Rafa Benítez (now unemployed)

[Disco]

Letting this man walkaway man and then replacing him with Bruce - absolutely disgraceful

 

 

 

Rondon chats for 90 minutes and would readily stay longer. “I could sit here for four, five hours with a coffee, talking football,” he says and laughs. “I learned that from Rafa.” He has also trained himself to listen. Benitez is obsessive about the sport and meticulous in his role, always teaching, always explaining, focusing on the little details that make players better. “It’s something I love,” Rondon says, although it has taken him a while to reach this point.

 

He is increasingly expressive, animated. “I was in Miami on my holidays when Rafa first called me,” Rondon says. “I turned to my wife and whispered, ‘Oh my God, it’s Rafa Benitez!’ I said — very cool — ‘yes, hello Rafa, hi, how are you?’ He told me he’d tried to buy me for Newcastle but instead they were going to get me on loan. I wasn’t worried; I just wanted to go. ‘Don’t worry Rafa, I’ll be there.’ I put the phone down. And then I said to my wife, ‘ARGHHH! RAFA BENITEZ!’

 

“I remember our first meeting, the day I passed my medical and signed. I was waiting for the paperwork to go through. He talked to me for 45 minutes! I was in his office and he drew a horizontal line on a whiteboard and then a picture of a goal.

 

‘What’s that?’ he asked me. ‘Er … A pitch?’ I said. ‘No’, he said, ‘you can go back to West Brom. This is a target. A target. Are you a striker?’ ‘Yes, I’m a striker,’ I said. ‘Well, where should you shoot?’ ‘Umm. Wherever the keeper can’t reach it?’ I asked. ‘No. Where? Which side?’

 

“So on the drawing he divided the goal into six squares. He told me the maximum percentage for goals is in the bottom left and bottom right corners. ‘If you shoot there and miss high you still might score’, he said. ‘I know strikers want to score goals with quality and style, but shoot here and you’ll score. Pass the ball into the net. Pass, pass!’ It went on for a long time, but it was really good. I’m still learning from him.”

 

 

From that to "lets play"

 

 

 

I like to think all Steve's tactics could be learned from the presenters of daytime TV quiz shows.

[Si]

Letting this man walkaway man and then replacing him with Bruce - absolutely disgraceful

 

 

 

Rondon chats for 90 minutes and would readily stay longer. “I could sit here for four, five hours with a coffee, talking football,” he says and laughs. “I learned that from Rafa.” He has also trained himself to listen. Benitez is obsessive about the sport and meticulous in his role, always teaching, always explaining, focusing on the little details that make players better. “It’s something I love,” Rondon says, although it has taken him a while to reach this point.

 

He is increasingly expressive, animated. “I was in Miami on my holidays when Rafa first called me,” Rondon says. “I turned to my wife and whispered, ‘Oh my God, it’s Rafa Benitez!’ I said — very cool — ‘yes, hello Rafa, hi, how are you?’ He told me he’d tried to buy me for Newcastle but instead they were going to get me on loan. I wasn’t worried; I just wanted to go. ‘Don’t worry Rafa, I’ll be there.’ I put the phone down. And then I said to my wife, ‘ARGHHH! RAFA BENITEZ!’

 

“I remember our first meeting, the day I passed my medical and signed. I was waiting for the paperwork to go through. He talked to me for 45 minutes! I was in his office and he drew a horizontal line on a whiteboard and then a picture of a goal.

 

‘What’s that?’ he asked me. ‘Er … A pitch?’ I said. ‘No’, he said, ‘you can go back to West Brom. This is a target. A target. Are you a striker?’ ‘Yes, I’m a striker,’ I said. ‘Well, where should you shoot?’ ‘Umm. Wherever the keeper can’t reach it?’ I asked. ‘No. Where? Which side?’

 

“So on the drawing he divided the goal into six squares. He told me the maximum percentage for goals is in the bottom left and bottom right corners. ‘If you shoot there and miss high you still might score’, he said. ‘I know strikers want to score goals with quality and style, but shoot here and you’ll score. Pass the ball into the net. Pass, pass!’ It went on for a long time, but it was really good. I’m still learning from him.”

 

 

From that to "lets play"

 

 

 

I like to think all Steve's tactics could be learned from the presenters of daytime TV quiz shows.

One from the top and ten from the bottom please Rachel.

[Yorkie]

You can go back to West Brom.

 

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

[TBG]

You've got Rafa doing that, and then you've got Steve "I'm not a puppet" Bruce's first and only involvement in the club's record transfer, being him walking in during Joelinton's interview for the club website. 

[Chicane]

I remember thinking (and saying, so this isn't just hindsight) when Murphy was signed that it seemed a bit of a frustration signing that was meant to be one for the future, but because at the time we had missed out on so many targets he just sorta became a "main" signing.

[rgk_lfc]

Torres on Rafa:

 

“The vast majority of footballers stop learning once they become professionals,” he states. “And that is their big mistake. I’ve been lucky enough to have coach like Rafa Benítez who tries to make you better every single day. There’s no doubt I’ve improved a lot.”

 

Torres is the embodiment of practice makes perfect; if the devil is the details so too are the goals. “Things that you would never even have thought about, Rafa does,” he says. “Things that you thought weren’t important are. You might think ‘that’s ridiculous’ but the thing is the proof is there in front of you. You try it and you see that it’s true. It really works.

 

“When I met Rafa I realised maybe for the first time just how important a coach is. He’s not just someone who sticks 11 people on the pitch and chooses a system. He has to get the very best out of every player and every player is different. Some players have to be pushed and piqued, others have to be looked after,” he says. “When I’ve scored two goals or three goals, he tells me I’ve played badly, that I didn’t help out at the back…”

 

The question is inevitable: isn’t that tiresome? Plenty of players have been burnt by Benítez. “It depends,” Torres replies. “You can think, ‘forget it’ or you can think, ‘next time I’m going to work twice as hard, I’m going to do the things he tells me to do and then we’ll see what he says’.” There is a grin. “But if you do that he still has things to say! ‘In that corner, you let your man go and he had a shot…’ He always demands more.  Maybe there are players who get sunk by that but personally it helps me.”

 

Nor is it all about motivation; in fact, says Torres, it is more about method. “People say things like: ‘he’s got to improve his shooting’ but that doesn’t mean anything. You have to look deeper than that; you have to focus on how you get into the position to shoot, your arrival point, the position of your body. To say ‘he’s got to shoot better’ is banal, so general as to be meaningless. How do you find the space? How do you get into that position? How do you finish? In what way?

 

“Rafa talks to me a lot about the position of my body. If you’re turned fractionally more to the right or left you might get a millisecond’s advantage; if when you receive the ball you shift you weight you can get away easier. The way you position yourself against the centre-backs, focus on their position and judge their movements as well as your own is vital. One of the most important things I’ve learnt with Rafa is how to play closer to the opposition’s penalty area – how to get in behind the defenders as a solo striker. I don’t have to come back and look for the ball; I fix my position by the centre-backs more than by the ball or the build up.

 

“Rafa always analyses the centre backs I’m facing and the goalkeeping coach tells me about the goalkeepers. In a game it’s a matter of tenths of a second and that information can help. You might be told: ‘The goalkeeper always dives one way and if you’re patient you can wait and go round him the other side, the goalkeeper comes out a long way and you can chip him…’ Those small details really helped, especially in the first year when I didn’t know the players, whether centre-back was quick or slow, whether he comes across to the wings to cover and leaves space behind or whether he sticks.”

 

https://www.fourfourtwo.com/us/features/fernando-torres-how-rafa-made-me-great

 

 

[Kanj]

[TBG]

"Lets play"

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Such a class act

 

Given that 99% of pundits don’t understand the stuff Torres is talking about there, it’s no surprise people like Bruce get an easy ride.

[loki679]

 

“When I met Rafa I realised maybe for the first time just how important a coach is. He’s not just someone who sticks 11 people on the pitch and chooses a system.

 

 

'Let's play' 

[TRon]

every little anecdote is like a kick in the balls and a knife to the heart at the same time

 

It really is. I wish I hadn't opened the thread now.

[geordie_b]

 

From that to "lets play"

 

 

From that to "How was the bacon?"

[samptime29]

 

From that to "lets play"

 

 

From that to "How was the bacon?"

 

[geordie john]

Torres on Rafa:

 

“The vast majority of footballers stop learning once they become professionals,” he states. “And that is their big mistake. I’ve been lucky enough to have coach like Rafa Benítez who tries to make you better every single day. There’s no doubt I’ve improved a lot.”

 

Torres is the embodiment of practice makes perfect; if the devil is the details so too are the goals. “Things that you would never even have thought about, Rafa does,” he says. “Things that you thought weren’t important are. You might think ‘that’s ridiculous’ but the thing is the proof is there in front of you. You try it and you see that it’s true. It really works.

 

“When I met Rafa I realised maybe for the first time just how important a coach is. He’s not just someone who sticks 11 people on the pitch and chooses a system. He has to get the very best out of every player and every player is different. Some players have to be pushed and piqued, others have to be looked after,” he says. “When I’ve scored two goals or three goals, he tells me I’ve played badly, that I didn’t help out at the back…”

 

The question is inevitable: isn’t that tiresome? Plenty of players have been burnt by Benítez. “It depends,” Torres replies. “You can think, ‘forget it’ or you can think, ‘next time I’m going to work twice as hard, I’m going to do the things he tells me to do and then we’ll see what he says’.” There is a grin. “But if you do that he still has things to say! ‘In that corner, you let your man go and he had a shot…’ He always demands more.  Maybe there are players who get sunk by that but personally it helps me.”

 

Nor is it all about motivation; in fact, says Torres, it is more about method. “People say things like: ‘he’s got to improve his shooting’ but that doesn’t mean anything. You have to look deeper than that; you have to focus on how you get into the position to shoot, your arrival point, the position of your body. To say ‘he’s got to shoot better’ is banal, so general as to be meaningless. How do you find the space? How do you get into that position? How do you finish? In what way?

 

“Rafa talks to me a lot about the position of my body. If you’re turned fractionally more to the right or left you might get a millisecond’s advantage; if when you receive the ball you shift you weight you can get away easier. The way you position yourself against the centre-backs, focus on their position and judge their movements as well as your own is vital. One of the most important things I’ve learnt with Rafa is how to play closer to the opposition’s penalty area – how to get in behind the defenders as a solo striker. I don’t have to come back and look for the ball; I fix my position by the centre-backs more than by the ball or the build up.

 

“Rafa always analyses the centre backs I’m facing and the goalkeeping coach tells me about the goalkeepers. In a game it’s a matter of tenths of a second and that information can help. You might be told: ‘The goalkeeper always dives one way and if you’re patient you can wait and go round him the other side, the goalkeeper comes out a long way and you can chip him…’ Those small details really helped, especially in the first year when I didn’t know the players, whether centre-back was quick or slow, whether he comes across to the wings to cover and leaves space behind or whether he sticks.”

 

https://www.fourfourtwo.com/us/features/fernando-torres-how-rafa-made-me-great

 

 

 

.....weeps quietly......

[Guest]

But the players are happier now.

[BirtleyMag]

Just sickening reading how much detail Rafa went into and that we decided to bin him off for Bruce.

 

It’s no coincidence that players like Schar, Sean Longstaff and even Dummett have regressed massively this season.

[Mattoon]

[prefabtoon]

Cant we get Rafa back while he is sitting on his arse, he could learn bruce some football tactics. dont know where bruce got his from. 

[mrmojorisin75]

if anyone has more of these please post them mind, i love reading them as much as it depresses me

 

we could have had the man for a decade, think where we'd have been

[Kanj]

Give Rafa the same money and freedom to use as they did Bruce and prior managers and the reported amount this summer and we’d be European spots without any bit of doubt in my mind.

 

Ashley could have just literally disappeared from dealing with NUFC as well and just let it handle itself. 

[Bimpy474]

Unfortunately Ashley can't have another name mentioned more than him, that was happening with Rafa. Call it envy jealousy or whatever, he's a pathetic petty ignorant prat who'd rather ruin something than let it succeed, if it's not him getting the praise.

[mrmojorisin75]

Unfortunately Ashley can't have another name mentioned more than him, that was happening with Rafa. Call it envy jealousy or whatever, he's a pathetic petty ignorant prat who'd rather ruin something than let it succeed, if it's not him getting the praise.

 

i find this weird mind, seeing as he became a billionaire while also being a hermit that no one knew existed

[Bimpy474]

Unfortunately Ashley can't have another name mentioned more than him, that was happening with Rafa. Call it envy jealousy or whatever, he's a pathetic petty ignorant prat who'd rather ruin something than let it succeed, if it's not him getting the praise.

 

i find this weird mind, seeing as he became a billionaire while also being a hermit that no one knew existed

 

Well that's the mystery with him isn't it. We often hear and even i said and thought it, about him being thick skinned, when he's clearly not with some of the petulant responses he gives to criticism. He carries on regardless but we can all see now how much of a man baby he is, you chuck Rafa into the mix being loved by the fans and I'm certain that grated him.

 

It was past that though, Rafa was loved for what he did in the community, and showed he knew how much the club meant to the people and the area. Something Ashley could never understand, purely through ignorance and his only love, money. Why bother with the people and the area when you're making money, same as when he buys a business, he couldn't care less what happens to the employees.

 

Ashley is a walking contradiction in my opinion, makes lots of money but when you look at some of his decisions you're baffled as to why. He makes money from the club but he could make so much more by spending a little more, that's not even from his own pocket.

 

The man is a mentalist, an utter shite stain who we're lumbered with in purgatory, well until the fat mess decides to sell. When he's bored with us or as i suspect, when he starts to lose money (relegation and staying down would do it i think).

[AyeDubbleYoo]

More power I would say, he knew Rafa was more powerful, whereas McClaren, Pardew, Bruce are easily controllable and can placate fans

 

Yeah, he just doesn’t want anyone pushing to make Newcastle better. Survival on the minimum possible money is what he wants.

 

If Rafa had been less ambitious he would actually be the perfect manager, keep a cheap squad of players in the PL guaranteed.

[stlouismag]

Then a little  :'( as we had him, and instead of backing him we decided to spunk £40m on Joelinton and pay £4m to bring in Steve Bruce.

 

Never forget. I know it's chump change in today's game, but Christ we paid another club to get him.  :jesuswept: