TO a generation of Liverpool fans, he was the greatest manager they have personally witnessed at the helm, bringing the kind of success that seemed unattainable through the 1990s. To the older generation, he was a man who brought back the Liverpool Way, returning the Reds to the top table of European football where we belong.
He is a man who not only won over the Kop on the pitch but moreso off it, falling in love with the city and its people (hard not to); from watching football with the away support in a bar in Germany, to his stance with us against the menace that was Hicks and Gillett, and lastly to his visit to the Hillsborough Memorial at the weekend with his gestures to the 96 and that incredible woman, Anne Williams.
This past Sunday was his first visit back to an Anfield dug out since he was fired by the club. For many it was in the wrong dug out and for most it was representing the wrong club, but he was welcomed back in a manner befitting what he means to us all.
Personally speaking, I never wanted Rafa to leave the club in the first place; we had had a rough season for sure but then that was a very rough period for the club that in hindsight, was swiftly coming to an end. Sadly in today’s climate you are seemingly as good as your last result – there is no time for anything outside of 90 minutes.
Obviously results are important, but more over I want the manager of the club I love to simply ‘get it’, and through times, the greats have: Shankly, Paisley, Dalglish and of course Rafa. Each have stood side by side with the fans and fought the battle with us. I am a firm believer in long-terms projects, quick fixes rarely work and rarely last, to be great takes time, and no better example could I give than the emergence of talent from our academy this last season; something which Rafa addressed in his reign but never had the chance to profit from.
Sunday was the opportunity for the differing camps to compare Rodgers to Rafa and use the game, the performance and the result to further their own cause and belittle others.
Well quite clearly after Sunday it is case closed isn’t it?
No, not at all.
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For me the case was never open. To compare Rodgers to Rafa is ludicrous and comparisons between Chelsea and Liverpool are nonsense. As it stands Rafa inherited an extremely talented squad, players like Mata, Oscar, Hazard, Ramires, Luiz and Cech could have their pick of top European clubs, and despite the problems in the Stamford Bridge camp, they did win the Champions League last year and should have been pushing the Manchester sides a lot harder this year.
Whilst we have absolutely quality players in Suarez (naughty boy), Gerrard, Agger, Coutinho and Sturridge, we are not at that level presently, and the end to our season last year in comparison was many miles apart.
If you want to compare first seasons at the club, you would have to argue, League wise, they haven’t been dissimilar. Obviously Rafa performed the Istanbul miracle, but again the argument can be made that the squad he had going into that season was better than the one Rodgers inherited. Getting into such an argument is ultimately fruitless for me as fact and counter fact will lead to no clear winner, just a host of in-fighting Reds.
In terms of the game, I wasn’t particularly impressed with Chelsea, with the players they had on display and with their fight for the top four in full flow I expected more. Personally I don’t think Rafa is a good fit there and will always have been struggling for influence behind the likes of Terry.
First-half I thought we were awful. It looked more like we were in holiday mode with lazy passes and constantly attempted flicks and tricks. The introduction of Sturridge was key and we really stepped it up and bossed it. Had it not been for the first Suarez ‘head’s gone’ moment in giving away the penalty it could have been a very different afternoon.
In the end a point was the very least we deserved after our second-half, but crucially the fight we showed after going behind twice was very encouraging.
Did either manager ‘out-tactic’ the other? Not really, although the edge may shade towards Rodgers with the introduction of Sturridge, who’s performance has been sadly over-shadowed, as we were certainly the better team in that second-half.
So in my mind, it is wrong to directly compare Rodgers and Rafa on their first season, this season, current team and this specific game. So what am I trying to say?
Well, instead of this modern phenomenon of negativity ‘he’s rubbish, he’s better, fire him, hire him, my Nan’s better’, we need to be taking positives and looking forwards. The league is our bread and butter and Rafa came closest to bringing it home, but it took him a number of seasons to build HIS squad and get them playing HIS way.
Rodgers is our manager now, and if we have any serious thought about progressing we need a long-term plan and he needs backing. If he was sacked tomorrow and Rafa brought back I fear his reputation would be tarnished by the mob who can’t see past 90 minutes.
I have been gone a while through work, but am back so come find me on twitter @timdibs
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You are totally clueless just like two-bob Rodgers!!! KFC need a world class manager not some rookie who is still learning his trade!!!
KFC! looooooooooooooool #zinger
KFC now whoose clueless
Bring back Rafa now. Rodgers is nowhere near Rafa brilliance.
Absolute tosh. Have you been to any Liverpool game this season? Apart from a few occasions we have been poor. Tactically Rodgers is still in infant school. He is out thought by most other mangers. His team selections have people scratching their heads and his transfer dealings are questionable to say the least. I’d have Rafa back tomorrow. To give Rodgers time and money is to write off a meaningful title challenge for the duration.
Entitled to your view Fred, how long would you give Rafa if he re-joined tomorrow until you started calling for his head? If Rafa came back tomorrow he would need time to mould the side once more and that doesnt happen over a season. It took Rafa a number of years to challenge in the league. Sustained success takes time
All I have to say is record and signings . Compare rafa to rogers and you will get ur answer. Rafa has far. Better managerial record of achievement , and signings well the only decent signing I see is sturrige and coutinho . The others asissidi , Allen borini . There not in the same league as alonso, Torres macherano , Skirtel Kuyt ect.
How can you compare the signings Rafa made over his entire time at Liverpool to ones made in a single season by Rodgers?
Im not disputing what Rafa was and is to this football club but if you want to make a more accurate comparison to buys then surely you can only use equivalent time frames? So no Torres, Mascherano, Skrtel, Kuyt etc, but Nunez, Josemi and Pellegrino alongside the likes of Alonso and Garcia.
So, you state you are happy with 2 of Rodgers signings, and hindsight shows us that in Rafa’s first year only 2 of his signings did anything with the club. In Borini and Allen we have young players with experience and scope to imrove, something the likes of Pellegrini, Nunez and Josemi didnt offer.
If you want to slam Rodgers at least do it on a level playing field. The entire point of the piece was not to compare the 2 men because of the wildly different circumstances, trying to avoid the tit for tat.
Nunez, Josemi & Pellegrino cost next to nothing. Allen £15m (and Rodgers went on record saying he’d pay a lot more) , Borini £11m and we narrowly escaped Sigurdsson & Dempsey. Coutinho & Sturridge had been in our scouting radar long before Rodgers, but timing & price were issues. With inter playing 3 at the back this season and wing backs providing width it was difficult for a 19/20 yr old to play in his only other possible position as a no. 10. Last year at Jan, Sturridge was Chelsea top scorer and would’ve cost 2-3 times as much, and Chelsea would never have sold. We tried to get him when he left Man City but understandably Chelsea were more attractive at the time.
I read a breakdown which showed Rafa had a net £85m spend in 6 years. that of course doesn’t include the money we got fir Torres. Rodgers has spent £60m already and keeps complaining he doesn’t have enough money. He should focus on not making horrendous tactically naive team selections instead.
Playing Allen in a midfield two against Southampton was even worse than picking Allen as the furthest forward attacking midfielder against ManU. I’m not targeting Joe, it’s just 2 of many examples. He got it wrong again against Chelsea. It’s nice that he made the change at half time and Sturridge changed the game but how often does he get it wrong and have to make changes? Too often.
With this squad, qualification for Europa league is a minimum.
Transfer fees are irrelevant in this argument. It is entirely wrong to judge both Borini and Allen on how much they cost while they are still at the club. The only time you can judge a player is once they have left the club. Suarez and Torres were worth every penny of what we paid, Degen and Voronin werent for example. If Allen and Borini left in the summer then fine, question the fees paid, but it is foolish to do so now. Many questioned what we paid for Henderson and called him useless last season (read some of my previous pieces if you dont believe it) yet now recognise what he brings. Should he saty at the club for the rest of his career then what we paid is forgotten about.
Let us not forget both Allen and Borini are very young and experiencing first team life at a top top club for the first time, big culture shock. Not every player can have an instantaneous impactsome need time to settle and adapt, especially the younger they are. Im a big fan of Allen after watching him many times before he signed, and lets not forget he starred in the early games despite those around him struggling, both have had their injuries so writing them off is foolish, as is judging Rodgers on them.
Of course Rodgers has made mistakes this season, what manager in the world doesnt make mistakes? we act as if Rafa was infallible when he was here. Managers and players make mistakes, the way you limit the damage they do is through stability and familiarity. Its no coincidence that United do so well, its no coincidence that our greatest period was boot room inspired and no surprise that Liverpool in Rafa built to one of our greatest teams in recent years, spoiled by incompetent owners.
The only “Case closed” here is that Tim Williams would be better served as President of the Brendan Rodgers fan club than writing impartial blogs on his relative merits vs. another manager.
There is no denying Rodgers tactical failures this year, his absurd substitutions costing games, and his utterly inappropriate favoring of “his guys” whether they be formerly Swansea or Chelsea. Starting Joe Allen with a serious injury was beyond absurd. Paying significantly for Borini who is clearly outclassed. Etc…
At this point it is ridiculous to even entertain discussion comparing the two managers. Benitez provided us with one of the most memorable moments of our lifetimes in Istanbul, then returned to the final the following year. That alone separates them massively.
Store this blog away for a few years and re-post it when Rodgers can claim any accomplishment of note.
Complete, total and utter drivel this piece is.
I think if you go back and read I stress the point that comparing the two managers shouldnt be what is happening!
You are correct, there is no denying that Rodgers has made mistakes this year, shock horror, but are you suggesting Rafa never made mistakes?
Also Ross, I would check your history books!
Corrected – 2 finals in 3 years. The rest stands.
Don’t even respond to this fool.
This is rodgers first job at a top club. He’s still getting use to it. Rafa already had experience at a top club at valencia. Just saying that rodgers is still learning but unfortunately he is learning with the club’s reputation at stake.
On the comparison part, u really can’t compare people. Yes, rafa is clearly more intelligent tactically no doubt. But rodgers is better in man management. They are two different people with different philosophy and style.
Let’s just give rodgers a chance to prove himself. I want rafa back at the helm but i’m just afraid it will damage his image with the fans if things didn’t workout.
Now our manager is brendan rodgers anfmd he deserve the famous liverpool support. If u don’t want to support the manager, support the club.
IT REALLY IS AMAZING HOW MANY CLOWNS POST ON THIS SITE.
LIVERPOOLS SQUAD IS WEAKER THEN CHELSEA’S. YES!
RODGERS V RAFA. WAS A DRAW BUT LIVERPOOL WERE THE BETTER TEAM EVEN THO LIVERPOOL HAS A WEAKER SQUAD.
WHAT IS YOU REPLY?
NO RODGER IS STUPID JUST LIKE YOU.
CLOWNS
Thank you.
So four years ago who where Dortmund and who was Jurgen Kloop? You don’t need famous manager with their egos. What you want is a manager who works with players to make them better. Manager needs his players who listern to the him and work hard for him, to be relentlessly in every game and believe they can achieve together, and above eveyone connected to be patient. Finally players should play for LFC not for themselves.
Klop to kop hopefully in the summer. Give this Rodgers backing, the man is clueless
Even big Sammy Hypia’s, team is on the verge of qualifying for the champion’s league, FSG should also give him a thought. Rogers out!
Dont get me wrong, I am a huge fan of the big Fin, and should his path cross again with us I would be over the moon! But for all the people wanting Rodgers out because he hasnt got the experience in one breath want Sami back in in the next??
K you should be supporting KFC not LFC. I’d have hodgson back if I knew the king was going to be replaced by some rookie championship manager – at least he has a wealth of experience. Rodgers just likes the sound of his own voice, talks a good game to those clueless owners with his tika tacka sh@t and Barcelona standards, but fails to remember if was lfc who showed the likes of barca and the rest of the world how to play!! Pass and move has always been the mighty Liverpool way!!!
I do support KFC, bloody love it! Who doesnt love fried chicken?
I think your line of ‘i’d have Hodgson back’ says it all really
what about klopp to kop. ha maybe vincent del bosco to scotland then.
I dnt think its about slagging rogers I like the fact that he has given some of the young kids like sterling , wisdom suso , but he seems tobe leaving them out again if there good enough they continue with them like Dortmund .
As far as comparing rafa and rogers . What people are not getting is we are Liverpool football club we can’t wait a decade to win the prem. we want to buy good players in the summer and be ready to challenge nxt season . Tht is not impossible . But seems tht rogers wants more time again, he has to make the players and the fan believe.
I dont think is any doubt whether the likes of Sterling, Suso and Wisdom are good enough but that has to be a staggered introduction. Young players can burn out far quicker and suffer from over exposure. For example Sterling suffered a blip halfway through the season and it would have been wrong to continually select him, to rest was right.
Of course we are LFC and we want to win the league, but this takes time. How many seasons did it take Rafa to challeneg in the league? Unless you have a Mansour or an Abramovich in todays game a serious push for the title needs time
I think Rodgers did very well with Wisdom – helped him adapt to an unfamiliar role, gave him confidence, rest when needed, brought him back after a break and generally managed him well. I think he did well with Suso too. 18 games in a debut season is very good. Perhaps should’ve gotten a few more opportunities in 2nd half of season (even as a sub) but he did well with him. BR has mismanaged Sterling. Supreme talent but was massively overplayed in 1st half of season (with Downing & Assaidi not being tried), suffered from fatigue and strains as a result. Underplayed in 2nd half of season even when fit. Talked a whole lot of insulting rubbish to the press about him, treating him like a 10 year old rather than a young man.
Not convinced.
Seriously People are so delusional and obsessed with RAFA!!
JUST MOVE ON DUDE!!!
It’s the WORST DECISION EVER if Liverpool SACK RODGERS, HE IS THE MAN, EVERYBODY CAN SEE IT, EXCEPT YOU GUYS “RAFA-MAN”