John Toshack is very related to San Sebastian, Real Sociedad and Liverpool. He writes every week in the local paper, and while he makes comments about LFC on regular basis, he has written a whole article about LFC this time.
I'll translate it roughly, and I'll ask your opinion
Translation
Facing the Barça-Liverpool
By John Benjamin Toshack.
Here we are again thinking of the Champions League. We have reached the authentic K.O. stage. Group games are behind us and there's not place for mistakes. This IS the actual cup.
The draw that actually interests me is the one that is going to be played by Barcelona and Liverpool. The last two champions, face to face.
6 weeks ago Rafa Benitez's team was eliminated from two competitions in only 4 days, by losing twice against the same team, Arsenal, and both times in Anfield.
The supporters were then in a state of shock due to that, since in that two matches Arsenal made a whole lot of 9 goals, where as LFC made 4.
Plus, Benitez said that "Nothing happens. League and CHampions are our priority". Now there's one thing for sure. It's true that the league and the CL are the most important competitions, but in LFC there have been always another thing that is most important: the team. The team had always the must and the mentality of winning and winning, and in that two matches, 80000 people paid an important amount of money and went to Anfield with hope only to watch their team be defeated.
Plus, losing those matches against the same archrival team is something that won't be forgotten easily.
That's why a lot of criticism fell over Rafa's head and many people, thought even that there was some lack of respect in his words toward the crowd that assisted those matches.
When Benitez talked about the need of spending more money in order to compete with Chelsea and Manchester, people had to make him remember aswell, that since his arrival at Anfield, the club has spent more than 100 Million Euros in 20 players, and some of this players like Morientes, Pellegrino, Nuñez, Kronkamp are already outside the club. All this in less than 3 years.
Our Xabi Alonso is one of the few signings that has been an utter sucess and there's a theory in Liverpool that states that perhaps it's better to spend the same money in the half of players, that's to say, more skill, more quality, and less quantity. Besides, the spine of the team, is still Carra, Hyypia, Gerrard, Finnan and Riise, all of them signed up by the previous manager.
Despite he was Champion of Europe and F.A cup champion in his first two seasons, Rafa had a bad time at the start of this season. The two defeats against liverpool hurted too much to the Liverpool fans.
All in all, the club keeps signing players at a great rythm, and has a blind confidence in Rafa. To be honest I must say that the good form in league make me to have some hopes when I look at the Barcelona draw.
30 years ago both teams also played against each other in the UEFA cup. LFC won 0-1 in Barcelona with a goal of a Welsh who I cannot remember the name of him --Toshack-- and the score in Anfield was 1-1. That thay played Rexach, Cruyff, Mora, marcial, Neeskens, Asensi... and I had the hard task of fighting against Migueli the CB --a butcher--
That year we won the UEFA cup after beating Brujas in the final. Curiously enough our first rival was Real Sociedad, it was September of 1975. It was my first time in San Sebastian and the game ended 1-3. The Boronat, Ormaetxea Martinez, Arzak were unknown to me but then I had the pleasure of knowing them better.
The first game will be in the Camp Now and I'm pretty sure that the second leg in Anfield will be one of those games that a good football supporter can't miss.
Original article in Spanish:
http://canales.diariovasco.com/realsoc....207.htm
My questions to the mates in this forum:
* Why many ex reds like Toshack and Aldo give that much stick to Rafa?
* What do you think of what he says?
If you want my opinion, I always thought TOsh had the hope of one day training LFC, and he didn't make it, so he's a bit bitter about that. I sense that because he periodically comments things about LFC since 15 years ago in the local papers, and since Rafa arrived, he never forgave ANY of his mistakes.
IMHO he's a bit harsh with Rafa.