I *LOVE* Rafa Benitez. I love the bones of him. I’m willing to bet I’m in the top one percent of worldwide Rafa lovers. There are basically his kids, Montse and Antonio Nunez that I’m prepared to acknowledge might be ahead of me. It’s important to know this. Because I hope so much Rafa Benitez doesn’t replace Brendan Rodgers as Liverpool manager this summer. So, so much.
I mean, I hope no-one does. I hope the club keeps its head. However, if it does do something hasty (not quite as hasty as sacking Benitez in 2010 or signing Andy Carroll but something significantly hasty) then Benitez should be avoided at all costs. But there is tons of talk from tons of Reds. Tons of talk and odds as low as 4/1.
There are two strands of thought behind why Benitez should be dodged. Strand one is as rational as Benitez the manager. Strand two is as emotional as Benitez the man.
Here’s strand one — the extremely rational, sitting like Buddha while pens are happening case:
We need to be able to win the league. Any change of manager needs to be and should be predicated on that — the belief the current incumbent won’t win the league and that a replacement can be lined up who can be reasonably considered significantly more likely to do so. We need to be good enough to win the league to be at all confident about finishing in the top four (Arsenal came fourth last season with 79 points, every side currently above us will be gunning for the title next season) and we just need to win the league so we don’t all go stark raving mad.
Rafa Benitez hasn’t won a league since 2004. And since 2004 he has only genuinely challenged for one league title, at Anfield in 2008-9. We’re now six years since a Benitez team had an interest in a league title in April.
Are there mitigating circumstances for this? Of course. But there are ongoing mitigating circumstances now at Liverpool. We have an abundance of mitigation, none of which can be thought to be reasonably be addressed by simply changing the manager. In short, any league win is likely to come despite the mitigating circumstances not due to them being alleviated.
Essentially Benitez has, at Napoli, failed to challenge, not win, but challenge for a title in a league with only one financial giant in Juventus. At Liverpool there are three financial giants to overcome, plus Arsenal, en route to any title. There’s not a body of evidence that suggests he’s a certainty to be able to do that.
There’s a body of evidence to suggest he’d win a cup at Anfield. A body of evidence to suggest he’d get us some great European success.
I’m not interested in European success any more. I’m not interested in cups. I want the title. Nothing else. The title. Anything and everything else needs to be secondary, merely a stepping stone on the way to a title. The whole football club should aim for nothing else.
Benitez’s genius — for he is a genius, one of the few there are in football management — lies in knockout football. If I had to pick one man to coach a team for a game if my life depended on it, I’d pick Rafa Benitez. If I had to pick a man to do the same over 38 games, Rafa Benitez doesn’t currently make the shortlist.
Benitez might no longer look like tomorrow’s man, but he isn’t yet yesterday’s. He’s a very good football manager, capable of true greatness, but unlikely to be able to create the sort of freakish anomaly of a football team that could make Liverpool champions. He hasn’t looked like doing it at Napoli at any stage.
I don’t need to speculate about working relationships. I don’t need to put Benitez down. His track record over the last 10 years suggests he is no surer thing for the Holy Grail than Rodgers. In the two seasons he surpassed 80 points at Anfield he followed it up dipping beneath 70. And in one of those seasons we got to a European Cup Final. Because Rafa Benitez is terrific; great at European banquets with fine wine. But less good at bread and butter. And bread and butter is the one that we want.
Onwards to the extreme emotional, crying while I leave Valencia case:
There are times when I wonder whether there is some sort of collective amnesia given the clamour around Benitez. A significant portion of the support both in the ground and on the forums etc despised Benitez. I don’t know exactly why they did (too clever for his own good, stubborn, media pressure, the malaise that sets in around Liverpool managers when they look like they can reach the promised land but can’t quite get there) but they did. They really did. They hated him. It isn’t too strong a word for the level of irrational bile thrown at him. Benitez was hated. There is nothing to suggest it would be any different a second time around. In fact, there is a lot to suggest it would be worse. We’re madder now. Older (in the ground) and more short tempered than ever. Throw Benitez into that mix — the gnarly, needly, marvellous, magnificent swine — and what happens when he, like any manager, can’t consistently work miracles?
For the reasons set out above in the rational part there is no guarantee Benitez could even get Liverpool challenging and every month that passes which could, in some way, any way, be construed as failure by a notable section of the Liverpool support would be construed as failure and for the second time Benitez would be damned for it.
I’ve no interest in spending 2015-2020 the way I spent 2005-2010 — defending a good man I love from bastards. Bastards in the press. Bastards who are our opponents and rivals. But worst of all a worldwide diaspora of bad, bad bastards in red; a spread of bad, bad bastards from L4 to Llandudno to Los Angeles. It’s exhausting enough defending a good man I don’t love from that same type of bastard now.
So no. No, no, no. Not this. Not now. Not now when only one trophy will do. Not now when it has never been harder. Not now when more than ever we seem collectively hell bent on demonstrating we don’t deserve nice things. Not now.
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The only positive is that he could win us the Europa Cup and we get in the CL that way, but that doesn’t necessarily help you continually get in it again next season
I don’t think he should come back either, but I can see him getting 70+ points every season with a side that he has built, with money
Rafa didn’t have money when he was first here?
Not as much as Rodgers has been given, what Rodgers got in 5-6 transfer windows Rafa got for like 12-15
There were two years or so where he made a net profit in transfers… which went straight into the yanks pockets…
Have you even bothered to read the article Dora?
“I’m not interested in European success any more. I’m not interested in cups. I want the title. Nothing else. The title. Anything and everything else needs to be secondary, merely a stepping stone on the way to a title. The whole football club should aim for nothing else.”
There isn’t a manager in existence that would have the impact he’s asking for. Possibly mourinho or guardiola, but even then it’s no guarantee they make us challengers.
Not to mention, this guy doesn’t speak for all reds. So Dora’s opinion is equally valid.
Trust Rafa with transfers though. And he would win the league eventually given time.
But his penchant of falling out with the executive is a worry. We need a manager who knows how to win, and players with the quality to make it happen. Neither are in place at present.
Two words: Alberto Aquilani
Two more: Robbie Keane
There are many words, but some are best left unspoken.
Two words: Fernando Torres.
Two more words: Xabi Alonso.
Two more words: Javier Mascherano.
Two more words: Pepe Reina.
Two more words: Daniel Agger.
Two more words: Dirk Kuyt.
Two more words: Mrtn Skrtl.
At one point we had the best spine in Europe. Now that spine features Dejan Lovren, Joe Allen and a choice of Mario Balotelli, Fabio Borini and Rickie Lambert.
so why didn’t he win trophies galore with that lot in his side? One word – bottler!!
Napoli have the same turnover as Swansea , you can be logical and rational with Rodgers and Klopp but you have done a Hatchet job on a superior candidate. Klopp has been a manager for 14 seasons has won 2 titles , Rodgers has not won anything and the man you dont deem good enough has posted 2 of the top 4 points tally we have since the PL begun.
2013/14 only two teams in Italy had higher turnover that Napoli. Juventus and Milan. Napoli were 16th in the Europe money league with a higher turnover than Inter and Roma and a much higher turnover that Swansea.
The challenge Liverpool face in the Premier League is greater than that faced by Napoli in Italy.
Rafa didn’t have money when he was first here?
Agree whole-heartedly with the ‘Benitez the man’ argument. I actually cried when he was unceremoniously dumped (and I was nearly 52 at the time). I could definitely do without that possibility again.
I see what you’re saying with the first argument. But – and it’s a big but – I’d be happy if he was given (and would accept) the brief of focusing on the league and ignoring everything else. Be interesting to see how that would pan out.
Having said all that, my preference would be for Rodgers to stay.
Give Rafa £75 MILLION per season like Rodgers has and then judge him . You dont win League titles with 12 million per season net spend and Ngog as second striker as we were buying at LIDL and looking at Waitrose quality and to top it off having 2 clowns in charge and not proper owners . For such an inteligent fan you are misleading people with your comment of not chalenging for league title since leaving liverpool..he had 1/2 season at Inter Milan and Chelsea and highest points tally in Napoli history last season but they are Swansea interms of finance check it out .
The ONLY reason why Rafa Benitez should not be appointed a manager of LFC is exactly that: the amount of haters and doubters among the media and our own fans who never miss a chance to knock the man who made Liverpool FC a feared force in Europe.
For that I’d prefer us to go for a fresh start. For someone who would reignite passion, re-unite fan base and dressing room, bring a special aura with him that has been badly missed.
The rest (as to why Benitez is not a proper manager any more for Liverpool) is waffle. It’s a whataboutery. As a manager he is far more superior in every aspect, far more intelligent and than the one we have currently got.
Sorry, I should have edited what I wrote before clicking ‘post’. Oh, and by the fresh start and aura and uniting force I of course meant someone who seems to like the idea of managing Liverpool, and who is currently available. And to make sure you don’t think I meant Alan Curbishley, I’ll say it’s Jurgen Klopp.
When we had the chance to win the title with Rafa, his way of playing 1 striker agains bottom and lover teams at home, and ultra conservative way of playing, made me loose all interest in him as a Liverpool manager.
I hope he never comes back as a manager, although I think he is a lovely person, he was always too careful in his approach on attacking other teams.
And I will never forgive him trying to get Barry for Alonso…. crazy.
As this is my first post here, I will let you know I have been watching Liverpool since late 80.
Ps, I am not that sure on Rogers either ;-)
I’d take him In a heartbeat. Before the rug financially was pulled from under his feet we were purring nicely. He loves us and I love him. Fuck the bastards. They can get fucked. I want him to have the chance to finish it. I’d love it. In fact a title under rafa would put everything wrong in football back for me. Dreams can come through. He could do it. And my heart says go get him.
I’m with you Frank. Rafa in a heartbeat for me. He dealt with everyone at Chelsea hating him. He’d at least have a good portion of the fans loving him and a good portion hating him here!
The team he was building until the two shitheads pulled the rug from under him – you could see the plan, you could see the quality and you could see the mentality of that team.
I’d take that over three years in with no clear idea that we are progressing on the plan.
Really? Did H and G sign Aqualani and Johnson for a combined 38m? And how did we finish second in 09 if the squad was Poor? Change the record Benitez was a poor loser and loved to wallow in self pity always blaming everyone else but himself.
Amen to that. He has dignity, and balls. Absent, currently. An honorary Scouser and as a man he is gold. It would scare the shit out of the other clubs.
i think other clubs would be cracking open bottles of champagne if Benitez was re employed by LFC – FACT
I’d like him as director of football. Rodgers is capable of coaching, I’d just like him to learn some strategy from Rafa. Re-build a proper bootroom.
You’re so right on us not deserving nice things. Some of our frenzied mob don’t deserve a title winning Liverpool.
The atmosphere around Rafa in 09/10 from fellas in Anfield to Henry Winter to the captain and vice captain to Purslow was utterly poisonous. By the time his last home game came around for Chelsea to win the league everyone seemed mostly apathetic. We’d punched ourselves out fuming and counter-fuming over him.
We’re definitely getting worse. We do my fucking head when the chips are down and people lose their heads, then those arguing against losing heads lose theirs in the process.
The cranks who wanted Benitez sacked want him back now for Rodgers. Mistakes? Repetition? Madness? Hypothetically, imagine the cuntery on display from both sets of supporters, the media and Mourinho himself for the first game against Chelsea with Benitez back. Be arsed. It’s not worth it.
Well, if getting Rafa back means getting rid of that cockroach Ian Ayre then it’s a pretty good deal
The irrationality of some LFC supporters, of other clubs’ supporters, and of the UK media is immaterial. I could not care less, and neither should FSG.
The case against Rafa in terms of his ability to win league titles is not very good, on its own terms. With all due respect, Andy, you haven’t exactly crunched the numbers in the proper manner, taking into consideration all the relevant variables and weighing them accordingly.
At the level of preparation, strategy, long-term planning, etc there is simply no comparison between Rafa and the current manager. At the level of what many of you call ‘pragmatism’ given a solid, intelligent, learned basic football philosophy, Rafa is an order of magnitude better than Rodgers.
The long and the short of your argument is that many LFC supporters do not deserve Rafa Benitez and that he is too good of a manager and a person to have to put up with them and the UK football media.
Not exactly a rational argument, imo.
If FSG were remotely interested in Rafa they would have at least spoken to him in 2012, even if it was just to educate themselves on the academy setup he put in place in his last year. Christ, the lads Brendan was giving games to in his first half season were all Benitez signings (Sterling, Suso, Shelvey, Wisdom).
Their strategy is based around youth development and they didn’t even think to pick his brains with questions like ‘so what’s the thinking behind bringing Borrell in/McParland’s role?’ Or whatever. That’s how unarsed they were about him. That’s the extent to which they heeded Ayre’s probable words on him being bad news.
Let’s say Rodgers goes and Klopp or Benitez comes in which is a lot of people’s ideal, the same dickheads would be getting antsy if we’re having an average season again next year. We’ll never, ever learn.
If suggest that two local pillars of the playing staff were instrumental in Rafa’s sacking and very likely coloured FSGs decision to engage an unproven manager with a fabulous self-penned CV…
or maybe the fact Benitez went FOUR years without a trophy – this makes pretty good sense really to get rid
worldie of a first para neil. Not enough praise can be given
I think it is probably fair to give Rodgers another season, but he has made a good few mistakes this year and took too long to rectify some of them.
Regarding Rafa, I think some of the conclusions drawn here don’t necessarily follow from the preceding arguments. You conceded that there were mitigating circumstances why Rafa didn’t win a league since leaving Valencia but then proceed to disregard those circumstances.
His record in the league with us was mainly very good, twice exceeding 80 points, and the 86 points he got us in 2008/2009 was against stronger opposition than what Rodgers team faced last year. I think he also set a new record for an unbeaten run in the league while he was here.
Rodgers team played some great attacking football last year, and I think that’s what his supporters are looking forward to seeing again. I think there is a question mark over his ability to have a team that is both a potent attacking force and defensively strong.
This years 3-4-3, while it did see us go on a good run for a while, lacked potency in attack and after a while other managers realised the weaknesses of the system.
I think the decision to support Rodgers depends partly on whether or not we trust him on transfers and how much responsibility he holds for the mistakes made so far. Hopefully we can have a really good summer and buy at least three very good players who can improve us straight away and hit the ground running. I’m thinking, striker, right back, and midfielder at the very least.
To summarise, I think it’s only fair to give Brendan one more year. I don’t see him having reached Rafa’s level yet in terms of tactical awareness or ability to change a game from the bench. I would take Rafa back in a heartbeat and think he would be extremely motivated to succeed here.
Neil, I challenge you over your love of Benitez, I think I love him more than Nunez though I accept Montse and the spouse sounding kids ‘may’ have us beat, but i fully understand your viewpoint.
To this day I despise those that hounded Rafa out, those inside & outside. despise. Harsh but fair I think. Those people actively ushered in The Hodge. Actively wanted the steady hand. Wanted what Fulham had ffs. Bastards to a man and woman.
Seeing him return in part would be a bit like seeing Kenny come back, glorious but with serious misgivings.
He’d have about a months grace before the arse would start with old chips coming to the fore. The official LFC forum would combust if he put Skertl at right back again.
I love Rafa but your right, he’s better out of this place.
Though as a Director of Football however………. :)
I challenge both of you! I loved him, never once questioned his ability, sure he gets things wrong and goes through bad spells, but I was dead certain we need to give him 8-10 years like Man Utd gave Ferguson.
Even in the last season I just couldn’t understand all the bile and vitriol that went his way from our own fans, actually couldn’t understand those who called for him to be sacked in that 07-08 season when we were top of the league FFS
I blame the brainwashing that the English tabloid did on the gullible idiotic mass, made this guy out as some fat spanish waiter with wacky foreign ideas like rotation and zonal marking, that Liverpool is somehow better as a football club if we did everything British. Fuck those people, just fuck them, I would beat the shit outta every one of them personally if I can
*08-09
I am replying to you because I agree with your observation that many inside LFC hounded Rafa out. But what I’m going to say is far more severe and many scousers would have me lunched for saying this. I’ve observed even during the best times Rafa was not 100% wanted. Several of the legends of the 1980s (and some of the older supporters) didn’t want him to become too popular. Gerrard (everybody’s hero) was hardly 100% behind him but Rafa managed the situation well. Gerrard was also not supportive of Luis and Alonso initially. Rafa went after Gary Barry (and alienated Alondo) to pander to Gerrard. One of his few mistakes. The team that finished 2nd to MU was the best we had for a long time. ‘King Kenny’ thought the time was ripe for him to step in and claim the glory the following year. So I hope Rafa gets a fairer deal if he ever comes back. The man has behaved with dignity by not airing the dirty linens in public. Just my observations. No hard feelings. I still support LFC.
Thanks for saying some of the things I’ve been thinking about the irrational, emotion-driven shouts for a Rafa return. Going back to try to get to the future happens only in Hollywood.
@GraemeR . I Think your being creative with the figures from a Champions League season of 2013/14 have a look at the natural level of Napolis turnover in the same Deloite League table you have used to obtain the figures. Swansea level no ?
Knox_harrington on so many things LFC based you are so right, you are right about goals, just buy goals. You are right when you say you may as well finish first as fourth, but you are so wrong about Rafa. As usual your argument is coherent and you acknowledge the blip that are the two titles Rafa won at Valencia against two super powers.
I understand the frustration of trying to educate the myopic followers that wanted Rafa’s head on a plate, the media narrative driven by the Fergie press and his LMA, but that was 5 years ago and a lot has changed.
Rafa has won more European trophies than Jose has at Chelsea and 4 of Rafa’s players have won the European cup, league titles and played in World Cup finals. When Rafa walked through our door in 2004 with a scrawny lad called Alonso to become our midfield metronome who would have thought he would have such a collection of medals and be one of the top midfielders of his generation.
Torres, mash, Arbeloa came because of Rafa and we became the team in Europe nobody wanted to play. If FSG appointed Rafa there would be an uneasy ripple across clubs in Europe, that never happened with Brendan or even Kenny.
You want the league more than anything Knox, but you say you might as well finish first as fourth, over the past 25 years we only had one manager that constantly did that and you know who that manager was, you love him to the bones.
FSG have been in charge for over 4 years and have only signed one world class player, Suarez and only because he was at Ajax on a low contract and was damaged goods. FSG have not come close to signing a world class player and why would they want to sign for Ian Ayre, he may be able to sell you a shirt deal but I would never go and play for him or his merry men. Ian Ayre is never going to make you the greatest defender, midfielder, striker or winger in the way that Rafa could. Ian Ayre does not make you dream.
FSG understand baseball and so if they have inexperienced coaches is does not matter they themselves understand the game. They still don’t understand football transfers and what world class players want, either a top club or top manager and both if possible. It’s about time FSG employed a football man with experience of wining because nobody at the club has that DNA.
Knox, you want to dream, I know you do, like most LFC fans you have a romantic side, but, to give up on Rafa because of some bad Teds is not enough, when we needed Rafa he stuck by us, he could of gone to Madrid and other clubs but he stayed through thin and thin, now is not the time to shy away, now is a time to rally the troops, now is the time to look them all in the eye and tell them Rafa is the best man we have had, tell them that world class players come to work with him, now is the time to put Rafa back in his office and get that trophy back in that cabinet and that bird back on that perch.
Brilliant post! I think I love you.
couldnt agree more with what you say Troutbeck. Under Rafa we achieved:
2 highest PL points totals we have ever had
No1 ranked team in europe-feared by everyone
Tightest defence in the Premiership (4 seasons in a row)
World class players
Won big ears and the Fa cup, went to another CL final and were robbed
all this under an ownership which was nothing short of poisonous, working with a snake like Purslow, SG and Carra had got too big for their boots (and they favoured the Hodgson appointment!), working on a shoestring. Yes he bought Aquilani, but I’d take him again over Joe Allen,though I would have Shelvey over both of them.He got under fergies skin and it was the press and the LMA top table that peddled the hate against him, you dont hear them go on about Rodgers and his poor run,imagine how Rafa would have been treated by the press, if he had a run like Rodgers .
We walked through the city centre before the Madrid CL game to protest about getting him to stay and get a new contract, we didnt even do that for Kenny. Rafa is a logical choice- he is one of us, he loves the club and he will do the right thing if FSG have the balls to ask him back.
I am being selective in the sense that I have selected the season that Rafa took over at Napoli, inheriting a team that had finished second the previous season.
The revenue in earlier seasons might have been a little lower, but it’s Walter Mazzarri that gets the credit for outperforming then.
I’m not saying Rafa did badly at Napoli, I’m just saying his time at Napoli provides no evidence that he could have Liverpool challenging for the league again.
Good piece Neil.
Only downside is that it reminded me of the disgusting abuse towards him and the hatred (not too strong a word here) some of our fellow Reds had for him. Jesus, we do have a seriously sorry element supporting us who are a shower of bastards.
For me, season upon season, he’d make us feel chest-puffed-out confident, with a swagger that we at Liverpool are in our element in, it’s when we’re at our best, on and off the pitch. (we had that last season, God it felt great)
Granted there were a couple of disappointing seasons domestically, sometimes where I thought he’d overthink things (especially finishing second losing just 2 matches, still baffles me that) the tactical and strategic genius behaving like too much of a genius and making football complicated (Shankly said fools complicated a simple game, not that I’m saying he’s a fool). That said I thought he/we were getting there, remarkably having to put up with H&G for all that time.
Europe on the other hand. Jeez, I often wonder if we’ll ever be a force like that again. Even though we weren’t the best domestically, at that time we were arguably the most feared team in European competition, I’d bet if you asked players/managers of the other elite European teams at that time which team they would most want to avoid, I’d bet the majority would say ‘Liverpool’. All because of Rafa.
He gets us, he loves us, but I don’t think I could see him again here. Simply because a lot of our support doesn’t deserve him.
more like the club deserve better than a manager who bored us with defensive football and won just two trophies in SIX years. And was quick to lay the blame at everyone else’s door but himself. The man was not up to the battle of going up against Fergie and wimped off with his tail between his legs blaming money for his failure.
And there you have it. The truth of the matter is that some supporters do not deserve a manager of the quality, the professionalism, the nous, the class of Benitez.
Pearls before swine.
A silly article. What has Rodgers won ? Giving Rodgers more time only means we will be further behind. Reality now is that we can’t attract top players and worse still is that we Dont have finances to compete with the current top 4. In short we can’t compete for the league title as current top 4 have more spending power. Better managers and better players. We are now in the group of clubs below top 4 along with spurs
He wouldn’t need to perform miracles; all he would need to do is restore our self-respect, because he wouldn’t give up without a fight, picking a weak (in his view) team
in the CL to save his preferred players for an ordinary league game. And knowing that your are part of a surrender must do the players ego the world of good.
Give Rafa Benitez the amount of money that will be required for Brendan Rodgers to win the League with LFC (last year’s near miracle notwithstanding) and we’ll have a much greater chance with Rafa than with Brendan.
In every respect, Rafa Benitez has been and is (and in all reasonable likelihood will continue to be) a better manager than Rodgers. Rafa figures out tactical changes during a GAME faster and more effectively than Brendan does in weeks, with many a sleepless night in his kitchen.
If anyone thinks the current Rodgers team is “well-drilled” or that any of the new recruits has been made better tactically, better able to think on their feet and solve problems as they arise on the pitch, then you’re watching different games than I’ve been.
It has become a habit for many of our fans to want the manager out.
There used to be a joke in the 80s saying every Everton managers name ended with Out.
Sections of our fans have become that joke now.
I can recall people wanting the manager to go from the time our success dried up.
Even the season after our last title I remember some people saying Dalglish has lost the plot and needs to go. ONE YEAR after winning his THIRD title as manager.
Then the pattern began.
They wanted Souness out
They wanted Evans out
They wanted Houllier out
They wanted Benitez out
WE ALL wanted Hodgson out
They wanted Dalglish out again
And now they want Rodgers out
We are now the joke
Kenny’s season was strange though, we were actually playing some pretty good stuff before Lucas hurt himself. And we hit the woodwork like 800 times, we’d dominate teams have 30 shots on goal and then somehow not win
This season we have just looked toothless for the majority of it and I dare say we have better attacking players in the squad than Kenny’s. Charlie Adam Downing Carroll Henderson on the right, that was grim
I’ve been saying it for the last three years and I’ll say it again now, “I’d have Rafa back tomorrow.”
LFC shouldn’t sack Rodgers for the sake of it, only if an upgrade is available. And, Rafa certainly would be an upgrade on what we have now. I hear what you’re saying about the League. Who doesn’t want it? But you’re stuck in yesteryear and it’s not as important as the Champions League. Don’t take my word for it ask Wenger or Dalglish. Without Champions League and the success it canbring you are nothing. Ask Abramovich, ask Man City they’ll tell you the same. A decent upgrade, with the obligatory C.V would provide that. The problems lies in trying to attract one without Champions League footy next season. So my default setting for this is RAFA.
However, and it’s a big however, LFC should really reach for the stars in every sense of the phrase. LFC currently has a sensible transfer wage structure. Fair enough. That doesn’t mean it should effect the managers wages. There are bigger names than Rafa out there with even better C.Vs. Money always talks and we should throw cash at the best manager in the world and tempt Guardiola here.
LFC took a punt on a very big outsider and the bet almost came in last season, for a legion of reasons. The worst thing a gambler can do when he just misses out is to chase his money. Cash out now and put what’s left on the favourite.
Loved Rafa and the team that won all the big games in the league in 2008-09 but were still pipped at the post for the title by the lucky bastards at the other end of the M62, with Ferguson making the most of anti-Benitez sentiment in the media. People seem to have forgotten how vicious and sustained the hatred and mockery was and it would definitely be worse now.
I’ve just heard there’s a Rodgers out banner flying over anfield today ?? Does anyone know if its true ?
Such nonsense is just not cool. Let the Mancs behave like that. I dearly hope that is not true.
Rafa. Rafa.
Can you imagine being able to see the look on the special one’s face when he realised Rafa was back? Or Van Gargoyle? A manager who would not be intimidated or bullied by any one in football or the media. Shockwave. Not just a ripple of unease. I’d give one of my testicles to see Rafa, an intrinsically decent man get another chance to complete the task he started so long ago. Without the distraction of having to fight a war on so many different fronts. Just the football ones. Could he do it? I believe he could. He is a proven winner. I agree with Neil. No better man for a one off match. Over a season?. Yes he could I think. He is capable and more than competent.
But.
I’ve really only just come to terms with what happened to the second coming of the King.
Kenny.
The living embodiment of everything LFC is, was, and aspires to be.
If that could happen to Kenny then what would the haters and by all that is holy the will be hordes of them do? How long would it take for the schism to start? Who the fuck would heal those chasms in the aftermath?
So You’re right Neil it would be a mistake much as I would love to see it. I couldn’t beat to see the destruction it would cause yo another decent man and LFC when it all inevitably goes tits up.
I’ve been a match going supporter for 50 years, a season ticket holder off and on for about 25 years. Whether it’s rational or emotional Rafa back for me.
Poxy predictive text. Obviously that should be : I couldn’t bear to see the destruction of yet another decent man
We are Liverpool. We are in the business of playing football and winning trophies. We are not in the business of creating or destroying decent men. That really is not a priority of ours.
You don’t want cups? You don’t want European success? You want the league?
Okay, how about being able to crawl before you can walk, and being able to walk before you can run? Heck, we can’t even get cups as it is; talking about the league is just wishful thinking on a level bordering on insanity.
What could Rafa do with a stable financial situation? Who knows? But I think it is an enduring question that nags at the back of the heads of all Rafa lovers (myself included). Perhaps you have already researched his situation at Napoli? I don’t know what kind of financial stability/instability he has there. I tend not to bother myself too much with such trivia; Can’t see straight very quickly once the tears start obscuring my vision – so I try not to look at Rafa too much.
Yeah, it has been too long. Way too long. Way longer than anybody feared, since last we won the league. Yeah, Shankly said it was ‘our bread and butter.’ And… it will be waaaaay longer still before that drought is ended. Aiming for it – manager wise – is just nonsense. It is idle talk. Why?
Our ownership does not, or cannot, see it as a realistic target. They run a business, and I truly believe they are astute at that. From a business point of view, there is little to no added incentive in going from number 4 up to number 1. However the financial outlays to jump those 3 spots will be astronomical. I am sorry, they don’t have the money, nor the incentive.
Yes, last year we came close. Why? Let’s be realistic, it was because by some insane chance and luck, we for a brief moment had we one of the 3 best players on the planet; an insane anomaly so far out of where we by average are in terms of personnel. Of course such freaks of nature quickly corrects themselves and you revert back to the mean – where we are now: as TTT puts it, pretty much where we should be compared to all the financial indicators.
So you want to marry a supermodel? Sorry buddy, not gonna happen. You still want to hold out, hope against hope for that supermodel? Okay, that’s going to be a long and lonely wait. I would be happy to at least marry the prettiest girl in the neighbourhood.
Take a good look at us. This season. We have been so very Liverpool. Gorgeous from time to time, infuriatingly poor the next moment. I remember Liverpool in the 80s. But this is not Liverpool any more. Truth be told, since our last league title, (sadly) this really is our identity now. I hate it. But let’s face it, this is who we are: beautiful one moment, god-awful the next.
League titles are won on consistency; consistently grinding out results – I love the swashbuckling and the flair and the style we see in moments from Liverpool. But it is the grim determination and boring defensive displays of this world’s ManUs and Chelseas that win league titles.
So Rafa will not win you the league? Maybe. What manager would? I reckon Tony Pullis is pretty solid at grinding out results. Very consistent too. He might get you 38 1-0 games. It would be ugly. But since we don’t have the spending power of the Citys and Chelseas of this world, that all dominating league win done with style and flair all the way is just blue sky dreaming.
Of course the De Luxe Tony Pullis model is Mourinho. A brilliant chess player who operates with incredible economy, when a 1-0 victory will do, no need to spend energy making it 3-0. The only manager, I have seen, consistently being able to make Mourinho divert his eyes, is… Rafa. The King of chess players; which makes him so powerful in knock-out games. As they said about General Lee, “he could beat you with his army, or with your army.” The squad available was incidental.
Will Rodgers win you the league? I doubt it. He seems to be good at developing players. But that deep tactical ability is something so sorely lacking from Rodgers. Which is why, when he can’t motivate the team to a fiery display, his game management and tactical set-up makes him fall short against the greats. Again and again. He also seems unable to learn from mistakes, which is a shame for such a young manager. Consistency is another point. When you can’t consistently win the games against the lesser half of the table, and you can’t take points off the big dogs, what are you? A mid-table team. Challenging for the title under such circumstances is like filling a leaky bathtub with water.
Yeah, we were close last year. Rodgers’ genius? Or rather the incredible fortune of inheriting one of the world’s true greats? But didn’t Rodgers coach Suarez into the best form of his life?
Or was Suarez’ display rather motivated by FSG’s handling of the want-away stuff in the summer before? A success has many fathers, a failure is an orphan, they say. Many line up to take credit for Suarez’ brilliance last year. Rodgers certainly did. I personally think that when Gerrard whispers in Suarez’ ear that Arsenal is not good enough for him, and he should stay another year and then get a much bigger move to Barca etc. that was the motivation Suarez needed.
I also would love us to win the league. But as I know it will not happen, as things stand now, I wouldn’t mind a few pieces of silverware to soothe the wait. Thanks for reading.
No, thank YOU for writing that! Outstanding substance, eloquently presented. Thank you!
I can see what Neil says about the league being the target and Rafa’s not been succesfull in league competitions but one of the best around in knock out competitions.
BUT, success breeds success. Winning the league cup, or the FA cup brings confidence to the team, confidence to the supporters, winning the Europa League or the Champions League brings confidence, it also attracts players and retains players. The fans may demand the league, but players want silverware, and wether it be the League cup, or the Champions of Europe, trophies bring confidence to the team, and players to the club. Cup performances so often are the basis for league success. And this season, two semi finals and fallen at the last hurdle twice.
Imagine we made both cup finals, imagine we went into next season as League Cup and FA Cup winners? What does that do for confidence, morale, and attracting players?
Its premature to even thing about league titles when we cant get past Aston Villa in a ruddy cup semi final.
That said, I dont know I want Rafa back at Liverpool as Manager. I love Rafa dearly, I love what he did for us, the trophies he won, I also love that his family five years on still live in the city, that he continued to attend Hillsborough memorial after he left, and left a rose for Anne Williams after her death, and I love that he still loves us.
But, Id like to continue to remember Rafa fondly, and not as the bloke who took over from Brendan and made us even worse. If we can be guaranteed the fairytale, if someone can guarantee that Rafa will win us the league, then yes, but nothing can be guaranteed.
So benitez isnt the man we want …. fair.
but it certainly is t rodgers, the job and the club are just too big for him. He certainly isnt a tactical mastermind, neither is he a mind games master.
i agree with you … we waited so long. However, if we keep rodgers, the wait will be even longer. The sooner we change him, the better
Rafa is a winner and he has the chops to fight for what he needs. He also understands the Club and the fans. I would have him back in a heartbeat. I would also take Klopp by the way. I’ve lost confidence in Rodgers. He works best when there’s little pressure and low expectations. Villa.
Benitez couldn’t understand the club less, the clubs bread and butter was winning the title and he couldn’t deliver it in SIX attempts. Move on for Gods sake man.
Ok. We got it. You don’t want Rafa back. But we don’t really care what you and the lot of you think. You were the ones who brought us Hodgson
Yeah, but you’re dismissing all Rafa’s experince and know how, plus his ability to attract better players than Rodgers. Rafa has contacts and relationships in the game, that Rodgers can only dream about. Rafa knows the league, the club and the fans, and it is a much weaker league now, than when Rafa was here. A tactical mind such as Rafa’s could go a long way. We need CL, because it allows us to buy better players, & keep yr good players. You’re dreaming if you think we can win league, without being in CL year on year. Last season was Luis, not Rodgers, but Luis. Luis was one in a billion. We now need to build. Rafa can, Rodgers can’t. Klopp is another option, or Be Doer, or Emery. Why stick with Rodgers? Why waste another year? He isn’t a winner, and he certainly isn’t the tactial genuis that people say he has. For me Rodgers is done. I hope he goes in summer.
Rafa, we trust in you. Show us the light at the end of this long tunnel.
Rafa, LALALALALALALALA
Please, come back.