Rafa Benitez Leaves Liverpool

[Craig_H]

In fact, i remember spending a whole year, lauding it over mates, work colleagues, opposition fans at games and what-not, and no matter what anyone ever said, i was always able to shut them up with 'Champions of Europe'.

Now we can laud it over the mancs about 5 times, and know that despite their jammy piece of **** win in Moscow, they're still in our shadow.

We can do all of that, because of Rafa.

[Reece]

Okay I've just properly read that article, and it is indeed excellent.

[Shaggy]

In fact, i remember spending a whole year, lauding it over mates, work colleagues, opposition fans at games and what-not, and no matter what anyone ever said, i was always able to shut them up with 'Champions of Europe'.

Now we can laud it over the mancs about 5 times, and know that despite their jammy piece of **** win in Moscow, they're still in our shadow.

We can do all of that, because of Rafa.

Yup.

I suppose what with you being a similar age to me and all.......you can relate to what I'm about to say. When we won it in 84 I was 6, turning 7 later that year. I remember watching the game but it doesn't really count. So....I didn't really know what it felt like to win the European Cup. You just had to rely on the old videos and nostalgia trips. I didn't really expect to see it in my lifetime...it's not something you come to expect. The quarters with Houllier seemed a monumental achievement. We blew it in Leverkusen and it was thrilling while obviously being disappointing. That was the pinnacle for me, for someone of my age. Champions League quarter final, a near miss.

Then Rafa came in and it's winners, the Benfica blip, finalists and should've won the damn thing, semi-finalists and only going out after an incredible, heroic 4-4 at Chelsea. Should've gone through that ****er as well.

I'll cherish May 2th 2005 forever, you don't forget those sort of feelings. We all felt on top of the world, it was ****ing amazing. No doubt some'll think this is all ghey nostalgia and we need to move on, 7th was **** blah blah, but I'm grateful. Very grateful.

[Shaggy]

And quite drunk.

[Craig_H]

Yes, i completely relate to that.

The previous ones were obviously great but for our age, we only got to hear about them and watch footage years later.

But Istanbul was OURS, it was our European Cup, our piece of history, our magical night and we'll be the ones telling future generations about it in years to come.

Rafa gave us that and his contribution to LFC and to our time supporting the club will never be forgotten. Nobody can take that away from him.

[Rishi73]

I kind of got bored of reading the posts against rafa but I want to say is what if Rafa got his first choice signings? Hmmm... Augero, Alves, Simao, Malouda to name a few. 2nd and 3rd choices signings are always going to be a risk so how do you expect him to compete?

Also to back him up when he has had his 1st choice he's done well reina, mascherano, torres, alonso. Also he's got the best out of gerrard and carra.

He has his flaws but my god if he was backed to the hilt like the teams around him we would not be having this discussion.

Also those who say he's a cold ******* please read reinas interview. Look at the videos on this forum. The guy has a heart of gold and he didn't deserve the treatment he got.

I for one would love to give him a proper send off and wish him the best fornthe future.

[MrMichael]

This is a great piece by Brian Reade. I don't agree with him that Rafa had to go. I felt he deserved the chance to put right his/our one and only truly bad season under his control. Anyway, it's a great article, so many of these points I've argued with people - Reds and non-Reds alike...I could've written this myself.

Totally, its a brilliant article

[Nicey]

It still hurts so much ...

Man I will miss that fella, I literally buried my old man the week of the Champions Lg final and watched that game with him in an Urn beside me ... I had not shed a tear throughout the whole proceedings all week, at the end of that game the flood gates opened ... Thanks Rafa, my kind of football manager my kind of person

[EwarWoo]

This is a great piece by Brian Reade. I don't agree with him that Rafa had to go. I felt he deserved the chance to put right his/our one and only truly bad season under his control. Anyway, it's a great article, so many of these points I've argued with people - Reds and non-Reds alike...I could've written this myself.

Absolutely top notch article

[Roboklopp]

Agree fully with the article (apart from Rafa's leaving) and comments. I feel like we've lost a leader and a very good friend.

Missus cheered me up a bit with this though.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysTmUTQ5wZE&feature=youtube_gdata"]YouTube- The Most Pathetic Baby Panda Ever[/ame]

[Leyton388]

Of course Rafa is a legend. He won the European cup with us FFS and we hammered some of the worlds best teams on the way to both finals and a semi final. Some Media hacks opinion means nothing to me when we have old big ears for keeps.

[Exiled_red]

This is a great piece by Brian Reade. I don't agree with him that Rafa had to go. I felt he deserved the chance to put right his/our one and only truly bad season under his control. Anyway, it's a great article, so many of these points I've argued with people - Reds and non-Reds alike...I could've written this myself.



In my eyes Rafa is already a legend. I don't need time for this to sink in. He leaves us as a legend in my eyes.

Good article too

[Fan65]

I picked this team out of the squad Rafa has left us

Reina
Johnson
Agger
Skrtel or Kyrgiakos
Carragher
Gerrard
Mashcerano
Rodriguez
Kuyt or Babel
Torres

It's a team made up from players that are good enough to be chosen for their countries in the World Cup.

Add Benayoun, Aquilani,and even Lucas, all potential internationals

It may need tuning up a bit (left back, striker etc) but what a legacy to inherit.

It may be a task to hold on to some of them but Rafa has done well with little financial support and I salute him.

[Exiled_red]

I picked this team out of the squad Rafa has left us

Reina
Johnson
Agger
Skrtel or Kyrgiakos
Carragher
Gerrard
Mashcerano
Rodriguez
Kuyt or Babel
Torres

It's a team made up from players that are good enough to be chosen for their countries in the World Cup.

Add Benayoun, Aquilani,and even Lucas, all potential internationals

It may need tuning up a bit (left back, striker etc) but what a legacy to inherit.

It may be a task to hold on to some of them but Rafa has done well with little financial support and I salute him.

You've only got 10 players in that team, presumably you have both Kuyt and Babel rather than one or the other.

It's a good point though, for all the slagging we've had about the quality of our squad, having so many players at the world cup throws that one back in alot of pundits faces. I guess there aren't many clubs with more players than us at the World Cup.

[little dave hedgehog]

not to mention benayoun would be there if they'd qualified, and aquilani could have made the italy squad if he'd been fit for the whole season.