And like that, he's gone...
Okay, the dance video we posted last week didn't help, but taking everything into account I'd say this is a fairly dignified exit from Rafa Benitez. "It is very sad for me to announce that I will no longer be manager of Liverpool FC. I would like to thank all of the staff and players for their efforts," he said.
"I'll always keep in my heart the good times I've had here, the strong and loyal support of the fans in the tough times and the love from Liverpool. I have no words to thank you enough for all these years and I am very proud to say that I was your manager. Thank you so much once more and always remember: You'll never walk alone."
Yes the last bit is cheesy but it does make a change from his default sarcasm mode that was adopted for the vast majority of the last 18 months. Of course, the suspicion has been there from supporters for a while that the players needed to hear a new voice. Someone to cuddle up to the poor love starved millionaires. Bless.
Whatever your opinion on Rafa - and opinions of opposition fans tended to veer towards outright hatred, which sort of made me love his style - ask any Pool supporter and they'll tell you that there are monster egos and fools in that dressing room that many fans would have had gone well before Benitez (Gerrard's several personalities making up most of the bunch); and that's before we even begin to talk about the selection of horror film characters in the boardroom.
Anyway, if there is no money to spend once the new man comes in (seeing as it could be a short term thing with little cash to work with, Roy Hodgson seems the logical choice) they could do a lot better than getting rid of the foreheadless captain.
Feck the speculation though, for now, adios Rafa, thanks for the fifth European Cup at the very least... oh and for pissing off the old boys brigade of Whelan, Thompson et al, for that I am forever grateful. The shower of bastards.
Later, JJ
7 comments:
As a United fan, I should be gutted.
But I did hate pretty much everything about him, so I am glad to see him go. Adios you massive bluffer
Phil Brown is being called in from gardening leave at Hull. Is going to take the reigns before the end of the month
I think we'd all like to see John Barnes and Phil Thompson step in
why whelan?
While I don't want to go down the road of the 'rafa net spend' argument (F365's forum is covered in it), Whelan's public utterances for well over three years now made it seem as if rafa had chelsea and man city's money combined to spend over that period. He mentioned '£250 million spent' so often you'd swear it was tattooed on the inside of his eyelids (along with the words 'for me', which he starts every sentence with).
Giles, as ever, had a far more measured approach. One that's hard, in fact impossible, to argue with. Whatever the overall spend, net spend or any other type of spend, for the amount of players that have come and gone there should have been a far better depth and balance to the squad last season. Plus a far higher ratio of homegrown players.
On a separate note, I heard this evening from a very reliable source that Gerrard told John O'Shea weeks back that all the club were trying to do was find a way to get rid of Rafa asap. Nice way of doing business Stevie. Himself and Raul should have a lot in common next season.
I did'nt hate Benitez at all really.He may have been poor in general in the transfer market, but how the fuck he won the European cup with that team in 2005stands up as one of the greatest managerial achievments of all time (notwithstanding the fact that he fucked up his selection totally by including Mr.H Kewell from the start!). I think his exit was fairly dignified, in fairness tho,6 mill in your back pocket will buy you lots of dignity!! I think he'll be missed in English football, not least cos he got up fat Sam Allardyce's nose on a regular basis, not a bad thing I'm sure you'll agree.
LUHG.
Inter Milan can't believe the deal they got I'd say. A manager with a big enough name to appease the fans and someone they didn't even have to pay any compensation for.
Combine that 6 million with the 3 million handed out to Rick Parry last year and that is one tight ship Pool are running at boardroom level. And now King Kenny is returning... christ. I only hope he brings in Barnsey for comedy value.
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