Topic: When football exectutives play football manager

[scared_person]

Barratt was at the u21 game having a long chat with Rodgers. Must've been a briefing of some sort. He definitely wants Joe moved on.

He'll be fucking lucky!

[OperationIvy]

I am puzzled by all the hate towards Purslow. He voted for the sale to FSG. If he didnt, we would still be in the shit with Gillett and Hicks stripping the club of all its assets trying to recover every last penny of their investment. Either that or we would end up just another restructured corporate (ie balls in an RBS/Wachovia vice) with no money for investment and probably ground-sharing with Everton.

shouldnt we be grateful that he helped screw those greedy yanks?

[TheFooFighter]

I am puzzled by all the hate towards Purslow. He voted for the sale to FSG. If he didnt, we would still be in the shit with Gillett and Hicks stripping the club of all its assets trying to recover every last penny of their investment. Either that or we would end up just another restructured corporate (ie balls in an RBS/Wachovia vice) with no money for investment and probably ground-sharing with Everton.

shouldnt we be grateful that he helped screw those greedy yanks?

Grateful to that piece of shit who has set us back years... Fuck no.

[GBF]

I am puzzled by all the hate towards Purslow. He voted for the sale to FSG. If he didnt, we would still be in the shit with Gillett and Hicks stripping the club of all its assets trying to recover every last penny of their investment. Either that or we would end up just another restructured corporate (ie balls in an RBS/Wachovia vice) with no money for investment and probably ground-sharing with Everton.

shouldnt we be grateful that he helped screw those greedy yanks?

Martin Broughton pushed for the sale, Cecil jumped on the bandwagon and probably earned himself a decent commission

[Red Genius]

it is not like things has changed anyway with the new regime - Carroll, Downing, Comolli and Ayre

They have changed, Rafa's vacuum - left a hole of responsibility other took over, to the detriment of our club.

He wasn't perfect, he made mistakes. But he was genuine. He had the best interests of the club at heart, and gave us a plethora of successful teams that we should have been thankful for.

[Fuzion6]

I am puzzled by all the hate towards Purslow. He voted for the sale to FSG. If he didnt, we would still be in the shit with Gillett and Hicks stripping the club of all its assets trying to recover every last penny of their investment. Either that or we would end up just another restructured corporate (ie balls in an RBS/Wachovia vice) with no money for investment and probably ground-sharing with Everton.

shouldnt we be grateful that he helped screw those greedy yanks?

Purslow had no choice but to vote for the sale. It was either that or letting RBS take over...so it was hardly some great thing he did for us.

[scatman]

most of you were happy with Cole's signing,same with Poulsen's signing too.

[Ycuzz]

What an uplifting read!

gah...

[Red Genius]

I am puzzled by all the hate towards Purslow. He voted for the sale to FSG. If he didnt, we would still be in the shit with Gillett and Hicks stripping the club of all its assets trying to recover every last penny of their investment. Either that or we would end up just another restructured corporate (ie balls in an RBS/Wachovia vice) with no money for investment and probably ground-sharing with Everton.

shouldnt we be grateful that he helped screw those greedy yanks?

He was happy to take the job from those parasites, he happily did his job with full access to the situation that engulfed the club, in fact you could argue he knew better than any what was going on.

He changed his allegiance when it became beneficial to him. He had no problem ousting the man who lead the campaign against the owners (Rafa) rather than standing next to him.

He's a snake, no spine.

[west_london_red]

I am puzzled by all the hate towards Purslow. He voted for the sale to FSG. If he didnt, we would still be in the shit with Gillett and Hicks stripping the club of all its assets trying to recover every last penny of their investment. Either that or we would end up just another restructured corporate (ie balls in an RBS/Wachovia vice) with no money for investment and probably ground-sharing with Everton.

shouldnt we be grateful that he helped screw those greedy yanks?

The reason he was sent to the club by RBS was to ensure it didnt go bankrupt and leave egg on a lot of peoples faces including RBS. He wasnt there to start buying and selling players, thats the managers job.

[capt_methane]

Fernando Torres of finance, pah! More like the Victor Anichebe of arithmetic.

It's no wonder we're where we are when you read articles like this.

[SP]

most of you were happy with Cole's signing,same with Poulsen's signing too.

I moderated that transfer board. Happy was not the word that springs to mind to describe that summer.

[Djibriliant]

He wasn't perfect, he made mistakes. But he was genuine. He had the best interests of the club at heart, and gave us a plethora of successful teams that we should have been thankful for.

Fantastically well put.

[WhiteHeat]

Knew Cole was Purslow's signing (to appease certain squad players) so this is no surprise.

[Hazell]

Unfortunately mate there are lot of knob heads who lapped the decisions of these c*nts and were happy when Rafa got the boot. Hopefully we recover from this under Rodgers but what a mess these guys made which really set us back. I know Rafa made few mistakes but poor guy never got a chance to correct them after that wonderful 2009-10 season.

The thing is, Rafa did make mistakes but no more than any other manager. And this was while H+G were in charge, with all the issues going surrounding them and then Purslow. He was the only person there at the time trying to do the best for the club and those three and Broughton got rid of him. With no one else like that around, that summer was a huge waste - and it's cost is still being felt.

[jillc]

Sadly this story doesn't surprise me, by as has been already pointed out, it a couple of years too late for Rafa.

[scatman]

I moderated that transfer board. Happy was not the word that springs to mind to describe that summer.

I remember being shouted down a lot when I said both were shit signings. Really pulled the wool over the eyes of a large number of RAWKites and fans in general.

[Corrie Nick]

most of you were happy with Cole's signing,same with Poulsen's signing too.

I probably tried to see the positive with signing Cole, I normally do. Sadly, and not at all surprisingly it turns out that Rafa had better judgement than both me and Purslow. Who'd have thought it?! I draw the line at Poulsen though! Don't think many were ever delighted with that one from the start.

[Fat Scouser]

most of you were happy with Cole's signing,same with Poulsen's signing too.

I'd go back and check a few things before I came out with that,

[Red Genius]

Sadly this story doesn't surprise me, by as has been already pointed out, it a couple of years too late for Rafa.

I don't wish to take the thread off topic, and without any certainty, i paint this picture purely on what i've read and how i've interpreted it.

I've recently read the book "Red Men" by John Williams, and vastly knowledgeable he is - and a thoroughly useful read it is, he does however blame a lot of our failure upon Rafa with only small references to the ownership situation, i got the distinct impression he was never a fan of Rafa.

I find that difficult to stomach, considering he, for me, has been the closest we've had the pleasure of watching since Dalglish and Fagan, back in the 80's.

[Fat Scouser]

The thing is, Rafa did make mistakes

I'm not picking on you mate, but what mistakes where they? I honestly didn't see any,

[ocecynwa]

Knew Cole was Purslow's signing (to appease certain squad players) so this is no surprise.

Which players?

[Red Genius]

I'm not picking on you mate, but what mistakes where they? I honestly didn't see any,

Rafa had signed 23 players at a cost of £3m or less, who hardly any of whom had succeeded at the club.

[Fat Scouser]

Rafa had signed 23 players at a cost of £3m or less, who hardly any of whom had succeeded at the club.

And?

[Guz-kop]

Surprised no one has commented on the near end of that article. Pre-injury at West Brom if Joe Cole was willing to take a massive pay cut I reckon a fair number of clubs would give him a go. Same goes for rent a gob Michael Owen. If he took a paycut or was willing to play for a "smaller" club he'd have been involved in training by now at a club that wanted him. They're not the only ones though

[stoa]

I'm not picking on you mate, but what mistakes where they? I honestly didn't see any,

I think you could class some of his transfers mistakes like Keane, Aquilani, trying to get rid of Alonso, Josemi, Babel (even though in some cases there are mitigating circumstances like Keane, Aquilani or Alonso). He also made a mistake by saying we'd definitely finish in the top 4. And some other smaller things in my view.

I'm a huge fan of Rafa, but I doubt he himself would say he didn't make any mistakes. The thing is, he fixed them pretty quickly most of the time (in the case of Josemi he exchanged him for Kromkamp and then brought in Arbeloa with the money for Kromkamp's sale) and they weren't huge to begin with. Something that's been different in the last couple of seasons...

[Corrie Nick]

Let's not have a Rafa debate specifically on here. Fats - I don't think Hazell was criticising him at all. He was hardly having a go at him in his post.

[west_london_red]

I'm not picking on you mate, but what mistakes where they? I honestly didn't see any,

You never saw the goatee? :p

In all seriousness, he made a couple of poor signing, but certainly no more then his peers (other then Aquilani very few were costly) and there was the whole Alonso/Barry thing but even thats based on a lot of guesswork and assumption as to whether he wanted both of them or not and whether Alonso wanted to go home regardless etc. Other then the last season, I wouldnt have traded any of those years for anything, they were the best footballing days that I have seen as a red, a reference point as to how we should play and what we can achieve.

[the red symphony]

If you do that these clowns win, they dilute what connects us to our past, our roots, our ideals. I know it's hard but life long fans, people like yourself are the soul of the club. Owners / directors / boards - come and go, but our support should always remain.

That particular battle has been over for a while mate. Our side lost. The game we fell in love with has been taken away by caricatures like Purslow. We are under the spell of a habit, so we carry on none the less. The support for the badge shall always be there, tainted with the knowledge that nothing any longer means what it used to.

[Samee]

If you were ever against Rafa, how stupid do you feel now?

But noooo, you didn't want to listen did you? So, so stupid.

[koolkamal]

I'd go back and check a few things before I came out with that,

Wouldn't say most were but there were a lot who were.

[Red Genius]

And?

And not a lot, i'm not going to sit here and make an argument for where he has failed, i love the bloke. Think he was the one who could have taken the club to a new dynasty.

But he made mistakes, you asked about them.... So i gave you some, well 23.

He wasn't magnificently efficient when spending small amounts, which begs the question if he'd rolled some of those small amounts together he could have added to the first team pot, to buy players who could have made a difference.

But then as i've explained, no manager is perfect.... I was merely pointing out somewhere he failed.

[west_london_red]

Rafa had signed 23 players at a cost of £3m or less, who hardly any of whom had succeeded at the club.

When your forced to shop at Aldi dont be surprised if your apples aint as juicy as the ones from Waitrose.

[Chakan]

And not a lot, i'm not going to sit here and make an argument for where he has failed, i love the bloke. Think he was the one who could have taken the club to a new dynasty.

But he made mistakes, you asked about them.... So i gave you some, well 23.

He wasn't magnificently efficient when spending small amounts, which begs the question if he'd rolled some of those small amounts together he could have added to the first team pot, to buy players who could have made a difference.

But then as i've explained, no manager is perfect.... I was merely pointing out somewhere he failed.

He tried to do that with Silva and Alves and was blocked at every turn.
Anyway not turning this into a Rafa debate again.

[Fat Scouser]

I think you could class some of his transfers mistakes like Keane, Aquilani, trying to get rid of Alonso, Josemi, Babel (even though in some cases there are mitigating circumstances like Keane, Aquilani or Alonso). He also made a mistake by saying we'd definitely finish in the top 4. And some other smaller things in my view.

I'm a huge fan of Rafa, but I doubt he himself would say he didn't make any mistakes. The thing is, he fixed them pretty quickly most of the time (in the case of Josemi he exchanged him for Kromkamp and then brought in Arbeloa with the money for Kromkamp's sale) and they weren't huge to begin with. Something that's been different in the last couple of seasons...

Not being a twat, but read your own post.

The fact is, we had a top manager. We now have Brendan. I back him without doubt. I wish him all the luck in the world. He has a mamoth task on. I think he can sort it with time and backing. But the fact is, we shouldn't have ever came down to this.

[thegoodfella]

Anyway not turning this into a Rafa debate again.

Better not, or mighty Z e u s will show up and throw a few of his thunderbolts around.

Purslow... what a cock!

[ziggyy]

Sigh, the mere mention of that piece of Shit really raises my blood pressure...

 We were so close to a sustained challenge for the title and that bastard and his supporters in the team decided they should English-fy the club...

While the bastard is still out somewhere earning his big bucks, his supporters who are still here can continue to rue the best chance we had of winning the title back.

[Red Genius]

He tried to do that with Silva and Alves and was blocked at every turn.
Anyway not turning this into a Rafa debate again.

I know mate, and i'm not trying to instigate a Rafa debate. But what i'm trying to do is be objective. I'm Rafa's biggest fan. But if he hadn't have bought players like El Zhar, and the 22 others like him... he'd have that extra 2 mill or so to have bought the players you mention.

[Johnnyboy1973]

Personally, I'd give his role to Sterling and Morocacan bloke thus effectively freezing him out to ensure that whoever came in for him in January he would have to move if he wanted to play regular first team football at a competetive level even if that means a salary cut for him.

Oh yeah, Purslow's a cocok.

[Skeeve]

I dont like the C word but in on some occasions it is unavoidable

Purslow, you sir, are a bonafide c*nt

I think a worse C word in this instance would be Christian.