Rafa Watch

[Craig_H]

It takes more than six months to learn the squad a completely new tactic. Mourinho used a very defensive tactic and Rafa wanted the squad to play a very attacking one. Pressing all over the pitch.

It takes more than six months change that. It was Rafas squad at Inter and he would probably got rid of problem makers like Cambiasso, Stankovic and Materazzi in January. He never got the chance to do that.

It takes more than six months to change everything.

It was his squad and if he had used the same tactic as Mourinho then they would most probably played much better. Rafa wanted to develop the game and play more attacking as I said. He trained the squad to suit that. That means that it is 100% his squad. It was his choice, right or wrong to do it.

I'm having trouble with the idea that a manager of a squad which won the treble, needed to 'change everything'.

[Helios Creed]

it was in 44 months with a pair of cowboys btw...


there was another great story that we were doing a deal for Villa and Parry messed it up and bought Keane to make up for it, which I prefer - I'd love to think that we were even close to signing Villa.

[Craig_H]

When it comes down to Keane then every believable journalist out there and Rafa have said that he wanted Barry signed first and Keane after that.

Parry signed up Keane first without telling Rafa about it and then we didn't had the money to sign Barry.

So we ended up with a signing Rafa didn't want because we didn't sign Barry first.

I don't care if you believe Chris or the journalists and Rafa. It is up to you

Let me get this straight.

By signing Keane first and then not signing Barry, we signed a **** player.

But if we'd signed Barry first, Keane would've been brilliant?

[Alex]

Craig I dislike when people pick out a small part of a larger post and focus in on that rather than the whole picture. But people do it, hell even I do when agitated.

Maybe i shouldn't have got into the argument, so sorry all. I do agree with Darkon that this thread would be better served with following his progress moving forward, rather than raking over old ground.

[Arn]

Rafa clearly wanted Barry first. He was priority #1. He wanted Keane but he wasn't a priority signing.

Rafa isn't an idiot. He knew that we didn't had a lot of money. He wanted to secure Barry first and then if he still got some money left then he also wanted Keane but he wasn't a priority.

[Craig_H]

Then again, plenty don't like your line of debate either. **** happens. Move on. I'm not having a go at you btw. Just saying that everyone talks ****.

If we can only post about things we know for certain, there'd be one forum and about 3 threads.

Surely you can see the weakness in that suggestion.

[Craig_H]

Craig I dislike when people pick out a small part of a larger post and focus in on that rather than the whole picture. But people do it, hell even I do when agitated.

Maybe i shouldn't have got into the argument, so sorry all. I do agree with Darkon that this thread would be better served with following his progress moving forward, rather than raking over old ground.

I can appreciate your dislike of people picking up one part of a psot and then clinging to it.

If i do it, it's often because i agreed with everything else in the post - so take it as a compliment

[Alex]

If we can only post about things we know for certain, there'd be one forum and about 3 threads.

Surely you can see the weakness in that suggestion.

My point was about people claiming something thats not confirmed, as factual. Rumors are another thing.

Also, I think you do everyone a disservice saying that they would be only 3 threads. Do people not discuss whats going on, on the pitch? Or anything else around the club.

I know this isnt on subject. But its a debate worth having. No?

[Helios Creed]

If we can only post about things we know for certain, there'd be one forum and about 3 threads.
Surely you can see the weakness in that suggestion.

this is pure speculation.

[Craig_H]

Rafa clearly wanted Barry first. He was priority #1. He wanted Keane but he wasn't a priority signing.

Rafa isn't an idiot. He knew that we didn't had a lot of money. He wanted to secure Barry first and then if he still got some money left then he also wanted Keane but he wasn't a priority.

To be honest, they're both ****, so in wanting either of them, Rafa got it wrong.

[Alex]

I can appreciate your dislike of people picking up one part of a psot and then clinging to it.

If i do it, it's often because i agreed with everything else in the post - so take it as a compliment

Wasnt a dig at you specifically. Just that I happened to reply to your post

[Craig_H]

Nah i know mate, i didnt take it as a dig.

My point was about people claiming something thats not confirmed, as factual. Rumors are another thing.

Also, I think you do everyone a disservice saying that they would be only 3 threads. Do people not discuss whats going on, on the pitch? Or anything else around the club.

I know this isnt on subject. But its a debate worth having. No?

Fair point, there'd be at least 38 threads then

[dom9]

If we can only post about things we know for certain, there'd be one forum and about 3 threads.

Surely you can see the weakness in that suggestion.

Not sure what you mean as I didn't suggest that. I made a broad point that most people post ****e most of the time. All of us. So what?

I can appreciate your dislike of people picking up one part of a psot and then clinging to it.

If i do it, it's often because i agreed with everything else in the post - so take it as a compliment

Why not positively compliment more posts then?

[Kenneth]

I can appreciate your dislike of people picking up one part of a psot and then clinging to it.

If i do it, it's often because i agreed with everything else in the post - so take it as a compliment

you spelt post wrong. Ha ha.

[Shaggy]

http://www.anfieldroad.com/news/lfc/2011-09-30/4951/mr-and-mrs-benitez-want-to-help-the-place-they-call-home.html/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Mr and Mrs Benitez want to help the place they call ‘home’

September 30, 2011 by Jim Boardman | 0 comments

RAFA BENITEZ and his wife Montse were at Hotel Indigo in Liverpool yesterday for the official launch of the Montse Benitez foundation.

The couple moved to Merseyside in 2004 when Rafa became the Liverpool manager and seven years later they class the area as their home. They were uprooted for a short time when Rafa took the Inter Milan job following his departure from Anfield but Montse and the girls (they have two daughters) were homesick and it wasn’t Spain they were missing. When that role came to a premature end it would have been a relief to the females of the house at least. The two girls are now back at school with their friends, Montse is back near the people she has grown close to during their time here and the West Kirby based Benitez household is all smiles. That includes Rafa.


Rafa mingles at the launch of the Montse Benitez Foundation

It’s clear that as much as Rafa misses the day-to-day involvement of being in charge of a club he’s in no hurry to get another job as a manager – he’ll wait for the right job to come up. He wants to work in the Premier League and he wants to work at a club that shares his vision and wants to work with him, not against him. In the meantime he’s keeping himself busy with the launch of his own website – rafabenitez.com – a role on Eurosport and the foundation set up in his wife’s name.

Montse said the foundation would help a range of organisations both in terms of bringing in funding and raising the profiles of those groups. This is something they had already been doing during their time in England, making personal donations and helping to publicise causes like Arrowe Park Hospital, the British Heart Foundation, Children with Leukaemia, HFSG, Liverpool Women’s Hospital and more. It’s a long list, but now under the banner of the Montse Benitez Foundation their efforts will be more co–ordinated and more effective.

Mrs Benitez also told the gathering a little bit about why they set the foundation up and why it’s focussed on causes close to the place they call home: “Since I started talking about setting up a foundation a question everyone was asking was: ‘Why? Why a Foundation and why Merseyside?’ The answer was quite simple.

“I want to help people in my home. I didn’t need to go far away – abroad – to help because here in this town there are people who need our help. That is why I decided with Rafa to set up a foundation to raise funds and then we’re going to give away funds to different charities and groups that help a wide range of people – children, elderly, disabled children, disabled adults, people with illness or problems in general.”

The focus will be on charities which are small and completely independent and applications are encouraged via the website.

“We want small charities to grow,” said Montse. “The way we are going to do it is to try to raise the money and then give it away to charities – but also to give publicity to smaller charities that can’t afford to run advertising campaigns to let people know what they’re doing. When we have a lunch or a ball or a golf day it will be in aid of one of the charities or groups and in turn will give them the publicity they need.”

Liam Harker was a Liverpool supporter from the North East who died aged 17 from a rare form of stomach cancer. His battle against the disease was an inspiration to Liverpool fans, staff and players – he had a banner made and raised in his honour on The Kop, in front of the TV cameras, and was sent a shirt signed by Rafa Benitez and the squad. Rafa invited him to Melwood to see the players train but sadly Liam wasn’t well enough to make the journey down to Liverpool.

Liam died on May 5th 2008 but the awareness that came from the large amount of publicity of his plight has helped later sufferers of the disease. The Liam Harker Memorial Fund was set up in his honour, proceeds of which go to NECCR, the North of England Children’s Cancer Research Fund, based in the area Liam came from with the aim of raising money to continue research into the causes and treatment of childhood cancer. The fund is one of the first to be supported by the Montse Benitez Foundation and representatives were at yesterday’s launch, fresh from their efforts trying to raise funds by competing in the Great North Run.

Another organisation to benefit from the early work of the foundation is The Lily Centre. This is a Liverpool-based group run by women who have experienced breast cancer and now give their time to provide emotional and physical support for men and women in a friendly and informal setting. It’s a place to chat and to share experiences with others who have been through a similar situation but the group don’t receive any form of funding other than what they can raise themselves. Montse is president of the group, having first come into contact with it following her aunt’s diagnosis with breast cancer.

Winnie Keating and Peggy O’Brien from the group were at the launch and Peggy showed the audience their appreciation for their patron: “The best thing that came to Liverpool is Montse and Rafa and we certainly hope they will be here for a long time to come. The Lily Centre’s been going for twelve–and–a–half years. There’s no paid workers and we get no government funding – this is why Montse wants to be involved with us.”

Fernando Torres may have raised Liverpool £50m when he went to Chelsea but back when he was still loved at Anfield a shirt of his was donated to help the Lily Centre raise funds – it raised just under £5000, a massive amount for the centre.


Rafa and wife Montse take questions

Rafa also stood up to take questions, alongside Montse, and inevitably he was asked about tomorrow’s derby match. “It should be a fantastic game,” he said, “very exciting and hopefully – for me – Liverpool has to win. But we’ll wait and see.”

It’s Rafa’s name that will undoubtedly help raise most awareness but to raise funds a number of different events are planned. Travelling around Liverpool it would be difficult not to be aware of the forthcoming night at the Empire Theatre, “An Audience with Rafa Benitez“. Billboards have Rafa looking out (one of them even overlooks the back of The Kop) alongside the message, “Get into the mind of Rafa Benitez”. That chance comes on October 16th and tickets are selling fast.

Montse also said there will be Winter Golf events which she said should be fun and for which the participants needn’t worry if they aren’t up to “Tiger Woods standard”. More leisurely still will be the Ladies Lunches each month, the first of which is in Hope Street’s London Carriage works in November. Hog roasts and barbecues are promised for next summer.

With the launch coinciding with the Labour Party Conference elsewhere in the city and discrete signs about tightened security placed on the hotel’s reception desk there may have been a moment of concern for late–arriving guests. Around half a dozen uniformed police officers were in amongst the throng of guests but they weren’t there to stop trouble. They’d come from across the water to help publicise their own efforts to help with the foundation. Officers from Heswall Police station will be doing a London–Paris bike run starting on Monday with funds raised through sponsorship going to the foundation.

Despite the claims to contrary Rafa Benítez is still a popular figure amongst Liverpool supporters and for many is considered to be “one of us”. He no longer manages the club but the affection for him and his family is strong and no doubt mutual. The amount of goodwill they will attract should ensure that the foundation is a resounding success.