Rafa Benitez - the kingmaker

[Lee]

One player away and it wasn't a cliché.

I think you're right. If we'd have signed another striker to cover for Torres then I think we'd have won the league that year.

Gerrard's perfectly fine goal against Stoke that was disallowed still makes me wonder what if.

Dion Fanning. He was right. Some don't think he was, but I think that's crazy. Time has proven it correct. Course it was a golden era. Look at us now. Look at us then. Two European Cup finals in three years says it all. That's great by anybody's standards, even Barca. Not forgetting the other great runs to semis, quarters etc.

I took it for granted. They were great times - loved it. Even things like the League Cup final in 2005 and the World Club Cup... little things like that.

Seems a million miles away now.

[little dave hedgehog]

losing to that brazilian side in the wcc was a joke. we outplayed them so hard.

[JohnDoe]

I think you're right. If we'd have signed another striker to cover for Torres then I think we'd have won the league that year.

Gerrard's perfectly fine goal against Stoke that was disallowed still makes me wonder what if.





I took it for granted. They were great times - loved it. Even things like the League Cup final in 2005 and the World Club Cup... little things like that.

Seems a million miles away now.

Don't forget Howard Webb's performance vs. Spurs at OT.

[leftpeg]

Great excerpts. The book is going to be the first thing on my xmas list.

I wonder if John Henry will read it.

[Daniel 7]

Great read that. Might buy it...

Also, I reckon Dion Fanning's Liverpool articles are always spot on, very insightful. I remember reading that article just after Rafa was given the boot with a pit in my stomach and hoping he wasn't right.

Haha, remember Craig_H's revisionism?

[Exiled_red]

Who said that we'll look back upon the Benitez era as a golden era?

They were correct. That 2009 team was so close.

[Buzzo]

Great read that. Might buy it...

Also, I reckon Dion Fanning's Liverpool articles are always spot on, very insightful. I remember reading that article just after Rafa was given the boot with a pit in my stomach and hoping he wasn't right.

Haha, remember Craig_H's revisionism?

The Rafa Golden era is pre my time on Est.
I assume C_H was a big critic at the time?

[Shaggy]

Probably the most vocal

[Tee]

The good old days...

Exactly my initial thoughts....what a mini golden era that was.

[Imy]

I knew that we would have to complete the deal as soon as possible, so I flew out at the first available opportunity to Madrid, alongside Rick Parry, to open formal negotiations with Atlético (Madrid). They progressed reasonably well, but after a day we had not quite managed to finalise terms. Rick was resigned to flying back that night. I convinced him to stay on for one more day. “If we don’t do it now, we might lose him for good,” I said.

Typical Parry, remember when the cunt switched his phone off and buggered off on holiday during a transfer window.

[Daniel 7]

The Rafa Golden era is pre my time on Est.
I assume C_H was a big critic at the time?

His sig went something like

"Wanted - Manager with a Winning Mentality"

He was all hard for Jose, but when Rafa got the sack, he became a massive fan of him and we had all misunderstood him apparently - he loved him all along

[Shaggy]

I think he clearly changed his mind on him with the benefit of hindsight - nothing wrong with that at all, he should've just acknowledged it instead of denying being particularly critical of him.

[Neil Young]

God, yes.

As for the "I genuinely believe we could have got Jose but the club never really tried" line:

[rodo]

great man who fought our corner and made us the the team to fear in europe for a couple of years

[Phoenix07]

Shave that beard Rafa. Do it, do it now!