Rafa Benitez Leaves Liverpool

[Kenneth]

Haha yeah, instead they just churn out more instant, ready-made superstars from their Academy. Pedro being the latest. Amazing. Amazzing. Amazzwang.

[Kenneth]

Exactly, they only spent £40m on Ibraminovich and £22m on that dodgy defender.

But still we're meant to compete in Europe!

But was that net spend, or gross spend?

[Exiled_red]

so the rumours doing the rounds are that we have new owners lined up and that they wanted Rafa out but wanted G&H to do it so they didnt alienate the fans as soon as they took over. Not sure if anyone has already posted this but just thought id let people know.

Aparently its coming from the guy who broke the story of rafa going. Makes sense in a way too, why would owners on their way out offload the manager and pay him £6m if they selling up anyway?

Whos knows if its true but thats the rumour doing the rounds at the moment.

Thanks for posting what you've heard.

I'd like to believe that the two parasites were on their way out, but with all due respect I've heard they've been close to selling too many times before to get excited about it. It's a case of I'll believe it when I see it!

[Kenneth]

Exactly, they only spent £40m on Ibraminovich and £22m on that dodgy defender.

But still we're meant to compete in Europe!

wtf ?

[Exiled_red]

It's a fair point, but obviously the league has changed a bit since then, with Chelsea and now Man City.

Ged was sacked becuase people felt he couldn't take us further. Most people don't think that of Rafa, but I do. My sentements for both managers is pretty similar. Gave their all, had some great highs, but it was time, and things were on a downward slope.

The difference for me is that Houllier was still being relatively heavily backed in the transfer market at the time and couldn't take us further. Rafa wasn't being backed at all. IMO Rafa could have taken us further if he'd been properly backed, whether that would have been as far as the title I don't know.

[Kenneth]

Scottish Liverpool legend Alan Hansen today sent a depressing message to the Kop legions.

He said: “The painful truth for Liverpool and their supporters is that the new manager at Anfield, whoever he turns out to be, will find a worse squad at his disposal than that which Benítez inherited from Gerard Houllier in 2004.

: popcorn :

[Exiled_red]

That's simply not true IMO

[Kenneth]

The difference for me is that Houllier was still being relatively heavily backed in the transfer market at the time and couldn't take us further. Rafa wasn't being backed at all. IMO Rafa could have taken us further if he'd been properly backed, whether that would have been as far as the title I don't know.

Fair point, but Rafa wasn't going to get backing, so under the circumstances, he probably had taken as far as they would allow.

[Imy]

Scottish Liverpool legend Alan Hansen today sent a depressing message to the Kop legions.

He said: “The painful truth for Liverpool and their supporters is that the new manager at Anfield, whoever he turns out to be, will find a worse squad at his disposal than that which Benítez inherited from Gerard Houllier in 2004.

: popcorn :

I usually agree with Alan Hansen but he's talking out of his arse there

[Kenneth]

That's simply not true IMO

Assuming there is no exodus, I agree. Just.

[elrichio86]

If you compare the two squads side-by-side then there's definately an improvement. Compare those two squads in relation to the strength of the teams around us, then we have weakened slightly.

IMO

[Exiled_red]

Fair point, but Rafa wasn't going to get backing, so under the circumstances, he probably had taken as far as they would allow.

But can you really expect to move forward under those conditions? I don't think you can whoever is in charge, you can hope to do so but that's different, that is probably more down to luck.

Yes we badly underperformed this season in finishing 7th, so if we finish 5th or 6th next season, on paper that is an improvement, so in some ways the new manager has nothing to lose, I don't believe we'll finish below that next season even without money to spend. But in reality it isn't an improvement.

[Exiled_red]

Assuming there is no exodus, I agree. Just.

If you compare the two squads side-by-side then there's definately an improvement. Compare those two squads in relation to the strength of the teams around us, then we have weakened slightly.

IMO

I guess on paper, if you look at the table Rafa inherited a team that finished 4th and the new manager will inherit a team that finished 7th. But Houlliers team was a team playing at it's level in his last season. Rafa's team was playing below themselves last year. If you compare the squads the one we have now is vastly superior!

[Rich]

wtf ?

Zoltan Roman Ibramovich!

(bloody hell!)

[Kenneth]

"If you compare the squads the one we have now is vastly superior! "

It's better, but there's not that much in it imo.