Antoine has logged a second poll to check on the fans feelings towards our Manager and it seems to me that the majority of Liverpool fans want the Spanish tactician to stay. Many will probably fear the prospect of him leaving and taking some of our jewels with him. Antoine is an admirable defender of Benitez and a true unconditional Liverpool fan, but I have a feeling that we have arrived at a stage where this decision will be ultimately up to him, Rafa Benitez, and no one else.
I have a gut feeling that if the Reds do not win the Europa League and/or clinch 4th spot, the Spanish Master will concede ‘defeat’ and resign. This would be the result of a season which departed with promise and great expectations and which finds us depending on the results of others to play CL football next season, and having to make-do (so to speak!) with a possible Europa League triumph when the real objective was another assault at winning the Champions League. It’s really a question of being coherent with one self and of course, being a gentleman.
Big European clubs are chasing the Spaniard and waiting on his decisions. His recent ‘No comment’ to questions regarding his link to Juventus may be political, but he has not categorically denied (like he had done a month or so ago) the link and that he is committed to Liverpool. Can we blame him? This man has ‘guarantee’ Champions League football to his Liverpool squad and supporters! Should he stay on if he fails?
Personally, I don’t see any Messiah on the horizon…..or anyone that can turn our team into a PL and CL force over the summer. It isn’t even a question of H&G anymore. Okay money talks, but we have a squad that is envied by everyone player for player. We do have quality, and we have seen that you don’t have to spend mega money to have decent players. We don’t need to revolutionize our team, we need a bit more ‘kwality’ in one two/positions and a deeper squad with ‘kwality’ subs that can maintain a high level of expectancy and delivery even when our megastars are not available.
In essence, I feel that the final decision now rests with Rafa! Anfield has shown a lot of patience and a lot of love for the Manager. Rafa will wait and see. If Rafa is not our Manager next season it will not because the Club has asked him to leave, it will be because the man will feel he has let the fans down.
the spion kop supporting managers since 1892
The story of Rafa Benitez is that he has been generally excellent in Europe for Liverpool but too frustrating domestically and never seemed to understand English football. Yes, he got 86 points last season but a more adventurous manager would have won the league when we were so far ahead of Man Utd before Christmas. All the draws and Rafa’s negative approach allowed Utd to catch up.
In 6 seasons Rafa only challenged for the league title once, while he excelled in Europe against all the big teams. So to make a long story short, I do not believe a new manager will surpass Benitez’s European abilities, but I do believe other less known managers could do better domestically.
Rafa is building up a side, almost ready to unleash as an attacking force. were half way there, we just need to replace the non world class with world class players. 2 wingers, another forward, a left back and centre back. Throw some good kids(who are almost ready) and we’ll be right up there. this season is a blip, had we spent more than 5m net we may have had a few more points now.
Aqua looks like he’ll come good, at least in the matches we are not trying to play too defensively.
Jovanovic is a beast and is going to be a cult hero. money is coming in soon, all the stars are staying at least another season and we have some decent sales lined up, growing the pot.
we should have 50m to spend this summer. thats 2 world class players like mata/arda, and a top centre back or left back.
We need players who will go into the first team, not linger on the fringes.
Yossi, riera, babel, san jose, nemeth and a few others will be sold. thats a fair wedge, considering they are talking about 7m just for nemeth and san jose.
i believe city will get 4th and we’ll win the europa.
Next season is all about 3 more world class players and some great kids, all going for the title.
most likely we’ll be playing catch up with manure by then, all the more important we focus our energy.
Y N W A
We’ve always held on to managers for too long. I don’t believe it’s loyalty particularly, but the hope that he may turn things around the following season. Don Welch and Phil Taylor in the 1950s spring to mind, plus Gerrard Houllier. It’s incompetance at the very top for not sacking people at the right time and I believe that Benitez’s time is now.
It would make sense I think that even if Rafa leaves it may be for Real madrid..Juve is too risky..they are dying for Rafa as of reports now..a few bad performances and they would kick him out without any rhyme or reason..
Though the same possiblity also lies with Real..he will have the satisfaction of managing what people still consider as one of the best clubs in the world.and transfers will never be a problem..
However because rafa is now in charge of also the Liverpool youth academy tells me that he has long term plans for the club..
@Alana Do not forget the injueries we have suffered!
what makes people think ‘Real’, want Rafa??? on his coaching, and managerial skill, leave a lot to be desired.
Just think of all the millions ‘HE’ has spent, ‘NOT THE YANKS’ for what??, we are going to finish 6th, now he comes out and says he need 60 mill to buy 3 quality players, ‘we have no depth in the squad’ when people have been saying it for over 3 years, where has this guy been.
It has been ‘HIS’ policy of buying ‘quantity over quality’ no one else’s ‘HIS’ now the penny has dropped.
I bet on the new contracts he has, Torres, Stevie, Renia, and his other friends on, they all have a get out of jail clause, we will see,
Rafa will go down as the biggest spender, and worse manager ‘LIVERPOOL’has ever had.
Spoken like a true Manc.
You should be worried about your own team Frank.
Frank, you speak a load of bollocks! Compared to other PL sides, he has not spent much – don’t believe the figures you see published by people like Collymore, Cascarino & Sly Sports. He has had 20 mill per season during his tenure, which is petty cash for a big club like Liverpool. Even Sunderland outspent LFC this season!
Chris, Frank is a Manc he hangs around LFC forums bashing Rafa, unfortunately he finds other LFC supporters who agree with him
Antoine, Chris, if you thought i took any notice of Stan Collymore you have to have rocks in your head.
Both of you need to do your sums right, in one year Rafa spent more than, Chelsea, Manu, Arse, Man city,
Also we have the biggest squad in the prem league,
For your information, i was born, and played football, in Liverpool, till i came to oz, when i was 30 years old,i have just came back after spending 4 weeks there, my Brother, and Sister still live there,
You need to live there to see the faces on the Liverpool surporters, when you go into the local pubs, see the despair, anguish,on them, like when we went back down all those years ago, before ‘Shankleys days’ do you know 78 percent of Liverpool want Rafa to leave, now the man is Blackmailing, ‘Liverpool’ ‘pay me compo, or i will stay’, that is what he has said, so he wants 19 mill to go, that is the type of man he is.
There is a site, where you can go to, they will tell you what Rafa has spent, just look at what he spent on Aqualina, now there is talk of him going back to europe, so we will lose money on him, watch this space.
Real Madrid, have said they do not want him, now juv, have said they do not want him.
CHRIS??? do you know he spent 20 mill just before xmass, topping up certain players wages, and not even offering ‘GARRA’ a new contract, that is all on record.