Rafa Watch

[Pablo]

Your generalising, my beef was with him picking HK for the final...

Has anyone worked out who "Chris Kenefick" is yet?

[Neil Young]

Your generalising, my beef was with him picking HK for the final...

So you're attacking him for a single decision that didn't work out almost four years after the event.

For some strange reason the phrase "it's time to let it go" has sprung fully formed to my mind.

[Drago]

Has anyone worked out who "Chris Kenefick" is yet?

It's Arn.

[Fredo]

I think he's got a beef with Aussies for throwing him out of their country.

[Fredo]

Mr. Kenefick is redheart by the way.

[Reece]

Mr. Kenefick is redheart by the way.

No he isn't.

[Fredo]

No he isn't.

I think he definitely is.

[Vermilion]

I'm not saying he did a bad job and I have a lot of respect for the guy..
I just think we need to move on..

He did make some good decisions but tactically, he also made some crazy ones....

You only have to look through some old matchday threads, to see how frustrated people were with him.....

If Kenny stays in charge for as long then expect to see similar threads, it's what fans do, you'll find it on the scum boards too, means nothing imo, (like moaning about GJ'S position already, even though it seems to have worked) fans get frustrated, the only thing that stops that is trophies, Wenger likley gets similar comments in threads on the Arse boards, no manager will keep all the fans happy without regular trophies, it's impossible, even playing the football Arsenal do.

I'm not sure it's about moving on at all.

[Glenn Hysen]

So you're attacking him for a single decision that didn't work out almost four years after the event.

For some strange reason the phrase "it's time to let it go" has sprung fully formed to my mind.

Let go of a former manager and focus on King Kenny

[Reece]

I think he definitely is.

You're wrong. We know exactly who Redheart is.

[Mattshark]

I shall follow your shining examples and hope, one day, to be as salient as you.

Well you can hope, but perhaps you should consider setting yourself a more realistic goal.

[Neil Young]

Let go of a former manager and focus on King Kenny

It's not either/or though. Focusing on Dalglish in a thread about Benitez seems perverse.

Focusing on a single misjudgement in selection, especially one that didn't cost us the game as far as I can see, seems obsessive though. It's not the same as talking about an ex-manager who many of us feel was demonised by outsiders and dismissed in error.

[Glenn Hysen]

It's not either/or though. Focusing on Dalglish in a thread about Benitez seems perverse.

Focusing on a single misjudgement in selection, especially one that didn't cost us the game as far as I can see, seems obsessive though. It's not the same as talking about an ex-manager who many of us feel was demonised by outsiders and dismissed in error.

[Shaggy]

Good post on the BBC blog

Thanks Dan, that was great! Glad to see Rafa looking better. The glint is returning to his eyes!

An opportunity missed though as what would really have been fascinating to know is what did Rafa see in Hicks & Gillette so early that made him, correctly, question their intentions immediately after Athens 2007? Also, with FSG supposedly taking a collegiate approach to the running of LFC, canvassing opinion widely as they try to gain knowledge of their subject. Have they sought Rafa’s opinions as the only senior management person there pre-H&G & through their disasterous ownership? Who could possibly offer more insight? As a Liverpool supporter of nearly 40 years I have lingering concerns that those involved in ousting Rafa are still at the club.

I can’t help but chuckle when people state that the squad Rafa inherited was better than the one he bequeathed. If only football clubs shared their sentiments! LFC sold Houlliers complete squad of signings for less than £50m. That’s 22 players sold for less than £50m. 18 of those were sold within 2 years of Rafa’s arrival. When LFC eased to the Athens Champions League final only Riise & Finnian remained in the 1st team, with Kewell & Hyppia in the squad from Houlliers signings (Carragher & Gerrard weren’t signed). It shouldn’t be forgot that other clubs were spending as much on 2 players with Man U having in the preceding years spent over £50m on Rooney & Ferdinand & Mourinho adding over £90m of signings to a team who had just finished 2nd under Ranieri. I often wondered when you looked at Rafa’s LFC record what club owners like Chelseas must think. This guy spending less but able to season-on-season cut the gap in league to a point where LFC passed them together with outdoing them in their holy grail of the Champions League. No wonder Mourinho loathes the man!

The team that went to that Athens final was the team. It eased through the competition compared to the rollercoaster ride that was 2005. Improved performance in the league, again. The squad built by Rafa that went on to be the No 1 in Europe who didn’t care what team they had to face home or away. Dominant in every facet of the game & really was the best team in the final. I took more joy from the Athens final than any other. We were a side to be reckoned with. It was great to see LFC go to face these sides, to places like the Nou Camp & face them as equals, negating the reliance on tactics that was required for the 2005 run. What a squad it was with even Ferguson conceding you just couldn’t prepare your own team as you wouldn’t know what team you were going to face! Unfortunately, then H&G business plan took effect with their predictable initial splurge of transfer activity that summer taken from the loan they secured to purchase the club. That transfer activity pushed LFC to the edge of winning the title in 2009 but when the final push was required to take the club to a position of dominance they withdrew all funding. When Rafa signed his new contract he was assured of a total of £50m to ‘seal the deal’ which included the previous winter transfer incomings (Keane, etc) before proceeds from players sales only for the funds to be withdrawn. I’m sure when the players left for their summer hols they were excited by the transfer possiblities only to return to broken promises. No wonder the whole playing side of the club went into a depression. I certainly did before a ball was kicked!

For me, Rafa is only comparable to Shanks in LFC history. They can’t be compared to Paisley, Fagan & Dalglish as these all took over dominant champion teams with massive buying power. Only Evans, Houllier, Rafa & Shanks took over teams that can be compared. Rafa’s win % in games played is higher than of these with only Shanks coming close. Shanks worked in the era of the maximum wage were the clubs in the top two tiers of English football were comparably resourced. A true sport. It was not unheard of a club gaining promotion & winning the league within 2 years. That would be impossible now. In my opinion Rafa is the best manager LFC have ever had.

Rafa has been managing top flight since 2000. Love him or loathe him he is the only manager I am aware of that has a clean sweep of all major trophies available in modern football – major domestic league (2 La Ligas), major domestic cup (FA Cup), UEFA cup, Champions League, European Super Cup, FIFA World Club Cup. All in just 10 years for a young coach who has only turned 51! It’s interesting that only the winning of the FIFA World Club Cup last year brought Guardiola to tears! Even Mourinho & Ferguson can’t boast a clean sweep as Mourinho has never won the Super Cup or World Club Cup & Ferguson has never won the UEFA in all his time.

Rafa’s only mistake at LFC was not to leave & protect his own reputation but it is a mistake a lot of Liverpool fans will be eternally grateful to him for. LFC fans owe Rafa their club because if he hadn’t carried the fight for the club there is a very real chance that H&G would still be present quietly carrying the cash out of the club.

Rafa – a master of modern football. Geniuses are rarely recognised in their time. I can’t wait for your return.

[Kenneth]

Best lfc manager ever