Liverpool FC Forum

[bigmick]

It's a sad reflection on my life that I've got feck all else better to do on  Sunday mornig that debate on here whether or not Rafa or Parry gave the go ahead to buy Keane I've heard some defences of the manager over the last four seasons, and his methodology, but if you had told me even a month ago that people would be claiming so fervently that Rafa didn't buy keane, i wouldn't have believed it .

It is a classic moment in the debate on the tenure of Rafa Benitez

[account deleted by request]

The selling don't count. We get a kitty every year. Rafa had to spend or else come summer hed have 20 mill less than usual. It's like company's getting abudget, you dont spend it, next year you get less.

This is fact, no?

So we didn't really want Riera, it was just a case of getting rid of all our loose change after the Keane deal 

[dawson99]

The selling don't count. We get a kitty every year. Rafa had to spend or else come summer hed have 20 mill less than usual. It's like company's getting abudget, you dont spend it, next year you get less.

This is fact, no?

So we didn't really want Riera, it was just a case of getting rid of all our loose change after the Keane deal 

...exactly! now you're gettnig it. You wait til next summer when we buy Danny Shittu for 15 million, then you'll believe 

[Rush Job]

It's a sad reflection on my life that I've got feck all else better to do on  Sunday mornig that debate on here whether or not Rafa or Parry gave the go ahead to buy Keane I've heard some defences of the manager over the last four seasons, and his methodology, but if you had told me even a month ago that people would be claiming so fervently that Rafa didn't buy keane, i wouldn't have believed it .

It is a classic moment in the debate on the tenure of Rafa Benitez

Well sow your sides back up because I didnt say that did I.

[Effes]

It's a sad reflection on my life that I've got feck all else better to do on  Sunday mornig that debate on here whether or not Rafa or Parry gave the go ahead to buy Keane

It's feckin Saturday night here Mick!!

[bigmick]

It's a sad reflection on my life that I've got feck all else better to do on  Sunday mornig that debate on here whether or not Rafa or Parry gave the go ahead to buy Keane

It's feckin Saturday night here Mick!!

Well I'll tell you this Eff. If I was in the Uk tonight I'd be out somewhere chewing through the pints and talking b0ll0cks to some poor fecker, there'd be no stopping me. Sh!t I miss that 

[dawson99]

It's a sad reflection on my life that I've got feck all else better to do on  Sunday mornig that debate on here whether or not Rafa or Parry gave the go ahead to buy Keane

It's feckin Saturday night here Mick!!

Well I'll tell you this Eff. If I was in the Uk tonight I'd be out somewhere chewing through the pints and talking b0ll0cks to some poor fecker, there'd be no stopping me. Sh!t I miss that 

that's what we're doing with you 

nah, im in work til 1am 

but i am hungover 

[Effes]

It's a sad reflection on my life that I've got feck all else better to do on  Sunday mornig that debate on here whether or not Rafa or Parry gave the go ahead to buy Keane

It's feckin Saturday night here Mick!!

Well I'll tell you this Eff. If I was in the Uk tonight I'd be out somewhere chewing through the pints and talking b0ll0cks to some poor fecker, there'd be no stopping me. Sh!t I miss that 

Hmm, stuck in watching Planet of the Apes with me daughter.
Unfortunatley, it's the 2001 version - total pish.

I'll stick round here tho, plenty of monkey talk goin on.

[dawson99]

its friendly banter tonight tho... but seriously, Keane... something's up. Some reason Rafa don't like him, it's gone very personal. And Rafa lives for football so its worrying

[Ciggy]

WOW.

Spurs to end Keane's Anfield misery - I didn’t even sanction the £20m transfer in the first place, admits angry Benitez

Robbie Keane is on the verge of a £15million return to Tottenham after being ditched by Rafael Benitez for Liverpool's most important game of the season against Chelsea today.

Benitez, who has also won important contract concessions from the club's American owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, effectively ended Keane's six-month Anfield career yesterday when he left the mercurial striker out of his squad to face Luiz Felipe Scolari's side.

Liverpool must win today if they are to stay in the race for their first League title since 1990. But the omission of Keane, 28, prompted Spurs manager Harry Redknapp, reeling from the loss of Jermain Defoe for several weeks with a foot injury, to move fast to secure the Irishman as a replacement.


Liverpool's Robbie Keane hasn't settled since his move from Spurs

Keane, the Republic of Ireland captain, scored 107 goals for the White Hart Lane club between 2002-2008 and although he upset some fans with the manner of his departure for Anfield last July, most are likely to welcome him back.

Spurs, lying 14th after a 3-2 defeat at Bolton yesterday, are unwilling to repay the full £20.3m they received from Liverpool, but the clubs are likely to agree a fee before Monday's 5pm transfer deadline.

The departure of Keane from Anfield is a significant victory for Benitez in the power battle that has threatened to derail Liverpool's title ambitions this season. Benitez was unhappy that Liverpool paid the full blocking his £18m move for Aston Villa's England
midfielder Gareth Barry.

Keane has scored only seven goals in 28 games for Liverpool and publicly showed dissent whenever substituted by Benitez, whose preferred attack is Fernando Torres, supported by Steven Gerrard.

The Keane issue was one of the reasons Benitez demanded authority over chief executive Rick Parry in choosing how Liverpool spend their money in the transfer market. Both owners are in England for the Chelsea game and hope to sort out Benitez's contract concerns so he can agree a new four-year deal before they return to America.


Liverpool signing Keane with manager Rafael Benitez

Hicks met Benitez for lunch yesterday and the Liverpool manager is expected to meet both owners once Gillett arrives on Merseyside this morning.

The Americans, who have been split on several issues, have joined forces to try to secure Benitez's signature. One of the most significant changes on the new deal offered to Benitez is that he will now report to the owners on transfers.

A source said: 'There has been a lot of communication between the owners and Benitez in the past 72 hours. Some changes have been made to the original contract offer and there is a hope that Benitez will agree to it. The idea is for him to be in charge of football matters, and leave Rick Parry to do the commercial side.

'If Manchester United were in the market for two players who cost the same money, the board would let Mr. Ferguson choose which one he needed the most - the same applies for Arsene Wenger and David Moyes. The owners understand Rafa should be given the same deal.'

Keane, a boyhood Liverpool fan, will be distraught at having to leave but has been unhappy at the deeplying role he has been asked to play. Benitez indicated last night that he had not sanctioned paying £20m for Keane, insisting: 'The club spent it.'

He is apparently indifferent as to whether Keane attends today's game, saying: 'It's a day off for the players not in the squad. We don't insist they come to the game.'

[url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1133129/Spurs-end-Keanes-Anfield-misery--I-didn-8217-t-sanction-20m-transfer-place-admits-angry-Be
nitez.html?ITO=1490]http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport....TO=1490[/url]

[bigmick]

Whats up Daws is this. This is the Micky version of events. Forget about all that sh!t about Parry buying him, this is my theory.

Firstly, although Gerrard and Torres played well together last season, Rafa realises that top teams can cur them off from the rest of the team. He feels that in order for the team to progress (this is at the start of the season) we are going to have to be more offensive. Therefore he is going to play 4-4-2. He considers lots of options to play alongside Torres, and ends up going for Keane. He feels that Keane provides the balance between work ethic and ability which say an Arshavin wouldn't. He can also cover when Torres isn't there, and has a fantastic attitude. A typical rafa player in many ways.

This also explains the desire to offload Alonso. If we are only going to play two central midfielders as opposed to three, Rafa calculates that the defensive excellence of Masherano is required to knit it together. Also, with the Alonso money he can buy Barry, which gives him an option as a central midfielder as well if pushed.

Unfortunately, Keane takes time to settle and then Torres gets injured. As Keane struggles, Gerrards form is an absolute revelation making him absolutely undroppable. Not only that, but the team functions more efficiently as a 4-5-1, making Keane's postion difficult. Once Torres comes back, Keane obviously can't get a game. He approaches Rafa and asks why rafa told him the plan was to play 4-4-2 when in actual fact it's almost always a 4-5-1 meaning he can't get in. Rafa tells him thats the way it is (using his legendary man management skills), Keane kicks off and they fall out.

That my friends is what I think happened. A poor signing compounded by poor form and dreadful man management.

[dawson99]

...yet Ciggys post just re-iterated what I think lol.

I dunno whats going on. But to say the 4-5-1 doesn't explain ngog getting games and just a plethera of other things that just seem to not be working at the club this season. We know how we play best. 2 defensive mids and gerrard bombing up the pitch.
Rafa knew that before he brought Keane. He knew that a fit and healthy stevie and torres would leave a 20 mill man on the bench a lot. That happened before this season, we knew our strentghs...

[account deleted by request]

I'm telling you, Rafa never wanted Keane, the higher uppers brought him, and he's showing we shouldn't buy players he dont want... its that simple

I think the Brian Reade article is maybe more accurate - Rafa did want Keane,
but the way Parry went about it left Rafa with only enough left to get Riera.

I think thats partly right mate, but remember Parry said we have the money, we just don't want to pay out so much for a player with little or no resale value.

So I think Rafa wanted both, but Parry would only let him have one, and maybe if Rafa had his choice it wouldn't have been Keane, but then maybe Alonso wouldn't still be with us now if we had bought Barry?

I think you will find that that is what I have been saying all along < -------- smug smile

[mistyred]

Lynds this is a shock what the hell are they giving Rafa a new contract for

Only Joking.... this just makes clear my worries about the club, it's in turmoil at the
moment and IF Keaneis sold we still need a striker i hope Rafa has a good
deck in his hands.

[bigmick]

WOW.

Spurs to end Keane's Anfield misery - I didn’t even sanction the £20m transfer in the first place, admits angry Benitez

Robbie Keane is on the verge of a £15million return to Tottenham after being ditched by Rafael Benitez for Liverpool's most important game of the season against Chelsea today.

Benitez, who has also won important contract concessions from the club's American owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, effectively ended Keane's six-month Anfield career yesterday when he left the mercurial striker out of his squad to face Luiz Felipe Scolari's side.

Liverpool must win today if they are to stay in the race for their first League title since 1990. But the omission of Keane, 28, prompted Spurs manager Harry Redknapp, reeling from the loss of Jermain Defoe for several weeks with a foot injury, to move fast to secure the Irishman as a replacement.


Liverpool's Robbie Keane hasn't settled since his move from Spurs

Keane, the Republic of Ireland captain, scored 107 goals for the White Hart Lane club between 2002-2008 and although he upset some fans with the manner of his departure for Anfield last July, most are likely to welcome him back.

Spurs, lying 14th after a 3-2 defeat at Bolton yesterday, are unwilling to repay the full £20.3m they received from Liverpool, but the clubs are likely to agree a fee before Monday's 5pm transfer deadline.

The departure of Keane from Anfield is a significant victory for Benitez in the power battle that has threatened to derail Liverpool's title ambitions this season. Benitez was unhappy that Liverpool paid the full blocking his £18m move for Aston Villa's England
midfielder Gareth Barry.

Keane has scored only seven goals in 28 games for Liverpool and publicly showed dissent whenever substituted by Benitez, whose preferred attack is Fernando Torres, supported by Steven Gerrard.

The Keane issue was one of the reasons Benitez demanded authority over chief executive Rick Parry in choosing how Liverpool spend their money in the transfer market. Both owners are in England for the Chelsea game and hope to sort out Benitez's contract concerns so he can agree a new four-year deal before they return to America.


Liverpool signing Keane with manager Rafael Benitez

Hicks met Benitez for lunch yesterday and the Liverpool manager is expected to meet both owners once Gillett arrives on Merseyside this morning.

The Americans, who have been split on several issues, have joined forces to try to secure Benitez's signature. One of the most significant changes on the new deal offered to Benitez is that he will now report to the owners on transfers.

A source said: 'There has been a lot of communication between the owners and Benitez in the past 72 hours. Some changes have been made to the original contract offer and there is a hope that Benitez will agree to it. The idea is for him to be in charge of football matters, and leave Rick Parry to do the commercial side.

'If Manchester United were in the market for two players who cost the same money, the board would let Mr. Ferguson choose which one he needed the most - the same applies for Arsene Wenger and David Moyes. The owners understand Rafa should be given the same deal.'

Keane, a boyhood Liverpool fan, will be distraught at having to leave but has been unhappy at the deeplying role he has been asked to play. Benitez indicated last night that he had not sanctioned paying £20m for Keane, insisting: 'The club spent it.'

He is apparently indifferent as to whether Keane attends today's game, saying: 'It's a day off for the players not in the squad. We don't insist they come to the game.'

[url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1133129/Spurs-end-Keanes-Anfield-misery--I-didn-8217-t-sanction-20m-transfer-place-admits-angry-Be

nitez.html?ITO=1490]http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport....TO=1490[/url]

"the club spent it".


We need a new manager. Time to go I'm afraid. Yes let him stay till the end of the season, but if he said that any support I had for him (which admittedly wasn't that much) along with any lingering respect, has gone.

Time for a new manager, and allowing this man to sign a new contract could have grave consequences for the club.