Xabi Alonso interview

[Kenneth]

Are you trying to say what went on in the year and a half before Hicks, Gillett and Purslow left, everything made sense?

You'll be telling me replacing a European Cup Winning manager with the king of the LMA was an astute move next.

[CJ]

is the point that they perhaps thought we can use the outstanding money as the dowpayments

having no meoney at that time meant it was the only way to buy players,

if this is true it just means we were looking to future in order to have the cash to pay off the balance.

it may mean that we had no money to put down on defour for instance.

a risky strategy if true

[Daniel 7]

I'm not a Rafa muncher, but the credit notes theory is one thats been reported a lot. Can you not see that Aquilani was also an attempt at the big name signing to placate fans? No way would anyone have accepted a £4m or £5m Reo Coker standard signing. Hicks had promised to go large, and this was as near to that as Hicks/Gillett/Purslow were allowed to go.

[CJ]

i dont think rafa is immune to criticism its just not everything that people use to criticise him is true or really something to criticise him over

[Chris]

I'm not a Rafa muncher, but the credit notes theory is one thats been reported a lot. Can you not see that Aquilani was also an attempt at the big name signing to placate fans? No way would anyone have accepted a £4m or £5m Reo Coker standard signing. Hicks had promised to go large, and this was as near to that as Hicks/Gillett/Purslow were allowed to go.

A lot of stuff gets reported, it doesnt make it true.

As if Hicks cared about upsetting the fans!

[Kenneth]

is the point that they perhaps thought we can use the outstanding money as the dowpayments

having no meoney at that time meant it was the only way to buy players,

if this is true it just means we were looking to future in order to have the cash to pay off the balance.

it may mean that we had no money to put down on defour for instance.

a risky strategy if true

Or it may not be true.

[Daniel 7]

I can't remember the breakdown of the Aquilani deal, but if it was £4m or so, with £3m knocked off from Riise, for an Italina international, widely regarded as an excellent prospect (with injury issues), would you not accept that that's almost a cheap, knock off way to pull the wool over the fans' eyes that we were still playing at the high end of the transfer market.

Subterfuge.

[Kenneth]

Rafa muncher

[Charly]

But we were so severely restricted in whom we could go for.

Actually it was Christian "I wanna play FM" Purslow who loaned him out and it was a stupid decision.

I am not going to dispute that. My point was meant to be about Alonso, not Aquilani. And in selling Alonso, it fell apart for Rafa. He couldnt undo the problem tactically, or get the team to play well. He needed Alonso to make his style of play work, or a similar player.

The sale of Alonso was the tipping point from the team moving toward the title, to toward the foot of the table.

Also, I think the general mood in the dressing room must have turned, seeing a star player leave without a proper replacement. Many players appeared to be phoning it in last season.

[CJ]

Or it may not be true.

it may be, it may not, for some reason some people think it may be true the key word is may. others say its definitely bull****.

[Kenneth]

it may be, it may not, for some reason some people think it may be true the key word is may. others say its definitely bull****.

We're still talking about 'Aquilani or nothing'?

[CJ]

We're still talking about 'Aquilani or nothing'?

well we are talking about the possibility that we could only deal with certain teams.

we needed certain positions covering.

from what i can see some of us think this is possible which means we are rafa lovers

some people think this is definitely not true.

i just question why the utmost conviction that this could not possibly be true.

either way Rafa made a mistake in signing him.

[Kenneth]

So basically, you're saying you're a Rafa muncher

[CJ]

So basically, you're saying you're a Rafa muncher

i just find it interesting. On balance i think he was a very good manager. Do i think he got everything right? no. Do i think any manager gets everything right? no.

I just think he got a lot more right than wrong and that some of the things people say he got wrong i dont think he did.

if you want to put a label to that feel free.

[Kenneth]

Marsh was more fun.

I agree with all of your post. But Aquilani was a bad buy and I very much doubt the assertion that it was Aquilani or nothing.