Rafa Watch

[Lee]

Thanks mate.

[Vermilion]

I wondered about the quote "I will wait 3 years, 5 years, 10 years. I want to manage Liverpool again. After Kenny retires", is Rafa suggesting that he doesn't want to take another manager job untill ours become available? Or just that he really would like it back at some point?

It's not really going to help him doing no manager job for the next 5 years in terms of getting the job, so I was a bit confused at that - but a lot is lost when written instead of heard.

Well, if it works out with Kenny, we'd be doing a similar thing by then bringing Rafa back as we'd done with Kenny after a long break from the game, maybe a break....that lets a manager see football from another perspective and learn something new, no ?

Just a thought, not an opinion.

[Yozza]

Thanks mate.

Actually come to think of it he was very scathing of the Bodge - he mentioned between Purslow (who he was very very critical of) & Hodgson they signed 7 players; not one of which was in the first team on saturday & how 6 of the players who started were playing in Rafa's team

He's quite a fan of Suarez too

Got in really late last night & I'm at my desk early this morning - will update as I remember it!

[the rev leeroy brown]

If he manages another PL club, I am not sure I would feel the same about him coming back to us. Unless, like Kenny he did it after a long break.

not against the man ever coming back but if he managed another prem team (kenny did it as well but the break in bewteen was not only massive but kenny is the legend of legends) id want him to manage a smaller team - villa, stoke etc... - and really learn the true values of only prem league football, before taking a break and coming to us again.

saying that, i hope the king is on his throne at anfield for 10+ years to come anyway.

[Lee]

Actually come to think of it he was very scathing of the Bodge - he mentioned between Purslow (who he was very very critical of) & Hodgson they signed 7 players; not one of which was in the first team on saturday & how 6 of the players who started were playing in Rafa's team

He's quite a fan of Suarez too

Got in really late last night & I'm at my desk early this morning - will update as I remember it!

I think his thoughts on Purslow and Hodgson The ******* are quite well known. He's got a fair point though - with the exception of Meireles (who was a decent player), Purslow and Hodgson TB wasted monumental amounts of money on guff.

That coupled with Rafa's payoff and then Hodgson TB's payoff... Poulsen and Konchesky being given away, Jovanovic, Cole's wages... what a mess.

[Mattshark]

id want him to manage a smaller team - villa, stoke etc... - and really learn the true values of only prem league football, before taking a break and coming to us again.

I don't get how that would help exactly.

[Darkon]

Well, if it works out with Kenny, we'd be doing a similar thing by then bringing Rafa back as we'd done with Kenny after a long break from the game, maybe a break....that lets a manager see football from another perspective and learn something new, no ?

Just a thought, not an opinion.

Agreed it has worked very well with Kenny so far, and hopefully for a long period from here, but there is quite a difference in the status of the two in the club. Kenny was brought back on an interim because of his meaning to the club and already placed in the ranks. I think it will be much for Rafa getting back to the club without proving himself on the sidelines for a while. Rafa simply doesn't have that level of legendary status that Kenny does.

Wonder how many managers have come back well to the highest level after a longer break from the game >5 years?

[Neil Young]

Colin was out of management for a while. All Benitez needs to do is copy his example by working for a while as a chiropodist and then he too will be able to come back at the same high level as a man whose legendary sense of humour is all that stops him getting the England job.

[Fredo]

Colin was out of management for a while. All Benitez needs to do is copy his example by working for a while as a chiropodist and then he too will be able to come back at the same high level as a man whose legendary sense of humour is all that stops him getting the England job.

[Yozza]

Set up on stage with a flash / powerpoint presentation of images & videos - was approx 2 hours long

Basically went through his career in chronological order

Various clubs in Spain & his work with Del Bosque

When leaving Valencia had offers of better money in Italy but chose LFC mainly due to the length of the contract & time for his ‘project’

1st season - obviously Istanbul was a highlight & gave a fantastic in depth analysis of tactics on the board intertwined with actual footage of the game - brilliant

Mentioned the FA cup Burnley game - put it down to a learning curve. Every time poor Djimi traore was mentioned the place erupted with laughter

FA Cup the following season - spoke in glowing terms of Reina. Awesome finish by Cisse for the first. Team was developing well

The Yanks - the press conference where he wore a tracksuit & repeatedly said ‘I’m focusing on coaching my team’ - the only reason for the tracksuit was that he forgot his suit / shoes!

Gillett promised Rafa £50m in preparation of signing players during the ‘draft’.... at this point Rafa realised they didn’t have a clue - & who was the genius that was going to help Rafa in the transfer market? Foster Gillett....

There was never any communication between Hicks & Gillett - impossible to work for & full of bull****

Repeatedly made the point of how much the squad was worth from when he took over to when he left; despite the sell to buy situation he was in

Mentioned the Everton ‘Small club’ remark - apparently it was to do with tactics & how Everton had parked the bus like small teams do when they come to Anfield - Moyes actually agreed with him after the match saying ti was all they could do but made a big deal of it in the media afterwards

Bellamy & his golf club - made light of it - media made a bigger deal of it than it actually was. Galvanised the players for the game in the nou camp

CL Final 2007 - he explained the reasoning for leaving Bellamy on the bench & bringing on Arbeloa - there were already five attacking players on the pitch & he needed to bring on someone to help stop the counter attack & build a better service - in fairness I don’t think he explained himself too well on this one

The season when we almost won it - Mancs put together an incredible run & got the benefit of a few dodgy penalties on the run in - was proud of how the team was getting stronger..... Big cheers for the 4-1 defeat of the Mancs & 4-0 Madrid

Mentioned no love lost between Mourinho & his ‘other’ friend Fergie! Both keen to be friendly & patronise but once you pose a threat completely different

The rant - was never a rant but a calculated defence of our club

The following season was the one where we really should have kicked on but wasn’t given any money to spend - sell to buy again & as he put it no one wants to pay big for the average players; you have to sell your best ones

Xabi - Xabi came to Rafa saying he’d had an offer from Real & wanted to go. Not much you can do when a player asks to leave especially when agents are involved. Interestingly Pepe had offers too but decided to stay

Robbie Keane - Keane had been bought because of his ability to play off the front man i.e. Berbatov at Spurs - unfortunately it became apparent there was zero understanding between Torres & Robbie.... the club had to cut their losses & sell him - sometimes things just don’t work out as he put it. At the time there wasn’t enough money to buy Barry (the big plusses were being able to play in 3 positions & being English) & Keane - they went for Keane & hoped to raise the money for Barry but his price kept on going up & they couldn’t afford him eventually

Eventually the strain of having to expose the owners, fight the financial battles & run the club was too much - he admitted making mistakes in the final season because of this

The future - would love to manage LFC again in the future once Kenny retires. Had offers from Mexico, Russia & China but still waiting on a premiership job

[Darkon]

[Darkon]

so much for Arn's "it was the owners that bought Keane, Rafa never wanted him theory"

[Alex]

Thanks for the breakdown mate. Alot as I expected. Nice to see him admit to mistakes too. Especially the Keane one

[Lee]

That'll open a can of worms.

Where's me popcorn?

[kris90210]

Love him! Don't suppose there's any video footage of his event?