The Benitez Thread

[Hutcho 8,443]

I am at the point where top 4 is all that matters. And hopefully we can achieve that then announce that rafa had fucked off somewhere and torres has gone with him. Then everything will look bright again. We have some amazing talent and some amazing youth talent on top of that. We just need people to make smart decisions and concentrate on what's best for the club first and foremost.

[zolayes 14,489]

check the names of those still wanting to keep him

[robdog 2,084]

It's just bull shit throughout. Sacking Rdm. Appointing him. Keeping torres. Not signing a midfielder. Rafa's questionable tactics. Rafa's questionable subs. Rafa's questionable attitude. Players attitude. Boards failure to get rid of rafa after being the worse manager in the roman reign.

How is he still there. If roman makes him the permanent manger then the world has gone absolutel crazy. Saying that it's already crazy. How the fuck is this happening.

Obviously the board believes that both rafadyce & torrid can transform the club. Also I am thinking the board believes in fairy tales & Mary fuckin' Poppin

[Peace. 4,352]

I was a tad bored so I did some stats. I made two distinct tables of the league. The first one as it was when Roberto Di Matteo get sacked. The second one shows the raking had the league started when mr Paella got the job.

Under Roberto :

1er - 30 pts - 13 p - Manchester United

2ème - 28 pts - 12 p - Manchester City

3ème - 26 pts - 13 p - West Bromwich

4ème - 24 pts - 12 p - Chelsea

....

6ème - 20 pts - 13 p - Arsenal

....
8ème - 17 pts - 12 p - Tottenham
....
10ème - 16 pts - 12 p - Sweansea

11ème - 16 pts - 13 p - Stoker City
12ème - 15 pts - 12 p - Liverpool

Under that skinny dude :

1er - 38 pts - 14 p - Manchester United
2ème - 34 pts - 15 p - Tottenham
3ème - 28 pts - 15 p - Machester City
4ème - 27 pts - 14 p - Arsenal
5ème - 25 pts - 15 p - Chelsea
6ème - 24 pts - 15 p - Liverpool
7ème - 22 pts - 15 p - Sweansea
8ème - 20 pts - 14 p - Stoke City

?ème - 14 pts - 14 p - West Bromwich

Make what you want out of this. I think that it's eloquent enough.

[Hutcho 8,443]

And we were also playing some good attacking football even though we were getting caught on the break a lot. At least in an attacking sense we were better.

Though Tbh its just the fact it was Rdm and not this twat. Rdm could have lost 10 in a row and he would have got less abuse from the Chelsea fans than rafa has in 1 game. Rdm was one of the lads. The players believed in him, trusted him and listened to him. Is the same true for rafa??? Unlikely.

[AndersonBLUE 819]

11 League Games + At Least 2 FA Cup Games + At Least 4 UEL Games....

Sounds less worse if I say 11 league games

[Jype 6,398]

Look on the bright side people. We're facing West Bromwich in our next league fixture, if you know what I mean. :eyebrows:

[Changingman_2000 876]

It's just bull shit throughout. Sacking Rdm. Appointing him. Keeping torres. Not signing a midfielder. Rafa's questionable tactics. Rafa's questionable subs. Rafa's questionable attitude. Players attitude. Boards failure to get rid of rafa after being the worse manager in the roman reign.

How is he still there. If roman makes him the permanent manger then the world has gone absolutely crazy. Saying that it's already crazy. How the fuck is this happening.

Maybe the grief rightfully dished out by the press over the Robbie sacking had him thinking that he wasn't going to be so trigger happy next time. Robbie's sacking was, by far, the most shocking of them all, If for no other reason than he had great history with the club. In my opinion, given the fans very low opinion of TFSW, his appointment was even more pathetic than that of Grant. Whatever the reason's, the sacking's of Butch and Robbie have, for me, left a very, very bitter taste, that is taking a very long time to go.

[Changingman_2000 876]

the thing is, TFSW can't be short of a few quid. Surely even that deluded Pooh Miner can work out that he aint going to get the job full time. So why is he still here? You'd think he'd have enough dignity, his own strength of his nature, to walk off into the sunset and write this project off as an error of judgement. Because the longer he stays, the worse his record becomes as he aint pulling up any tress, far from it. The team is lethargic and, as it stands now, the only chance we have of a top 4 finish is if the Arse go on the slide. I think the Handbrakes will finish third, and (although i hate to say it), probably rightly so. We still have to go to Old Trafford and Anfield (God help us with this cunt still in charge) and play the Handbrakes at home. As I say, we will be extremely fortunate to finish fourth.

[The only place to be 11,313]

He's the owner and will more than likely have the ultimate veto or approval. What we lack at board level is clear and that is experience, the confidence that experience and independant wealth brings with it (and a damn big pair of big-boy bollocks), who'll tell Roman how it is and needs to be, thanking him for his support and input and letting him know just how things are going. Maybe Roman's background is a bigger issue than most think, Russian poor boy made very good, trusts next to no-one other than old associates, thinks that they can do the business for him in football as well as his other businesses.

I'm more of a mind now that at the end of Jose's reign Roman thought he knew best. he's then got lucky or unlucky with managers and the senior players have helped drag out success with help from managers of course. We're now at the point with the diminishing powers of those senior players we have left where their will isn't quite enough.

Jose's probably available and will have the motivation for a new go with us. The next jigsaw piece that's needed is getting rid of some of the board, including the over-promoted Gourlay and Emenalo, he wouldn't survive Jose anyhow.

I hear David Gill and David Dein may be available! These are experienced and skilled football people who are not reliant on wages from Roman for their wealth or careers and the sort of people a club with the status of ours should be employing. They could build a structure to deliver success and sustainability.

You call Gourlay and Emenalo over-promoted, but I'm not at the point where I blame them for the state we're in. I see our problems as being in the makings before they actually reached their positions.

In fact I think they've both done good things. I think Gourlay's done good work in the commercial side (which is his job) and I think Emenalo needs some of the credit for the change in direction regarding our transfer and recruitment policy. If you look at the signings made under his tenure, then I don't know if you could make a case that he's either been over-promoted or deserving of the sack.

In fact there's been a greater emphasis on long-term planning since both men took their current positions, although you may think the credit needs to go elsewhere. I think they are easy scapegoats in many respects. It's a given that we want the manager out so we can't have a go at him. He's gone. But then there's got to be someone above him to blame, right? Well we can't demand Roman leaves (most of us won't) because he bankrolls us right now. So who's left?

I think Buck is the exception. I like the guy and I admire the stand he took in the Terry case but I don't know if he brings enough to the role, although the role is somewhat limited. From a PR and organisational point of view, I'd love us to get someone like Lord Coe in there (I've mentioned this elsewhere) but I'll admit I have no idea on the feasibility of such a move.

[xPetrCechx 13,563]

[Fulham Broadway 16,705]

That Dutch bloke Schteve McLaren is available.

If it meant getting rid of the fat sack of shit I would personally pick him up at the airport

[MHL 47 378]

You call Gourlay and Emenalo over-promoted, but I'm not at the point where I blame them for the state we're in. I see our problems as being in the makings before they actually reached their positions.

In fact I think they've both done good things. I think Gourlay's done good work in the commercial side (which is his job) and I think Emenalo needs some of the credit for the change in direction regarding our transfer and recruitment policy. If you look at the signings made under his tenure, then I don't know if you could make a case that he's either been over-promoted or deserving of the sack.

In fact there's been a greater emphasis on long-term planning since both men took their current positions, although you may think the credit needs to go elsewhere. I think they are easy scapegoats in many respects. It's a given that we want the manager out so we can't have a go at him. He's gone. But then there's got to be someone above him to blame, right? Well we can't demand Roman leaves (most of us won't) because he bankrolls us right now. So who's left?

I think Buck is the exception. I like the guy and I admire the stand he took in the Terry case but I don't know if he brings enough to the role, although the role is somewhat limited. From a PR and organisational point of view, I'd love us to get someone like Lord Coe in there (I've mentioned this elsewhere) but I'll admit I have no idea on the feasibility of such a move.

I don't doubt Gourlay's commercial accumen and in that aspect he may be good at that aspect of his job, but I stick by what I said as a Chief Executive with overall authority over all club dealings he's over-promoted. he lacks experience in running a major football club or in fact any major sporting organisation.

Emenalo just simply lacks experience at the top level of the sport. A networker, just like the man who first brought him to the club, can you see SAF, Wenger, Moyes, Mancini, or any other first tier manager reporting into him, if I had the experience of any of those aforementioned people and I saw his CV I'd laugh him out of the room. His transfer dealings have been mostly with known and proven quality players, not much foresight required there in my opinion.

The facts are we have no-one with significant experience of running a major football club anywhere near our board and this is one of the major changes required for stability. The lunatics are running the asylum, how else can we explain the appointment of TFSW when anyone with a pea for a football brain would have seen his task was almost impossible from the get-go given the weight of feeling against him. the fact that he's proven to be a talentless tit also doesn't help much either!

Seb Coe isn't a bad call but if someone like Dein was available I'd have him in here in a shot.

Buck's background as a corporate lawyer must help and personally I see nothing in his role that interferes in a major way with the football side of things, I might see this incorrectly but can only base my opinion on what I see.

Talking of TFSW and Emenalo, Emenalo's best buddy Avram was in the Owner's box last week, coincidence or not? Maybe there's a clear favourite for the Interim's, replacement Interim.

[SinineUltra 1,170]

check the names of those still wanting to keep him

To all fairness, I'm sure some -if not majority- of them have forgotten about this poll or just think that it doesn't really matter if they change their vote.

[SinineUltra 1,170]

You call Gourlay and Emenalo over-promoted, but I'm not at the point where I blame them for the state we're in. I see our problems as being in the makings before they actually reached their positions.

In fact I think they've both done good things. I think Gourlay's done good work in the commercial side (which is his job) and I think Emenalo needs some of the credit for the change in direction regarding our transfer and recruitment policy. If you look at the signings made under his tenure, then I don't know if you could make a case that he's either been over-promoted or deserving of the sack.

In fact there's been a greater emphasis on long-term planning since both men took their current positions, although you may think the credit needs to go elsewhere. I think they are easy scapegoats in many respects. It's a given that we want the manager out so we can't have a go at him. He's gone. But then there's got to be someone above him to blame, right? Well we can't demand Roman leaves (most of us won't) because he bankrolls us right now. So who's left?

I think Buck is the exception. I like the guy and I admire the stand he took in the Terry case but I don't know if he brings enough to the role, although the role is somewhat limited. From a PR and organisational point of view, I'd love us to get someone like Lord Coe in there (I've mentioned this elsewhere) but I'll admit I have no idea on the feasibility of such a move.

Sorry if I'm mistaking but isn't there a contract that if Roman leaves he must depart so there was no debt for the club? Or is that an urban myth.

[The only place to be 11,313]

I don't doubt Gourlay's commercial accumen and in that aspect he may be good at that aspect of his job, but I stick by what I said as a Chief Executive with overall authority over all club dealings he's over-promoted. he lacks experience in running a major football club or in fact any major sporting organisation.

Emenalo just simply lacks experience at the top level of the sport. A networker, just like the man who first brought him to the club, can you see SAF, Wenger, Moyes, Mancini, or any other first tier manager reporting into him, if I had the experience of any of those aforementioned people and I saw his CV I'd laugh him out of the room. His transfer dealings have been mostly with known and proven quality players, not much foresight required there in my opinion.

The facts are we have no-one with significant experience of running a major football club anywhere near our board and this is one of the major changes required for stability. The lunatics are running the asylum, how else can we explain the appointment of TFSW when anyone with a pea for a football brain would have seen his task was almost impossible from the get-go given the weight of feeling against him. the fact that he's proven to be a talentless tit also doesn't help much either!

Seb Coe isn't a bad call but if someone like Dein was available I'd have him in here in a shot.

Buck's background as a corporate lawyer must help and personally I see nothing in his role that interferes in a major way with the football side of things, I might see this incorrectly but can only base my opinion on what I see.

Talking of TFSW and Emenalo, Emenalo's best buddy Avram was in the Owner's box last week, coincidence or not? Maybe there's a clear favourite for the Interim's, replacement Interim.

I understand Emenalo doesn't have much experience but when you look at our transfer dealings over his time here, do you have any major issue with it? The signings have been geared towards long-term investments in cheaper players, and it seems to be paying off, right? In fact doesn't it directly address one of the key failings of the people who were in charge before him?

Then look at the loans - Lukaku, Courtois, De Bruyne, Chalobah etc. are all on very worthwhile loans aren't they? Compare that to what happened in the last 5-7 years of this club when kids with promise pissed it away on teams subs benches. Yes we're lacking in the first-team but that is the result of ZERO medium-term planning in the years 2005-2010 isn't it?

We're moving from a system where we'd spend millions of pounds on the transfer fees and wages of players aged 28-30 who had no sell-on value, to one where we're targetting players aged 19-24 with fees and wages significantly down on what they used to be (with the occasional marquee signing). Isn't that a vast improvement on what we had?

Then there's the fact we made a profit which astounded pretty much everyone.

I sound like a fanboy for the board, but I'm simply the only person urging caution in calling for people's heads at a moment of crisis.

[MHL 47 378]

I understand Emenalo doesn't have much experience but when you look at our transfer dealings over his time here, do you have any major issue with it? The signings have been geared towards long-term investments in cheaper players, and it seems to be paying off, right? In fact doesn't it directly address one of the key failings of the people who were in charge before him?

In short, I would credit the man who did the deals that convinced them to come to us. The talent is obvious, the crux of the matter would be why they chose us, and I suspect you're wise enough to have a guess and come up with the same answer as me and it won't be they were impressed by Emenalo's tactical mantra or his CV. I posed a question about the other managers and what they'd do faced with him. He's a causation of our issues, not a saviour, and for that and his part in bringing TFSW he deserves rebuke and removal

Then look at the loans - Lukaku, Courtois, De Bruyne, Chalobah etc. are all on very worthwhile loans aren't they? Compare that to what happened in the last 5-7 years of this club when kids with promise pissed it away on teams subs benches. Yes we're lacking in the first-team but that is the result of ZERO medium-term planning in the years 2005-2010 isn't it?

We're moving from a system where we'd spend millions of pounds on the transfer fees and wages of players aged 28-30 who had no sell-on value, to one where we're targetting players aged 19-24 with fees and wages significantly down on what they used to be (with the occasional marquee signing). Isn't that a vast improvement on what we had?

Loans will only benefit if they make into our first team squad or turn in a profit from selling on. Let's look at the players you quote, three of the four well known and highly regarded ex- first team members of the clubs they were bought from, there's only two real options, play them or get them loans, a no brainier. Chalobah has been a good loan, however he was outstanding at his level and age groups above his level a loan was again the obvious choice. I've mentioned this to you before, thus far no young player recruited during Emenalo's tenure has made it into the first team squad or in fact any other PL squad, ringing endorsement?

FFP is driving the slight reduction in offered salaries, younger players are obvious target for establishment of a lower mean level of salary, it's still a job that needs doing so credit to Gourlay for that.

I sound like a fanboy for the board, but I'm simply the only person urging caution in calling for people's heads at a moment of crisis.

Crisis is a time for strong leadership, decisive thinking, reflection and change - why are you in crisis in the first place. They're a mess, you'll defend him (Emenalo) I cannot, a fraud recruited by a fraud, albeit that Grant knew what was best and that was to leave it to Steve Clarke using Jose's tactics and team.

[xPetrCechx 13,563]

HATE YOU! AND TORRES TOO.