by bigmick » Wed Apr 07, 2010 10:06 pm
Out on my own again here but that's ok, it'll probs just take people a while to work it all out. My contention is that the two owners must be hoping and praying that Rafa stays at the football club and that the fans continue to back him (I know a lot don't but there are still a few Raffer-Raff-Aye-Elle merchants kicking about).
So why? Well firstly of course, if the fans turn on the manager the owners are going to have to get rid, which is going to cost them 16 million quid or so, and that's not including the nutritionists, the dance teachers, the coach driver, the kit washers etc etc which he's brought in. Will they fancy shelling out 16 million quid at this juncture? Will they feck. Secondly, it's not like they could appoint Glen Roeder on a 500K per annum contract as there'd be uproar. They'd have to appoint a name manager, and there's every chance there'd be severence payments to fork out as well as a chunky contract. Would they fancy that? Nope. Thirdly, a name manager is obviously going to want and demand some kind of transfer budget because large parts of our squad are rubbish due to the incompetence of our current manager. Would they fancy another five year plan? What do you think?
Moving onto another angle, a new manager might start making things uncomfortable for them in the press. People talk about Rafa as if he's some sort of thorn in their side because he says we need new investment. THEY say we need new investment as well. Rafa can hardly jump up and down and say he hasn't had backing, when he's spunked his last two big money transfer fees on two players he doesn't want. That's why they have this puppet manager exactly where they want him, in their pockets. He has a little murmer now and then, but it's only excuse making on his part, usually in the same interview he talks about pairing down the debt, reducing overheads etc. Imagine if they had a fiery manager who was shooting from the hip. Do they fancy that, a "back me or sack me" ultimatum from a manager who has the team playing well and the backing of ALL the fans? Of course they don't. Rafa doesn't say "back me or sack me" because he knows he's got the cushiest job in football, well paid and the safety net of knowing that even in failure he will be revered by many.
So it's a marriage made in heaven, or hell depending on which way you look at it. They can't afford to sack him, and can't afford to get a new bloke in who rocks the boat. He can't afford for them to get rid, and can't afford to rock the boat. They aren't interested in trophies or glory, and he's their perfect man.
He'll be here next season too, doing as he'd told, still being backed by many. Want to make life difficult for the owners? keep an underachieving manager and avoid them having to shell out 16 million quid. Makes perfect sense doesn't it. They probably hae someone starting the pro Rafa chants on the terraces every week.
"se e in una bottigla ed e bianco, e latte".