Rafa Benítez (now unemployed)

[Yorkie]

42 minutes ago, Tomato Deuce said:

Strike from Townsend was an absolute peach.
 

If Gray keeps up this level of play I wonder if he doesn’t push himself into the national team picture.

 

I’m genuinely more invested in how Everton are getting on than NUFC. 

 

I listened to the Everton game on the fucking radio last night ffs. Last time I did that, I think, was the Norwich 4-3 game, when you got the sense off the forum something dramatic could happen. 

[The College Dropout]

On 13/09/2021 at 18:34, HawK said:

 

I'm not sure I agree, it's more the attitude of the players. There's an anecdote around when Guardiola was Barca manager, he would pull Henry into his office and ask him what he could do better next time. Same sort of stuff really?

Fair comment. Perhaps Guardiola’s playing career helps in this aspect. 
 

With Rafa it’s a clear line. At the biggest clubs he’s managed in terms of expectations - he’s not been terribly popular with the players. Inter, Real and Chelsea. His biggest successes have come with underdogs in Valencia and Liverpool. And even at Liverpool, the players like him cos they were competitive and won things - they all say he’s distant and cold. 
 

I think someone like Carlo is the opposite.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Chicane]

Might be a bit out of touch with this opinion these days idk but I just laugh at the "cold and distant" type stuff. These are grown ass men, professionals, and yet it makes them sound like little kids who need a hug from their momma.

 

It's just a bit eye rolling for me. If I was in that position, I'd be obsessed with maximizing my ability and a manager like Rafa is perfect for that you'd think. He'll tell you where you need to improve even if you score a hat trick, but isn't that a good thing? You can always be better and Rafa seems like an endless pool of football knowledge to learn from.

[Pata]

3 hours ago, Yorkie said:

 

I listened to the Everton game on the fucking radio last night ffs. Last time I did that, I think, was the Norwich 4-3 game, when you got the sense off the forum something dramatic could happen. 

 

I celebrated their goals yesterday more than any goal we've scored after he left. Confusing times but I presume it's because the way the media, our own 'Bruce is better'-brigade and Everton fans have been talking about Rafa and his signings.

 

Have also been reading Everton forum and their reddit, I'm basically GHoeberx now.

 

 

Edited September 14, 2021 by Pata

[HawK]

1 hour ago, The College Dropout said:

Fair comment. Perhaps Guardiola’s playing career helps in this aspect. 
 

With Rafa it’s a clear line. At the biggest clubs he’s managed in terms of expectations - he’s not been terribly popular with the players. Inter, Real and Chelsea. His biggest successes have come with underdogs in Valencia and Liverpool. And even at Liverpool, the players like him cos they were competitive and won things - they all say he’s distant and cold. 
 

I think someone like Carlo is the opposite.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sure, I take the point that Benitez won't illicit the same sort of response from players as Guardiola did/does. Maybe it's a reputation thing, but I won't argue against bigger egos not listening - look at all the shit from Owen, Gerrard, how his Real tenure unravelled. It's a crying shame that some of the bigger players won't be told what to do, but not all of them are like this. He needs players who are willing to work hard and listen, and when Pros get to the absolute top of the game, there are really not many people they will listen to. See Zidane, Guardiola - legends of the game at the biggest clubs in the world (Zidane more so than Guardiola ), able to work with some of the biggest names in the game and get them to perform. Half the battle is getting the team to sing from the same hymn-sheet, and if they are all listening and pulling in one direction, it's arguably more important than whatever tactics/instructions are issued, as long as they are all followed. I don't think anyone would consider Zidane a tactical mastermind, but there's no doubt who's the manager of the team when they take to the pitch.

 

I think it's less that you can't tell big players what to do, it's more that it needs to come from someone they respect absolutely. And even the biggest managers don't illicit respect automatically, see Staam under Ferguson or Anelka under pretty much anyone. Curiously, these falling-outs don't seem to happen so much if the manager at the top was a top player - Guardiola, Zidane, Mancini, rather than the more 'professional' managers, e.g. Benitez, Mourinho, AVB and so on. There seems to be a limit to how high a level these professional managers can go whilst demanding absolute tactical discipline from the players they manage.

 

I think managers like Ancelotti just seem to let players go out and play, a more Keegan-esque approach, and instill confidence in players in themselves, rather than the system, to get results. This only works though if your team is that damn good they don't need a system to win, and your players have the flair and guile and intelligence to do it themselves. But if you get the two together, top players within a rigid system - Barcelona & tiki-taka, it's almost unstoppable.

 

/observation

[Mike]

2 hours ago, ManDoon said:

I was banned

 

Buckled.

[Paully]

I know I'm biased towards him but I don't think there is anyone better at in-game management! The man is a tactical genius!

 

I see their fans are fawning over him now - wankers!

[Paully]

 

[Fantail Breeze]

1 minute ago, Paully said:

 

 

And yet we replaced him with a man who just hoys on all of his strikers for defenders when trying to change a game.

[TRon]

2 hours ago, Paully said:

I know I'm biased towards him but I don't think there is anyone better at in-game management! The man is a tactical genius!

 

I see their fans are fawning over him now - wankers!

 

Of course they are, tbf they are just fans, and the worst type that are mentally challenged. Not much point in dwelling on it. Just wait until the professional journalists all suddenly remember what made Rafa a world class manager. Pundits and tv experts will be telling us they knew it all along. 

[Deuce]

Could throttle some of the shitheads on that Everton forum. Rage-inducing dipshittery.

[Danh1]

25 minutes ago, ManDoon said:

He’s definitely one of the best I’ve seen for in game management, he will always switch if things aren’t working and usually turns it in his favour. 

Compare that to Bruce. The useless cunt who just throws every attacking player on the bench on to the pitch and completely destabilises the team.

 

How the bloated prick is a professional football manager I have no idea. 

[KaKa]

Throwing all the strikers on when behind late on man ... classic hallmark of the PFM

 

Every single PFM does that and they all can't seem to see it hardly ever works because it instantly destroys the build up play needed to get the ball in forward areas to the strikers to even have a chance of scoring 

[KaKa]

3 minutes ago, ManDoon said:

The best and most often seen is throwing on strikers and taking off wingers. So there is literally no supply to the forward 

 

It's astonishing man

 

I mean this isn't complicated stuff. The guys doing this have been managing for decades for goodness sake

[Paully]

 

[Mike]

3 hours ago, ManDoon said:

 literally all I said was “I see you lot are no longer crying that he managed Liverpool then “. That was it. Never been downvoted so quickly in my life . Precious guys over there. 

 

 

Fucking hell I had that same sentence in the chamber. Thank you for your sacrifice.

 

Nah it's wild how all of a sudden Rafa(el) ain't so bad. He's got a blue car now, innit! Fucking hate everyone. The entire time I've watched football it's been built on hating someone else. Never been fully in love with this fucking club.

[Pata]

2 hours ago, Mike said:

 

 

Fucking hell I had that same sentence in the chamber. Thank you for your sacrifice.

 

Nah it's wild how all of a sudden Rafa(el) ain't so bad. He's got a blue car now, innit! Fucking hate everyone. The entire time I've watched football it's been built on hating someone else. Never been fully in love with this fucking club.

I’m genuinely sorry that you narrowly missed the SBR days. We were really good and extremely likeable.

[Mike]

Glenn Roeder was my first manager.

[Mike]

I remember fucking @Dave took pure pity on me and sent me a bunch of season review DVD's from when the club was good.

[thomas]

Always thankful these days that I got a few good years of SBR after deciding to follow NUFC post Japan/South Korea 2002 WC.

 

20 years an ocean away. Fuck my life.

 

 

Edited September 15, 2021 by thomas

[Mattoon]

Euro '96 was my introduction to football, so I've seen most of the best years of NUFC, really pity those that never got to support Keegan or SBR boys. However sometimes I do kind of wish I hadn't have flown to those heights either as the fall has been so much further!

[Mike]

I feel like no other footy board reminisces as often as us.

[Superior Acuña]

I'm 32 and sometimes I see young'uns now and wish I was younger (just for the youthfulness and that) but then I remember they never saw the Keegan or Bobby years and I pity their perfect skin.

[Yorkie]

4 hours ago, thomas said:

Always thankful these days that I got a few good years of SBR after deciding to follow NUFC post Japan/South Korea 2002 WC.

 

20 years an ocean away. Fuck my life.

 

 

 

 

Ah, the Gavilan effect. 

[Guest neesy111]

4 hours ago, Mike said:

I remember fucking @Dave took pure pity on me and sent me a bunch of season review DVD's from when the club was good.

I have some of them saved if you want to watch again, while we start cutting our arms.

 

 

Edited September 15, 2021 by neesy111