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20 minutes ago, Inferior Acuña said:

Okay he's not alongside those names, but Rafa's place at NUFC is much bigger than what happened on the pitch. He brought some dignity to a soulless club, and fought for it like nobody else with any power has since Keegan.

 

And that is why he should be fondly remembered. Nowhere near legendary status though.

 

I will remember him for standing up to Ashley's bullshit, recognising the club's huge potential and openly talking about it in public.

 

I will also remember going into every game being fully confident that no team would ever give us a hiding, such was the defensive strength he'd instilled in the side. It's just a shame he never got to build on that.

 

 

Edited by Wandy

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8 minutes ago, Collingwood Street said:

I don’t understand the love for Benitez. He’s got a great personality, bought a few decent players, and some shite ones too. Some of the football under him was absolutely dreadful. 

I don't understand the lack of love for Rafa. He's got a great personality, bought a few decent players, and some shite ones too on a piss-poor PL budget. Some of the football under him was absolutely delightful, particularly the last 6 months of his tenure. 

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1 minute ago, Mike said:

Ancelotti to Rafa

 

Must be wild as fuck supporting a real club.

 

:lol: we're paying for 2 cans of unsalted pinto beans with pennies and one checkout lane over someone's rolling up with an entire Entenmann's endcap in their cart.

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33 minutes ago, Collingwood Street said:

I don’t understand the love for Benitez. He’s got a great personality, bought a few decent players, and some shite ones too. Some of the football under him was absolutely dreadful. 

 

:lol:

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It's such a shame we hit a glass ceiling with Rafa. His hands-on approach and meticulous managing of all the small details, the project misaligns with Ashley's hands-off approach; he wanted out for about 2/3 of his time here. Surprised he (Rafa) even saw out the contract in hindsight as Ashley either couldn't, or wouldn't fund that project.

 

"He left us for the money!" He did, both the money not available for whatever reason here and the money given at Dalian and that isn't just the contract salary. Good luck to him, someone young but similar if that's possible would be ideal post-takeover.

 

Without a takeover, we know the alternatives fine well 

 

 

Edited by nbthree3

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44 minutes ago, NEEJ said:

I don't understand the lack of love for Rafa. He's got a great personality, bought a few decent players, and some shite ones too on a piss-poor PL budget. Some of the football under him was absolutely delightful, particularly the last 6 months of his tenure. 

This plus we had some kind of hope/ambition when he was here. 

That's long gone with the fraud we have in charge now.

 

I'm not gutted he has gone to Everton, I just wish him well....but not too well as Everton have a lot of horrible fans.

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2 hours ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

 

How come? Big PL club offers him a job which he's interested in?

 

As much as I'd usually want to question the term 'big club' where the scouse mackems are concerned, I can't deny that they are a bigger club that others in the prem currently without a manager, with the exception of the Spuds. Still, that's an aside, I can't see why he'd be interested in going to a club where the fans clearly don't want him. He'll be in a no win situation, if he does okay the fans still won't like him, they'll never be 100% behind him or give him proper credit for anything and if he doesn't hit the ground running or makes a slight slip-up at any point they're be right on him straight away. It's the sort of move that could tarnish his reputation, it's not like when he came to us and then did a year in the Championship, he was loved here, he's going to end up on a hiding to nothing imo. If anything it makes him look more like a money grabbing mercenary after his stint in China.

 

Besides, if he'd just waited that little bit longer... ;)

 

*Edit - My other fear is that we'll struggle to find a manager, should the takeover go through, that will connect with the fans and area as well as Rafa did.

 

 

Edited by Armchair Pundit

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For the record, I’m not slagging Rafa off, and I understand why he’s gone to Everton. 

 

It’s just a bit of a reality-check for those of the more romantic inclination.

 

It’s a shame because it felt like he had unfinished business, but either we get taken over, and get someone good in - or we don’t.

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Everton fans are deluded. I can understand if they didn't want him because of Liverpool connection. But most of the stuff on social media, is Everton fans saying they don't want him, because he is a shit manager. 

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4 hours ago, Dokko said:

Thought he was paid £14-16m a year there compared to the £5-6m here?

 

It was reported to be around £13m a year.

 

Great project though.

 

4 hours ago, joeyt said:

He was given pretty much a blank cheque to develop a club in a rising league.

 

I'm not doubting money would have been a factor but it still sounds like a challenge which Rafa would have enjoyed. Obviously Covid and the new league restrictions probably altered that project to what he hoped

 

:lol: A rising league? It’s not. It’s the pits and still is despite years of blank chequebooks. The only players and managers going there are mercenaries looking for their final/biggest payday. 

 

The quality of football is minging and there’s a good reason most don’t last long there. As others have said, the MLS is better.

 

4 hours ago, Yorkie said:

 

Will have to double check but I think quite a bit has happened in the world since he took the Dalian job. 

 

What’s that got to do with taking the job?

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