Rafa Watch

[Shaggy]

http://www.football-italia.net/34680/benitez-excited-napoli-start

Benitez 'excited' for Napoli start

By Football Italia staff

Rafa Benitez has admitted he is 'delighted' to have taken charge of such an 'illustrious' club as Napoli.

President Aurelio De Laurentiis announced on Monday evening that the Spanish tactician would succeed Walter Mazzarri at the Partenopei.

And the former Inter Coach has claimed that he can't wait to get started at Stadio San Paolo.

“Now that the agreement is confirmed, I can say I am very happy and very satisfied for having committed to a great club with an illustrious heritage like Napoli,” he stated on his official website.

“I understand the history of the city and how the club forms a fundamental part of the culture and traditions of Naples.

“I must confess that I am extremely excited because I can share my passion for football with the fans of Napoli - it is proven that they are very, very special.

“I look forward to experiencing each and every one of the fans of Napoli and their strong support for this project that we will begin.

“I’m happy to become a member of that great family of Naples and thus we can share the triumphs together.

“We will begin from the start as we mean to go on and we will fight from the beginning to achieve success for the fans of SSC Napoli.”

The tactician has also confirmed that physical trainer Francisco de Miguel Moreno and goalkeeper Coach Vicente Javier Valero Berchili will join him in Naples.

[badpiggy]

New Italian team to support. Hope they are in utds group in the CL

[lickedlollipop]

good luck rafa, thank **** you left those plastic scumbags!

[fah-q]

There is a certain cultural aspect shared between Naples and Liverpool, they are both people who feel they are different from the rest of their fellow countrymen.

Often looked down upon by society in their respective countries, they are very close knit communities who are football mad.

Nearly all of the Neopolitans i've ever met (men, women and children) have asked who I support first not even entertaining the idea that someone may not like football.

[Pablo]

Have a good feeling about this one. Think he'll do really well there. Come on Rafa!

[Neil Young]

There is a certain cultural aspect shared between Naples and Liverpool, they are both people who feel they are different from the rest of their fellow countrymen.

Often looked down upon by society in their respective countries, they are very close knit communities who are football mad.

Nearly all of the Neopolitans i've ever met (men, women and children) have asked who I support first not even entertaining the idea that someone may not like football.

Also in Italy a block of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry ice cream is known as Liverpudlian.

[fah-q]

[Darkon]

It's a great opportunity for Rafa. The Italian league is weaker than ever overall, and only Juventues have pulled ahead. Taking over a team on it's way up (unlike Inter for example) with some great talent and a well working strategy gives him every opportunity to win something, and I would even say pressure and expectation to win something.

[fah-q]

They've got some good players there;

Inler, Maggio, Pandev, Dossena (), Hamsik, etc

[Tee]

They've got some good players there;

Inler, Maggio, Pandev, Dossena (), Hamsik, etc

[Bender]

I'll make you an offer you can't refuse

[Arn]

Rafa Out! As Benitez takes Napoli helm, here's one Chelsea fan's view on his turbulent reign at Stamford Bridge

With Rafa Benitez confirmed as new manager of Italian side Napoli, Sportsmail writer and Chelsea fan Charlie Skillen looks back on his controversial interim spell in charge at Stamford Bridge.


That's over then. As Rafa Benitez is confirmed as Napoli manager, one of the most turbulent periods in the rollercoaster ride that is the recent history of Chelsea Football Club has come to an end.

I've got to say, I'm relieved. Yes, third place and the Europa League was a good return for a difficult season, and the team is looking in good shape.

It's more that supporting the club for much of this season felt like a constant battle, and for the first time I genuinely was not looking forward to watching the team home or away.

For all the bright moments to come out of the last few weeks - good performances, Champions League qualification sewn up and a great night in Amsterdam - it's easy to forget the truly abysmal displays that were the norm up until last month.

Benitez, a desperately unpopular figure at Stamford Bridge even before his 'reign,' angered and bewildered in equal measure with terrible performances, bizarre selections and substitutions allowing a large selection of the league's poorest sides - and Brentford - to get results.

He was the figurehead for what was - and is - desperately wrong with the club at large - a man installed by faceless, unaccountable middle-men like Michael Emanelo and Bruce Buck completely at odds with the fans' wishes.

I - nor any Chelsea fan I know - never truly thought Roberto Di Matteo was the man to take us forward long-term.

But for the club to sack him, a decorated former player and fresh from winning the Champions League on that glorious night in Munich, when they did was ludicrous.

To put it a horrible, non-football way - but fitting considering how they see the club - why would any company completely alienate 99.9 per cent of it's customer base?

Benitez - rightly or wrongly - bore the brunt of anger towards that, and Chelsea fans can hardly be accused of being fickle. Even when results picked up, anti-Benitez chants and banners were still heard and seen at every game.

Unlike many thought, it was never about some off-hand comments years ago about plastic flags or Frank Lampard, just the fact that he was intensely disliked for many reasons during his time at Anfield and those feelings were made perfectly clear on the far-too-many occasions when the Chelsea manager's post has been vacant.

His appointment was the nadir of a slide - save for a, let's face it, completely out-of-the-blue Champions League win - the club has been on since the ridiculously stupid and classless sacking of Carlo Ancelotti.

Benitez didn't help himself. Criticising supporters that travelled to Middlesbrough for a midweek FA Cup tie, marginalising fans' favourite John Terry and completely failing to back Branislav Ivanovic when bitten by Luis Suarez against Benitez's former club Liverpool were among other issues to raise anger at various points.

One can only imagine the storm if that happened to one of Jose Mourinho's players.

Then again, results in the last few weeks of the season have been good, and many by the Europa League win had mellowed - even tolerated - his presence.

The reception he got among the 9,800 fans in Amsterdam when he recieved the trophy summed up the feelings towards the end - a smattering of boos, even fewer offering applause, and the overwhelming majority completely ignoring him.

So I'm left with a feeling of ambivalence. I certainly don't wish him well, and I honestly don't care how Napoli do next season, any more than I did this.

Frankly, I'm just pleased he won't be on the touchline next season, and Chelsea matches will be far better experiences for it.

Put simply, as the most-often heard chant goes - 'we don't care about Rafa, he don't care about us.'

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[Neil Young]

They're f*cking idiots.

[baitman]

Garlic Bread, ive seen it and its the future.

[meffin]

Are you getting Peter Kay confused with David Brent? Because that looks nothing like Peter Kay