It is about perspective isn't it. You like Barca, your team plays in La Liga, the manager is an ex-Barca player, and your team is doing great. The bitterness of a Liverpool fan is expected because we are down on our knees and some of us are praying because we fear for the future of our team.
Rijkaard wasn't a chump when it came to tactics, bringing on Belletti in the 2006 Final was a good move if you ask me and a bit unexpected. To say any manager will do the same (as Pep) with the current Barca team is highly presumptuous, similarly, is Pep better then Rafa is similarly load of bull because they are two managers in completely different situations, two different leagues, two different structures, two different stadiums and two different academies. Barca can turn Mascherano's head, Liverpool cannot do the same, Barca can tap up Fabregas, Liverpool cannot even tap up Gareth fucking Barry. You see my point?
Valdano claims Liverpool plays like 'shit on a stick', and you implied the same. Like I said, it seems a little patronizing.
I don't think my answer to that fan should equate as an answer or statement to all Liverpool fans. Why should it? Do all Liverpool fans think that current Barca could win with ANY manager? Do they all think Pep as tactically not good?
I am not directly comparing Pep to Rafa, probably you cannot compare two players/managers completely fairly, because they will have different achievements in different conditions. But for me both Rijkaard and Guardiola are tactically brilliant managers. I gave other examples too, Hiddink, Mourinho, Benitez, Capello, Wenger, Ferguson etc. all are.
And no, I don't understand why Liverpool fans have to be bitter either. You or him might be bitter, but as far as I see, there are plenty on here who are perfectly fine with Barca and Pep and aren't bitter one bit. I don't have a problem with Rafa Benitez or his footballing philosophy, but I don't see how can you say at this point in time that he would demolish Guardiola and his Barca or just he is better tactically. Right now, Rafa Benitez, let's be fair, is on his arse and in deep shit. If Inter Milan was in current Liverpool situation, most of you on here would be laughing at "the special one" and calling him overrated. Benitez is a young manager and he has plenty of time to win trophies, but why oh why there's need to praise him at the expense of Guardiola right now? Its very bad timing for Rafa currently.
PS As for Valdano's comment, yes, to a degree I agree with him. I don't expect you as a Liverpool fan to agree with Valdano, but Rafa had fucking years to build his team and buy attacking players, yet he doesn't and he never will do. You complain about lack of money, but teams like Villarreal and Sevilla, if I am to give examples from Spanish league, operate on much smaller budgets and play more attacking team. Rafa Benitez had chances to buy some decent attackers and set up attacking team, but he will not betray his footballing philosophy. It looks good and machine-like if there are right players, like in Valencia or Liverpool at times last season, but his ideas are clear, and it is not attacking football.
Anyway, my comment reminding Valdano's thoughts about Benitez was as an answer to the statement that Madrid would (could? should?) hire Rafa and he would show Barca their place. My point is, Valdano and Perez will not hire him, because they think Rafa is not playing anything that they want to see.
