Rafa Watch

[Kenneth]

In cup competitions, especially the CL as there's a lot of of very high quality teams there are a lot of variables hence the only thing you can do is reduce them so I'd never actually really take a punt on anyone winning this early. Although if you're asking who is going to be in the mix then Inter clearly have to be one of the names.

I don't particularly care who wins the CL as long as it's not an English team or Real Madrid, would love to see a dark horse claiming it though.

[Fredo]

Benitez's not taking the easy route at Inter. He said he is going to change the way the team plays. You can see hints of this in the way they play now, they have lost the defensive shackles a bit.

[badpiggy]

Eto'o plundered a brace last time out though, I doubt it.

Ah. I thought he was set for showdown talks with him.

[badpiggy]

Indeed, I'm sure he'll be eyeing the Golden Boot.

relentless

[Shaggy]

In cup competitions, especially the CL as there's a lot of of very high quality teams there are a lot of variables hence the only thing you can do is reduce them so I'd never actually really take a punt on anyone winning this early. Although if you're asking who is going to be in the mix then Inter clearly have to be one of the names.

I don't particularly care who wins the CL as long as it's not an English team or Real Madrid, would love to see a dark horse claiming it though.

Maybe it makes me a bit of a sad cunt, I don't care, but I am balls out behind Inter in the CL this season.

[Kenneth]

Nah, man love is pretty acceptable these days.

[Craig_H]

Yep, me too. I'd ****ing love it if Rafa wins his second CL (and competes in his 3rd final) in the space of 6 years - while it took ginsoak over 2 decades to achieve the same feat

[Rich]

Inter all the way for me too.

[Zapater]

Yep, me too. I'd ****ing love it if Rafa wins his second CL (and competes in his 3rd final) in the space of 6 years - while it took ginsoak over 2 decades to achieve the same feat

If Rafa knocks them out of the CL I'll probably cry. If Inter win I'd be over the moon for Rafa. It's funny how Rafa has turned my indifference/slight dislike of Inter to rather positive. I love the man.

[Imy]

I'm more a Rossoneri fan (Milan), but won't begrudge Inter any success with Rafa at the helm.

[Reece]

Marcotti

Woman has scooter accident in Milan. Guy stops, calls ambulance, sits and chats with her until it arrives. Who was it? Wesley Sneijder

Marcotti

To clarify Sneijder, impressive part is that he stayed until ambulance. Other people should up, cd have called ambulance and taken off.

Didn't know where else to put this, and thought an Inter related thread as good as any. Just thought it was nice to hear in the age of generally ****tish football superstars.

[JudgeRed]

Steve Bruce takes his team to Anfield tomorrow accompanied by a sense of relief that Roy Hodgson rather than Rafael Benítez will be occupying the home dug-out.

Sunderland's manager is no fan of his former Liverpool counterpart. To put it mildly. "I know for a fact we won't have all the antics we had with Rafa, what with his ways and his carry-ons," Bruce said.

He and Benítez were never close but fell out spectacularly over the latter's mischievous pursuit of the former Sunderland forward Kenwyne Jones on a mooted, but never completed, loan deal last season.

Even though Benítez is now at Internazionale and Jones at Stoke City, the issue still rankles with Bruce who believes the Spaniard unsettled the centre-forward. "I thought Rafa Benítez's behaviour to us last season was an absolute disgrace," he said, shaking his head. "What he did over Kenwyne ... But I'll certainly be having a drink, probably a glass of nice red, with Roy Hodgson after the game.

"I really hope Roy does very, very well at Anfield. But I know one thing – he'll definitely conduct himself better than the previous Liverpool manager."

Hodgson is considered to be under pressure following a rocky start to his new life on Merseyside but Bruce believes the former Fulham manager's critics should look closely at the legacy he was bequeathed by Benítez. "Roy inherited a very difficult job," he said. "I'd expect that, with all the money Rafa spent at Liverpool, Roy would have thought he'd have been left more strength in depth than he's got."

Bruce believes it is ridiculous that his old friend's job can be regarded as in jeopardy after such a short time in charge. While he accepts the reality that Hodgson's position is already under uncomfortably close scrutiny, Sunderland's manager urges the Anfield board to give a man applauded for his work at Fulham last season time to properly settle in.

"We all know the way the game now is," Bruce said. "And October is a terrible month for British managers. But, given time, Roy will be fine at Liverpool. He's one of the game's good guys. He's a fantastic coach who has inherited a difficult job."

Moreover the well-travelled Hodgson belongs to a traditional managerial breed, which Bruce heartily approves of. "Roy's old school and I still think the old school is the best way," he said. "Old-school managers have something about them, a certain respect for others." In contrast he regards the somewhat less collegiate Benítez as decidely new-school and is convinced that, in time, Liverpool will benefit from a reversion to more gentlemanly ways.

The same cannot be said of the Merseyside fans, who Bruce expects will subject him to an array of insults along the lines of "fat head". The former Manchester United centre-half is well used to it. "I think the Liverpool supporters are trying to tell me I haven't got a beautiful head," he said. "But the strange thing is my Mum thinks I'm lovely."


Fat headed ****.

[Suarez]

Quite a lot of guys with Rose tinted specs on this thread.

Rafa made Liverpool invincible at times but we also had some dreadful runs under him too that always undermined us when challenging for the league.

he had two good results, 2nd place an Champions League winners.

Pretty Good and I'd take that from Roy, but not really good enough over all.

No matter how nostalgic you get, last season was shocking and he was responsible.

I doubt he will be invited back.

too much conflict.

Rose tinted be ****ed. under rafa we were THE most feared opponent in the champions league for a couple of seasons. in 6 years an fa cup, european cup, another european final, a second placed pl, beat barca away, battered real madrid and man utd all with a team that cost a fraction of the biggest clubs. Im not even a rafa lover, but rose tinted...****ing hell.

[Neil Young]

I hate that expression. Accusing people of looking through rose tinted spectacles is to assert they're not looking at things clearly whereas you are. It's arrogant and disrespectful, the sign of someone who has too much faith in their own perspective and too little time for other people's.

[RedReet]

Rose tinted be ****ed. under rafa we were THE most feared opponent in the champions league for a couple of seasons. in 6 years an fa cup, european cup, another european final, a second placed pl, beat barca away, battered real madrid and man utd all with a team that cost a fraction of the biggest clubs. Im not even a rafa lover, but rose tinted...****ing hell.

That was all in the three years before G&H when we also reached the final of the league cup, won the Super Cup and Charity shield. Seems like a lifetime ago now.