suprise there.
Not to mention how much of that transfer money was wasted on punts because of crap dealing / budget restraints leaving him with his 3rd or 4th choice?
Fergies 15.61m was all spent on his choice of players.
I think one other thing people keep forgetting is it took Fergie 7 years to achieve success with the Mancs. Do you think any Manc fan now wishes he was sacked after 5 years without a title?
And this was in a completely different climate, when the game wasn't so much about money, and when it was a top 1 of us without too much competition, and he got there finally as much by our failure as by his success.
We need to be patient and let his continue builing the team.

BTW, figures taken from here:

http://www.purelymancity.com/index.php/features/transfer-window-special-how-our-spending-compares/

Couldn't be arsed to work it out manually, so just trusting they're true.

[Sarb]

KEEGAN!!

Like it or not mate, he's done more in the English leagues than Rafa Benitez. He leaves a club usually when he knows he can't take it forward anymore. I wish Houllier had done the same....would have saved us millions

So if he's that laughable, what is Rafa Benitez

[Sarb]

That's a joke right ?

I like Keegan but he simply cannot cope with the pressure's of managing a football club.

I disagree. I think he's done good jobs at every single club side he's been at. Certainly done a lot more in the english league than Rafa Benitez has, so I don't know why he's laughed at as a choice



I see you didn't laugh at the Rijkaard recommendation?

[blacky]

I disagree. I think he's done good jobs at every single club side he's been at. Certainly done a lot more in the english league than Rafa Benitez has, so I don't know why he's laughed at as a choice



I see you didn't laugh at the Rijkaard recommendation?

1. Keegan did well with Newcastle a long time ago when United were the only team to compete with. In the modern Premiership era he did an ok job with man city. His Newcastle side also bottled winning the title. I don't think you can compare him to Rafa. I like Keegan but he is a nervous wreck of a man who cannot cope with the pressure of managing a football club.
2. Rijkaard, I like him also. If Rafa was to go he would be on my wishlist.

[EwarWoo]

Like it or not mate, he's done more in the English leagues than Rafa Benitez.

What, you mean he managed to come second before Arsenal or Chelsea started to give some competition at the top?

That's not really any better than finishing fifth now comparing the level of competition. If not even lower.

[Harv]

Like it or not mate, he's done more in the English leagues than Rafa Benitez. He leaves a club usually when he knows he can't take it forward anymore. I wish Houllier had done the same....would have saved us millions

So if he's that laughable, what is Rafa Benitez

Balls he has

He promoted Newcastle to the premier league
He managed to come second to Man Utd in 95/96, not that massive an achievement as there wasn't as much competition for the top 4 as there is now.
Promotion for Fulham.....from div 2
He got Man City promoted...then sat mid table with them for a bit.
Then the return to Newcastle....we all know how that has ended up.

No mention of any Fa Cups or Charity Shields.... is there.

You're deluded if you think Keegan is anywhere near Rafa class as a manager.

[barnes10]

17.29m.
But a numerical value doesn't really give a true display.
In those 5 years Chelsea have spent 3 x as much as us. No wonder they got ahead.
Mancs have spend only slightly less than us (15.61m), and that's coming from a long way in front so we've not had the chance to catch them unsuprisingly.
The only exception are Arsenal, but Wenger is in a world of his own with getting value out of the youth system so no suprise there.
Not to mention how much of that transfer money was wasted on punts because of crap dealing / budget restraints leaving him with his 3rd or 4th choice?
Fergies 15.61m was all spent on his choice of players.
I think one other thing people keep forgetting is it took Fergie 7 years to achieve success with the Mancs. Do you think any Manc fan now wishes he was sacked after 5 years without a title?
And this was in a completely different climate, when the game wasn't so much about money, and when it was a top 1 of us without too much competition, and he got there finally as much by our failure as by his success.
We need to be patient and let his continue builing the team.

BTW, figures taken from here:

http://www.purelymancity.com/index.php/features/transfer-window-special-how-our-spending-compares/

Couldn't be arsed to work it out manually, so just trusting they're true.

This sums up my view on things and why i don't think that people like sarb and rashid are giving the man a 'fair crack of the whip' given that he's the one who's got us where we are.

"Originally Posted by Sarb24
5 years and 25m net spend a season is ample enough time to show progress towards winning the title...maybe even getting there"

progress towards winning the title is what we've been doing tho isnt it? sure we haven't cracked the top 2 but we've closed the gap on the title winners to a third of what it was and are the highest scoring team. you seem to want someone to blow out on having a go in the short term. why not continue the steady progress which is what it takes to build a dynasty. as pointed out above, fergie took 7 years to win it in a far less competitive league.

i share your frustrations when i don't think that rafa's selection is the right one. but i do buy into his rotation strategy for consistency over the long haul and a strong finish to the season and accept that he knows more than i ever will about the form and fitness of our players. i was stunned when he replaced gerrard with lucas in the derby but the proof was in the pudding when it was lucas' shot that inadvertantly won us the match. he knows in minute detail the qualities a player will bring and the effect they will have on the game.

If chelsea had hired rafa, backed him as they've backed their other managers and left him to it, they'd have won league and CL doubles since 04.

[Skillz]

You're deluded if you think Keegan is anywhere near Rafa class as a manager.

Well it does at least put all his (Sarbs) previous posts in perspective anyway.

[Pacman]

Rijkaard for me.

The same man who Rafa out thought in the CL 2 seasons ago?

Like it or not mate, he's done more in the English leagues than Rafa Benitez. He leaves a club usually when he knows he can't take it forward anymore. I wish Houllier had done the same....would have saved us millions

So if he's that laughable, what is Rafa Benitez

Like what????

[friedk]

Just to make a little point,

it's been 4 seasons without a title for Rafa not 5; since then his league points average has been 71 per season, far higher than any Liverpool manager since King Kenny.

Here's another point which no one seems to take into consideration; the season before Rafa took over at Liverpool we were 30 points off the top of the table - to put that into context, before Wenger Arsenal were 7 points off the top; pre Mourinho Chavs were 11 points and pre Ferguson Scum were 8 points. Even Houllier was only 12 points off the pace.

[LFC1892]

its in rafa's nature to play about with team selections and formations this way. he sets up to negate the opposition rather than play to our strengths...

Spot on. The number 1 reason we will never win the league under him.