Pack your bags Roy

[SimonNo7]

Hes not coming back

Listen I didnt want Rafa sacking and nothing would have pleased me more than seeing him get backing off some decent owners but hes gone now.

What the club needs now is unity

The club was fractured by the owners and now its fractured by the current manager

The fans, the players, the coaching staff and the owners need to become one to move forward

Unfortunately Rafa divides opinion amongst the fans (and players) and whilst hes not as reviled as Roy hes not exactly universally liked by our fans either

NESV will not employ Rafa as our next manager (they have even used him as a convenient human shield for Hodgsons catastrophic failings)

Whilst the sentimental side of me wants it to happen my head says it is time to move on and that is what NESV will do

Agree with that and I really do not think it would be good to go back. I think a complete new approach is needed with quite a lot of new playing personnel.

[TheElephantMan]

I would love Rafa to return. If anybody could turn this around with a few new players bought during the January transfer window then Benitez could. Please bring him back Mr Henry.

[fred_plasticine]

There's some thruth in what you say about control vs. creativity, I agree. I do feel though had Rafa been able to sign more of the high-end players he wanted that the cutting edge wouldve been much more pronounced (relying on the like of Villa & Alves as opposed to just Gerrard & Torres) & we wouldve seen fewer stalemates & more batterings like we gave Villa, Scum & Real.

how about he had taught the players at his disposal some attacking moves?
how about he had focused on how to break teams down instead of only focusing on controlling the game?
how about he had tried to improve our attacking set pieces?
how about he actually tried to transform babel into something like a wenger or fergerson had done?

it's easy to shift the blame away from him by saying he didn't have the right players.
playing proper attacking football is easy when your squad's full of talent. it's another thing to get them to play attacking football with some limited players.
he didn't even try because his emphasis is somewhere else. somewhere in the defensive midfield area.

blame it all on g&h. blame it all on a lack of money. bravo.
the thing is, you see, we had the chance to win the title in 09 but we blew it over the xmas period with the series of uninspired, dull, lacklustre football that we've come to accept during his tenure.

[Mattshark]

how about he had taught the players at his disposal some attacking moves?
how about he had focused on how to break teams down instead of only focusing on controlling the game?
how about he had tried to improve our attacking set pieces?
how about he actually tried to transform babel into something like a wenger or fergerson had done?

it's easy to shift the blame away from him by saying he didn't have the right players.
playing proper attacking football is easy when your squad's full of talent. it's another thing to get them to play attacking football with some limited players.
he didn't even try because his emphasis is somewhere else. somewhere in the defensive midfield area.

blame it all on g&h. blame it all on a lack of money. bravo.
the thing is, you see, we had the chance to win the title in 09 but we blew it over the xmas period with the series of uninspired, dull, lacklustre football that we've come to accept during his tenure.

There is a lot of crap in there.

[TheElephantMan]

it's easy to shift the blame away from him by saying he didn't have the right players.

When the balance of the team was right we played some wonderful football.

[Daniel mote]

I just want a manager that will play attacking football. For to long now we have had to put up with a negative defensive style in the premiership. Didier Deshamps for me.

[Mattshark]

When the balance of the team was right we played some wonderful football.

in 08/09 we were in fact the top scorers.

[Mattshark]

I just want a manager that will play attacking football. For to long now we have had to put up with a negative defensive style in the premiership. Didier Deshamps for me.

We never played defensive football with Rafa though.

[Daniel mote]

I disagree. Away from home he showed no ambition to win games against lesser teams.

[Mattshark]

I disagree. Away from home he showed no ambition to win games against lesser teams.

He once won 13 away games in one season, we had some other great games away from home. Last season was not good, but I think that can be considered a bit of an exception rather than the norm.

[Daniel mote]

In the 2008/9 season we dropped points away against villa stoke wigan and boro. Just an example. Dont get me wrong i would still love to have rafa over hodgson.

[Mattshark]

In the 2008/9 season we dropped points away against villa stoke wigan and boro. Just an example. Dont get me wrong i would still love to have rafa over hodgson.

So what? Do you expect to win ever game? It happens at times. I fail to see your point. We also beat Man U, Chelsea, Portsmouth, Bolton, Blackburn, Everton, Fulham, Man City, Newcastle, Sunderland, West Brom and West Ham.

[Vermilion]

So what? Do you expect to win ever game? It happens at times. I fail to see your point. We also beat Man U, Chelsea, Portsmouth, Bolton, Blackburn, Everton, Fulham, Man City, Newcastle, Sunderland, West Brom and West Ham.

[Daniel mote]

So you think rafas teams were attacking away from home?

[Daniel mote]

Also that season wasnt the norm away from home. His away record overall was poor