Rafa Benitez - the kingmaker

[ashey]

His football was pragmatic. He had a vision & a style that he wanted us to play in, but knew he didn't have the players to implement it, nor the resources to go out & get it quickly. Consequently, he played to the available players strengths, whilst continually wheeling & dealing to improve his squad. We remained competitive whilst going through a transitional phase.

He definitely made mistakes but these were compounded, if not intensified by the pillaging of our club by Hicks & Gillette.

[Eric Swindler]

His footy was boring as ****e. Great manager mind.

[leftpeg]

Different excerpts here. A bit heartbreaking (except for the bit about his lucky Tasmanian Devil underpants).
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footba...former-1317275

[peekay]

Same here.



I was sitting on the fence as I felt we needed the change and I thought he lost the dresssing room but as soon as he was let go I thought we made the mistake.

Still do.

I was the same.

I think most people who wanted him gone would have softened their stance on him if they knew he was going to be replaced by Woy.

One of the biggest mistakes a lot of fans made was thinking that if Rafa left, Jose and Van Gaal would be queueing outside our door wanting to manage us.

However there was a vocal minority, remember the Anti Rafa Taliban on TLW , who wanted him out at all costs and who thought that all we needed to get back to fourth was a little bit of man management and "keeping it simple". I can simply not comes to terms with that.

I can understand and rationalizing people not rating Rafa. However, I can never understand people not liking Rafa and going to that extreme.

[Ams12]

It is fun and joyous to have a manger we can sing for...had it with Rafa...had it with Kenny...hope we can have many years of it with Rodgers now. If not then please bring back Rafa!!

[Mostar]

I miss him.

Same here.

I used to get frustrated with Rafa, his inability to be flexible was his biggest downfall, but also one of his great strengths. I will admit I wanted him gone when he went, but about a week later I was devastated. He was/is a great man, who gave his life to the club. He is one of us and always will be.

The European nights were my favourite part of his reign. It will be a long time before we see things like that again.

I was sitting on the fence as I felt we needed the change and I thought he lost the dresssing room but as soon as he was let go I thought we made the mistake.

Still do.

[CJ]

So where is that article from just after he went? I want to read it again.

[dww]

I used to get frustrated with Rafa, his inability to be flexible was his biggest downfall, but also one of his great strengths. I will admit I wanted him gone when he went, but about a week later I was devastated. He was/is a great man, who gave his life to the club. He is one of us and always will be.

The European nights were my favourite part of his reign. It will be a long time before we see things like that again.

In what way do you think he was not flexible?

[Alex]

I used to get frustrated with Rafa, his inability to be flexible was his biggest downfall, but also one of his great strengths. I will admit I wanted him gone when he went, but about a week later I was devastated. He was/is a great man, who gave his life to the club. He is one of us and always will be.

The European nights were my favourite part of his reign. It will be a long time before we see things like that again.

[Fredo]

I miss him.

[Mostar]

The year we "let the handbrake off". Had we played like that all season we'd have walked it. You actually have to give credit to the Mancs that year though.

The day after we beat Fulham with a late winner and thought we'd cracked it, they went and won in even more dramatic circumstances with the Macheda winner.

We still had a great go though. The 4-4 v Arsenal was incredible, as was the defeat to Chelsea at the Bridge in the CL. We would just never say die.

I'll admit, I took it all for granted and would moan to my mates about Rafa sometimes. Don't think I ever voiced my concerns in here though.

Aye.

Very unfortunate we didn't win that season but we did finished that year with 86 points which would have been enough to win the league year after and year after that.

The football we played that year especially in the 2nd half of the season was magical.

[JudgeRed]

I didn't but I think he had to go in the end

I disagree, if he d managed to hang on til the FSG takeover and had a transfer window with a decent warchest... Everyone used to say if only he could get his first choice targets etc. If only eh?

Rafa

[Buzzo]

The year we "let the handbrake off". Had we played like that all season we'd have walked it. You actually have to give credit to the Mancs that year though.

The day after we beat Fulham with a late winner and thought we'd cracked it, they went and won in even more dramatic circumstances with the Macheda winner.

We still had a great go though. The 4-4 v Arsenal was incredible, as was the defeat to Chelsea at the Bridge in the CL. We would just never say die.

I'll admit, I took it all for granted and would moan to my mates about Rafa sometimes. Don't think I ever voiced my concerns in here though.

I remember that Macheda goal (against Villa, who were a couple of goals up at one point) it was a massive, massive kick in the balls.

I am slowly coming to terms with the fact that the Rafa years may well be the last time I will ever have significant emotional investment in football. It will be interesting to see if it is ever replicated. But I loved the man and the team in 2009. We were amazing. The week when we crushed Utd at OT and Real at Anfield was just incredible.

[CJ]

I didn't but I think he had to go in the end

[DannyMan2006]

Didn't shaggy want him out at some point

I think a lot did when we finished 6th. After turning Xabi's head a poor season put a lot of fans off him.