Rafa Watch

[James P]

yes we all want rafa back at some time but IMO now is not the time.

Unfortunately, I don't think that we'll ever see him back here. I really hope that BR is a huge success, but not even speaking to Rafa seems a massive oversight.

My confusion is that even leaving aside Rafa's clear love of the club and the city, and his history with the club and players, if you were looking at the marketplace for a new manager, surely a manager not currently with a club and with his track record would have to be on your shortlist? So was he ignored simply because he is Rafa? If so, I'm concerned that the owners didn't even speak to him to form their own view of him.

[Dhav]

Pretty much sums up my thoughts.

Firstly he should NEVER have been sacked, let alone replaced by ****ing Hodgson.

Secondly, he should have been approached along with Kenny when FSG sacked Hodgson; perhaps with Kenny keeping the seat warm until the summer with Rafa taking over then.

Thirdly, he should have been interviewed and appointed this summer.

However, I've been impressed with Rodgers sound-bites in the media, however at the moment that is all he is. He's achieved nothing of any real note, while Rafa has a much more impressive CV.

This. Abolsutely nothing to disagree with in this post as far as I'm concerned.

Like you say, Rodgers has said all the right things (then again so did Hodgson before a ball was kicked) but there is nothing yet in his CV to indicate that he is up to the job. Now he's got it though obviously he will get the backing of the fans and the time to get us back where we belong. But I would have much rather preferred we appointed someone who had been there and done it before and had more than one year's experience in top flight management. It was reckless to sack Rafa in the first place, but to overlook him and appoint a very inexperienced manager (at top flight level at least) is a massive, massive gamble. Let's hope it pays off.

[markwilfrey]

let's get Rafa back. This is not going to get any better.

[kingfunk]

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha x infinity

[kingfunk]

Brilliant man, brilliant manager. I have the highest respect for him out of pretty much all people involved in football. Must get this book sent over!

Sent over where?!

[Vermilion]

Deutschland.

[Frenchie]

Star suggesting Rafa to Southampton via BBC gossip link.....can't be arsed to go back and link it...

[Shaggy]

Apparently he did a talk thing last night and said he wouldn't take the Southampton job.

[Jas]

Apparently he did a talk thing last night and said he wouldn't take the Southampton job.

I was there last night at his 'talk thing' and there was no mention at all of Southampton what he did say was that he is ready to return to management but he doesn't want a job where it will take him 3-4 years to build a squad before he is in a position to challenge for the top honors so I guess that limits his options somewhat!!

On a personal note I definitely have man love for Rafa, he was charming and articulate and I for 1 would love to see him back in charge at Anfield again.

[Lee]

Watched an old Rafa interview on YouTube yesterday.

Can't remember the full transcript, but he was being quizzed by a few journo's about zonal marking prior to us playing Wigan. Rafa came back and said we hadn't conceded a goal in a certain number of games, yet Wigan used man-to-man in their last game and conceded three goals. Gave the journo's a cheeky smile.

I might've got some of the points above wrong but the point still stands.

Rafa.

[Neil Young]

That tw*t Savage was on 5Live last night criticising Man City early on in the game for using zonal marking at set pieces. "It only takes a Madrid player to get a run at the ball and they'll be able to score, they could have done it three times already, blah blah...". But they hadn't, a salient fact oddly neglected in his ill-informed carping.

The BBC reckon they have responded to criticism of their football analysis and yet they continue to employ this moron to give us his expert opinions. It's beyond mere human understanding.

[Shaggy]

That tw*t Savage was on 5Live last night criticising Man City early on in the game for using zonal marking at set pieces. "It only takes a Madrid player to get a run at the ball and they'll be able to score, they could have done it three times already, blah blah...". But they hadn't, a salient fact oddly neglected in his ill-informed carping.

The BBC reckon they have responded to criticism of their football analysis and yet they continue to employ this moron to give us his expert opinions. It's beyond mere human understanding.

Unbelievably it's ITV who are getting it right more often than not. On their highlights show last night they had French journo Philippe Auclair on. Very good choice.

Compare that to Savage, Bright et al on the Beeb.

The BBC have definitely tried to respond to the stick though, and clearly IMO Shearer is making an effort. He's still utterly terrible, but he's trying.

[Imy]

I was there last night at his 'talk thing' and there was no mention at all of Southampton what he did say was that he is ready to return to management but he doesn't want a job where it will take him 3-4 years to build a squad before he is in a position to challenge for the top honors so I guess that limits his options somewhat!!

On a personal note I definitely have man love for Rafa, he was charming and articulate and I for 1 would love to see him back in charge at Anfield again.

That'd rule us out then

[Gibbo]

Have Southampton sacked their manager?

[Daniel 7]

He's annoying as **** that Southampton manager. He reminds me of a teacher nobody likes.