Author Topic: Sid Lowe on Rafa Benitez  (Read 22309 times)

Offline Ambrosia

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Re: Sid Lowe on Rafa Benitez
« Reply #80 on: September 8, 2010, 03:31:28 pm »
I've said it before but I really think some of our senior players lack the balls needed to lead the side. It's almost infantile.
I'm inclined to agree. Not just that but there is a hierarchy in our team, with the team secondary to individuals. Gerrard, Carragher, Cole will play their favoured roles because of who they are, even if it is detriment to the team. We're never going to be a successful side as long as that type of attitude is encouraged by the management and fans. In the end, it wasn't Rafa's lack of man management that killed him, it was allowing players to become bigger than the team that finished him off.

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Re: Sid Lowe on Rafa Benitez
« Reply #81 on: September 8, 2010, 05:23:06 pm »
Give me the cold steel of the European Cup over a warm smile any day.

Beautifully put.
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Re: Sid Lowe on Rafa Benitez
« Reply #82 on: September 8, 2010, 05:50:48 pm »
Ah to be looked at the team that plays nice football and doesn't win anything. How I long for this.
true, it's better than being the team that play shit football and don't win anything with 2 yanks plundering us like gary glitter and vietnamese orphanages.
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Re: Sid Lowe on Rafa Benitez
« Reply #83 on: September 8, 2010, 05:52:02 pm »
true, it's better than being the team that play shit football and don't win anything with 2 yanks plundering us like gary glitter and vietnamese orphanages.

You do understand what I was getting at right?

Offline pascoli

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Re: Sid Lowe on Rafa Benitez
« Reply #84 on: September 8, 2010, 05:58:35 pm »
Am I the only one to have found the constant references to LFC as "it" annoying?

Great read, but that kept really doing my head in for some reason.

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Offline Gnurglan

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Re: Sid Lowe on Rafa Benitez
« Reply #85 on: September 8, 2010, 06:08:31 pm »
Liked it. It's good to know some journos actually have a memory of their own.

        * * * * * *


"The key isn't the system itself, but how the players adapt on the pitch. It doesn't matter if it's 4-3-3 or 4-4-2, it's the role of the players that counts." Rafa Benitez

Offline WorldChampions

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Re: Sid Lowe on Rafa Benitez
« Reply #86 on: September 8, 2010, 06:37:54 pm »
Give me the cold steel of the European Cup over a warm smile any day.

:thumbup

Offline thegoodfella

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Re: Sid Lowe on Rafa Benitez
« Reply #87 on: September 8, 2010, 06:49:10 pm »
Give me the cold steel of the European Cup over a warm smile any day.

This is going in my signature ;)

Offline Captain-Carra

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Re: Sid Lowe on Rafa Benitez
« Reply #88 on: September 8, 2010, 07:09:28 pm »
I'd agree with that and I was disappointed to read these comments from Carra recently which seem to accuse Rafa of behaving in a way that was not in keeping with the Liverpool way,

"I just think that over the last few years people didn't like Liverpool. Other managers didn't like us, we were always getting criticism in the press, obviously we were not doing well on the pitch so that comes with it, but everything was just negative Liverpool all the time.

"We've had situations like Martin O'Neill and Steve Bruce criticising Liverpool and they were right. We shouldn't be getting involved with stuff like that. Everyone else should look at Liverpool and say they have dignity, class. I mean, like the way people look at Arsenal. They do things right and you think they conduct themselves in the right way. I think we have been a club who were like that and we need to get back to that, to do things right. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose; that's football. You can't win all the time. But you can still behave in a way where people respect you."


http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/sep/04/jamie-carragher-liverpool-testimonial

It's possible that some of that criticism is aimed at the owners and Purslow, but I read it as him having a go at Rafa which as I said is pretty disappointing.
 
Saw an interview on Sky Sports News before his testimonial. Seemed to spend a lot of it justifying the change and saying Rafa had to go because 7th wasn't good enough for Liverpool and that change was needed. Then he went on to praise Houllier and Hodgson.

The fact that he has made many statements praising Houllier recently has seemed a little bit harsh on Rafa.

Not too sure that Jamie is following the Liverpool way himself
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Re: Sid Lowe on Rafa Benitez
« Reply #89 on: September 8, 2010, 07:25:42 pm »
One of my biggest gripes about last season was the lack of responsibility the players seemed to take for it it. Everything was pinned on Rafa and controlling though he was I don't see how he could be balmed for some of the basic errors that were made, especially in the early prt of the season.

Definitely. And that's why I don't get all that sympathy towards players fucking off (or thinking about it, or being linked with another club by the press) after that season, because "they deserve to be playing CL football". They played a huge, huge part in fucking up the season. And even if they're taking some responsibility for it, it's always about "us" and "we" spreading the blame on the whole team rather than just talking about themselves...

Offline steveeastend

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Re: Sid Lowe on Rafa Benitez
« Reply #90 on: September 8, 2010, 07:55:56 pm »
Saw an interview on Sky Sports News before his testimonial. Seemed to spend a lot of it justifying the change and saying Rafa had to go because 7th wasn't good enough for Liverpool and that change was needed. Then he went on to praise Houllier and Hodgson.

The fact that he has made many statements praising Houllier recently has seemed a little bit harsh on Rafa.

Not too sure that Jamie is following the Liverpool way himself


This is exactly my impression and I really cannot understand that people don´t wanna see that this is some sort of a dangeorus thing. The players for sure had a say concerning the manager change, Purslow is the main behind it but IF the players wanted Rafa to stay, he would still be here, Carra and Stevie were crucial here..

But anyway, Rafa´s gone and hope Roy has a plan as good as his intentions surely are...

It remains a dangerous thing for any club though if some players are too powerful, think they are in a position to have heavy influence on crucial decisions. In fact they lack experience and knowledge here, they should just rather be concerned on anything related to the performance on the pitch as a player and learning as much as possible as human beings in their 20ies, who they actually are!!! Ferguson shipped them out on a constant basis as well as Wenger and I am pretty sure Capello would be better off without the Chelsea boys, Terry and Lampard... In no way I am saying that I want Gerrard or Carra out, but critisim on their statements and activities recently should be allowed...
« Last Edit: September 8, 2010, 08:04:02 pm by steveeastend »
One thing does need to be said: in the post-Benitez era, there was media-led clamour (but also some politicking going on at the club) to make the club more English; the idea being that the club had lost the very essence of what it means to be ‘Liverpool’. Guillem Ballague 18/11/10

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Re: Sid Lowe on Rafa Benitez
« Reply #91 on: September 8, 2010, 09:33:10 pm »
I fail to see how any of that article can be regarded as some anti Hodgson piece, it was as good a balanced article about Rafa that I have read in a long time he lists the faults clearly and weighs that up against all the good things he did, no agenda , no bias, no bullshit, simple judgements on his time here at Liverpool.
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Re: Sid Lowe on Rafa Benitez
« Reply #92 on: September 8, 2010, 10:46:07 pm »
Sid Lowe is always good, in writing or on the Guardian podcasts too.

Offline The 5th Benitle

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Re: Sid Lowe on Rafa Benitez
« Reply #93 on: September 8, 2010, 10:48:56 pm »
Does sound like a darts player though.

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Re: Sid Lowe on Rafa Benitez
« Reply #94 on: September 8, 2010, 11:21:31 pm »
A massive red aswell , brilliant journalist.
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Re: Sid Lowe on Rafa Benitez
« Reply #95 on: September 8, 2010, 11:38:45 pm »
there is lots to agree with in that article. The press were out to get rafa and sadly got their way.

Just to say though (and this is not a dig at gerrard as its not his fault) but stevie is almost too important at LFC. Ever since he decided not to leave back in 2005/6 all you hear from journo's and commentators is that "Steven Gerrard is LFC". This has been said repeatedly for 4 years so much so that most people believe it. Its quite an unhealthy position we are in as a club as he wields so much power/loyalty in the media. If gerrard looks unhappy than its the managers fault. If gerrard is not playing well than he should be put in his favoured position etc. It would take a brave man to go against his wishes.

Its hard to manage a team when there is one player who in the media's eyes is bigger than the team and even possibly the club.

I dont know if there are any other clubs in the prem where a single player is viewed as being that important. Ferguson is still top dog at united so even when beckham went the press didnt go after him.

However there was only going to be one loser when stevie thought rafa's days were numbered.

Dont get wrong this isnt an attack on SG as the media have created this situation and its been going on for ages. I also dont think SG is the type to play the power games but its a difficult situation for any LFC manager.
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Offline SalisburyRed

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Re: Sid Lowe on Rafa Benitez
« Reply #96 on: September 8, 2010, 11:51:42 pm »
Does sound like a darts player though.

His real name is Dr Simon Lowe.

Offline LF

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Re: Sid Lowe on Rafa Benitez
« Reply #97 on: September 8, 2010, 11:54:01 pm »
This is exactly my impression and I really cannot understand that people don´t wanna see that this is some sort of a dangeorus thing. The players for sure had a say concerning the manager change, Purslow is the main behind it but IF the players wanted Rafa to stay, he would still be here, Carra and Stevie were crucial here..

But anyway, Rafa´s gone and hope Roy has a plan as good as his intentions surely are...

It remains a dangerous thing for any club though if some players are too powerful, think they are in a position to have heavy influence on crucial decisions. In fact they lack experience and knowledge here, they should just rather be concerned on anything related to the performance on the pitch as a player and learning as much as possible as human beings in their 20ies, who they actually are!!! Ferguson shipped them out on a constant basis as well as Wenger and I am pretty sure Capello would be better off without the Chelsea boys, Terry and Lampard... In no way I am saying that I want Gerrard or Carra out, but critisim on their statements and activities recently should be allowed...

It is, have you not been on rawk for the past year?  ;)

Offline arthur sarnoff

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Re: Sid Lowe on Rafa Benitez
« Reply #98 on: September 9, 2010, 12:17:09 am »
Am I the only one to have found the constant references to LFC as "it" annoying?

Great read, but that kept really doing my head in for some reason.




The article was written for Sports Illustrated's website.  They do things differently when it comes to nouns over there.  Liverpool becomes a singular body.

Offline Mad Men

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Re: Sid Lowe on Rafa Benitez
« Reply #99 on: September 9, 2010, 08:44:36 am »
A fair article I think.....and it identifies some of Rafa's "flaws" as I think he seemed to have.

Everyone has their weaknesses and Rafa is no different but what makes it obvious is the media will take sides on anyone and anything. Fair and unbiased journalism just doesn't exist anymore.

« Last Edit: September 9, 2010, 10:02:59 am by Somebody-Special »
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Offline Harry_Wong

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Re: Sid Lowe on Rafa Benitez
« Reply #100 on: September 9, 2010, 09:24:35 am »
Interesting article by Sid Lowe about Rafa. I like Lowe as a writer, and he comes up with some good arguments and busts plenty of the myths we've gone over countless times on here :

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/sid_lowe/09/06/rafa.benitez/index.html

Quote
...Because Gerrard played so well there against City? He should have played him as a central midfielder even though that season he was the third-leading scorer in the Premier League and provided the second-most assists playing off Torres? Is that not an attacking option? And what about the teammate who privately admits: "Gerrard can't play in the middle of midfield; he doesn't have the positional sense"?...
I've been saying that since Rafa arrived, so I'd love to know the name behind that quote.

It's a good article, balanced and the points are backed up with facts, even if I'd hesitate to completely agree with all of them I think he does raise both Rafa's key qualities and flaws as a manager. 

There's more sense in it than I've heard in the last 5 years of Sky coverage.  (Bizarrely, Kris Kamara is their only pundit I've heard make a decent point about the shape of Rafa's side in and out of possession).
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Offline SMD

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Re: Sid Lowe on Rafa Benitez
« Reply #101 on: September 9, 2010, 09:25:37 am »
Unbelievable, Harry.
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Offline Harry_Wong

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Re: Sid Lowe on Rafa Benitez
« Reply #102 on: September 9, 2010, 09:34:58 am »
I know, but I try to forget the name and listen to the points being made.  Often I think the straightforward pundits and journalists, who just say what they see in a game, are better at giving realistic assessments than the more lyrical hero-worshippers on tv or literary pretenders in the press.

In this case, I think Sid Lowe's done well to marshal the arguments for and against Rafa.  I suppose it helps that I tend to agree with him and view Rafa as having been a positive asset to the club.
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Offline SMD

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Re: Sid Lowe on Rafa Benitez
« Reply #103 on: September 9, 2010, 10:02:26 am »
;)
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/K5T-ItZc8TA?fs=1&amp;amp;hl=en_US" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/K5T-ItZc8TA?fs=1&amp;amp;hl=en_US</a>


I agree with the sentiment, though.
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Re: Sid Lowe on Rafa Benitez
« Reply #104 on: September 9, 2010, 10:15:44 am »
Kamara is always a good laugh :)
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Offline Ultimate Bromance

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Re: Sid Lowe on Rafa Benitez
« Reply #105 on: September 9, 2010, 10:42:12 am »
Haha, that red card he missed at Fratton Park last season had me in tears
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Re: Sid Lowe on Rafa Benitez
« Reply #106 on: September 9, 2010, 07:34:53 pm »
Kamara is a grade A faggot.
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Re: Sid Lowe on Rafa Benitez
« Reply #107 on: September 9, 2010, 07:54:14 pm »
I've been saying that since Rafa arrived, so I'd love to know the name behind that quote.

xabi? would make some sense coming from him

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Re: Sid Lowe on Rafa Benitez
« Reply #108 on: September 9, 2010, 08:44:40 pm »
Enjoyed that. I bet we all feel gently plagiarised. ;D

I agree with the conclusion. I got a lot of pelters suggesting he needed to be more flexible and learn those tricks if he was gonna make his project happen. But even then, he might still have been jettisoned because of the ambition mismatch.