The Benitez Thread

[Stingray 9,441]

To the people who say they're coming round to him. What had you expected him to be like exactly?

Beëlzebub in a 'manuel' spanish/Fawlty Towers kind of way, Liverpool infused, fat waiter interpretation, though good tactician with a pedigree, maybe bad/maybe good kind of guy. Could do it for our team 'if Torres doesn't suck as natural law predicts' kinda guy!

Well .... the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

Let's wait it out untill Sunday. I am so curious right now.

Greetz.

[Kojo 4,676]

He had my support from the minute he was announced as manager, but this press conference just shows how much he's looking forward to the challenge, and just wants to win. Which is what we all want.

He mayaswell of been a politician, he wouldn't give anyone a straight answer about any simple things.

To me he seems like the only manager where i will be very happy if he gets sacked.

[Kojo 4,676]

I find it ironic how when some of us, myself included, have slated Torres (yes he's being mentioned again. he's our fucking number 1 striker. don't freak out) we've got the whole "FAKE FAN. PLASTIC. LEAVE DIS FORUM OR I RAPE U XX" treatment from certain members on here, yet the same people are hating on Rafa before his first game.

He will divide opinion. This is a forum. We share opinions. No one here is right or wrong ok.

We're all foolish for either liking or disliking him when we take his Liverpool ties out of the equation as he actually hasn't done anything for us yet. However, he has done nothing to deserve not having our support.

Let's judge him game by game for what he does for our club.

Like Liverpool as a club, they're history, along with Rafa being a part of them.

And he's also done nothing to deserve our support.

[Ryan Fong 2,776]

On personal level I don't like him because of those comments towards Chelsea fans he made, on professional level I support him thoroughly simply because he IS our manager now, and I do trust his words that he was only thinking what is the best to help the team (Liverpool) to win against a major rival.

Think about it, if he was our manager and made the same comments towards Liverpool fans, I know I would be very happy.

[OneMoSalah 8,885]

Press conference filled me with a bit more confidence. I said I'd support him but the fact is hes set himself a basic goal. He wants to win trophies. He wants the focus to be on the team, not him managing the team due to a lot of fans not wanting him. If he wins trophies and wins a lot of games, will a lot of fans still hate him? No will they fuck. As long as the teams winning games and picks up a trophy or two this year we'll all be happy. Guaranteed.

[The only place to be 11,313]

If we ignore the fact that he's Rafa Benitez and he said rude things about us when managing a rival club, he is a Champions League and La Liga winning manager who has something to prove to people who have written him off.

On paper, that doesn't seem like the worst person in the world to have in charge.

It's becoming strange because he is Chelsea manager so I do feel defensive over him. I love this club too much not to be enthusiastic about what me might turn out like on Sunday.

I know I'll get stick for this, but I'm more hopeful for the game against Man City on Sunday than I was a few days ago. It might just be because he's new and shiny and a little unknown, but I think we might get a result.

[The Mak 4,459]

YEAH! WE ADDED SO MANY PEOPLE TO HELP TORRES! HOW ABOUT WE MOVE OUR GROUND TO MADRID AS WELL! I MEAN TORRES PLAYED THERE WHEN HE WAS 6! COME ON! YAAAAY!

rofl, awesome isn't it?! We can also change our name to 'Torres FC'. I mean, we're doing everything else to accommodate him and I'm pretty sure Roman is already pushing for it, so why not?!

You people expected any different?, he's not going to come on press conference and say 'well you know i hate this club'. No words today cannot change my mind about this man, and i think it's stupid how people are so easily fooled. Untill he actually proves his actions have meaning then we can come round as for now he deserves nothing.

This. This is how I feel. I, too, am not convinced by the fat man's yap, yap. Wait till a couple of games to see what he's really about.

[Hutcho 8,443]

Yeah..and I don't understand how a manager can "grow on you" after 1 press conference...Let's see how the team performs during the next few weeks first..

Well tbh, he doesn't hate our club, he was the manager of liverpool, so obviously sided with them, he is not anymore. I still don't particularly like the man but it doesn't mean i have to hate everything he says or does... He is our manager, no amounts of complaints or twitter bombardments will ever change that so it is time to get behind the team and hope we can start performing well.

[The only place to be 11,313]

And he's also done nothing to deserve our support.

He's agreed to become the Chelsea manager.

Call me old-fashioned but that used to be enough to deserve my support.

[klopfzeichen 78]

To the people who say they're coming round to him. What had you expected him to be like exactly?

Is there any way else to come to him except by round? Boom!

[Jase 43,479]

Because they kept asking him the same questions, lmao.

Could have answered the questions better to begin with rather than dodging in, going around the bush and repeating the nonsense he talks about.

Exactly like RDM did. Would you rather he falls in the reporters' traps like AVB did?

RDM was better. Straight to the point and no messing about. Some of the things Benitez said was just nonsense.

[Blue Armour 4,436]

Well tbh, he doesn't hate our club, he was the manager of liverpool, so obviously sided with them, he is not anymore. I still don't particularly like the man but it doesn't mean i have to hate everything he says or does... He is our manager, no amounts of complaints or twitter bombardments will ever change that so it is time to get behind the team and hope we can start performing well.

I don't hate him...See, things are different at our club now....We've had so many managers come in and go in the past few months, that there's no sense of real attachment towards any of them (except for maybe RDM who's ex-Chelsea).

I just see them as professionals doing their job, and I'll rate them based on how well they do it. Rafa's no different.

[Rambo 1,729]

Let's see how the team will respond on Sunday. I'm expecting a nasty reception by the fans but I wouldn't give a shit if i was him, just get the results.

[Sheva. 5,373]

Could have answered the questions better to begin with rather than dodging in, going around the bush and repeating the nonsense he talks about.

RDM was better. Straight to the point and no messing about. Some of the things Benitez said was just nonsense.

What question exactly should he have answered better? i thought he handled most of the questions well.

The media were basically trying to get him to say something wrong which he avoided.

[Muzchap 8,966]

Verdict : Professional, organised and focused.

If he can turn our team into that - I will be very happy!

He conducted himself well

Haters will always hate:

1) he didn't sack RDM

2) he defended Lpool against us, that's what a manager does!

3) Without the Lpool hatred, I quite like the guy

No offence to RDM but he always seemed like a rabbit in headlights - no killer instinct.

Rafa's looking at our squad like an escapee from Fat Camp outside a Greggs window !

Could be something good