Read with interest the thread regarding Gerrard and Carra's involvement in Rafa's demise since throwing my own two penneth in earlier on. Still don't buy it. Granted, Purslow may have sounded them out and received a less than favourable response about him which would only have confirmed what was apparent, Rafa was having problems back stage with some of the squad. Benny, Babel, Riera were three but he could swat them like flies and did. Torres, who knows but safe to say he was having his own crisis regarding fitness and was probably past caring either way. Pepe, who would be the best gauge, being Spanish Scouse, signs an extension to his contract which still had a couple of years to run, which made me think, all was well. How wrong I was. Was he not aware of this potential mutiny against his mentor?
As has been mentioned by others, Broughton had no choice but to side with Purslow against Rafa, knowing losing Purslow would mean the cowboys being able to co-opt one of their own to the board just as interest warms up for the sale of the club. It also suited Broughton's main objective. Purslow knows this too and rips Rafa's heart out Nasty, vindictive, bastard, that's true, but under differing circumstances it could have gone the other way and Rafa would not have blinked as he twisted the knife. Where was Kenny in all this I have often wondered? A friend to Rafa who brought him back into the fold. Mates also with Purslow apparantly. Could he not have used his good offices to counsel both? If Carra and Gerrard were driving this as some claim, Kenny would have to have known, for Gerrard and him are close, not sure about Carra. Would Kenny not have been a shoe in for the job in the aftermath? How the fuck did Hodgson get in the frame??
My guess is it was Broughton. He backed Purslow, so Purslow had to swallow it in return, for Broughton knew it would be better to have someone lukewarm, neutral, insipid like Roy at the helm, who could be easily disposed of if and when new owners deemed it necessary without the furore that sacking a populist manager like a Rafa, or a Kenny, or, God forbid, a Mourinho could ignite, putting off potential buyers. It's a long game Broughton played and he played a blinder. It also helped that Roy was popular with journo's for we had had our fill of negative and downright malicious attacks on the club during and after Rafa's reign. Let's not jump on another bandwagon regarding Gerrard and Carra's involvement. There just ain't enough evidence. Pawns maybe, but instigator's?
