Rafa Benítez (unemployed)

[Guest HTT II]

2 minutes ago, Happinesstan said:

Not many didn't work out. Even those that [in a sense] qualify, worked out but were improved upon quicker than expected. I'm thinking Malcolm Allen, Mark Robinson [injury ended him], Paul Kitson, Darren Huckerby.

Keegan rarely signed a dud. Maybe at other clubs his record is different, but I can't think of many at NUFC.

He was literally, in every sense, the ideal manager for us and the right time. Not bad for someone who had been out the game for 7 years or so…

[Happinesstan]

1 minute ago, HTT II said:

He was literally, in every sense, the ideal manager for us and the right time. Not bad for someone who had been out the game for 7 years or so…

His belief in his own belief in others, is the vital element to Keegan's success.

[rgk_lfc]

4 hours ago, HTT II said:

He’s someone I would trust to run any club top to bottom, but when he eventually leaves that’s the dilemma…

 

Ideally Rafa is a manager you give 5 years at least to reboot/rebuild and then use his expertise, contacts and formula to either find another Rafa or bring in the experts and specialists he comes with. 
 

Could he work with people not in his own circle? I think he can, but would want the final say and in football sadly there are too many egos off the pitch and politics and maneuvering.

 

Who would I trust more, a DOF or Rafa to bring in the right players needed? The actual football manager, coach and the one required to get any new player performing and getting value for money out of them.

 

If football wasn’t such mega business now, I think leaving it upto the managers would make the game more competitive and more about the team like it was in KK’s first era here as manager, where Norwich finished 3rd, Forest 3rd, where it was about the players signed by the manager as to how well a team did or didn’t and how they got them playing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The one aspect which is going to prevent Rafa from getting a job he deserves is the bolded part. I don't think he can work with people who is not in his own circle. Every club with some sort of ambition is moving towards a DOF model where the DOF and scouting operation is independent of the manager.  I was skeptical of the transfer committee initially but having experienced it for so many years, it makes so much sense. That model is here to stay. Given the amount of money in wages being spent on wages, it doesn't make sense to uproot the entire scouting operation, coaches, key members of the squad every time a manager is sacked. 

 

The problem with Rafa is that whenever there is a disagreement with the DOF or head scout or head of transfers, it immediately reaches the press. Within six to seven months, there is a situation where either back him or the DOF or head of transfers. The process repeats itself everywhere he goes. If I was a DOF, why would I recommend Rafa when I know the chances of me being fired increases as soon as he signs the contract. Conte is another manager with more recent success whom some of the top clubs are reluctant to hire because of the reputation of being "difficult". 

 

From my previous posts, you should know that I respect Rafa, the manager a lot, and Rafa, the human being even more, but I don't want anyone in his inner circle associated with LFC. There is nothing wrong with Owen Brown but I don't want anyone of his calibre as a head scout or any position of influence. The problem with Rafa is that at the first sign of disagreement, he will try to dismantle the existing setup and then the usual names will start popping up. He is still a great footballing thinker and one of the best tacticians around, you don't loose that, but I don't think the team (Assistant Managers, physio, etc.) he surrounds himself with is still worthy of running football operations at a club which has top level ambitions. 

 

[r0cafella]

11 hours ago, rgk_lfc said:

 

The one aspect which is going to prevent Rafa from getting a job he deserves is the bolded part. I don't think he can work with people who is not in his own circle. Every club with some sort of ambition is moving towards a DOF model where the DOF and scouting operation is independent of the manager.  I was skeptical of the transfer committee initially but having experienced it for so many years, it makes so much sense. That model is here to stay. Given the amount of money in wages being spent on wages, it doesn't make sense to uproot the entire scouting operation, coaches, key members of the squad every time a manager is sacked. 

 

The problem with Rafa is that whenever there is a disagreement with the DOF or head scout or head of transfers, it immediately reaches the press. Within six to seven months, there is a situation where either back him or the DOF or head of transfers. The process repeats itself everywhere he goes. If I was a DOF, why would I recommend Rafa when I know the chances of me being fired increases as soon as he signs the contract. Conte is another manager with more recent success whom some of the top clubs are reluctant to hire because of the reputation of being "difficult". 

 

From my previous posts, you should know that I respect Rafa, the manager a lot, and Rafa, the human being even more, but I don't want anyone in his inner circle associated with LFC. There is nothing wrong with Owen Brown but I don't want anyone of his calibre as a head scout or any position of influence. The problem with Rafa is that at the first sign of disagreement, he will try to dismantle the existing setup and then the usual names will start popping up. He is still a great footballing thinker and one of the best tacticians around, you don't loose that, but I don't think the team (Assistant Managers, physio, etc.) he surrounds himself with is still worthy of running football operations at a club which has top level ambitions. 

 

Cracking post, his weakness is indeed his unwillingness to modernise in terms of club management. 

[Ankles Bennett]

I wonder whether Leicester would consider loaning us Ayoze?

[Paully]

I know he's never broke a contract but he must regret turning us down in October (well, going to Everton was absolute lunacy!). I never knew that he turned down Atletico after his short stint at Chelsea!

 

https://theathletic.com/3078146/2022/01/19/what-next-for-rafa-benitez-everton/

[Ben]

I think if we lose the next two games the Rafa come home stuff will begin 

[r0cafella]

2 hours ago, Ben said:

I think if we lose the next two games the Rafa come home stuff will begin 

Probably, you could also argue it should too. 

[Paully]

7 hours ago, Ben said:

I think if we lose the next two games the Rafa come home stuff will begin 

I said that on Sunday - it’ll be ironic if an Everton win up here rubber-stamps his return!

[r0cafella]

We rightfully seem to be fully behind Howe so I’m not sure. 
 

it’s an interesting situation though, wait until relegation and Rafa might have moved on again

[Ben]

Is Howe fully settled though, he seems stressed to bits (can't really blame him TBF) it's good job there's no games for a few weeks because if Leeds win big this weekend there will be calls for his head.

[The Butcher]

18 hours ago, Paully said:

I know he's never broke a contract but he must regret turning us down in October (well, going to Everton was absolute lunacy!). I never knew that he turned down Atletico after his short stint at Chelsea!

 

https://theathletic.com/3078146/2022/01/19/what-next-for-rafa-benitez-everton/

China? 

[nufcnick]

8 hours ago, Ben said:

I think WHEN we lose the next two games the Rafa come home stuff will begin 

Corrected that for you 

[Robster]

 

Friend of mine thinks that this isn't a dig at Rafa but it is, surely ?

[Theregulars]

I’d take him back right now. Accept that it’s knee-jerk but I’ve not seen enough from Howe yet to suggest that something positive is round the corner. We still look muddled, scared and like we find no joy in playing.

[Happinesstan]

30 minutes ago, Robster said:

 

Friend of mine thinks that this isn't a dig at Rafa but it is, surely ?

Currently getting beaten by Villa, at home.

[Hanshithispantz]

Think we've probably moved on from the times you could get a Premiership club playing by sending a big, angry Scot in to shout at them like.

[Heron]

33 minutes ago, Robster said:

 

Friend of mine thinks that this isn't a dig at Rafa but it is, surely ?

Ner, I read that as, he's tore them a new one. 

[Heron]

Don't know why loads of pundits and commentators dislike Benitez. He's a pleasant chap who's won plenty. Very bizarre. 

 

 

Edited January 22, 2022 by Heron

[geordie_b]

34 minutes ago, Robster said:

 

Friend of mine thinks that this isn't a dig at Rafa but it is, surely ?

 

Club legend caretaker manager 101 stuff that

 

Bet he said that the last time too

[Happinesstan]

12 minutes ago, Heron said:

Don't know why loads of pundits and commentators dislike Benitez. He's a pleasant chap who's won plenty. Very bizarre. 

 

 

 

I can only assume it's because he's proved them all wrong, year after year.

[Theregulars]

Or because he’s foreign and successful. Racism amongst pundits is definitely an active issue.

[nufcnick]

5 minutes ago, Happinesstan said:

I can only assume it's because he's proved them all wrong, year after year.

 

1 minute ago, Theregulars said:

Or because he’s foreign and successful. Racism amongst pundits is definitely an active issue.

Taking a job away from one of those great English managers init 

[Happinesstan]

4 minutes ago, Theregulars said:

Or because he’s foreign and successful. Racism amongst pundits is definitely an active issue.

I think it's a bt over the top to call it racism. It's just stupidity. Stupid loyalty based upon stupid identities.

[rgk_lfc]

2 hours ago, Heron said:

Don't know why loads of pundits and commentators dislike Benitez. He's a pleasant chap who's won plenty. Very bizarre. 

 

 

 

 

He is intelligent, analytical, educated, thoughtful. Doesn't toe the line and spout cliched bullshit. Forms his own opinion based on facts. And most dangerously, has the charisma and is articulate enough to convince an entire fanbase (as long as they have an open mind towards him - Newcastle, LFC, Valencia) to his point of view. He is on a different plane intellectually compared to almost all football pundits and they know that. He "isn't one of the lads". He is exactly the type of person a bully would target and if you think about it, that is kind of what has happened to him over the last 15 years. Unfortunately for them, he has a thick skin, doesn't give an iota of f*** what they think of him, doesn't back down. So they have no other option rather than keep on the hostilities.  

 

People like him are an existential threat to the modern football punditry industry and PFM mafia. If fans actually start demanding analysis approaching his level, almost all football pundits would be out of jobs and even worse, out of relevance once they hang up their boots. And of course, garnish all of this with a seasoning of racism.