Correspondence with Broughton (from Anfield Road)

[Exiled_red]

I fail to see where Broughton said he sacked Benitez because the media didn't like Rafa.

He simply said the person who sent him the note was entitled to his opinion, but it is not an opinion to his knowledge that is shared by the majority and he then used the mdeia as an example. Anyways, as far as I could see, over 90% of the media were saying Rafa had to go, and tbh, when it is that high a percentage in sport, they are seldom wrong.

But is it an opinion shared by the majority of Liverpool fans? that is much more questionable. Even at the end of a very poor season, the fans were still singing Rafa's name, which would indicate a large proportion still backed him!

If the club is listening to pundits and hacks (many of whom seem to have an agenda against us) rather than their own fans then that's crazy IMO. In most situations the fans are usually the first to turn on the manager as they see more of what is going on at the club than journalists or pundits.

[peekay]

Not only has this man helped get rid of a good Man and a good Manager(given a paltry Tranfer kitty every season whilst in charge and, who had to sell players in order to purchace others), he also has put our great Club back 5years imo

I really fear the worst for Club whilst the two grave diggers are in charge and, by not selling the Club to very wealthy owners(from what i've read) just for the simple reason the pair of them are greedy cunts, i can't see any potential improvment in our situation any day soon.

Our european cup winning manager has been sacked by a hedge fund manager, a chelsea fan, and two capitalist pigs with greater than three bankruptcies to their name.

[DannyMan2006]

But is it an opinion shared by the majority of Liverpool fans? that is much more questionable. Even at the end of a very poor season, the fans were still singing Rafa's name, which would indicate a large proportion still backed him!

If the club is listening to pundits and hacks (many of whom seem to have an agenda against us) rather than their own fans then that's crazy IMO. In most situations the fans are usually the first to turn on the manager as they see more of what is going on at the club than journalists or pundits.

I heard the boos at the end of games last season, something I haven't heard in years. that is normally pretty telling. The Rafa chant wasn't as loud as it used to be either.

I think the only reason many are upset he left is because they knew we wouldn't get anyone better. It was agreed that he failed last season, but it was commonly agreed that we would not have the pulling power to get one of the top coaches around.

Had we given Rafa the boot and then and got Capello, Mourinho, Van Gall, Hiddink, etc, then people may have been far more receptive. As it happens, it's either going to be Hodgson or a man we all love, but who have slight/major doubts about.

[DannyMan2006]

Our european cup winning manager has been sacked by a hedge fund manager, a chelsea fan, and two capitalist pigs with greater than three bankruptcies to their name.

TBH, he got himself sacked by finishing 7th, as his gambles in the transfer market didn't come off last summer.

[CJ]

TBH, he got himself sacked by finishing 7th, as his gambles in the transfer market didn't come off last summer.

again its not quite that simple. the finnish allowed them to sack him. He had huge power at the club and not everyone wanted him to have that so as soon as they had half a chance they got rid.

Many fans are upset as they think he is the best man for the job. Its not hard to realise this or accept it.

it wasnt universal but a very good proportion of fans wanted him to stay.

[peekay]

I heard the boos at the end of games last season, something I haven't heard in years. that is normally pretty telling. The Rafa chant wasn't as loud as it used to be either.

I think the only reason many are upset he left is because they knew we wouldn't get anyone better. It was agreed that he failed last season, but it was commonly agreed that we would not have the pulling power to get one of the top coaches around.

Had we given Rafa the boot and then and got Capello, Mourinho, Van Gall, Hiddink, etc, then people may have been far more receptive. As it happens, it's either going to be Hodgson or a man we all love, but who have slight/major doubts about.

We cannot separate the decision of sacking a manager from the decision of appointment of the next manager. Simple reason is that there is no point in sacking a manager for the sake of change. The decision to sack Rafa will be vindicated only if the next manager improves upon his performance compared across a reasonable time frame.

Drawing up shortlist after sacking a manager is not the way we operated. Newcastle and Blackburn operate that way, not Liverpool. As of now it looks like we dont have any plan. And even if the plan was to sack Rafa and then search for the new manager. Why wait a month. why not sack him immediately after the Hull game and start the search for the new manager then.


"I think the only reason many are upset he left is because they knew we wouldn't get anyone better."

Exactly. If many people knew that Rafa was going to be sacked and Hodgson is going to be the top choice, then I bet the Rafa chants would have been louder than ever.

There are so many aspects of Rafa's sacking which is so wrong. The Anti - Rafa dripfeed to the press from senior sources. The fact that they did not even give him an opportunity to say good bye. The suspicion that the sacking was not a footballing decision. And the fact that nobody in our executive management has the welfare of the club at heart.

We are run like a mediocre mid table club. When the club is run that way at the top, it is only a matter of time before the football on the pitch reflects the way the club is run. These things always filter down.

[DannyMan2006]

again its not quite that simple. the finnish allowed them to sack him. He had huge power at the club and not everyone wanted him to have that so as soon as they had half a chance they got rid.

Many fans are upset as they think he is the best man for the job. Its not hard to realise this or accept it.

it wasnt universal but a very good proportion of fans wanted him to stay.

Every Liverpool fan I know personally wanted him gone, that includes season ticket holders and fair weather casual fans. But as I can see reading on here, plenty wanted him to stay too.

Anyhow, he's gone so that's that. I'm not going to bother discussing Rafa anymore. I'd now rather look towards the future. At the moment it seems bleak, but new ownership could turn it all on its head. We're just playing a waiting game.

[CJ]

Every Liverpool fan I know personally wanted him gone, that includes season ticket holders and fair weather casual fans. But as I can see reading on here, plenty wanted him to stay too.

Anyhow, he's gone so that's that. I'm not going to bother discussing Rafa anymore. I'd now rather look towards the future. At the moment it seems bleak, but new ownership could turn it all on its head. We're just playing a waiting game.

Strange as all the ones i know wanted him to stay. i dont go to the game but i do know a few season ticket holders and a few that go to matches regularly. Interestingly fans from other clubs are surprised when they say you must be happy Rafa has gone and I say no actualy. still there are lots of fans out there so some will think one thing some the other.

[DannyMan2006]

We cannot separate the decision of sacking a manager from the decision of appointment of the next manager. Simple reason is that there is no point in sacking a manager for the sake of change. The decision to sack Rafa will be vindicated only if the next manager improves upon his performance compared across a reasonable time frame.

Drawing up shortlist after sacking a manager is not the way we operated. Newcastle and Blackburn operate that way, not Liverpool. As of now it looks like we dont have any plan. And even if the plan was to sack Rafa and then search for the new manager. Why wait a month. why not sack him immediately after the Hull game and start the search for the new manager then.


"I think the only reason many are upset he left is because they knew we wouldn't get anyone better."

Exactly. If many people knew that Rafa was going to be sacked and Hodgson is going to be the top choice, then I bet the Rafa chants would have been louder than ever.

There are so many aspects of Rafa's sacking which is so wrong. The Anti - Rafa dripfeed to the press from senior sources. The fact that they did not even give him an opportunity to say good bye. The suspicion that the sacking was not a footballing decision. And the fact that nobody in our executive management has the welfare of the club at heart.

We are run like a mediocre mid table club. When the club is run that way at the top, it is only a matter of time before the football on the pitch reflects the way the club is run. These things always filter down.

Why bother asking the same, tired, old questions on this thread?

Why did we not sack him after the Hull game? Why do you think? Because it would have cost us £16m and not £6m. They knew Rafa was leaving and Rafa knew it himself. They just both dragged it out to get the best possible deal.

Why did we not seek a replacement prior to doing so? Because the two owners have nothing to do with the club, the chairman knows naff all about football and Purslow doesn't even have the power.

To the owners and to the club, Rafa was a pain in the ass. He moaned about everything, and put it all through the media, via himself or his many frineds like Ballague. Add all that to doing a rubbish job as manager last year and it was clear he had dug his own grave.

What good is a manager who goes about saying we need 5-6 players, and a transfer kitty of say £80m, when he knows fine well we haven't got that. He is just giving himself excuses in the media for having failed his job. He seemed more concerned with his own reputation and giving excuses for failing than actually considering team morale.

I know he hasn't had enough cash. I know the squad isn't good enough. But I don't want or need the manager to tell the the whole world that the squad is not good enough.

[CJ]

Why bother asking the same, tired, old questions on this thread?

Why did we not sack him after the Hull game? Why do you think? Because it would have cost us £16m and not £6m. They knew Rafa was leaving and Rafa knew it himself. They just both dragged it out to get the best possible deal.

Why did we not seek a replacement prior to doing so? Because the two owners have nothing to do with the club, the chairman knows naff all about football and Purslow doesn't even have the power.

To the owners and to the club, Rafa was a pain in the ass. He moaned about everything, and put it all through the media, via himself or his many frineds like Ballague. Add all that to doing a rubbish job as manager last year and it was clear he had dug his own grave.

What good is a manager who goes about saying we need 5-6 players, and a transfer kitty of say £80m, when he knows fine well we haven't got that. He is just giving himself excuses in the media for having failed his job. He seemed more concerned with his own reputation and giving excuses for failing than actually considering team morale.

I know he hasn't had enough cash. I know the squad isn't good enough. But I don't want or need the manager to tell the the whole world that the squad is not good enough.

so Torres should go for saying the same. So he had to go for telling the truth. if he said no we have the best squad you would say he is deluded how can he think he has the best squad. Not sure what your point is apart from you dont want Rafa as manager.

your main reason for this is he finished 7th? and you dont think he would do better next year and that you dont agree the reasons given for this.

I dont think the timing meant we didnt have to pay 16m if he wanted he could have sat it out for that money. or we could have made the offer after the hull game. it has more to do with the drip feeding of information to weaken his position. also then to wait till he was on holiday so not instantly available to the press and the players having gone to the world cup so they could use the lost the dressing room argument that seems to have disapeared somewhat now.

[DannyMan2006]

so Torres should go for saying the same. So he had to go for telling the truth. if he said no we have the best squad you would say he is deluded how can he think he has the best squad. Not sure what your point is apart from you dont want Rafa as manager.

your main reason for this is he finished 7th? and you dont think he would do better next year and that you dont agree the reasons given for this.

I dont think the timing meant we didnt have to pay 16m if he wanted he could have sat it out for that money. or we could have made the offer after the hull game. it has more to do with the drip feeding of information to weaken his position. also then to wait till he was on holiday so not instantly available to the press and the players having gone to the world cup so they could use the lost the dressing room argument that seems to have disapeared somewhat now.

Torres is a player, it's not his job to motivate the team. He is the one who needs to be motivated.

I'll give you an example. If Blackpool bought no new players, Ian Holloway would no fine well his team have no chance of staying up, but he would still say they have a chance, so that the players spirits are kept up. It may mean fans expectations are higher than they should be, and it may mean fans could possibly call for his head when it became clear he was failing. But he would take that risk for the good of the team.

If Rafa had nothing positive to say about the teams situation, he would have been better of saying nothing at all. He should have told the onwers and chairman this in private.

The media make enough negative predictions about Liverpool without the manager doing so.

Do I think Rafa could have done better than last year? I bloody well hope he could have. Last years squad should ahve come Top 4 minimum. It came second the year before with Alonso, a player Rafa wanted out, With Robbie Keane, a player Rafa didn't want and promptly got rid of in January, with Arbeloa, a player Rafa was not happy with and indeed spent £17m on a replacement. And with Sami Hyypia, a player Rafa couldn't guarantee enough first team football, hence the reason Sami left.

I was in the minority on here when I backed Rafa mid season and early season when the wheels had come off. I said he deserved until the end of the season for what he had done previously. I gave him until the end and he failed to progress past a weak CL group and came 7th in the league. Only qualifying for the Mickey Mouse Europa League because Portsmouth went bankrupt.

Am I happy now he's been sacked - Yes.

[CJ]

Torres is a player, it's not his job to motivate the team. He is the one who needs to be motivated.

I'll give you an example. If Blackpool bought no new players, Ian Holloway would no fine well his team have no chance of staying up, but he would still say they have a chance, so that the players spirits are kept up. It may mean fans expectations are higher than they should be, and it may mean fans could possibly call for his head when it became clear he was failing. But he would take that risk for the good of the team.

If Rafa had nothing positive to say about the teams situation, he would have been better of saying nothing at all. He should have told the onwers and chairman this in private.

The media make enough negative predictions about Liverpool without the manager doing so.

Do I think Rafa could have done better than last year? I bloody well hope he could have. Last years squad should ahve come Top 4 minimum. It came second the year before with Alonso, a player Rafa wanted out, With Robbie Keane, a player Rafa didn't want and promptly got rid of in January, with Arbeloa, a player Rafa was not happy with and indeed spent £17m on a replacement. And with Sami Hyypia, a player Rafa couldn't guarantee enough first team football, hence the reason Sami left.

I was in the minority on here when I backed Rafa mid season and early season when the wheels had come off. I said he deserved until the end of the season for what he had done previously. I gave him until the end and he failed to progress past a weak CL group and came 7th in the league. Only qualifying for the Mickey Mouse Europa League because Portsmouth went bankrupt.

Am I happy now he's been sacked - Yes.

ok i get your argument. i dont agree with it all but then i am not happy he has been sacked. Two points though i didnt know he wasnt happy with arbeloa? and Sami moving on doesnt really back any argument does it? a player at the end of his career wanting one more crack. He probably couldnt last a premiership season but was exellent at coming in for certain games. soto did that job for us this season not as well as sami but not hugely worse either. the one thing that sami may have been able to do is to help settle the defence at the begining of the season .

[Icon]

From:
Date: 10 June 2010 12:40
Subject: Re: Thank you for killing my club
To: Jim Boardman < >

Jim,

The facts are that I was brought in to bring the club down - didn't you know?
Liverpool FC is no longer a football club but a failing bank, surely you can see that by the board we have here?
I'm also a chav cunt with the sole purpose of ****ing the club over to enable Chelsea to buy your best players at laughable prices, whilst my colleague Mr Purslow slowly turns the screw by selling the clubs soul to the media regularly.

Martin Broughton

[Shaggy]

The mind boggles

[Guest]

From:
Date: 10 June 2010 12:40
Subject: Re: Thank you for killing my club
To: Jim Boardman < >

Jim,

The facts are that I was brought in to bring the club down - didn't you know?
Liverpool FC is no longer a football club but a failing bank, surely you can see that by the board we have hear?
I'm also a chav cunt with the sole purpose of ****ing the club over to enable Chelsea to buy your best players at laughable prices, whilst my colleague Mr Purslow slowly turns the screw by selling the clubs soul to the media regularly.

Martin Broughton

Haha, it has got to be Broughton indeed.