Tiresias

Yes it is, and we should have no problem letting him leave as long as a club gives us his full value and doesn't try to take him on the cheap. Yep, not suggesting otherwise.

Getting to the Champions League final ain't nothing like. He's a decent manager who plays very entertaining football. Not sure he's a great manager or anything, at least from his Liverpool tenure but were I a Liverpool fan I'd be happy to have him and he will win something one day. He can be a total twat sometimes but so can a lot of managers, it's high pressure, people ask you inane questions constantly. Better than being boring.

Sounds an entirely reasonable reason, hope his kid is ok.

If he turns out to be total shit do you think it will finally provoke a mutony. I'll see myself out

I kinda think Ashley's plan is that when rafa leaves at end of his contract all the players will have had their values massively upped so he can have one last big cash in selling them all, take the money then sell the club.

the rancid twat may call the bluff, probably cares more about the money

On the other hand he does volunteer at the food bank

Can't wait to piss on his grave like

The club aren't going to spend any money in any circumstances. Ashley knows sacking Rafa would practically put his life in danger so is making sure he leaves at end of contract or better yet for him quits. If Rafa signed the new deal, he would still get no money but would be trapped so he couldn't afford to quit and continue keeping the club up through miracles. No doubt when Rafa walks away the club will try to spin it like they tried, like they do everything. They're not trying. The only hope is Ashley sells before end of the season, but that won't happen. Staverley, and for the record not sure she was necessarily the saviour she was hoped to be even if she'd bought the club, took a look at the accounts and came up with a value drastically lower than Ashley's that now every prospective buyer has seen. Any future buyer Ashley has said need to put in a deposit to look at the accounts, so instead they'll look at Staverley's bid and conclude she is unlikely to have drastically undervalued it, Ashley is just hoping someone pays the deposit and stumps up far more than needed rather than lose the deposit. The only hope is widespread protest, which won't happen under Rafa because he performs miracles. Or something terrible happens to Ashley's business empire so he becomes desperate to cash in to reinvest the capital.

Think todays is pretty good

Nicked whatever the Russians were on

I think VAR is a good idea, but it's not working at present, it doesn't seem its stopped bad decisions happening. I don't understand how VAR refs looked at that handball and thought it was a clear and obvious error, and i don't know how ref thinks that is a) deliberate and b) the player had time to get hands out the way. It does fulfil hands moving towards ball and I suspect that is what Ref saw and decided on the pen. VAR ultimately probably needs to come in, but it cannot be used for borderline decisions. It's meant to be there to avoid glaring errors not debatable ones.

Well harsh a penalty

I didn't think he looked terrible in this league but rather a handy option, but also never going to be first choice without a significant step up. Needs a replacement, wouldn't hate taking a punt on a relatively cheap prospect

Don't be silly. Left back

if you don't call him a cunt in public at least once a day you might as well be a mackem tbh

Stoke sell Shakiri to Liverpool, presumably freeing up the funds to buy Ritchie off us which in turn frees up funds for us to fail to sign Townsend

Pathetic how they treated him. Did brilliant work for a season, walked the league then has a bit of a bad one and is sacked. Know he pissed off the hierarchy behind the scenes royally but chelsea treat their managers like shit. Still don't quite understand why they hate rafa so after so long from one sly comment a long time ago as a rival manager.

He hid while here, doubt we're really in for him anyway, just his agent shopping him around probably

To be fair one punch from Lascelles and he could be godlike

Shelvey would definitely have helped brought off the bench yesterday like, we were not connected forward to Kane at all. Henderson, I don't really get him as a player but guess he harries opposition and keeps ball rolling enough for the manager, but our lack of midfield options was horrific

Yeah think he reckons one more year and will walk away head held high, or we get bought out by someone and he will consider extending the contract. Most likely this is his swansong.

Very disappointed no buy out clause. I am livid at the ownership for the lack of ambition and backing for Rafa, but regardless we have to make do with what we have and delighted he's here for another season. We are just kicking the problem further down the pitch, presumably in the hope of new ownership by then (but fat chance).

Doubt his agent would be agitating if he'd outright said he wants to stay full stop. May just be keeping his options open in the eventuality no signings arrive, players are sold and none arrive (albeit positive to snag Kennedy) but I'm not convinced he would totally rule out a big pay-rise as well as escape from the clown show. He may also be very upset not to get a look-in for England. Not sure why he'd pick West Ham mind. For the record the Club should not sell at any price, we would fall apart without him and would not replace him in all likelihood. If we are offered more than £30m we will sell however.

Thought he'd made it too early, got a big head, indulged by Wenger too much, injured too much, doesn't look after himself properly