Liverpool FC Forum

[LFC2007]

Fair cop I suppose, although it does raise a few questions in my mind as to where the line is drawn. I see a lot of managers make insinuations that ref's are biased, they're usually a little more tactful about it though.

Still, what's the damage?

[Bad Bob]

Couldn't this have just gone in the "rafa situation" thread?

Merged

[GYBS]

[tubby]

What a load of rubbish.

[KOPMATT]

It's the FA that are a fecking joke, they allowed Sebastien Bassong to only serve 1 or his 2 match bans as he'd changed clubs from Newcastle to Spurs after Spurs asked them to, thats allowed him to score against us when in fact he shouldn't have been on the pitch, I know it's clutching at straws but they change their minds when they feel like it................. !

[Ola Mr Benitez]

Xabi Alonso says he decided to leave Liverpool last summer
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 2 September 2009 13.44 BST


Xabi Alonso has revealed that he first came to the conclusion he was ready to leave Liverpool when the club tried to sell him last summer.


The Spaniard spent five successful seasons at Anfield before leaving for Real Madrid in a £30m move this summer. However the Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez tried to offload the 27-year-old 12 months ago to raise money for prospective signings, in particular Gareth Barry.


At the time the former Real Sociedad midfielder had struggled for form, making just 16 Premier League starts in 2007-08, but an outstanding campaign last season saw Real lodge their interest. Despite handing in a transfer request in July, Alonso admits that he had decided to leave the club after they had tried to sell him against his wishes a year earlier.


"It was a very difficult decision for me to make," he told Sky Sports News. "After five years I have experienced wonderful nights at Anfield, to have experienced the support of probably the best fans in the world.


"That's why I have always been very grateful and I will always have them in my mind and it has been a pleasure. Last summer the club [told] me that I might have to be sold to find funds for new players. It was a difficult decision or difficult moment to accept that. I accepted that as a professional and that moment probably changed my mind."


Alonso has since admitted that his relationship with Benítez deteriorated when he demanded to leave, but that it remained a professional one. "There has been a lot of rumours but I have always said that it has been simply a professional relationship," he added. "I have always tried to do what he asked [me] to do. What he asked of me on the pitch, to do the talking on the pitch, and that's that."

[DrPepe]

not disparaging your post, OMB - but maybe someone should have tolds the author of that piece that it's hardly news that Xabi wanted to leave  after rafa tried selling him.... it's been talked about for more than 12 months now 

[heimdall]

It's the FA that are a fecking joke, they allowed Sebastien Bassong to only serve 1 or his 2 match bans as he'd changed clubs from Newcastle to Spurs after Spurs asked them to, thats allowed him to score against us when in fact he shouldn't have been on the pitch, I know it's clutching at straws but they change their minds when they feel like it................. !

I agree but the rules are the rules it's like with the players not taking off their shirt, yet they still do it and get a yellow. If I was a manager and one of them took off their shirt I would fine the stupid fecker. What the hells with taking the shirt off anyway, very weird celebration, almost as if they aren't proud of their team or something, I'm glad none of our players do that nonsense, although I seem to recall Riise stripped down to his underpants once didn't he, I still have nightmares about that!   

[devaney]

Xabi Alonso says he decided to leave Liverpool last summer
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 2 September 2009 13.44 BST


Xabi Alonso has revealed that he first came to the conclusion he was ready to leave Liverpool when the club tried to sell him last summer.


The Spaniard spent five successful seasons at Anfield before leaving for Real Madrid in a £30m move this summer. However the Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez tried to offload the 27-year-old 12 months ago to raise money for prospective signings, in particular Gareth Barry.


At the time the former Real Sociedad midfielder had struggled for form, making just 16 Premier League starts in 2007-08, but an outstanding campaign last season saw Real lodge their interest. Despite handing in a transfer request in July, Alonso admits that he had decided to leave the club after they had tried to sell him against his wishes a year earlier.


"It was a very difficult decision for me to make," he told Sky Sports News. "After five years I have experienced wonderful nights at Anfield, to have experienced the support of probably the best fans in the world.


"That's why I have always been very grateful and I will always have them in my mind and it has been a pleasure. Last summer the club [told] me that I might have to be sold to find funds for new players. It was a difficult decision or difficult moment to accept that. I accepted that as a professional and that moment probably changed my mind."


Alonso has since admitted that his relationship with Benítez deteriorated when he demanded to leave, but that it remained a professional one. "There has been a lot of rumours but I have always said that it has been simply a professional relationship," he added. "I have always tried to do what he asked [me] to do. What he asked of me on the pitch, to do the talking on the pitch, and that's that."

S.hit - when did we sell Xabi ? ???

[Sir Roger]

Xabi Alonso says he decided to leave Liverpool last summer
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 2 September 2009 13.44 BST


Xabi Alonso has revealed that he first came to the conclusion he was ready to leave Liverpool when the club tried to sell him last summer.


The Spaniard spent five successful seasons at Anfield before leaving for Real Madrid in a £30m move this summer. However the Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez tried to offload the 27-year-old 12 months ago to raise money for prospective signings, in particular Gareth Barry.


At the time the former Real Sociedad midfielder had struggled for form, making just 16 Premier League starts in 2007-08, but an outstanding campaign last season saw Real lodge their interest. Despite handing in a transfer request in July, Alonso admits that he had decided to leave the club after they had tried to sell him against his wishes a year earlier.


"It was a very difficult decision for me to make," he told Sky Sports News. "After five years I have experienced wonderful nights at Anfield, to have experienced the support of probably the best fans in the world.


"That's why I have always been very grateful and I will always have them in my mind and it has been a pleasure. Last summer the club [told] me that I might have to be sold to find funds for new players. It was a difficult decision or difficult moment to accept that. I accepted that as a professional and that moment probably changed my mind."


Alonso has since admitted that his relationship with Benítez deteriorated when he demanded to leave, but that it remained a professional one. "There has been a lot of rumours but I have always said that it has been simply a professional relationship," he added. "I have always tried to do what he asked [me] to do. What he asked of me on the pitch, to do the talking on the pitch, and that's that."

S.hit - when did we sell Xabi ? ???

Xabi who...

[aCe']

Yet another example of Rafa's great man management...

Liverpool star Albert Riera has told the Spanish press he had a bust up with Rafa Benitez after he started the first three Premier League games from the bench. The former Manchester City loanee suggested he was furious with his manager after being restricted to roles from the substitutes bench, but intimated there was no lasting damager between the player and coach.

Riera told Spanish publication AS: “I didn't play the first game because I started training late after the Confederations Cup, like [Pepe] Reina and [Fernando] Torres,” 

“I was angry   and had a flare-up at Benitez , but the day I don't get angry for being a substitute I will retire.”

The Spanish international did not believe the conflict would lead to any damage, and subsequently heaped praise on his Anfield boss.

Riera added: “Benitez is a special coach who defends his own. I know he is with me, because he said so,”   

[GYBS]

So a player was angry becuase he didnt start - im glad he was angry shows he is determined and the headline is very misleading and furious bust up was more off a bit of a few words asking why he didnt start and then Rafa starts him ? cant see the problem there .

[Sir Roger]

So a player was angry becuase he didnt start - im glad he was angry shows he is determined and the headline is very misleading and furious bust up was more off a bit of a few words asking why he didnt start and then Rafa starts him ? cant see the problem there .

Cup half full GYBS
Cant see the problem anywhere

[DrPepe]

Yet another example of Rafa's great man management...

Good stuff from Riera. that's exactly what we want - players desperate, passionate to play

From what Riera says Rafa handled it exactly right

“Benitez is a special coach who defends his own. I know he is with me, because he said so,”

Or would you rather rafa give them a reach around? 

[GYBS]

Well obviously it must of been such a massive bust up that he got fined - he wont play for ages , his relationship with Rafa is ruined for ever and you wont ever hear Reira say a good word aboout Rafa now and he will transfer list him and sell him first chance he gets .

Fecking Rafa


Is that better than not overreacting to a nonsensical story