E2k starts it then that fucker Fat Scouser weighs in, writing stuff that I was going to write, its scary when someone writes something that sums up exactly how your feel but two in as many days......
Right...
Anyone who knows me, either in real life or on here, knows what I thought/think of Rafa. I make no bones about it, I love the fella and rate him up there alongside our great managers of the past.
But just talking about in here in RAWK, when some started to question Rafa, I stayed calm. I didn't kick off on them. I just tried to defend him and make them see the real causes why we weren't progressing for the first time under his tuttilage.
I know loads of other people on here also seen the madness in solely blaming Rafa, and tried to calmly explain why we needed to back him through what then seemed a bit of a crissis. But by this time, the others, even the most reasonable of them, wanted a change. Nothing would convince them that it would be a mistake. The gobshites amongst them just wanted to lash out. And by the time, we'd finished 7th that was that... they all wanted a head on the plate.
I'd never felt so ashamed of Liverpool supporters. This was against everything I loved our support for. I'm not some mysty eyed old romantic. Like everyone else, I'd seen the Liverpool Way slowly erroding for years, but I was still shocked at how quickly some people turned on a fella that had fought tooth and nail for us, even with his hands tied behind his back.
I thought the lowest we could get was booing a draw that sent us to the top of the league. But when the knives came out for Rafa so early in the next season, I was honestly shocked and disgusted.
Worse though, I couldn't believe how the once most knowledgable fans in the game, started spouting force fed media drivel as gospel. And when people who's opinions I normally respect started saying things that sounded like the script of Ford Super Sunday, I knew it was all over.
I packed in bothering to talk to them, but watched nad knocked me head on the wall, as wise old hands tried to explain what absolute madness it would be to sack the best manager we'd had in 20 years over one "bad season."
But no matter what got said, out there and in here, by some very knowledgable Reds, young and old, the Rafa Out brigade ploughed on regardless. They wouldn't heed any warning. They didn't want to know about any consequences. They wanted vengance. They went for blood. Some might say that's over the top. I don't care. I seen it and I say what I seen...
I had Reds at the match, telling how much they "hated Benitez."
I argued constantly at the game, in the alehouse, in the street, on here, with people who knew "our fall and predicament" was all down to him, The Stubborn Spaniard who didn't get the English league and refused to change.
I even seen idiots joining in with "sacked in the morning" chants coming from opposing fans and thinking it was funny.
Well, I hold these people as guilty as H&G for the state we find ourselves in.
Make no mistake, these people created the atmoshpere that emboldened Cecil and gave him the platform to sack Rafa "By mutual consent" while Rafa was on holiday. They are every bit as guilty as the media that gave Broughton the excuse.
The worst of them all, were the ones who came on here, and the likes of Talk Shite, pontificating why Hodgson should be given a chance. His "great season" with Fulham was proof enough that the Fat Spanish Waiter had to go and Uncle Roy should be given his chance at a big club.
And by this time, no matter what anyone did or said to warn them, they not only ploughed on regardless, they ploughed on with glee, calling anyone who disagreed with them Raffatollahs and idiots. Well, as we all now know, to our cost, they got their way.
When it eventually happened and there was Roy at his un-vieling being spoken for by Martin, I can't explain how angry and saddened I was. But after having me kick off on a few of the idiots that helped it, if not forced it, to happen , I done what I thought was right...
I backed the new manager of Liverpool Football Club.
It was what I was taught. I knew it was a step down, but I believed it was what I should do. I knew it was a mistake, but I hoped for the best. And I backed Roy because I thought that was the right thing to do.
I watched the shite pre-season, but I said he's our manager, we respect our own. He needs and deserves the same backing and loyalty that we've given to all our previous managers.
I even argued that with people who's opinions I respected. When they lamanted trading in a European Cup winning manager for a fella who'd never won anything but media acclaim, I argued with them that he was ours and so he should be given respect and time.
Even as the results and performances went bad from worse, I tried to tell people they needed to have a little patientce. Inside I was seething more than when we sacked Rafa and brought Roy in, but I did what I thought was right, and backed him in the hope he'd turn it round.
Then they started. I knew they would, but fuck me, they was quick...
The exact same people that screamed Rafa out, Roy in, were the quickest to turn on Roy.
That was no surprise. And I wasn't surprised when meself and other "Rafatollah's" ended up bollacking them and defending their man Roy against them.
And I'm still glad I done that. I can look meself in the eye for defending him - even though I knew it was wrong, and even though I felt like spewing up everytime I looked at Roy in our club gear on the touch line or spouting shite to the media.
I'll get pulled for all that. So what. I don't give a toss. And I'm not trying to make meself out to be some sort of uber supporter or even a decent fella. I can be a right twat, but I was ingrained in the old Liverpool Way. Throwing that away doesn't come easy. And funny enough, in a way that's why I can't stand Roy.
More than the bad results, the bad performances, the baffling/embarrasing statements, the woeful treatment of some players while kissing the arse off others, I hate Roy for making me turn against the last little bit of our tradition...
Not only can I not back him, I have to call for his head. I don't like doing that. It goes against everything, but he gives me no choice.
Most people will laugh at that nowadays. I don't care. I don't want to be part of modern football or it's ways. I want to back our manager, no matter how bad we are on the pitch. I want to stick a finger up to everyone out there and fight for our own. I'm getting on. I don't want to watch X-Factor, when I can turn on The Clash. I hate this ridiculous throw away society of instant gratification and no substance. But this old bastard is not one of ours...
He has to go, and go sharpish before he causes anymore damage.
But, and I truly mean this, I will always hate the people who got him the job, especially "our own Supporters," far more than I will hate Hodgson for taking it.
You should all hang your heads in shame. And I hope you've learnt your lesson. But sadly, I can see the same old guard defending the next fella to take the job as soon as the team loses it's first toss up under his tenure.
Modern football, modern supporters... you can shove it up your jacksie.