Liverpool FC Forum

[devaney]

No no no no no !!!!!

Rafa has had his time at Liverpool and we had some good times for which I will always be grateful. He also played some of the most turgid football I have ever seen and some of his man management failings were legendary. The name Alonso comes to mind !! And what has he actually achieved since leaving Liverpool

He's won the Europa League, the World Club Championship, the Copa Italia and 2 Italian Super Cups 

Yakka the question I asked was: what exactly has Rafa achieved since leaving Liverpool?  I am only too aware that he has managed to get a few cups against his name. Prior to his appointment at Napoli he had been sidelined for an extremely long period and this in no small part was attributed to his performances at both Inter and Chelsea where his tenure with both clubs lasted for less than six months! He  had a moderate degree of success at Napoli  which led to him being appointed by Real Madrid where once again he lasted for less than six months.  His magnificent performances at Valencia and Liverpool  are something of the past. Rafa unfortunately is well and truly passed his best. I don't think he has ever been as good since his split with Paco.

As for Mags suggestion that he could be used as a DOF to persuade players to join Liverpool I am a lot more confident that JK would be more successful in that area. Personal view is that he would be a disruptive influence.

[Klopptomaniac]

I think this idea has been born out of sympathy for Rafa. It's a bad idea. Rafa was great for us and will always be respected by everyone associated with the club. We've moved on. Jurgen is the gaffer now and I have full faith that he will make us great again

[RED BEERGOGGLES]

No no no no no !!!!!

Rafa has had his time at Liverpool and we had some good times for which I will always be grateful. He also played some of the most turgid football I have ever seen and some of his man management failings were legendary. The name Alonso comes to mind !! And what has he actually achieved since leaving Liverpool

He's won the Europa League, the World Club Championship, the Copa Italia and 2 Italian Super Cups 

Yakka the question I asked was: what exactly has Rafa achieved since leaving Liverpool?  I am only too aware that he has managed to get a few cups against his name. Prior to his appointment at Napoli he had been sidelined for an extremely long period and this in no small part was attributed to his performances at both Inter and Chelsea where his tenure with both clubs lasted for less than six months! He  had a moderate degree of success at Napoli  which led to him being appointed by Real Madrid where once again he lasted for less than six months.  His magnificent performances at Valencia and Liverpool  are something of the past. Rafa unfortunately is well and truly passed his best. I don't think he has ever been as good since his split with Paco.

As for Mags suggestion that he could be used as a DOF to persuade players to join Liverpool I am a lot more confident that JK would be more successful in that area. Personal view is that he would be a disruptive influence.

Managing Inter and Madrid as we are more than aware leaves little or no margin for error (as Zidane will no doubt find out ) both teams only afford longevity to managers unless they win practically every game . I mean are you saying that Rafa afforded the time our former incumbent was without winning zip wouldn't do significantly better.

I think under Rafa we played some of the best football I've seen this club play ,we took apart teams like Madrid ,and our football was at times glorious ,yes there were some 'as you describe' turgid performances ,but the football we played was for the large part also conducive to a brilliant tactical brain.

Passed his best    If he keeps Newcastle up that could seriously come back to haunt those who feel modern football has left him behind ,the man is obsessed with football and knows arguably Europe better than most managers.

Klopp is our manager now ,not Benitez ,but the man still merits reverence for where he took us ,certainly not to be dismissed as a football dinosaur.

[ycsatbjywtbiastkamb]

Yep, well said mate, way too early to write Rafa off yet.

[Reg]

Agree too early t write Rafa off, after Italy and Spain his style is now more relaxed, in principle he could morph into a Bob Paisley style of character in that he has the experience, he knows what works and simply tells the players to trust him and go out there and do it.

[Santa]

Don't want to give Jurgen the feeling that he's being managed, that his decision can and will be second guessed. Let Klopp have a free reign and see where it takes us

[Santa]

I don't think he has ever been as good since his split with Paco.

Exactly...parting with Pako and letting Alonso leave coincides with a significant drop in the team's overall performance 

[devaney]

I am certainly not writing Rafa off. He is however IMHO past his best and his achivements over the last few years would certainly suggest that. Apart from Napoli he has had a number of very short term positions that did not, for whatever reason, work out in his favour. Let's face it there is a reason why he is at relegating fighting Newcastle rather than any of the top European teams. I agree that Inter and RM expect instant success. However it is also true to say that the managers that they release obtain quality positions with highly rated clubs. That has not been the case with Rafa.

At the weekend it was interesting to see that Pako's team Valencia turned over Barca at the Nue Camp and that was only his third game in charge!! The Neville brothers famously lost 7-0 to Barca earlier in the season with the same team !! I know it was only one game. Shankly had Paisley. Rafa had Pako. Klopp has kept the same assistants since his first managerial role at Mainz. A highly successful managerial team is just as important as the team on the pitch.Rafa and Pako's best years were when they were together.

[maguskwt]

Rafa's choices has been bad when it comes to picking teams to manage. He was unlucky at Liverpool. If he didn't get the new owners, he would've probably repeated his success of the early years. After that, his choices has been bad, bad and bad except for maybe Napoli. I don't think he is someone suited to manage an assemble of superstars. Mourinho is more of that type of manager. Rafa is someone who needs to build his own team. Rafa and Mourinho have such contrasting styles. So to manage Inter after Mourinho is a bad idea. After that another bad idea with Chelsea. Then I think he resigned at Napoli after 2 seasons to join Real. Another bad idea. All these three club ownership probably listen to the players when they assess the manager. And when the players who are used to Mourinho's style give bad feedback on Rafa, he is gone. He should have stayed at Napoli and build that team. The early signs were promising with them qualifying for the CL. He would have gone a long way repairing his reputation. Joining Real was really bad idea. His reputation wasn't ready for the assignment yet. He was sitting on very shaky reputation. Real was probably only testing him out and not because they really wanted him. And now he is consigned to rescuing Newcastle, another pathetic club who sells their best players. Another bad choice Rafa.

[Reg]

For someone who had such bad decisions he sure made a shitload of money.

[maguskwt]

For someone who had such bad decisions he sure made a shitload of money.

“We are each our own devil, and we make this world our hell.” - Oscare Wilde...

[7_Kewell]

Will probably end up with the Spain job in the next year or two. But as I said earlier, no idea what he's doing at Newcastle. He might get them out of relegation, but he won't get the funds or the time to fix the squad. If they go down, he'll struggle big time with Championship football.

[maguskwt]

Will probably end up with the Spain job in the next year or two. But as I said earlier, no idea what he's doing at Newcastle. He might get them out of relegation, but he won't get the funds or the time to fix the squad. If they go down, he'll struggle big time with Championship football.

He's not contracted to stay if they go down mate...

[number 8 ynwa]

I think Rafa's and Jurgen's ideas and ways they like to play are too different.. Proper clash waiting to happen there.

[7_Kewell]

Will probably end up with the Spain job in the next year or two. But as I said earlier, no idea what he's doing at Newcastle. He might get them out of relegation, but he won't get the funds or the time to fix the squad. If they go down, he'll struggle big time with Championship football.

He's not contracted to stay if they go down mate...

I think he'll stay. Where else will he go? Hardly been a great season if he goes from being sacked at Real to taking Newcastle down. I know the latter isn't his fault, but it will still look bad if he leaves after sealing their fate. I have a sneaky feeling he'll stay on.