Liverpool FC Forum

[philchampionsl2005]

I love and worship Rafa as many of us do, and have noticed this past week his mood has been a bit different from the happy rafa. He is becoming frustrated:
firstly Mark Gonzales is denied a work permit which him off because he knows this player is needed now at the club. The promising signs came when he said that he is better than 50% of all premiership players which is a little more exciting.
Secondly i think he is a frustrated with the transfer market and how the board our not giving the money he needs for a CB and RM. i feel he obvious targets are or his most wanted is probably andrade and joaquin but he knows we can't afford.
Also there was a comment yestaday about morientes on .tv and says that nando needs better service so he obvoius disppointed in the crossing ability of the team that is why he wants a rw soon.
The bigger picture that is changing his mood is the owen situation where he has said he feelings about it, but with the new rumour that the board is stepping in to bring owen back could this be a bad move.
When rafa left valencia he spoke that he was disappointed in the board because of there interference and lack of funds available to him to get what he wants. It's probably me overeacting to what i've seen but hope rafa dosn't become upset with the board.

[XSD]

If the board is trying to tell rafa who to sign that is wrong imo. We don't know the situation though.
Previously Moores and Parry have always treated the managers very well and given them a lot of security. However I understand his frustration; how the hell is he supposed to build a premiership winning side when we win the CL and still don't make any big signings? With Chelsea, Man UTD and Arsenal all having more cash than us now we need to find some money to compete.

[Lando_Griffin]

We have made some big signings, in Reina (GK was the main problem position), Gonzalez (until blairs babes decided it would interfere with some terrorists attempt to come here and scrounge) and Crouch. (Well he's a BIG signing!!!)

The board won't be telling him who to sign. They may say who they'd like, but if Rafa says no, they'll accept it. Lets be fair, they can't have wanted Cheyrou, Diao, etc!!!!

I still think we should take them to the euro court over Marks permit. Let the feckers have some of their own medicine!!!

[A.B.]

Nobody is making Benitez sign anybody. He's smart enough to know how to spend money in the transfer market, he's done the same at Valencia.

[azriahmad]

I read in a local tabloid, a short news section that the Board has asked Benithez to consider signing Owen in light of the goal shyness of the present strikeforce thus far and it was reported that Benithez has agreed to reconsider. I don't know how true this is.

[The_Rock]

yeah, i read that moores wants to re-sign owen.... This is the most likely reason why we haven't signed a centreback yet. (ie...cash is being used to purchase owen).

[laza]

The work permit situation is obviously frustrating but hopefully its a delay not a stop to Rafa's plans. The pre-season chitters are to be expected especially after the CL win as i guess there will be lot of expectation and thus far more pressure on Rafa this year.
Out of all your points, its the Owen situation which im troubled by. While as fan i would be more then happy to see MO back in a red shirt. In saying that though , i would be concerned if he is re-signed not  because Rafa wants him but because of  undue cub political pressure to take him back. Nevertheless that is part and parcel of the modern game and even then i think it would have very little impact on Rafa, when you consider  some of the club machinations that happened to him at Valencia

[azriahmad]

Don't get me wrong, I like Owen because he is a great goalscorer, limited abilities or not, and Baros can't give the same return even if Owen can't play a full season due to his troublesome hamstrings. I don't think Cisse can quite match his goal returns either unless he gets a lot of good knock-downs and space from Crouch's abilities.

However, it is very obvious that the centre of defense is a key thing with the often heroic but slow getting exposed at an alarming regularity time and again even by part-timers' or minnows' players like TNS and Kaunas. Why do we need Owen and not a CB?

Who is the "football man", Benithez or Moores? Get over this Owen hang over and move on to improve the squad where the football man feels it is right. Rafael Benithez is no dipstick and has proven his credentials with honours in the past, he believes in a certain footballing philosophy. Please, let the man do his job.

[azriahmad]

Sorry, in my excitement, I forgot to mention "Hyppia" in the second para of the above thread.

[laza]

I agree i consider the Centre of defence to be main priority but of course just because there is a vacancy doesnt necessarily mean there is a suitable candidiate available to the spot.
That seems to be the story of the off season for a lot of clubs, not just Liverpool

[azriahmad]

Laza, I was referring to the reports of the Board asking Benithez to consider buying Owen when the funds should instead be directed towards a central defender.

Pray that we do not get the likes of Barca who has the quicksilver Eto'o and some pretty fancy attacking midfielders. Hyppia will get skinned alive and gets passed by time and again.

[Chelsea forever.]

Rafa is a very sharp man. He can work wonders if he gets the players he wants.

IMO if the board is forcing him to sell Milan and buy Owen - when he doesnt want to - then its wrong and it will rightly upset him.

Hmmm ... its a tough task if you ask me.

[TheoRacle]

I can't see that limited funds is the reason we don't yet have a new CB. For me its a bit of a long bow to draw to 'blame' the possible return of MO as the reason Rafa has not yet secured the services of a CB he believes can do the job. We are after all talking about someone who can eventually (sooner rather than later maybe) succeed Hyppia and become the mainstay of a Liverpool back line. In other words... he's gotta be damn good!

If, as most people imply Moores is an honourable man and the budget was initially not designed to bring in Owen and a new CB - the honourable thing for Moores to do would be to give Rafa an extra 10 mill for the Owen purchase. Surely then Rafa would be happy as he has yet another option to his strike force, net funds avaialble are not affected and LFC looks to be an even more attractive proposition for any potential CB  out there.

[anfieldadorer]

do you think Rafa is REALLY a bit frustrated at the moment or only your idea?

[2520years]

yeah, i read that moores wants to re-sign owen.... This is the most likely reason why we haven't signed a centreback yet. (ie...cash is being used to purchase owen).

Is this pressue from Moores to sign Owen a fact?  Have Rafa or Moores mentioned it?  It doesn't sound right to me.  I think it's paper talk to stir things up and give them something to write about.