Yes that's what he said weeks ago, I'm well aware of it. And yes, I believe Rafa, a man of integrity and experience, over a mentalist in his early twenties who is agitating for a move - he's not going say he's crocked in a 'come and get me' interview is he? The kindest thing I can say is maybe it was lost in translation. Rafa said he started running last week and I assume not fit enough for this game although he has said he's had his head turned by interested clubs so possibly downed tools - we can't know what goes on behind closed doors. Sounds like you're letting your agenda cloud your judgement on this one to be honest which is a shame.
If we have to wait for Mitro's head to be focussed before we see him again I am not expecting to see him any time soon.
I think it has to be a concern for any sane person to be honest. Perhaps though the issue is the lake he is currently fishing in. He is used to having plenty of money and the pull of a major club to get the better players. I know he likes to point to Tenerife and Extremadura about 20 odd years ago, but the football landscape has changed a lot since then for clubs who don't have a pot to piss in. I think he is really struggling to make use of a meagre budget and is still not grasping that every penny you spend matters at clubs like us. Spreading it thin on squad fillers directly impacts your ability to buy quality.
I don't think its worth thinking about Mitro. Rafa is openly talking about selling him once he gets someone in. He is persona non grata and all managers have players they just don't fancy. I'm with many others that I think Rafa is cutting his nose off to spite his face with the likes of Mitro and Mbemba but its not going to change. My only disappointment with Rafa on that score is he has kept them for 2 years in the meantime which is bizarre as they wouldn't have been difficult to shift. Again its about managing meagre resources poorly for me.
You talk absolute rubbish, his record shows he is anything but bang average but you show your ignorance of the game by saying so. To win a league is to win a league, I.e. you finish with more points than all others. League tables do not have caveats saying ah yes but if it wasn’t for ...... then such and such United might have won the league. Brighton finished second, end of. Unless you suggest we also didn’t drop one or two points we shouldn’t have along the way, just not in the last couple of games. I don’t think Valencia have been beating Real and Barca many years in history. Liverpool were not in the frame for the champions league when he went there and haven’t been since yet he won it and reached another final. Can you actually seriously see any other manager we are likely to get or have had for a while achieving those things. Inspiring tactics are about achieving with what you have not just all out attack regardless because some fans prefer it that way. The same fans who would hang you for that attacking when you got stuffed 5-0 and would be walking out at half time, Arsenal 4-4, moaning and booing calling the manager naive. The press call him a Messiah because it’s a good headline and people play along to a point but yes he is just a man who makes some mistakes, can’t perform miracles, just a manager. But a better manager than anyone else likely to join this calamity of a piss poorly run club.
He's only doing an average job. He wouldn't be that hard to replace. Pardew was achieving similar and there are loads of people of that standard available. I mean I agree we won't pull a big name in like Rafa, but getting someone to match up to his performance so far wouldn't be that tricky. That said I would keep him. He deserves more time to get it right here. Certainly if we stay up. He has said many times himself that staying up this season is crucial as he will then have access to PL TV money.
Rafa has a team spirit, unity and organisation of the team that Pardew never achieved here. Half the squad were cliquey and put minimal effort in under him. Most managers would have us rock bottom with this squad/resources.
We never went down. Indeed most of the time we weren’t even in a relegation battle. It’s results that count. They faced very similar resource challenges for me.
On paper too. Indeed Rafa has probably had it better. I'm sure he will do enough just like his peer Pardew, and then he'll access the PL TV money.
