Rafa Benitez - the kingmaker

[Tee]

“Last summer the club proposed to me that I might have to be sold to find funds for new players,” Alonso told Sky Sports.

“It was a difficult decision or difficult moment to accept that. I accepted that as a professional and that moment probably changed my mind and I thought that maybe from that moment that maybe it was time for a change.”

He felt he might have to leave, as he says.

Playing CM as he does, those little niggles he seemed to be carrying all the time for me is a major factor in the dip in form he clearly had. The old saying that form is temporary class is permanent could not have been better suited than for Xabi. He showed his true class when he was fully fit.

Rafa ****ed up and knows he did, but as we know he can be very stubborn and I think he will never ever admit it was an error to try and sell Xabi and bring in Barry.

[Yozza]

Seems petty discussing ****e like this today but Alonso was good for us, not great, not fantastic and not a regular in the Spain team.
He had great games but also went missing for a lot of games, the facts are he had 1 excellent season which ended with him handing in a transfer request because he knew Real were in for him.

You don't have to be Einstein to work out he played for a move that season, I don't blame him it's how football works.
Alonso handed in a written transfer request yet he is universally lauded by fans.

Bonkers

& of course Alonso leaving had nothing to do with earning more money back home - Rafa was partly to blame of course but Alonso was looking for a way out anyway

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/5578084/Xabi-Alonso-warns-that-tax-will-drive-top-players-away.html

Xabi Alonso warns that tax will drive top players away

Even footballers have turned on the government. Xabi Alonso believes Gordon Brown's economic policies have weakened English football and that the Premier League's star players could be forced to the Continent to escape the weak pound and the incoming 50p tax rate.

Alonso is refusing to commit himself to Liverpool next season, with Real Madrid eager to to take him to the Bernabeu, and with Alonso estimating he is losing a third of his earnings he is edging closer to a return to Spain.

"Of course we footballers think about it; we are not stupid, we keep an eye on it," Alonso said. "When you see your contract down by 30 per cent you cannot be happy. I cannot do anything – it must be Gordon Brown or David Cameron.

" I think the weakness of the sterling is not helping the Premiership because for those competing and fighting against the European teams it is a big weak point. Hopefully over the next few months and years it will get back to what it was not so long ago."

Liverpool are determined to keep Alonso despite Real Madrid's very public interest, but having just published worrying financial results and with Rafael Benitez having to work with a restricted transfer budget, the Anfield club might be forced to sell, especially if the player wants to leave. Alonso, in South Africa with the Spain squad for the Confederations Cup, pointedly refused to answer questions about his future at Liverpool.

His Anfield colleague Fernando Torres admitted he was concerned about losing his Spain team-mates Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa to La Liga but insisted that playing for a club with the traditions of Liverpool should count for more than a decline in your net income.

"I worry about losing my team-mates, of course," Torres said. "But when you play for a team like Liverpool you don't have to worry about that. You are a top player and you will get a good contract. You don't have to be scared to lose a little bit of money."

That depends on your definition of 'little'. Alonso signed a five-year contract with Liverpool in 2007 worth an estimated £65,000 a week. At the time there were €1.48 to the pound so he was on €96,200 per week but due to the weakness of the pound that has fallen to €76,700 a week. When the 50p tax rate comes in next April that will drop to €69,000 a week, so he could be losing €27,200 every week compared to what he was earning back in 2007. Overall, Alonso fears he could end up losing nearly £1.2 million per year.

Alonso is not the only player unhappy with the British tax system. Andrei Arshavin, of Arsenal, claimed he had an "unpleasant surprise" when he opened his first pay packet and saw how much he was paying in tax. The Russian international is now trying to renegotiate his £80,000 a week contract to ensure he has a higher net earning.

Clubs across the country are concerned that foreign players are using the weak pound as an excuse to get a pay rise.

Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal manager, predicted back in April that "the domination of the Premier League will go" because of the government's tax policy and the fact that the United Kingdom has been hit particularly hard by the financial crisis. His prophecy seems to have been realised.

Accountants working with footballers and clubs are trying to come up with all sorts of ways of avoiding paying the top tax rate. One option being explored is paying players in interest-free loans which would attract a much lower tax rate. But ultimately, it seems the power base has shifted to the Continent.

That is particularly true of Spain, who can set up foreign players as 'company executives' who have a preferential 23 per cent tax rate for the first six years. David Beckham was on this kind of deal and Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka will be on a similar scheme. Obviously this gives clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona a real competitive advantage in the market.

[Eric Swindler]

Quite possible it was a factor Yozza - the point being, is that Rafa is often slated for trying to sell Alonso, whereas, I don't think he should be.

[Yozza]

Quite possible it was 1.2 million factors a year Yozza.

[Yozza]

Quite possible it was a factor Yozza - the point being, is that Rafa is often slated for trying to sell Alonso, whereas, I don't think he should be.

[Kenneth]

Why's it reflect worse on Rafa than Xabi?

I don't know that it does.

[Norbs]

Alonso 'lost' more in each year that he had to endure his impoverished stay at Liverpool, than I've ever earned in my lifetime. And I'm one of the oldest posters on here. Poor cunt, my heart bleeds for him

[Shaggy]

Paul Grech @paul_grech
"The idea she is from Spain does not make sense to her. She is a Scouser." Rafa Benitez on his youngest daughter. (Champions League Dreams)

[Fernandinho]

I love Rafa! Was raving about him for a while today to a mate between explaing Hillsborough to him.

He achieved truely incredible things based on what resources he had and what he delt with behind the scenes.

[the rev leeroy brown]

if only rafa had a fanny, i'd bang him

[baitman]

if only rafa had a fanny, i'd bang him

[Tee]

if only rafa had a fanny, i'd bang him

Torres doesn't either but it stop half this forum wanting him.

[el matador]

if only rafa had a fanny, i'd bang him

quite possibly the most gayest thing ive ever heard.

but full respect nonetheless

[the rev leeroy brown]

quite possibly the most gayest thing ive ever heard.

but full respect nonetheless

not gay, he'd have a fanny. it'd be similar to ****ing subo

[baitman]

not gay, he'd have a fanny. it'd be similar to ****ing subo

on fire, mate

anyway, im no expert in these matters but is giving a little less gay than taking