Do you want Rafa back?

[ashey]

Would any of us known what was going on with Hicks & Gillette without Rafa going public?

[marcus50bucks]

Excellent post.

One thing that often gets overlooked is the fact that Rafa is still only 50 years of age. Which is ridiculously young for a top manager. By the age of 46 he had already racked up 2 La Liga titles, The UEFA Cup, The Champions League, The Super Cup, The FA Cup, as well as being UEFA Manager of the year twice. Even his sternest critics must admit that at the tender age of 50, Rafa has one of the best Managerial CV's in the game. It often makes me laugh when I see the whoppers on here naming the likes of Hiddink, Capello, Pellegrini et al, as managers they would love to see at Liverpool. These guys are all 10 to 15 years older than Rafa.

Heck, when Ferguson was Rafa's age all he had on his CV was 3 Scottish League titles and a UEFA Cup winners Cup. Ferguson was 57 before he managed to reach a European Cup final. Rafa had been in 2 of them at the age of 47, and a UEFA Cup final to boot. I bet Arsene Wenger would give his right bollock to have the same European track record as Rafa, and Wenger is almost 12 years the elder. The crux of my point is, Rafa was a top manager at a very young age. And despite the last 18 months, he is still without a shadow of a doubt, one of the best coaches in the game. In another 10 years he will be even better. His appetite for learning will ensure it. The man eats, sleeps, breathes, and ****s football. I wouldn't be surprised if he tags on another couple of European Cups before he reaches 60.

The thing you have to remember about Rafa is, he is not the type of coach who likes to swan into a club for a couple of years, and then **** off elsewhere. He isn't in the game for money, fame, or attention like that whore in Madrid, he is in it because he is a football obsessive. Rafa likes to build clubs from the ground up. His ideas are long term. He got it right when he was at Valencia. In their pomp they were a supreme football machine. Anyone who remembers Valencia's visit to Anfield should recall how they literally embarrassed us in our own back yard.

The biggest **** up that Valencia made was that their board didn't share the same long term vision as Rafa. Had he stayed there, and had they backed him accordingly, Rafa would have wreaked havoc on the continent with that side. No question or doubt about it. Even more havoc than he wreaked with us. You can bet your bottom dollar Valencia realized what a **** up they made when they saw Rafa holding the Champions league trophy in 2005.

He almost got it right with us too. 2009 should have been our year. We were just desperately unlucky. Some of the football we played that season was Valencia-esque. Man Utd, Real Madrid, and Aston Villa in particular, all felt what it was like to be on the receiving end of a fully functional Benitez side. I.E they got absolutely battered from start to finish. Rafa was on the verge of putting us on roughly the same level as he had put Valencia in 2001. We were almost there. It's agonizing to think back on it, but that's football. Sometimes you get the breaks, sometimes you don't.

Speaking of breaks, we got a bad one when Xabi wanted to leave. People often underestimate just how much of an impact Xabi's departure had on the team. Rafa built the side around him from day 1. He was Rafa's eyes and ears on the pitch for us. Gerrards admission that he almost cried when he heard Xabi was leaving is proof of this. It was a killer blow, but it was a blow which we could have recovered from. It just needed time. A lot more time than Rafa was afforded.

I'm not saying Rafa doesn't have his flaws, he clearly does. Of course he has made mistakes. But he is young, he is still learning. We're not talking about a guy who just came in and got lucky with us in 2005. This is a guy who had already proved himself, a two time European Manager of the year who wanted to finally realize his grand vision for a footballing institution. That institution should have been us.

Which is why I fear if we don't allow him to return to finish what he started here, then he will probably go to Man City and build a team that will dominate for years. The thought of which is too much to even ponder. Rafa will realize his vision one day. It may take him a few years, but do it he shall. My biggest fear is that when does, we will all look back from a top the hills that we all thought were greener, and think "**** it, we should have given him a second chance"

Bring him back I say. **** the myopic, short memoried idiots who lambaste him. They are fools. Fools who simply do not grasp that the working methods of Rafa Benitez are part of a masterplan. We have Bondel and Segura working with the youth team now, with tremendous effect. All thanks to Rafa. The future is bright. We have owners with a track record of achieving long term success. We just need a manager who can make it work. A manager who loves the club, and loves the fans. That man is sitting in the Wirral right now. Please John Henry, bring back Rafael Benitez. Give him his chance to make himself a hero. Lord knows, for all he has done for us, he deserves it.

[fred_plasticine]

There are situations where going public might be to the club's advantage, as you see it.

What do you do if you feel you can't change things internally?

well, i don't think there's anything you can do. if you stand alone against the other members of the club hierachy you will never get it your way. so you do what everybody else does - get on with your job and bide your time. that doesn't mean that you let go, that doesn't mean that you give in. build alleys, get people slowly on your side. it's politics. and time is essential here.

[Kenneth]

What's the point you're making?

I assumed he was referring to the fact that we haven't sacked ours yet.

[danperkins]

I assumed he was referring to the fact that we haven't sacked ours yet.

[Kenneth]

Which is why I fear if we don't allow him to return to finish what he started here, then he will probably go to Man City and build a team that will dominate for years. The thought of which is too much to even ponder. Rafa will realize his vision one day. It may take him a few years, but do it he shall. My biggest fear is that when does, we will all look back from a top the hills that we all thought were greener, and think "**** it, we should have given him a second chance"

Such a load of bollocks, frankly. He wasn't inter's first choice (owner and manager) and that was before he was sacked for the second time in 6 months. Nobody rates Rafa as highly right now as the sentimental Liverpool fans calling for him to return. I don't believe for one minute that he'd get a job at City, or Chelsea, or indeed Liverpool.

[Fredo]

Such a load of bollocks, frankly. He wasn't inter's first choice (owner and manager) and that was before he was sacked for the second time in 6 months. Nobody rates Rafa as highly right now as the sentimental Liverpool fans calling for him to return. I don't believe for one minute that he'd get a job at City, or Chelsea, or indeed Liverpool.

Why does it have to be a 'load of bollocks' though? Does it mean your opinion is less a load of bollocks than his?

[Neil Young]

I assumed he was referring to the fact that we haven't sacked ours yet.

OK, thanks.

A strange way to put it IMO but I often find dane's turn of phrase somewhat baffling. That's not necessarily a criticism by the way, just an observation.

[Kenneth]

Why does it have to be a 'load of bollocks' though? Does it mean your opinion is less a load of bollocks than his?

It does indeed, yes.

There are so many emotive and hyperbolic posts about the second coming. It seems like some form of religious sect. I've tried to be measured in my responses, but basically I think many of these talking calls are a bit cringeworthy tbh.

[Fredo]

It does indeed, yes.

There are so many emotive and hyperbolic posts about the second coming. It seems like some form of religious sect. I've tried to be measured in my responses, but basically I think many of these talking calls are a bit cringeworthy tbh.

Rafa = romanticism

He's a bit like our own Charles Dodgson and I'll quote something straight from his book: Alice: "I can't explain myself, I'm afraid, Sir, because I'm not myself you see."

That's what Rafa does to us.

[danperkins]

Holy balls, balanced debate alright Nige

[Kenneth]

Rafa = romanticism

He's a bit like our own Charles Dodgson and I'll quote something straight from his book: Alice: "I can't explain myself, I'm afraid, Sir, because I'm not myself you see."

That's what Rafa does to us.

[Riche]

At least if Rafa is re-instated as manager he will soon let us know if NESV are all they are cracked up to be. If Rafa isn't re-instated as manager then obviously NESV have something to hide

[little dave hedgehog]

At least if Rafa is re-instated as manager he will soon let us know if NESV are all they are cracked up to be. If Rafa isn't re-instated as manager then obviously NESV have something to hide

[Riche]

Did that confuse you mate ..