In Rafa we trust...

[daswonder]

Maybe a liitle bit harsh especially as he got Valencia to win 2 La Liga titles and IIRC the EUFA Cup before he came over here and Valencia did reach a Champions League final but I'm not sure whether he was in charge then.
If so he has got teams to Champions League finals 3 times in 10 years which is a better record than Fergie's.
I hope Liverpool don't take him back for lots of reasons because he does seem,like Mancini at City,to have a very safety-first approach to the game..

View my post before hand, he inherited that Valencia side and it was under Hector Cuper that Valencia reached the Champions League final twice.

[Wax Jacket]

bit of a selective way of saying his record is better than Fergie's too

[cmonurz]

So since the middle of this year, Benitez has come to 'mutual agreement' on about 7 years worth of managerial contracts. Good work.

[daswonder]

So since the middle of this year, Benitez has come to 'mutual agreement' on about 7 years worth of managerial contracts. Good work.

I would hope so to, seeing as finding a job to meet his lofty ambitions will have all but disappeared after this latest outburst.

[cmonurz]

I think he is a decent manager. Liverpool fans aren't mugs and took him to their heart, the team played some decent football under Benitez, and the side that finished 2nd a couple of seasons back is the best side the club has had in the past decade or so (which doesn't say much, I know).

That said - why he took the Inter job I don't know. There can't have been a harder job in European management available this summer, the club having just done the league and CL double, where could he take them from there? Either he equals Mourinho's achievements, or he falls short. Not a challenge I'd want.

[daswonder]

I think he is a decent manager. Liverpool fans aren't mugs and took him to their heart, the team played some decent football under Benitez, and the side that finished 2nd a couple of seasons back is the best side the club has had in the past decade or so (which doesn't say much, I know).

That said - why he took the Inter job I don't know. There can't have been a harder job in European management available this summer, the club having just done the league and CL double, where could he take them from there? Either he equals Mourinho's achievements, or he falls short. Not a challenge I'd want.

Treble.

I think that the season Liverpool finished 2nd was in spite of Benitez, Xabi Alonso who Benitez was trying to hound out of the club for Gareth Barry (major LOLs) was the catalyst for that and it's shown since his departure how shoddy that side has been.

[Mr Angry]

I think he is a decent manager. Liverpool fans aren't mugs and took him to their heart, the team played some decent football under Benitez, and the side that finished 2nd a couple of seasons back is the best side the club has had in the past decade or so (which doesn't say much, I know).

That said - why he took the Inter job I don't know. There can't have been a harder job in European management available this summer, the club having just done the league and CL double, where could he take them from there? Either he equals Mourinho's achievements, or he falls short. Not a challenge I'd want.

I think Liverpool fans "took him to their hearts" solely because of Istanbul, though not being tied to either of Hicks and Gillette was another factor.

As for taking the Inter job; he had just lost a job and one of the biggest jobs in the World comes up - tell me a manager who WOULDN'T have taken it on? (apart from SSC of course!)

[Hoop Blah]

That looks suspiciously like one person has produced the lot - the writing is all the same.

Had exactly the same thought when I saw it.

Rafa's probably had a bit of time on his hand in his Liverpool 'holiday home' so perhaps this is how he made use of that time.

Anyone seen Rafa's handwriting?

[Wax Jacket]

Liverpool fans aren't mugs

[leww_rfc]

The Fans want him back

That looks suspiciously like one person has produced the lot - the writing is all the same.

ScouseROFLs

Would probably work for them though tbf!

[Royal With Cheese]

That looks suspiciously like one person has produced the lot - the writing is all the same.

Had exactly the same thought when I saw it.

+1 although am surprised at a scouser who can spell properly.

[leon]

I think he is a decent manager. Liverpool fans aren't mugs and took him to their heart, the team played some decent football under Benitez, and the side that finished 2nd a couple of seasons back is the best side the club has had in the past decade or so (which doesn't say much, I know).

That said - why he took the Inter job I don't know. There can't have been a harder job in European management available this summer, the club having just done the league and CL double, where could he take them from there? Either he equals Mourinho's achievements, or he falls short. Not a challenge I'd want.

I think Liverpool fans "took him to their hearts" solely because of Istanbul, though not being tied to either of Hicks and Gillette was another factor.

As for taking the Inter job; he had just lost a job and one of the biggest jobs in the World comes up - tell me a manager who WOULDN'T have taken it on? (apart from SSC of course!)

I really don't like Liverpool but Benitez (who I also dislike) is a decent manager borne out by what he's achieved, He's managed top teams into the finals of top competitions.

[soggy biscuit]

That looks suspiciously like one person has produced the lot - the writing is all the same.

[Mr Angry]

I think he is a decent manager. Liverpool fans aren't mugs and took him to their heart, the team played some decent football under Benitez, and the side that finished 2nd a couple of seasons back is the best side the club has had in the past decade or so (which doesn't say much, I know).

That said - why he took the Inter job I don't know. There can't have been a harder job in European management available this summer, the club having just done the league and CL double, where could he take them from there? Either he equals Mourinho's achievements, or he falls short. Not a challenge I'd want.

I think Liverpool fans "took him to their hearts" solely because of Istanbul, though not being tied to either of Hicks and Gillette was another factor.

As for taking the Inter job; he had just lost a job and one of the biggest jobs in the World comes up - tell me a manager who WOULDN'T have taken it on? (apart from SSC of course!)

I really don't like Liverpool but Benitez (who I also dislike) is a decent manager borne out by what he's achieved, He's managed top teams into the finals of top competitions.

On that basis, Avram Grant is also a decent manager.

[leon]

On that basis, Avram Grant is also a decent manager.

Who knows - he might be? However Benitez won La Liga with Valencia twice, plus the UEFA cup. He also won the Champions League and FA Cup. Not the record of a sh*t overrated manager I would say.

[leon]

Well...

Let's see now.
At Valencia Hector Cuper left behind a team that was capable of winning everything.
After Rafa left, what happened to Valencia? What was the quality of the squad he left behind?

So again.. at Liverpool.. after Rafa left, what's the general concensus regarding squad quality?
Well, it seems most people think they are shit? I wonder why.
Oh and yeah Rafa, brilliant plan to get rid of Jon Arne Riise and replace him with Andrea Dossena.
I'm sure AS Roma are just kicking themselves over buying Riise..

Simply put, Rafa Benitez has a habit of signing shit players and selling good ones. That's his modus operandi.

Christ, how have I ended up defending Rafa Benitez?