You give no evidence for that suggestion, except possibly implying that supporting Rafa over Gerrard in a spat somehow amounts to club treason.
Here's a thought. It is possible to take an isolated incident, in this case Gerrard mouthing off, mostly inaccurately, about old stuff to sell a book and then say, well in this case Gerrard is acting the twat. That doesn't mean I think Gerrard is a cunt who can't play football, or that Rafa is entitled to a go with my missus. But for you, it's "supporting Rafa over the club". Drama much?
Let me try and expand my original points in response (unfortunately I am not as eloquent or as clear in putting my opinion across as E2K's brilliant OP).
Firstly, I was not accusing you or John C of being one of these fans- so I don't understand the reason you feel the need to pick on that specific part and defend yourselves from an accusation that wasn't made. I said that some fans, not all, and certainly no one was named. I'll expand, and hopefully clarify why I feel this way in a second (and this is general points about some fans, not anyone in this thread so sorry for doing it in a response to you Corkboy).
But first I wanted to give some of my feelings on Rafa as our manager. As I said in my first post, I loved him as our manager. He was the most successful- in terms of trophies, consistency, performances and team building that has managed us in my time on this planet. The work he did for us on the pitch and off it, in fighting against the cancers of Hicks and Gillette, support of the Justice campaign, the connection and bond he had to the city and the fans means he will always have a special place in my heart, and remains my favorite Liverpool manager. In regards to his sacking, I have mixed feelings- on the one hand I feel it was a terrible decision on all fronts after one lackluster season for which there are many mitigating circumstances (lack of funds, sale of influential players, infighting at the club, a hangover from the title run in, etc), he should have had and deserved more time. But on the other hand, I was glad for him personally that he left- the split in the fanbase was poisonous (most of those idiots didn't deserve such a class person to manage the club and got what they wanted in Hodgson), he was getting unjustified criticism from all sides (the media, other managers, even people within the club- i.e. the narrative was set) and the job I believe was taking its toll on his health
*.
But onto the main point of contention- that some seem more willing to support Rafa than the club (in my opinion). Some of this is borne out of the last few years, some out of a few of the weird responses I've seen to Gerrard's quotes (that are wrong and misjudge a lot of the historical aspects, but are his presumably honest held opinion) and the general malaise some seem to have with everything to do with Liverpool.
The first point I wanted to expand is that the love of Rafa seems to infect everything to do with each subsequent appointment of manager- I honestly believe some were against Rodgers from the start purely because he isn't Rafa. I understand the desperation to get back to the level we were playing at during his tenure, I want it so much too, but some fans seem unwilling to see it any different beyond we need to get Rafa back. I wonder if when Rodgers moves on, people will still be saying we should appoint Rafa even though he is in his dream job at arguably the biggest club in the world, and will then use this as a stick to beat the next manager whoever it is, even if it is a Klopp or Ancelotti. The events of six years ago where seismic, with Benitez's sacking and the club being so close to administration- but the club and the fans still seem split and divided even after this length of time- surely it is time to look to the future and not just mistily eyed to the past? (Reading that back I sound like a massive superfan, sorry but I can't explain it any better).
Regarding the Gerrard comments, I've said above I think he is wrong and completely misunderstands/misjudges/doesn't clearly remember some of the timelines and incidents he is talking about- E2K brilliantly rebuts these points. But some of the stuff I have heard and read since has been ridiculous (not in this thread, but some comments on the General Sports thread about Rafa at Madrid, on other forums and platforms, etc) where to defend Rafa people feel the need to denigrate Gerrard or Carragher, talk them down and play the man rather than the comments made. All three are Liverpool legends, but in the end they were work colleagues who didn't have to be best mates or even get along, just work together to be successful (which they were). Work relationships, especially under the pressure that the players and manager work under, will you'd imagine create some friction and in the longer term resentment between different types of people as can happen in any work environment. It is just one person's opinion, and it is probably just one part of a wider passages about a long time working together.
I could expand on further points about preference of style of play, approach to the media, a history of viewing transfers as either signed by or for the manager that still persists with the current manager (depending on factors such as success, media briefings, etc), and many other points, but unfortunately I have to dash. At the end of the day, its all just opinions and doesn't really matter now- you can agree or disagree with it but I don't understand the need to pick up the flag and march into battle over it. I am sure being in his dream job at Real Madrid, with the brilliant squad and the money he will be earning, Rafa won't feel the need to respond now. Who knows, perhaps we will be having this discussion from the other side if Rafa releases an autobiography (although I suspect he is far too respectful to rake over old ground and raise personal clashes).
*There was an interesting, and worrying, point raised on TAW about the impact managing Liverpool has on the managers (i.e. a real person, not some constructed effigy who can be expected to withstand the waves of shit repeatedly thrown at them). It grinds them down and impacts on their health- it nearly killed Houllier, was taking an obvious impact (in my opinion) on Rafa's health, sadly didn't seem to affect Hodgson (he was that insular he didn't have a clue of the pressure and responsibility around him), it seems to have drained the life and vibrancy out of Rodgers. Is the expectations of us as a club, and our (the fans) sheer desperation to win the league, creating the impossible job?
Edit- great post Jookie. I was trying to type what I thought when you posted, some good points about the fractured fanbase.
