The Benitez Thread

[Martina 210]

We hate some persons because we do not know them; and will not know them because we hate them.

-Charles Caleb Colton

Not wanting Rafa as a Chelsea manager (and not liking him) is a personal opinion, not a psychological disorder.

[The Skipper 20,593]

He's got some real devotees (potential stalkers) though…

From Rafa's website:

I am a young local coach from NIGERIA and a chelsea fan. And i av learn alot tings from u than eny other cfc coach cos i watch all chelsea match to learn. What i learn from u is how to beleave in all your player, i love how u give all the player chance and u make my dream come true by playing DAVID luiz as a midfielder. I wich i could av the opotunity to meet u once in my career and ask u some qustion. I will been following u every where u go now to learn more from u. And i hope u win the match on sunday 4 me cos is my birthday.

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Rafa Benitez is a football god. I have been a Manchester City fan for nearly 70 years and I can think of no better manager to take over from Mancini than Rafa. I really cannot fathom why we are entertaining the thought of employing Pellegrini when Rafa is available. Rafa has won so many trophies and proved himself year after year. He is the only man for me. We will win the Champions League with him in charge. I hope the Sheikh visits this website so that he can read this post!

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A PUBLIC APOLOGY

I am a lifelong Liverpool FC fan who feels compelled to make a comment regarding the managerial ability of Rafa. I was amongst a small, yet vocal, minority of LFC fans who felt that his dismissal by the Reds was justified. However, with the power of hindsight I can whole-heartedly state that I was very VERY wrong. Rafa's work at Chelsea this season has been remarkable. Sorry Rafa for my past, cruel, ill-informed words. I would take you back at LFC in an instant. You are undoubtedly the Premier League Manager of the Season. Good luck for the future (as manager of Real Madrid?)

[Hutcho 8,443]

He's got some real devotees (potential stalkers) though…

From Rafa's website:

I am a young local coach from NIGERIA and a chelsea fan. And i av learn alot tings from u than eny other cfc coach cos i watch all chelsea match to learn. What i learn from u is how to beleave in all your player, i love how u give all the player chance and u make my dream come true by playing DAVID luiz as a midfielder. I wich i could av the opotunity to meet u once in my career and ask u some qustion. I will been following u every where u go now to learn more from u. And i hope u win the match on sunday 4 me cos is my birthday.

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Rafa Benitez is a football god. I have been a Manchester City fan for nearly 70 years and I can think of no better manager to take over from Mancini than Rafa. I really cannot fathom why we are entertaining the thought of employing Pellegrini when Rafa is available. Rafa has won so many trophies and proved himself year after year. He is the only man for me. We will win the Champions League with him in charge. I hope the Sheikh visits this website so that he can read this post!

------------------------------------------

A PUBLIC APOLOGY

I am a lifelong Liverpool FC fan who feels compelled to make a comment regarding the managerial ability of Rafa. I was amongst a small, yet vocal, minority of LFC fans who felt that his dismissal by the Reds was justified. However, with the power of hindsight I can whole-heartedly state that I was very VERY wrong. Rafa's work at Chelsea this season has been remarkable. Sorry Rafa for my past, cruel, ill-informed words. I would take you back at LFC in an instant. You are undoubtedly the Premier League Manager of the Season. Good luck for the future (as manager of Real Madrid?)

[Bosnian Blue 2,471]

Not wanting Rafa as a Chelsea manager (and not liking him) is a personal opinion, not a psychological disorder.

Lady you really should have started posting earlier, its a shame you didnt because I would be saved from so many discussions regarding TFO, since you are doing a great job here. And I wonder where has CMan2000 gone, his posts are legendary.

[SinineUltra 1,170]

Not wanting Rafa as a Chelsea manager (and not liking him) is a personal opinion, not a psychological disorder.

Who said it was a psychological disorder? Though, having so fixed and unfounded anger is something psychologists might find interesting.

[Martina 210]

Lady you really should have started posting earlier, its a shame you didnt because I would be saved from so many discussions regarding TFO, since you are doing a great job here. And I wonder where has CMan2000 gone, his posts are legendary.

Thank you Sir :-)

[Martina 210]

Who said it was a psychological disorder? Though, having so fixed and unfounded anger is something psychologists might find interesting.

Reality check:

This is a football forum and a thread about Rafa Benitez (football manager).

I have expressed a negative opinion on a football manager. I find you calling it "fixed and unfounded anger" slightly disturbing.

[SinineUltra 1,170]

Reality check:

This is a football forum and a thread about Rafa Benitez (football manager).

I have expressed a negative opinion on a football manager. I find you calling it "fixed and unfounded anger" slightly disturbing.

It's funny(and random) you say that, because most people find it disturbing for someone to have such negative feelings towards a person they don't know, someone who has delivered in a professional level and has stayed dignified with us. I guess what ever floats your boat, not going to drag this further - going to watch paint dry.

[bushman 2,043]

Reality check:

This is a football forum and a thread about Rafa Benitez (football manager).

I have expressed a negative opinion on a football manager. I find you calling it "fixed and unfounded anger" slightly disturbing.

You should learn to read those too. Some people appreciate Rafa´s job & not constant dribbles only.

[Martina 210]

It's funny(and random) you say that, because most people find it disturbing for someone to have such negative feelings towards a person they don't know, someone who has delivered in a professional level and has stayed dignified with us. I guess what ever floats your boat, not going to drag this further - going to watch paint dry.

Good.

I have lost any interest at "most people". Can't argue with that, can I?

[robdog 2,084]

[milka 3,308]

No parade, no thanks: Rafa Benitez gets indifferent goodbye from Stamford Bridge

In the end, he couldn’t even say goodbye.

A European trophy, third place, despite the mayhem of 48 games in 175 days, dressing room disquiet, and an unbalanced squad, and he couldn’t even say goodbye.

So passed the Rafa Benitez era at Chelsea, a reign born in disgruntlement, nurtured in rising anger, ending in a triumph of which he could not be part for fear of the backlash.

Even Avram Grant, who took over from the Special One, joined the parade of honour at the end of the 2008 season.

But as the sun, for once, beat down on Stamford Bridge, as the outgoing David Moyes joked about making his now-former Everton players buy him a beer on the train back to Merseyside, Benitez stayed out of the way.

The Chelsea players, staff and their families took the accolades, revelling in Tottenham’s familiar last day misery. But not Benitez.

“It was for the players and the families,” he tried to explain. “I received a lot of messages on my website, more than 200, saying ‘thank you very much’, people appreciating what we were trying to do.

“I think the fans have changed. After the Middlesbrough press conference, you could see a lot more support for the team. You could feel more support for the team.

“In my opinion the majority of them were very positive in the end, which is good. And I think I changed the opinion of some of them. We tried to do our best.”

Even his best, though, was not sufficient for the many. There were a couple of small banners, a handwritten one behind the dug-out declaring ‘Thank you Rafa; We forgive you. Good luck.’

Yet none of Frank Lampard, John Terry or the departing Paulo Fereira mentioned the interim when handed the microphone in the centre-circle. Where Guus Hiddink was given a £200,000 watch by the players, Benitez got nothing.

David Luiz did break the mould. “We want to say ‘thank you’ to him because he was an amazing coach for the team and for me personally,” said the Brazilian.

“I learnt a lot from him. People said bad things about him but not many coaches can do what he does. Next year’s coach will change but the mentality needs to be the same.”

Luiz, it seems, was one of the group Benitez mentioned. “A lot of them said things to me,” he added. “It is one thing what you say in public, in a press conference but they were telling me privately, I’m really pleased with that.”

Just one more week, in the USA, and Benitez will be free. Wherever he pitches up next, it can’t be tougher than this gig was.

Mike Hewitt

[yuvala 2,167]

Good bye.

Thanks for getting us through this transition period.

[diskoviolente 425]

Well done Rafa, got the job done, won a trophy despite of all the stick he got. Did very well managing the squad in these crazy seasons, had his flaws and his "moments" but overall, nothing but respect for the man.

[Ollie 4,400]

Thank you Rafa. This thread should be renamed. Like him or not, he's lead us to a Europa League trophy and 3rd in the prem. It's been a very good end to the campaign and he's worked very well with us. I reckon if Man City hired Benitez, they'd be a formidable force next season. I now appreciate how good a manager, especially man manager he is. Can't believe i'm saying this.

[Heisenberg 1,824]

He is an has-been manager, but still, I love the way he deals with the players overall.Au revoir !

[Fernando 6,378]

Thank you Rafa. This thread should be renamed. Like him or not, he's lead us to a Europa League trophy and 3rd in the prem. It's been a very good end to the campaign and he's worked very well with us. I reckon if Man City hired Benitez, they'd be a formidable force next season. I now appreciate how good a manager, especially man manager he is. Can't believe i'm saying this.

I was thinking of this.

Whoever City get it will be a good manager, weather it's Benitez or Pellegrini. Top challenge coming from them.

But we will also have another challenge, the European front.

If Carlo goes to Madrid he will make them scary. Look at how he made us play?

And Mourinho has left a good team, which Carlo can squeeze a lot of juice out of it.

Also I was thinking that if PSG lets Carlo go, we could easily see Benitez at PSG!

That will be crazy European battle!

Pep at Bayern, Carlo at Madrid, Mourinho at Chelsea, Benitez at PSG and Pellegrini at City.....wow!

[Changingman_2000 876]

Thought his post match conference was a bit pandering to himself "Can't change some people's opinions, just do my job to the best of my ability", lah de dah. I suppose the £6M was a source of some comfort to him. Last attempt to take the moral high ground.