Rafa worked hard towards the end of his Liverpool career to reshape the youth system and bring in some top talent for the future. This hard work left us with: Raheem Sterling Suso Jonjo Shelvey Danny Wilson and a youth group that looks better than it has looked in a long time.
He is a true visionary - not only did he overhaul the academy, but he introduced squad rotation and zonal marking. He was a villified by the media for his 'unorthodox' methods but most teams now employ them. He won't get the credit he deserves but real football 'heads' will recognise him for all that he has achieved.
I have mixed feelings on that. Part of me hopes you are right but that would mean Rodgers departing having not been a success. Of course, the latter could be a case of him being very successful resulting in him being offered the Real or Barca job etc, unrealistic though. And, if this was to be the case, Rafa wouldn't get the glory since someone else would have done the "foundations"
Rafa is to old for our owners vision. I dont think he will ever come back. He is always going to be the one that got away (forced away).
Rafa's 52 years old. Assuming Rodgers is here for three years he would be 55 and easily be able to give us at least ten years But I think you are right in that he will always be the one that was (forced) away
Tactically a genius, but his man management skills unfortunately took away from that. I never thought we would be able to win the league with him, he was just too cold and calculated towards everything. He did teach many of our players some valuable tricks and tactical awareness, and he certainly reformed the youth system. But none of them would have excelled under Benitez. He never gave Pacheco a chance, nor Nemeth (remember him), and he was forced to end Insua's Liverpool career early (many managers would have forseen such events and gotten backup for LB). He ignored San Jose and Ayala, and now they're gone. The ones he did give chances to were thrown in with a B team in the cups (not giving them a chance to fully shine). Basically, he did the best thing he could have ever done - gave them to us and left. Now we have a new system and a new manager who isn't afraid to throw them into the deep end. I suppose we owe Rafa some thanks.
In one breath you criticise Rafa for throwing Insua in the deep end and "was force to end" his LFC career early yet in the next you say it is a good thing that Brendan is willing to throw players in the deep end
I think an almost ideal scenario would be Rafa as manager and give him someone like Rodgers as his touchy-feely sidekick to give the players that warm oozy feeling that Rafa can't. Rodgers hasn't been given enough time to effectively judge yet... but I'd kick him to the curb in an instance if it meant we got Rafa back... no offence intended to Rodgers.
I think we could have won the league under Rafa. He signed some awful players, but if he had backing rather than having to sell players before we bought, that 2008/09 squad could have gone on to be brilliant. The league got worse after that and I reckon we could have nicked it. Ifs and buts though. The academy has thrown out some gems, and a few years back even the chaps at Barcelona were full of praise for it. Just hope the good work continues and we find a new Fowler.
As odd as his comments were to English ears they make perfect sense and you immediately what he is trying to say. Priests wear black. Sugar is white therefore would stand out. The "if it is white and in a bottle, its milk" is not that much different from the English speaking worlds expression of "if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck...etc, its a duck". If anything the Spanish expression is less silly.
I agree but not sure about Danny Wilson, hasn't shown much potential, has he? (Maybe I'm missing something?)
all i can say is rafa is a twat cos he's got a goatee... this is sel evident or prima facea as the courts would say. rodgers has bad teeth so can never suceed on american TV.. why even try? and finally. Chris on x factor is indeed a diva... that is all.
