WITH question marks hanging over Kenny Dalglish’s head after such a poor Premier League campaign, one name has been spoken about most regarding a potential successor to the King. Rafael Benitez, known as ‘Rafa’ to those who love him dearly, is the manager that seems to be the popular choice with the Media and supporters alike.
The Spaniard led Liverpool to the Champions League title in his first season, an FA Cup trophy in his second and almost supplied the Reds with their first Premier League success in 2009.
However, towards the end of his reign, a lot of people seem to forget that his Liverpool team simply went stale. In his final season, Liverpool’s title challenge ended before it even had the opportunity to shape itself with two defeats in their first three games. This coupled with a Champions League group stage exit afforded Liverpool fans their biggest opportunity yet to voice their concerns over Benitez’s reign. This they did and with notable anger. The fans were seeing a completely different style of football to what they were used to under Rafa, and it was a style of football that simply did not work.
After a trophy-less season, with even the Europa League evading the Reds, Benitez left by mutual consent. Every fan, including Rafa himself, knew it was time for change. Now, though, a lot of Reds fans are calling for the Spaniard to be re-instated.
There is no questioning the desire, commitment and passion that Rafa Benitez has for Liverpool Football Club however the alarming way in which his spell as manager faded out to a dull end should not be forgotten. As well as this, Mr Benitez spent a lot of money during his time at Liverpool on players such as Jermaine Pennant, Ryan Babel, Robbie Keane and Alberto Aquilani who simply never made the grade at Anfield.
Rafa was also to blame for the loss of one of Liverpool’s best players of the past decade; Xabi Alonso. After one uncharacteristically poor season at Anfield, Rafa decided it was time to move Alonso on and replace him with England midfielder Gareth Barry. After failing to both sell Alonso and sign Barry from Aston Villa, Alonso remained unhappy and felt unwanted for the next 12 months. The Spaniard responded with his best season of his career and as much as this benefited Liverpool, Real Madrid stepped in and snapped up the midfield maestro.
There are several reasons why Benitez should not return to Anfield but the most important and necessary one for me is how he lost control of the dressing room and struggled to get his players playing in his style. Turning to Rafa would be a step back in my opinion and as much as he will always be held in the hearts of every Liverpool fan, a fresh face is needed if Dalglish is relieved of his duties.
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I agree, why do we need Rafa? what did he do for us? Signed no marks like Reina, Agger, Skrtel, Lucas, Alonso, MAscherano, Torres, Kuyt.
He also wasted money on kids like Sterling, Shelvey and many others. Not to mention making massive losses on players like Crouch, Bellamy, Baros.
And all this with a massive net spend every year! I mean, he was only outspent by spurs, city, chelsea.
And lets not forget his appalling record in Europe. He won the CL and then only got us to 1 other final. We want to be like arsenal, look how many they’ve got to?
And who does he think he is standing up to the owners for pillaging the club, the FA, sir Alex, Mourinho, and others! Thats just not allowed.
In fact, he should be blamed for the fact we finished 7th 1 season. Just because there was an unprecedented amount of boardroom squabbles and politics, why should that impact the team? You can see how Rafa was to blame because the new manager bought in immediate experience and fixed the issue.
Finally, who job does any manager have in the youth team? so what if the last talent to come out of there was 10 years ago? Its nothing to do with the manager. Bringing in some foreign no marks to run it and revamp it. And don’t forget that cheap trick of bringing in Kenny Dalglish.
Yes, lets not bring back Rafa. Whats he done for us?
Is this the life of Brian??? love it Growler,
I think he was sacked cos he did`nt tuck the players in at night and would`nt leave the light on. Crackin post
I admit, I am a Rafa fan turned hater (mainly because I used to rave and rant at the team’s style during his last season and was relieved at the ‘mutual’ separation, thinking that it was the best for both parties!). What I didn’t consider then, and is highlighted by Gary, was the psychological impact of adverse working conditions. Would any of us, you, I, a player, a manager, be able to put in a 100% while feeling that there’s no backing? What I do stand by even now, however, is that Rafa was no man-manager,and that he was a brilliant tactician. If at all he does come back, I will welcome him back, but with the hope that there’s a deputy like Paco to be the father figure. People forget that most of our issues started after the departure of Paco Herrera.
Nothing more than a biased, one sided view. Doesn’t mention the fact that the final season was one bad season in six, the team going “stale” was the fault of a lack of funds to buy players and having to sell before being able to buy, Alonso had a terrible 18 months leading up to when he wanted to sell him. He only had his best season in a Liverpool shirt because he realised how bad he had gotten.
I agree in a lot of cases you should never go back, and theres definitely reasons there why he shouldn’t be rehired, but don’t make it such a one sided argument.
Look, Rafas history, get over him and look forward. time for someone new.
We need our Rafa back. With the right backing he’ll sort the club out. These days you need a manager who doesn’t wilt under player power, players which don’t show the necessary levels commitment to the club he’d sell and alienate. This is how you deal with these millionaire players today in terms of management. From a tactical view point, there isn’t a manager around that works to his level of detail, he doesn’t leave a stone unturned.
I still have tim for KK he’s a good man with LFC in his heart, I just get the feeling footy management has passed him by. YNWA
Rafa the gaffer was brought to win the Premier League. The only season that he came anywhere near was in 2009, but even in that season he played cautiously at home. (Draws against Stoke, West Ham and Fulham who were all well below us in the league and there for the taking, not just avoiding defeat). I was at a loss with the negativity we showed in those games and Manure would have ground out a win. I never thought we would win the league that year even though we were in touching distance. This led me to think that Rafa is more suited for European football and the Champs League, so if you want Rafa back then don’t expect the League title to come home anytime soon. Please remember he won the league with Valencia without money yet at Liverpool he has had money and still moans at the lack of backing he got. Let us get Mourinho or Guardiola as we need some fresh ideas.
It sort of looks like you’re being proved wrong here, Elliot. Your article is very pro-Kenny, which is a shame.
Simply making statements about Benitez does not make them true. I mean, are you seriously trying to say that his style of football didn’t work? His style of football beat Real Madrid 4 nil at Anfield, beat United 4:1 at OT, beat Barcelona and AC Milan and Inter Milan and Juventus and Chelsea, repeatedly. You’re working from a position of weakness with this article, as it is, because while there are undoubtedly a lot of Liverpool fans that didn’t like him, they can appreciate that he was a good manager at what he did and he got results. Isn’t that all that matters?
It’s sad to see you using Benitez’s last season and attempting to suggest that it was a microcosm of all that went wrong under him, because very little actually went wrong under Rafa, he was simply handicapped from top to bottom in his final couple of seasons. It is also distasteful to try and use him as a way to strengthen Dalglish’s position; he’s a former Reds manager and a great guy who has given a lot to the club, even after he left. And if anybody attempts to mention his severance payment, I think I’ll scream – he was thoroughly entitled to that, as we all are, when we’re sacked/made redundant. He even took a smaller cut, given the financial straits the club were in.
I’d have him back tomorrow.
Spot on mate.
RAFA’S TACTICS GOT US ALL THE TROPHIES AND ALMOST THE PL TITLE, IN A TIME OF UPHEAVAL AND NO FUNDS WHATSOEVER. BRING RAFA BACK WORKING WITH THE KING. REMEMBER SHANKS AND PAISLEY…..?
What a spiteful and disrespectful article.
This article is in no way representative of what many Liverpool supporters believe.
You seem to have forgot the extreme duress this club came under with Hicks and Gillette, and how Rafa was tormented by these idiots.
This article leaves out so much of that detail that this writer is either deliberately bias, or an utter idiot, probably a combination of both.
Much of the squad Benitez assembled was funded by his Champions League winnings.
Something which the Benitez haters willfully ignore.
They love to show Benitez spent huge amounts, but the reality is he was never gifted a fortune to go and splurge like Kenny.
He methodically built his team up from CL revenue with limited additional funding from our owners.
It came undone at the end because Hicks & Gillette broke their promise to Rafa and took even that away to fund their growing debt.
As a result, our progress stalled in relation to other teams who continued to spend freely.
But some of our fans don’t care much for the truth.
Fans who refuse to this day, to admit they were wrong in calling for Benitez to be sacked.
Who continue with the most narrow and ridiculous criticisms against him in order to justify their opinions.
All the while ignoring the many great things he did for this club.
Rafa crafted a world Class spine for our team.
We became the No1 ranked team in Europe, making two CL finals in three years.
Had it not been for Hicks & Gillette I have no doubt, another league title would have been ours by now.
If Rafa was as bad as you say, then we must have improved dramatically since he left.
Care to list those improvements for us…
You said all that I wanted to and more, each and everyone of Liveropool fans should read and understand this comment, along with the one by ‘Dave’, a couple previous to this one.
To sack RAFA a CHL winner and to replace him with LMA mngr who never won anything worthy in 36 years was the worst decision in our clubs history.
i would’nt want benitez back in lfc again,the owners should bring in another experience manager such as LUIS VANGAL or FRANK RIJDKARD,or if Chelsea does’nt give DI MATEO a permanent role then lfc owners should employ him DI MATEO,he can do the job perfectly for us but Rafe pls no.
When rafa was in charge, ferguson treat liverpool as their main rival,now….he didn’t even bother mentioning liverpool,it’s man city he’s looking after so which manager is better???? You dicide elliott.
Ohh..on your topic headline did you mean king kenny cause we love liverpool too much and we’re not prepare to let anyone ruin it not even a liverpool legend.it’s part of our obligation as a supporters and fans to voice out of any mismanage by poor manager.
guys why don’t we try both kenny and rafa to lead the team together!@!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
love to see this combination
I think a large percentage of liverpool fans would love to see that, but could you see the 2 working together? Who would be boss and who would be assistant?
You seem to have forgotten that Rafa had to manage a team that was being systematically dismantled by Hicks & Gillett whilst sumultaneously being stabbed in the back by Purslow.
Amazing what passes for thought amongst those with such preposterously selective memories.
You’ll be telling us next that Liverpool experienced a renaissance under Hodgson.
Kenny is our manager and he should be shown the same loyalty he shows to the club, the team and the fans.
Rafa was expected to challenge for the title under the worse ownership possible. We had two owners that put our club on the brink of destruction. We are so forgetful sometimes. People point to the last season…guess what, negativity filtered all the way through . True, mistakes were made. The gamble that was aquilani and glen Johnson did not pay off. Replacing alonso with aqua backfired. It is what happens when you are forced to sell first then buy.
Kenny had enough resources to get the top 4 but chose to spend it on mediocre players. If downing, adam honoured their contracts with middlesborough and blackpool they would be championship material. The sooner we face the truth, the better. look at the best performers of our team, and some of the champions league players . How many we’re rafas players ?
Kenny has asked for another director of football. It shows either lack of knowledge or another scapegoat needed for his failures. We all wanted Kenny to succeed but time to face the truth…
Some say Keane was a Parry signing and not one Rafa sanctioned. Johnson was expensive but after his first choices were all taken and the homegrown rules there was a necessity of buying the best English talent.
As for the cost of the signings a lot of it was down to Parry and Purslow towards the end. For Kenny it was Commoli’s negotiation skills that ended up with the extortionate prices even if Kenny was the one to push at whatever the cost within the budget.
As for Alonso being pushed away, there was a need to strengthen the depth in the middle. I believe he was asked to stay but if Real came asking at 30 million and the player puts in a transfer request what can you do.
Arbeloa was only happy to leave because he was homesick. Anyway maybe Rafa wasn’t arm around the shoulder manager but he did well under such curcumstances while his competitors with more settled squads were able to add at will.
I think Rafa should return, but to take over Damien Comolli’s role. The next manager of LFC should be Jamie Carragher but we need Kenny and Rafa to rebuild LFC to a stage where we can push on with the experience of Rafa and Kenny as the boot room think thank that Shankley used to have with Fagan and Paisley
Thanks to everybody that has given me feedback on this article. I take in everything that has been said as it thoroughly interests me to hear the opinions of fellow passionate Reds. Just to give you an insight into my opinion; I am completely against Dalglish’s reign as manager. It was a good idea to steady the ship after Hodgson’s woeful six months, but it was never going to work long term. I strongly think Benitez is twice the manager Dalglish is it is just my opinion that going back to Benitez would not be best for the club. Don’t forget guys, this is just an opinion piece, I am no way trying to convince any of you LFC fans that this is fact. I am asked to write an opinion piece by my editor, so I do. A lot of you seem to have a lot to say so why don’t you get involved, contact the editor and post your own opinion articles? Don’t just hide in the comment section. Don’t forget.. You’ll Never Walk Alone.
Cheers,
Elliott
Do you know what guys no-one has mentioned Parry at all,if anyone shackled Rafa while brown nosing the H&G reign it was Parry,now Ayre is at it but consequently everything comes from up above.
Rafa IS the man,AVB,Martinez,Rodgers etc are just little boys in comparison ,who will stand up to rednose? who will out-think Maureen? and dont you think that Rafa will have learned from his mistakes??? Are the new owners MAN enough to give him a second chance?? for all our sakes i certainley hope so YNWA