Rafa Benitez - the kingmaker

[destinydude]

I don't think he should have bent over and begged Alonso to stay. He should just have bought an apt replacement.

FFS Sneijder (went on to become the European POTY) and Van der Vaart (did well in the Prem) were both available for less than the 18m we spent on Aquilani

[Mostar]

I don't think he should have bent over and begged Alonso to stay. He should just have bought an apt replacement.

FFS Sneijder (went on to become the European POTY) and Van der Vaart (did well in the Prem) were both available for less than the 18m we spent on Aquilani

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).

[Phoenix07]

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).

The problem was that Rafa was still hoping that Xabi would stay and when finally Xabi broke that bubble and threw in the transfer request so late in the transfer window he had to scramble to find the reasonable replacement and unfortunately that backfired.

I've never even heard that version before.

I was on holiday in July, and there was plenty of talk on Sneijder and Robben being swapped for Alonso. Real Madrid wanted a mini-clearout at the time (which was talked about for months beforehand).

I left early August and we'd signed Aquilani by then (before the league season had kicked off).

[Mostar]

I've never even heard that version before.

I was on holiday in July, and there was plenty of talk on Sneijder and Robben being swapped for Alonso.

I left early August and we'd signed Aquilani by then.

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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[CJ]

I wonder how this Rafa thread will end up.

[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

[kingfunk]

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

[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.

[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.

[Vermilion]

Xabi's form improved massively after though.

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

[Mattshark]

Xabi's form improved massively after though.

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

[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.