I am absolutely dreading the game against Chelsea on Sunday.
Not because I’m worried about the game, or because I’m worried Fernando Torres is going to come back to haunt us, I’m worried because Rafa Benitez is in the dugout.
No, I’m not one of Rafa’s lovesick wide eyed sycophants. I am truly thankful to him for Istanbul, for Cardiff 2006 and for giving me a team that didn’t know when to quit in 2008/2009, and I am more appreciative than ever of us getting into the Champions League under his stewardship.
But after two poor results in the space of a week, the mindless flock are calling their mournful tune again…”Get Rafa back.” This section of our support is causing the club damage. It feels like no manager will be safe until the Spaniard is given another chance to manage the club he loves.
Personally I think Benitez is finished as a top manager in the game – not because of tactics but because of mentality. His spell at Inter Milan was a disaster (the usual extenuating circumstances have been put forward but don’t wash with me) and whilst he’s probably going to win a Europa League, Chelsea are in severe danger of not making the top four due to a series of poor results in their bread and butter, the Premier League. Chelsea were comfortably third when Benitez took over and his squad was hardly lacking talent.
So why the continuing calls for him to come back?
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The simple answer is that I don’t know. It genuinely baffles me as to why he should be brought back atop our shoulders. I suspect our league performances are responsible for this bizarre phenomenon. I’m not someone who thinks Rodgers should be sacked IMMEDIATELY as was the call after the Reading game from the odd one or two people. For me he deserves at least another season and if we are in the same position this time next season then we can start asking questions.
But Rodgers isn’t my point – why would Benitez suddenly turn around “the poorest Liverpool team I’ve ever seen” as I so often hyperbolically read? I can’t help but think Rafa’s army (by which I include his chums at The Times) have managed to re-write history a little bit. Even Istanbul is given a rest now, our record of Champions League qualification far more of a carrot.
I’m going to sound ungrateful but I fear that Sunday is going to be embarrassing. I can see large swathes of our supporters serenading Benitez throughout the game. This will be further fuelled by anti-Benitez chants from Chelsea fans, who are completely and utterly spoilt. In my view the fans are still recovering from the Rafa era, with people deeply entrenched in their views either way; me included, I think Benitez has had his time at Liverpool. And I largely thank him for it.
But civil war will be just around the corner if the “Rodgers out, Rafa in” brigade ever got their wish, not that they ever would. But I cannot emphasise enough that it is time for people to stop fluttering their eyelids on our third previous manager and look to the future – with or without Brendan Rodgers but definitely without Rafa Benitez.
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Rafa is a hero and a total legend. He deserves a great welcome home.
BR is a useless manager .he should have been sacked months ago
As much as I love Rafa. He still wouldn’t be my first choice for next manager. Pelligrini , Laudrup or Hiddink for me.
we have 2 give BR at least another season ,he’s does’t have a few players that would suit his system.so the next transfer window is going to be very important. i hope the owners back him with the necessary funds
NO – he is ruining us with every month that passes . Rodgers wont attract any top players , just more rubbish
To the author…
You paint Rafa as some boogie man, who’s name we dare not mention for fear of showing up Rodgers.
Why is that so?
What insecurities are you hiding?
Instead of beating up on Rafa and his supporters why not convince us of Rodgers merits…
Is that too hard for you?
Could it be because there’s so little evidence to support genuine progress.
Instead you diminish and ridicule Rafa’s achievements to serve your agenda.
What an ungrateful and despicable person you are.
This petty article does you and your cause no credit.
Rafa was the best Liverpool manager of our generation.
For what he has given this club, his name will be proudly sung this weekend.
Amen!
Rodgers is simply not up to it. Bring back Rafa
Rafa knows exactly how to win against Liverpool while Rodgers doesn’t even bother to scout an opponent!
This article is full of garbage, written by a fool! Yes a fool. Which position did redknapp finish last season?? Sacked coz they thought it was not good for them. We finished 7th with a carling cup in hand, got in fa cup final and qualified for europe and kenny was sacked. How then do you tell us that this other clueless fool rodgers be given another full season. He even said it was good for a club of lfc calibre not to qualify for europe!! You must be crazy to support rodgers! We need another top manager like RAFA[who is winning europa and finishing in top 4 with chelski] NB/I HAVE NO DOUBT HE WILL WIN ON SUNDAY BUT SORRY TO SAY SO!!!
I cant see why any genuine fans would support Rodgers
Well you’ll all never know cos Rafa ain’t coming back for now, as much as you * wine and moan like little girls. FACT!
FSG will not sack Rogers for now. FACT! So instead of wining and bitching and moaning cos you’re not going to change *, get behind the club and manager and support the club.
Then 2-3 seasons down the line if there is still no progress I’m sure the owners will look somewhere else.
It’s in their interest to succeed so why would they want a crap manager taking us nowhere. FACT
Your the one bitching and moaning . Totally clueless
Do u actually know what FACT means ? You are not using it properly .
You are probably just a kid , but even so a little education would help with some of these ‘fans’
disgraceful article…totally disrespectful to one of our legends
sick of hearing ‘bring back benitez’ ???
get used to it…it’s only just starting
Fact is FSG will get rid of BR when they can afford a bigger name and that could be some time yet. They didn’t need any pushing to get rid of KD so lets support BR to the end and trust that that comes as soon as FSG can afford the class of RB.
They can afford a top manager whenever ee want…FFS we are Liverpool- not Barnsley
Rodgers has lost so many fans . We won’t support a clueless manager who is harming our club
Rodgers out
I have no problem with Rodgers and i think he deserves another season but i feel i am being generous saying that. We have played very very badly at least 5 times this season, and are not even competing for a top 4 place, let alone getting one.
So compare like with like.
Look at the team Rafa inherited and the team he left. Some transfer mistakes yes but more than made up for with the quality of a lot of his signings. Look at the way the team competed and improved every season apart from the last one. Ranked the best team in Europe for a while, champions league winners, runner-up, semi finalist, by far our most successful manager since the 1980’s.
All this and then remember the shambles we became off the pitch because of Hicks and Gillette, hours from going into administration, I’d say he did a remarkable job all considered.
I’d say its easy to criticise but if you’re using such high standards you should use them for all managers and should be calling for Rodgers head now… or maybe youre just using double standards writing this.