Topic: Official- Rafa's Gone - Who's Next?

[cornelius]

Because the rest of the PL got better and we didn't invest to keep up.

Really? Tell me what United, Chelsea and Arsenal did last summer...

[TommySmithsLiver]

I think you're avoiding the debate there and you can't counter my points. By the end of Houllier's reign we knew all those players I have listed as dross were not good enough for Liverpool. Hindsight doesn't come into it. That is a different argument about how transfer mistakes are made. The same amount of unsellable utter dross does not exist now. And more world class talent and proven international talent exists within the squad who would command higher fees if sold. It was universally accepted that Sami was coming to the end of his career. It turned out that Rafa revived that career, but he was still an older centre half. We have top players now approaching their peaks who are young and would command mega, mega fees. Reina. Masch. Torres. Then sklightly less but still top money, Johnson, Agger, players with their best years definitely ahead of them.

Rafa's squad now is much stronger than the one Houllier left. That's all there is to it.

I am very much avoiding the debate, you're totally right.  I don't want to have to get in to the point now where I state that i think Johnson can be a defensive liability because he ventures forwards to much, to say that Reina wont ever be sold mega money deal because goalies never actually cost that much or say anything else derogetory about our squad, its our squad.  All I am doing to sharing that fact that I am of the same opinion as Hansen here that for all of the changes I don't think our squad is as good. 

No that's not true as quality with all footballers is relative, I think our squad is less likely to be able to win domestic trophies.


the reason I think this has to wait is that mud slinging is not productive, getting back on track is.  And as I have said before i think getting a manager who can form the players we have in to a cohesive unit, get them pulling together and in to the top 4 is what is important.

[Neil D]

Really? Tell me what United, Chelsea and Arsenal did last summer...

Chelsea added a £16m fullback, a third choice striker (for around £5m was it?) and sold nobody of worth. They recovered from a shocking half a season of mismanagement under a good new manager and won the double.

[Sangria]

To be fair, when Benítez arrived our record signing was Cissé at £14M. Houllier's squad was a lot cheaper than Benítez's, and will obviously have a lower value.

I'm not saying I agree with the original statement, but it's not as wide of the mark as some people say. The highs are a lot higher now than 2004, with Reina, Mascherano, Johnson, Torres. But then three of these cost around £20M. Add to that Aquilani. Those four would probably cover a big chunk of Houllier's gross spend.

So factor in Benitez's net spend. If the value of the current squad is greater than what Houllier's squad fetched + net spend, Benitez has built profitably using given resources. Whatever people may argue over the quality of the respective squads, the market isn't going to be biased by pro or anti Benitez sentiment.

[Gromit]

Really? Tell me what United, Chelsea and Arsenal did last summer...

United and Chelsea: squads were ahead of us anyway.  Coped with injuries far better than us.
Arsenal: Fell apart once Fabregas broke his leg and RvP wasn't available.  Had it happened sooner, they could have been in as big as mess as us.

The real difference is where Spurs, City and Villa come in.  We've been standing still while they invested and they have stronger/comparable squards to us, if not a stronger first XI.

We couldn't cope with injuries to Gerrard, Torres, Agger, Benayoun, Riera, Skrtel, Aurelio, Johnson.

You're really serious that the PL 2010 is not much stronger throughout the league than 2004?

[RedinExile]

So how can the squad be loads better, finish 7th and it all be the yanks fault?

Er have you been away all this time in a coma?

[MerseysideRedsFan]

It's pretty clear they didn't like Rafa right from the off. Would they treat their own appointment in this way?

If they can't work with a Spanish League winner, Champions league winner, UEFA cup winner, FA cup winner, then unfortunately for us they don't deserve to work with top class managers.

[blert596]

If SG had been as poor for a season in Geds team, and Owen been as injured as Torres has (quite strange thing to say really) do you honestly think we would be comparing the teams.

As much as we're called a 2 man team, we are nowhere near as reliant on SG & FT as we were on SG & MO.

[Not funny reecehenebry]

So the league table lies and Rafa deserved the boot?

The squad is better but it is also very small compared to those around us(only Villa have a squad around our size and they didn;t have the injury problems we had)
Spurs has a squad 50m better off,city have billions,man utd have 20 years of success and chelsea have spent millions.Arsenal have a youth system 14 years in the making.
If you didn't like Rafa for whatever reasons fair enough but don't rewrite history.
Fact is we have sacked the first manager in 21 years that won the premier european trophy and have NO replacement for him.No plan.
Do you think the youth setup will stay the same?That the Barca coachs that came in will stay after this?
Up shit creek,no paddle,no lifejackets and the two lads from deliverance are hanging around waiting to rape up time and time again.
And you focas on GH's squad being better than RB's
Come on lad your better than that.

[ArthurDent]

Aint got a clue who its gonna be but its gotta to be somebody who has a proven track record of working wonders on a limited budget, there is absolutely no point going for some on the huge names being banded about that only seem to be able to produce the goods with limitless cash

I think you've just described Martin O'Neil.

[RedinExile]

Does anyone know for a fact that Rafa had as part of his new contract a veto on transfers?

Because if that is true, and that he's now gone, you could see how their plan may be unfolding to sell the best players and blame the appointed yes-man.

Speculation I know.

[danwms]

Has there been any comments or interviews with rafa since he left the club?

Surely if he is only being paid £6m when he was owed £16m, he would not have signed any kind of gagging order as well!!

[harleydanger]

Fact is we have sacked the first manager in 21 years that won the premier european trophy and have NO replacement for him.No plan.

[Veinticinco de Mayo]

Locked as we now have duplicate thread running...

http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=259080.0