Rafa Benitez - the kingmaker

[Daniel 7]

In an interview I read, he said he would have stayed, but Rafa had brought in Glen Johnson. Madrid came in, his first team place wasn't guaranteed anymore, so he left.

[Charly]

I don't think the Alonso move played any part in those two.

Its not the move, but the result of the move, ie collapse of league form. If we had challanged, we would have been more attractive, and had abetter chance of keeping them, either through success, or money for a better deal. People under estimate how good Arbeloa was too. He went far too cheaply imho.

[chadrtc]

I wouldnt say no harm done.

Thats was our Archduke Ferdinand moment.

I think if we had kept Alonso, we would have kept Mascherano, Arbeloa and Torres, and we would have continued to have challanged. I think we already had the players to win the league. We did not need to strenthen. When Alonso left the team crumbled.

Obviously that may have affected the ownership issue, but who is to say a successful team would not have brough out a multibillionaire.

We would probably have kept Torres, but Masch and Arbeloa would both have gone regardless. Masch had been angling for a move for 2 summers, his family didn't settle in the area. Arbeloa wanted to go back to Spain.

I don't think the Alonso move played any part in those two.

[Lee]

I love Alonso but had we swapped him for Sneijder and Robben then we'd have probably won the league in 2010.

Don't really like the Alonso / Barry talk. Nobody here knows the reasons behind it all so I find the speculation weak and without substance.

[Charly]

Xabi's form improved massively after though.

Then Madrid came in eventually so he'd have gone anyway imo, so no harm done.

I wouldnt say no harm done.

Thats was our Archduke Ferdinand moment.

I think if we had kept Alonso, we would have kept Mascherano, Arbeloa and Torres, and we would have continued to have challanged. I think we already had the players to win the league. We did not need to strenthen. When Alonso left the team crumbled.

Obviously that may have affected the ownership issue, but who is to say a successful team would not have brough out a multibillionaire.

[Mattshark]

Xabi's form improved massively after though.

Then Madrid came in eventually so he'd have gone anyway imo, so no harm done.

[Vermilion]

Xabi's form improved massively after though.

Then Madrid came in eventually so he'd have gone anyway imo, so no harm done.

[Tee]

And then he said Barry will be better. Hahahahahahaahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha h!

He was susceptible to the odd crazy decision, the Alonso one being a classic. But, he gave us too many memorable times in an era we should really have kicked on and restored our place on our perch, but for those cunts H&G.

I will forever hold Rafa in the highest regard and it would be great to see him involved at the club again in some capacity. Maybe as Xabi's Assistant lol.

[Eric Swindler]

Oh, didn’t realise it was as straightforward as that and speculation was now indeed fact.

No point in arguing on I guess…

I'm not arguing about anything mate. I'm just putting it out there that the fans had flip all to do with his sacking.

The finer details of how he was actually sacked, is of course speculation. I am no in the know, i hardly know my own name half the time.

[kingfunk]

And then he said Barry will be better. Hahahahahahaahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha h!

[Daniel 7]

I'm still amused by the thought of Rafa building up an extensive database of Jeremy Kyle episodes and analysing them to produce some kind of thesis on the degeneration of British society.

Well done Buzzo

[CJ]

I wonder how this Rafa thread will end up.

[destinydude]

If I am not mistaken none of them were available for sale until after we purchased Aquilani + neither of them were like for like replacement for Alonso (not that Aquilani was).

Come on Mostar. Both of them were available all summer. We did not approach them that's all. As for not being a like for like replacement, both of them were a good option for us considering the fact that Rafa wanted a more dynamic midfielder than Alonso. Hence the Aquilani purchase.

[McDermotX]

Keep in mind the rumours at the time, never confirmed but believable given the club situation, that the staged Aquilani money deal was a compromise as such given the limited funds Rafa was gonna be given by the other ******s.
We didn't have the ability to replace Xabi with a significant outlay in one go.

[Phoenix07]

Sneijder has been one of the options considered by us fans but my understanding was that Rafa clearly indicated to Real Madrid we only wanted cash and not a player(s) + cash option.

I remember that bit and being a bit gutted.

Robben had a great season before that.