SO, the day is coming. As Liverpool FC play hosts to Chelsea on Sunday, El Jefe returns to his old playground – or perhaps chess board is a more befitting choice of word.
I can only imagine how strange it will be for him to step onto the pitch and take a seat in the ‘wrong’ dugout, for the first time since his excellent Valencia side visited Anfield in 2002. But like the thoroughbred professional he is, his emotions will vaporise the second the referee starts the game. He will be there to win a game of football, make no mistake about it.
I don’t think managers see football the way we do. Not the really good ones. I think they see shapes, trends and details, on a level far beyond what we see. When I try to imagine how Rafa watches a game of football I picture something similar to the Seinfeld episode when George is moving an arcade game across the street, and goes into Frogger mode to dodge the traffic. Not the best of comparisons, I know. You get the point though…
But I digress…
Rafael Benitez provided us with memories to relive and stories to tell; stories and memories I for some reason feel a bit ambivalent about now a few years later. Looking back at the period with Rafa in charge I first and foremost see all the contrasts. I see trophies and what looked like a proper football team, especially from 2007 – 2009; but I also see a team that under his reign generally wasn’t all that pleasing to the eye.
There were always question marks surrounding many of his decisions, both in terms of transfer dealings and tactical dispositions. All in all though, I think most LFC fans will agree if I say the positives heavily outweighed the negatives.
He played a major part in some of my fondest footballing moments as a fan, which I will always be grateful for. Istanbul and Cardiff in 2005,and the FA Cup final the following year; then two superb Champions League campaigns, reaching the final in 2007 and the semi-final in 2008.
Even though our league form usually was a bit too inconsistent to mount a real challenge we always had a knack of being there at the business end of the season, sniffing around various cup trophies. It felt like we were going somewhere – back towards the top – and we were picking up finals and trophies along the way. After the 2008/09 season I was hopeful about this being the final step most teams take on their way to a league title: First you challenge for it – then you win it.
But then it gradually started to fall apart. Rafa’s last season was the start of our most recent demise, a demise that began even before the team reached its pinnacle. At the moment I felt it was the right decision to let him go; not because I had lost faith in him, but because he looked burnt out from all the battles he fought. I thought it would be in the best interest of the club to let him go and find someone who could get us back on course without getting involved in the power struggle within the Anfield hierarchy. In retrospect it’s easy to think in the lines of ‘If only he could have lasted six more months…’
Similar to how Kenny Dalglish should have been allowed a sabbatical in the aftermath of Hillsborough, I think the ideal solution would have been to have given him some time off to recharge the batteries and regain some focus. Completely different situations of course – in every possible way – but I think 6-12 months off and no Tom Hicks in sight would have worked wonders, allowing him to return to a Hicks and Purslow-free zone and a fresh start with new owners.
But all of this is water under the bridge now. All that matters today is here and now, and how we move forward. Remembering is good, but it’s time to let go of the past and embrace what we have in the present. Dwelling rarely gets you anywhere in football.
Anyway, however each of us feel about Rafa Benitez I think we can agree on two things: He deserves a warm and heartily welcome when entering Anfield on Sunday, but hopefully he leaves with no points in the bag. I don’t think his heart will mind.
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Sad that he is sat in the opposite dug out. Everton messed up today, we need to win.
I wish him all the best and will wish for a 5 0 win against Man U. Simples for now.
It’s a disgrace that he is in the wrong dugout today..we should have rafa not the championship manager we have now
Welcome back benitez and good luck. For liveepool fc i wish for us all the best against our ex-manager
Its a chance to let the current owners Know where we think they went wrong. But I hope he gets beat tomorrow!!!
They went wrong appointing Hodgson and Dalglish but I think they have it right now.
Rodgers is the biggest mistake in our history. Totally useless no mark
thank you, some are still deluded. Rafa is the lfc Don.
Deserves a good welcome but let’s hope the Liverpool fans don’t embarrass themselves buy going over the top in chanting his name for prolonged periods
Support the current team and manager
No. Rodgers is a fool. The sooner he is sacked the better
I will be supporting liverpool fc and Rafa,i agree with tommy above, i gave Rodgers time,i listened and watched and now i feel i have the right to demand the man gets removed,everytime the man speaks he comes across like a chancer! a blagger of the highest order,i admit i cant stand the man! he really is a poor manager who knows little about football or what it takes to be a real giant and to manage the greatest club side ever liverpool fc. Rafa…now i know towards the end of his reign things went pearshaped
but he did have itchy n scratchy to contend with so he gets credit in my mind,the best thing about Rafa though was he was and still is a born winner and a single minded man just like shanks,rodgers on the other hand as won f..k all! and i dont think this man knows what it takes to win respect and fight tooth and nail to make us the fans,the team
his number one priority rodgers comes across as a man who just wants to be a legand in his own mind.
Well said jay. I love Rafa. Its not til something is gone that u miss it most. Rodgers is a joke not a patch on rafa
let that be written, and let that be said. Todgers OUT!!!!!!!!
We have the wrong manager in dugout tomorrow. Get rafa back for good , and lets sack rodgers – he is a awful manager
Think there would be a big deal if we had a good manager. Last year we would have give rafa a warm welcome but nothing more….now because Rodgers is soon useless – Liverpool fans are looking at rafa and wishing we had him back
Rafa has a point to prove. Rogers thinks he know all about liverpool but he is all talk. He has to get sacked if we want champions league football. We need rafa back.
Rodger must leave for the sake of the club, now only Rafa can save us from become mid table football club. He told that he still have unfinished business in Liverpool FC, can see that his ambitions and love for the club. Out now Mr Brendan Rodgers!
Rodgers get out. Ur not wanted. Rafa would be welcome but I’d prefer laudrup
No matter who we get , one thing for sure RODGERS MUST GO
I started supporting Liverpool in 2008, the season when we were at our best. I don’t know how we used to play in Rafa’s previous years, but looking at our league and Champions League performances, I had a feeling of awe, a feeling that we were, we are, and will be an awesome club. I used to chant, “Rafa! Rafa! Rafa!”.
In the off season of 2009, I was pretty confident that this will be our year. But everything fell apart since then. When I look back, I feel suffocated seeing our fall. Hopefully, we will get to see those glory days back. Till then, I will walk on with hope in my heart.
All those that thinks we have got it wrong in BR are the foolest of LFC fans who dont want to see the club back on track. But its easy if u dont want BR u can leave the kop and Everton before its to late.
BR the right man to take us back on our feet.
YNWA
On what evidence do u say this ?
His 12th place with Swansea ?
Or his total failure at reading ? Or the terrible season he has just given us ?
Or maybe it’s the great players he signs like Allen assaidI or Borini ?
No. No it’s just BLIND FAITH …as usual
Rodgers is taking us backwards…wake up and get a grip of reality
Listen you deluded clowns. If the owners didn’t even offer Rafa a look in when we had no manager last summer, why would they now or ever in the future? He’s not coming back under the current owners you fools! FACT!!!!
Now knowing that fact, stick behind your club and manager. Without your support he will fail. Or go and bring your negativity to Chelsea where they sack their manager yearly.
Blah blah blah.. Same deluded fool whining about other fans again
thank you Gaz
Its beginning to look as though we swapped owners with no money for owners with cash but won’t spend it …. Rodgers will do as he’s told – top managers want to manage.
2 draws and the SACK ROGERS brigade are out. Shallow fickle stupid fans. The beginning if the end for this club I see. Not because of the manager or the owners or the players. But a section of negative short sighted impatient immature fans. Whose negativity WILL be the end of the club.
Try actually listening to the words of YNWA when you sing it, not just sing like a hymn you idiots.
“Walk on, through the rain
Though your dreams be tossed and blown
Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart”
If you think it’s stormy times, walk on with hope and be brave. Don’t be a wining moaning little girl. Be a soldier. A crowd of soldiers behind the team WILL overcome the odds eventually and make that success so much sweeter.
Do you think Man City players or fans felt anything near the same LFC fans would feel if we won the prem league, NO! Cos they bought that success. Do you think Chelsea felt anything like we felt at Istanbul, No! Cos they didn’t overcome adversity.
Be soldiers or leave. Better to have a few thousands MEN then a million wimps who are just a weight in the clubs back.
Blah blah ….we dint need idiot fans like u anywhere near ourclub
You don’t understand football….u don’t even understand the song
Now bog off back to London….and leave supporting our club to the real fans
Anyone who wants Liverpool to keep an atrocious manager like Rodgers is obviously a Manc or Chelsea fan
Go back to your own clubs websites
respect to that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Real stop talking rubbish
Rafa is a million times better than Bodgers.FSG should take note and give us what we want. Rafas return !
We want a permanent return for Rafa _ not just today.
Rodgers is out of his depth, a top manager has to be our priority this summer