Liverpool FC Forum

[account deleted by request]

We have problems with the owners, we might have problems with a lack of transfer funds, and we have problems with the squad not being as strong as we would like. It remains to be seen if we also have problems with our manager!

I still believe that the first team with the addition of one or two (not or 4 or 5) top quality signings can challenge if not win the league next season.

I also believe that if we don't mount a SUSTAINED challenge for the league next season - even with all our problems - Rafa should go. Like Arsenal last season, I think we may be very vulnerable to injuries to key players due to our lack of squad depth, but if (fingers crossed) our best players stay virtually injury free we should be capable of challenging for the title.

If we don't, questions need to be asked not only of the owners but of our manager. Last season was a poor show, with only the late run when it was already too late, and the CL run blurring the picture of a club badly underperforming for most of the season. Inconsistant form, strange decisions, tactics and formations all contributed to what was in effect for the most part a woefull season.

I personally don't believe the mancs were some wonderful unbeatable team last season, I do believe they had the good fortune to have arguably the best player in the world carrying them for quite a number of games, but it was OUR team that let us down, rather than the mancs performances that led to us never making a real fist of challenging.

Next season we can't afford to keep underperforming against the better sides...... or the bottom teams. We need to start winning a few of the six pointers whilst sweeping aside the also rans.

I want to overtake the mancs while Fergie is still around, not waiting, wishing and hoping for them to crumble once he's gone!

I really feel we missed a great opportunity last season, and I think it may be much much harder next season, but if Rafa can't do it maybe someone else can!

[lakes10]

bloody hell, i saw the Topic and i said to myself " i have not started a thread today".

[lakes10]

In fact for me he has only 7 games at the start of the new football year to show he can do it.

He will need to play  another top 4 side first so i would hold out for a bit till we play them and see how we do.

[holysmokey]

I'm just hoping that the mancs don't win the epl even once in the next 3 years till fergie leaves. I don't wanna see them equal our record, much less surpass it, even much lesser with him at helm.

Things are looking good now that Rafa has a number two and torres has showed what he's capable of; we just need 1-2 more players of his quality to match the top two...break the piggy bank!

[hello_red]

I think not.

I dont think we will challenge next season not because of the manager but because we are in cloud cuckoo land that we will win the league when having to compete with the quality and resources that other clubs are gifted untill we sort that we will be second fiddle bar some very good luck.

[lakes10]

I think not.

I dont think we will challenge next season not because of the manager but because we are in cloud cuckoo land that we will win the league when having to compete with the quality and resources that other clubs are gifted untill we sort that we will be second fiddle bar some very good luck.

I am sorry but that is .

we had a good team this year and it was down to silly things like taken players when we was  0-1 up and it ends up 1-1.

strange subs coming on, bad team picks.

thats what cost us this year, as soon as Rafa stoped doing things like thae we looked good again.


If the team had been use right (not rested all the time for the big games) we would have been in the race till the las week.

[Number 9]

He said himself!
"I will win the title in 5 years",no pressure Rafa!
After 5 years if a great man cannot win the title for us,find a better one!!

Who?

[Reg]

We need Ferguson.

[NANNY RED]

bloody hell, i saw the Topic and i said to myself " i have not started a thread today".

How did i know youd be the first one to respond. As soon as you see a Raffa out sign your like a fly round s.hit.

7 games dont be soft. Some of are bosmans will still be settling in.

[The Manhattan Project]

I would be tempted to say it's his last chance, but I think the club is going through enough turmoil behind the scenes, so the last thing we need is a manager change. I have no confidence in Gillett and Hicks being able to pick a better successor.

As it stands, the boardroom needs to be fixed first.

If DIC take over, Rafa needs some time to work what what funds they give him.

If it still doesn't bring the Prem or Champions League title, then he can go.

But only if Jose takes over. If we can't get Jose, then Rafa is the best man.

[Reg]

If DIC take over, Rafa needs some time to work what what funds they give him.

I suggest another 5 years?

[7_Kewell]

If DIC take over, Rafa needs some time to work what what funds they give him.

I suggest another 5 years?

[ivor_the_injun]

I genuinely don't think the current climate at the club is the best to judge whether Rafa gets just one more crack at the league or not.

Let's face it, it wouldn't be a great shock if the club changed hands again during the summer, so Rafa's potentially looking at lobbying two (or more) sets of owners in order to get hold of some money to play with in the transfer market.

That said, whatever money he does get needs to be thrown at first 11 players. I can tolerate squad players being bought in, I can tolerate a chunk being thrown at "potential", but if we get to the first day of next season with a first 11 that isn't better than our best 11 last season, it's all a big fat f*cking waste of time. And it's here that we've lacked horribly in recent years when compared to Man U and Chelsea.

[The Manhattan Project]

Can you imagine Hicks proudly announcing the new LFC manager......IAN HOLLOWAY!!!


It's possible.

After all the QPR owner Mittal (fortune = $45 billion) appointed the great Iain Dowie as manager.

[LFC2007]

First off, stability at boardroom level is a requisite for any football club looking to win titles. We haven't found that yet, and that's as key to our future as the manager. In order to acquire sufficient quality you generally need significant funds, and without boardroom consensus, it's very difficult to move forward on that level.

I don't believe the Manc's were some wonderful unbeatable team last season, but I think they were easily the most complete team in Europe.

The EPL is the toughest league in the world to win. You've Chelsea spending tens of millions willy nilly every year, you've Arsenal who've gradually built a philosophy and scouting network that ensures they'll always be a threat, then you have the Manc's who have the spending power to match anyone, and the continutity and experience of Ferguson.

IMO, Wenger and Ferguson are the world's two best club managers. When Mourinho was at Chelsea, there was a legitimate case to say the EPL possessed the world's three best club managers.

That epitomises the strength in depth of the EPL, even with Mourinho now gone it's arguably become even stronger, and subsequently a tougher division to conquer.

Having placed the size of the job in its relevant context, I'd still have expected us to have mounted a stronger challenge for the title by now. Opportunities, though few, have arisen, and passed us by where we could've strengthened particular areas of the squad with sufficient quality, which probably would've helped us in our quest to challenge for the title*.

I've agonised over my views as to whether Rafa is the correct man for the job, it's not some blind view taken without consideration - as some would have you believe.

My view is that, when considering the state of the club upon his arrival, when considering the level of player available to us in the transfer market and the incompetence of Rick Parry, when considering boardroom instability, and the relative increase in strength of our competitors, he has faired pretty well and overall has done a good job.

I can't say whether this should be his last chance, or otherwise, but the alternatives to him, IMO, are few and far between. I really can't say I'd want any of Europe's supposed 'top managers' such as Rijkaard, Mancini, Ancelotti, Schuster, ahead of Rafa. I certainly don't see any of them managing to break up the dominance of the Manc's and Chelsea, and reckon one or two would get a hell of a surprise coming to this league. Mourinho, there's a case for him for sure, but at present if I was to weigh up whether or not I'd rather stick with Rafa or opt for a change I'd stick with Rafa for the reason that he has the faith of his players, and the risk of breaking up the core of a good side is too great. Ultimately it depends on how we fare this season and how well or poor we perform, and also who we sign this summer. Torres, as far as I'm concerned, was last seasons mark of progress for us. He, along with the consolidation of Mascherano as core players, demonstrated a degree of progress sufficient for me to accept we are moving in the right direction.


*As an act of appeasement I'll factor in a minute amount of "Rafa style" vis-a-vis formation change/players in incorrect positions to account in part for our inability to sustain a challenge for the title.