Rafa Watch

[Alex]

I was joking for what its worth.

[Vermilion]

I was joking for what its worth.

Not funny, so worth nothing.

[Craig_H]

So basically what that artical says is that due to Rafa's vision Kenny is managing the team now.

Yep, and Arn's pen name is indeed David Prentice.

[Chrono]

Benitez: Fergie success down to money
October 13, 2011

Former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has played down Sir Alex Ferguson's role in the success of Manchester United, insisting that money has been the decisive factor in the club's triumphs and not the Scot's management skills.

Benitez and Ferguson were Premier League rivals for six seasons, with the pair's relationship in that time somewhat tempestuous.

And ahead of this weekend's clash between United and Liverpool, Benitez has opened up old wounds by questioning Ferguson's influence on the Red Devils' success in an interview with BBC Radio Merseyside.

After it was put to him that Ferguson's personality has been critical in driving United forward, Benitez responded: "No, I think it's the money they were spending. If you analyse the transfer record and the history ... Rooney, or Ferdinand, for example ... £30 million for a young player or a centre back.

"Every year they [United] are very well-off. It's not just because of the interviews or the press conferences; it's because they had money."

Benitez and Ferguson's troubled relationship came to a head during the 2008-09 season, when Liverpool ran United close before the Red Devils pipped them to the Premier League title.

During that campaign, Benitez delivered a pre-prepared critique of his opposite number, listing a series of "facts" that suggested Ferguson influenced both the Premier Leage fixture list and choice of match officials.

But Benitez has once again dismissed the notion that the infamous "facts" press conference was responsible for Liverpool's failure to beat United in the title race.

"To be fair, I didn't like it when the press was talking about mind games because I was just focused on my team, and the things I had to do for the team," Benitez said.

"If you say something in a press conference I can guarantee you that it has no impact on another manager. It can happen perhaps one in one hundred times, but the press likes to talk about mind games, but what they don't realize is that you cannot win mind games if you have a bad team.

"You can be the best in the press conference, but after, if you have a bad team you will lose. It's easy to talk about mind games when he [Ferguson] has a good team and he has won, and that was the case."

[Neil Young]

He's right.

[little dave hedgehog]

i really do love him.

[BringbackBiscan]

Has to be took out of context a little. Surely Rafa knows that in the early to mid 90's for a few seasons, we had a squad that cost as much, sometimes more then theirs. I hate the piss stained drunk but he's been vital for that club. Whiskey nose would win the league consistently with any of the big spenders, money plays it's part but he's a vital ingredient.

[Neil Young]

He specifically refers to Ferdinand and Rooney, not Cantona or some other throwback. So he's clearly talking about the last ten years and probably really just since summer 2004.

And specifically he's saying Man United won the league in 2009 and Liverpool didn't because Ferguson had better players at his disposal, thanks to having more money to spend. If circumstances had been reversed, I have no doubt Benitez would have ended up on top.

It certainly wasn't all that stupid mind games bollocks or anything else so beloved of the moronisers at Sky.

[RichC]

[Neil Young]

In short, yes, Ferguson is a great manager but he's not some sort of god. Other managers in his shoes would have done just as good a job.

Not many of them of course - not Bodge, not Colin, not Curbishley, not Paul Sturrock. But a few, yes. And I'd include Rafa in that.

[Arn]

In short, yes, Ferguson is a great manager but he's not some sort of god. Other managers in his shoes would have done just as good a job.

Not many of them of course - not Bodge, not Colin, not Curbishley, not Paul Sturrock. But a few, yes. And I'd include Rafa in that.

I rate what he did at Aberdeen as a bigger achievement than what he done at Man U.

They had a board that knew how to use the lucrative TV deals the right way and an Academy that worked non stop for the last 20 years or so.

We had Moores and Parry. Our Academy also stopped working for several years. Rafa had to build it up from scratch and get rid off more or less every Academy player and sign up new ones.

In the early '90s they had almost no competition at all. They didn't really had more than one real competitor 1991-2001. First Blackburn, then Newcastle for a couple of years and then Arsenal.

After that Roman arrived and started to build up Chelsea. Three teams instead of two. Man U, Arsenal and Chelsea. That until Arsenal started to fell apart as a real title force in 2006. A two horse race again. Man U and Chelsea. Now City are starting to look as title contenders. Now it is a three horse race again.

The point is that Man U never had more than two real competitors since Fergie first won the title. Either a two or three horse race.

We challenged for the title one time but we shouldn't been able to do that.

[Craig_H]

The point is that Man U never had more than two real competitors since Fergie first won the title. Either a two or three horse race.

Same as more or less every other major league then.

[Arn]

Same as more or less every other major league then.

I think it is only accurate when it comes down to England and Spain. In Serie A a number of teams have been title contenders almost every season except a few ones when a few clubs was punished. In the French league a number of teams have been title challengers. In Germany Bayern hasn't been outstanding every season. A number of teams have been able to challenge.

So two leagues out of the top five. The PL has been one of the less competitive in the world the last 20 years. If you look at the last 20 years then only Man U, Blackburn, Newcastle, Arsenal, Chelsea and Man C have been realistic title contenders. Six clubs the last 20 years.

That isn't competitive at all. If you looked back 20 years in Spain then it would probably be more or less the same.

[dom9]

On holiday.

Peace and quiet.

[Fredo]

What happened? I've missed a whole chapter lately it seems.