Rafa Watch

[Shaggy]

Doesn't make him right

Clearly something had to give, I just don't think it should've been him.

[Tee]

Doesn't make him right

Clearly something had to give, I just don't think it should've been him.

In hindsight you are probably right. But being honest, at the time I felt it was the right time. just did not expect him to be replaced with such a **** head really.

[peekay]

That's not all there was too it. There were a lot of people who thought Rafa's time was probably up, despite the circumstances. An awful lot of people, including some posters on this site who now act like his sacking was the biggest traversty of all time. There was obviously a lot of backstage politicing etc involved too, but it was hardly something that came out of the blue.

Agreed, Mr.M. Maybe I am also guilty of that. I dont remember how I felt, those were very confusing times.

If you look at Rafa's performance in isolation of whatever was happening at the club , one could make a case that his sacking was warranted. However more than what happened with Rafa's sacking it was the events and the decisions which took place after that which is creating more angst among Rafa supporters. The assumption that all that squad needed was a bit of man management by Roy was one giant cluster**** of an assumption.

Also for most of us in any aspect of life, we don't realize what we have until that is gone. It is the same with Rafa. Three years ago around this time, we were tearing Real Madrid a new asshole. Not sure if we will ever see a night like that in the next few years. I guess absence does really make it fonder.

If we had appointed a young promising manager following Rafa who managed to keep us afloat last year and was leading our charge in the top four, this thread will have half the number of posts. It is human nature. Cant hold it against people.

[dww]

Doesn't make him right

Clearly something had to give, I just don't think it should've been him.

The question for me, to some degree, is could it have been anything else? I think the alternative required getting rid of Purlsow who was a necessary part of getting rid of G&H. I also suspect some senior players might have had to have been shown the door.

We were in a truly abysmal situation and I remain pretty pissed off that Rafa was forced out but I'm not sure there is any realistic version of events where he could have stayed.

[Eric Swindler]

When one refers to the club under Rafa a few years ago when we were 'tearing Madrid a new asshole', there seems to be an inference that if we brought Rafa back now, it would be a case of 'hey presto' and we'd be tearing them a new one straight away again. Unfortunately, the reason we are not tearing anyone any kind of orifice these days is nothing to do with Rafa and the lack thereof and more to do with the consistent lack of investment and turmoil that the latter years of H & G brought.

It will take some time to recover from that.

[Yozza]

It will take some time to recover from that.

Agreed; especially if any investment by FSG is squandered on crap by Kenny again

[kris90210]

That's not all there was too it. There were a lot of people who thought Rafa's time was probably up, despite the circumstances. An awful lot of people, including some posters on this site who now act like his sacking was the biggest traversty of all time. There was obviously a lot of backstage politicing etc involved too, but it was hardly something that came out of the blue.

I think most of us know exactly who you're talking about. The crazy thing is I don't think he does

[badpiggy]

That's not all there was too it. There were a lot of people who thought Rafa's time was probably up, despite the circumstances. An awful lot of people, including some posters on this site who now act like his sacking was the biggest traversty of all time. There was obviously a lot of backstage politicing etc involved too, but it was hardly something that came out of the blue.

The match threads towards the end of Rafa's last season were full of reasonable posters commenting on how it really looked like Rafa had lost the players and that they weren't doing it for him anymore.

I wish now that it didn't come to that and that something had gone right and kept Rafa there - but that's 100% hindsight. At the time, I though it was time for him to go based on the awfulness of the performances and knowing that he was hated by, and fighting a losing battle against, those two cunts. Situation appeared untenable. And this place was most definitely not overrun with people demanding that Rafa be kept on.

[little dave hedgehog]

The match threads towards the end of Rafa's last season were full of reasonable posters commenting on how it really looked like Rafa had lost the players and that they weren't doing it for him anymore.

I wish now that it didn't come to that and that something had gone right and kept Rafa there - but that's 100% hindsight. At the time, I though it was time for him to go based on the awfulness of the performances and knowing that he was hated by, and fighting a losing battle against, those two cunts. Situation appeared untenable. And this place was most definitely not overrun with people demanding that Rafa be kept on.

this.

i have always said at the time it was lamentable but true he probably had to go.

still think he could do a fantastic job here now though.

[RedReet]

Sadly I think Gerrard is well past his best. He hasn't offered much the last couple of seasons to be fair and I think he is on a rapidly declining downward spiral. We need to get used to life without him. Lucas has been a huge loss as the results since he's been injured testify. As for Suarez, I don't really know what to make of him, he's supremely talented and skillful but his finishing has been far too erratic. I think may be he'd benefit from playing with an out and out finisher ahead of him like he does with Forlan for Uruguay (would have loved to have seen him pair up with Torres).

As for Kenny's signings, I've seen enough of Downing, Adam and Carroll to conclude none of them will ever be top 4. I'd cut my losses on all three. Henderson is miles away from that level too but has shown one or two encouraging signs. I still think we have major long-standing issues which £110m worth of spending has failed to address - the right wing, lack of pace throughout the side, inability to counter-attack etc.

Good work on the reverse scud.

[Fredo]

[Dhav]

That's not all there was too it. There were a lot of people who thought Rafa's time was probably up, despite the circumstances. An awful lot of people, including some posters on this site who now act like his sacking was the biggest traversty of all time. There was obviously a lot of backstage politicing etc involved too, but it was hardly something that came out of the blue.

I do not deny the circumstances, the mood and atmosphere around the club etc facilitated Rafa's departure and made it easier for Purslow to force him out. I think part of it was down to dissatisfaction of some high profile players' (Carragher and Gerrard possibly). But to be honest when you start sacking managers to pacify players you're basically Chelsea aren't you? I still think it was complete folly to get rid of him when we did, and I said so at the time. We got rid of him after one bad season when we had gone through a couple of transfer windows of under-investment and losing world class players and replacing them with far inferior players. Even Houllier was afforded 2 bad seasons, and he neither won us the CL or got us as close to challenging for the title and his last trasnfer windows were disasters in terms of money spent and value received for those transfers; Rafa was making a profit in the transfer market by the time he left. Whoever would come in would have his hands tied, and be fighting a losing struggle, so when the club was on its knees why did we sack a successful manager with pedigree and replace him with someone sub-par, and pay over £5m for the privelege? Utter insanity, and it was clear to many at the time.

[Craig_H]

Even Pepe says in his Autobiography that it was time for Rafa to go.

What a cunt Pepe must be....

[Dhav]

Good work on the reverse scud.

[Darkon]

I do not deny the circumstances, the mood and atmosphere around the club etc facilitated Rafa's departure and made it easier for Purslow to force him out. I think part of it was down to dissatisfaction of some high profile players' (Carragher and Gerrard possibly). But to be honest when you start sacking managers to pacify players you're basically Chelsea aren't you? I still think it was complete folly to get rid of him when we did, and I said so at the time. We got rid of him after one bad season when we had gone through a couple of transfer windows of under-investment and losing world class players and replacing them with far inferior players. Even Houllier was afforded 2 bad seasons, and he neither won us the CL or got us as close to challenging for the title and his last trasnfer windows were disasters in terms of money spent and value received for those transfers; Rafa was making a profit in the transfer market by the time he left. Whoever would come in would have his hands tied, and be fighting a losing struggle, so when the club was on its knees why did we sack a successful manager with pedigree and replace him with someone sub-par, and pay over £5m for the privelege? Utter insanity, and it was clear to many at the time.

Houllier got us as close to the title as Rafa did, we finished 2nd with him as well. He didn't win the CL but still won more trophies than Rafa in the same amount of time.

I don't understand why so many look down upon Houllier, he took us from a very bad position, and took us forward. Houllier needed to leave when he did, just as I think it was the right time when Rafa left. Unfortunatly he was replace by a completely incompetent manager, and that is what makes Rafa's leaving look so bad in hindsight.

As Mr.M says there was a lot of things pointing to his departure at the time including politics, but it was hardly a rosey time result wise and on the pitch.