Rafa Benitez

[brikkis]

I wouldn't be suprised if Rafa is here for 15 years!

He will be thinking of his kids a lot when he makes his decision to leave and they will be very settled with school etc.

As long as the board keep backing him then there shouldn't be much doubt he'll go.

[carrsim]

I still think it would have been asking far too much , on the tight financial restrictions that Rafa has been operating vis-a-vis Man U and Chelski, to expect him to win the league this season. To be honest, I dont expect him to ever win the league given that he is feeding for scraps in the transfer market while Chelsea are spending £50m each tranfer window and Man U £30m.

whereas since rafa took over he has had beans to spend every summer.

united may have spent 18m on one player this summer, but look at what that got them.

i personally think any talk of rafa being under pressure is absolute nonsense. the fact of the matter is that we couldn't replace him with a better manager as there aren't that many of rafa's calibre in the first place.

we are lucky to have him, he is lucky to have us so its a good arrangement all round.

and we will be in with a very good shout of the title this season

[Dhav]

whereas since rafa took over he has had beans to spend every summer.

united may have spent 18m on one player this summer, but look at what that got them.

i personally think any talk of rafa being under pressure is absolute nonsense. the fact of the matter is that we couldn't replace him with a better manager as there aren't that many of rafa's calibre in the first place.

we are lucky to have him, he is lucky to have us so its a good arrangement all round.

and we will be in with a very good shout of the title this season

Not only that, but there are few top managers around who would be willing to take on the job of trying to compete with Man U and Chelsea with such limited funds.

We are extremely lucky to have him, how lucky he is I dont know - he's been linked with Real and Inter and those clubs wont impose the financial constraints on Rafa that we have.

[Rich]

But with the two clubs you mention, they impose other restrictions - for example at Real, players are allowed to miss some training sessions if they are performing Marketing commitments for the club (something Rafa would never agree to) and with Inter, their Chairman does a lot of the buying and selling, with minimal input from the coach/manager.

In many ways Rafa has it good - he gets to control a massive club, pretty much how he wishes - sure he'd like more money to spend in the market, but overall he'll be well pleased with how the club backs his plans.

[paulcooper4]

But with the two clubs you mention, they impose other restrictions - for example at Real, players are allowed to miss some training sessions if they are performing Marketing commitments for the club (something Rafa would never agree to) and with Inter, their Chairman does a lot of the buying and selling, with minimal input from the coach/manager.

In many ways Rafa has it good - he gets to control a massive club, pretty much how he wishes - sure he'd like more money to spend in the market, but overall he'll be well pleased with how the club backs his plans.

alright dave?

[Shaggy]

alright dave?

[NICKZS]

We spent more money than Man U this summer. I'm not trying to besmurge Rafa's good name, I am his biggest fan, but I am under no illusion that he has had to work on a "shoe-string" budget. I would keep hold of him for as long as possible, but we are not holding him back from the title at all.

[mersey86]

I think the word you want is besmirch - but besmurge would have got my vote - much more picturesque.

[NICKZS]

Don't you mean picturesck?

[mersey86]

[blacky]

But with the two clubs you mention, they impose other restrictions - for example at Real, players are allowed to miss some training sessions if they are performing Marketing commitments for the club (something Rafa would never agree to) and with Inter, their Chairman does a lot of the buying and selling, with minimal input from the coach/manager.

In many ways Rafa has it good - he gets to control a massive club, pretty much how he wishes - sure he'd like more money to spend in the market, but overall he'll be well pleased with how the club backs his plans.

Rafa has terrible problems at Valencia with the interference of the board and club president so much so that he was quoted as saying he would not go back to La Liga unless the set up at big clubs changed. The Italian league is very similar to La Liga. I think Rafa see's English football as a healthy challenge and probably the only league in Europe where he is free to practise his ideals to the full.

[Nic83]

Rafa is the man to bring the good times back. He plays the Liverpool way and his attention to detail is what's going to get us over the final hurdle - knocking Chelsea off their throne. Even if we don't win it within 3 years, as long as we are challenging every years into the last few matches, i will be happy.

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Possibly a *bit* negative, but with all the false dawns we've seen, i struggle to really put us in the categoric 'yes' box regarding winning the title.

There or thereabouts, but one cant help feeling we'll fall just short...yet again.

Just to see us realistically in the title race come the last month of the season would be a refreshing change.

[Shaggy]

Just to see us realistically in the title race come the last month of the season would be a refreshing change.

Wouldn't it just.

Regardless of our iffy start again this year, I honestly wouldn't swap him for any other manager in the world. Not saying "he's the best manager in the whole world ever bar none", but I just wouldn't swap him. He was born to manage Liverpool FC. He does the job in the main very well, but just as importantly does it with a dignity and respect we've come to expect from our managers. He is respectful and in awe of our history, and he upholds our traditions ****ing brilliantly. I'm as grateful for that as I am the manner in which he's improved our team.

By the way good to see you here Sheiky.

[IanTheRed]

Should be given this season and at least the next 3 too, in order to bring us the title....

Discuss.

Friggin hell, I step away for 2 days. Just TWO days..and someone lets the stray cat in. 132 posts and the place stinks of stale cat piss.

Joking of course....