Liverpool FC Forum

by **bigmick** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 10:40 am

I posted this paragraph earlier today on another thread (earlier today that is NZ time) and battened down the hatches, expecting to get absolutely slaughtered by all and sundry jumping in to defend Rafa and to put the boot into Mourinho at the very least, and me when they'd got sick of that. I'm very surprised that it didn't really happen.

Now I'm well aware that many have probably tired of the same old points been raised by the same old posters, but this was a slightly different question. Not advocating getting Mourinho in as manager or anything like it but simply asking the question would we be more likely to launch a challenge if he were manager? Here is the paragraph...

As a footnote, not wanting to crank up the controversy particularly but I may as well ask the question. The press are predictably talking up the possibility of Mourinho replacing Rafa. Now I don't like the little ponce any more than the next man, special he certainly ain't, but were he to take over at the end of the season, would we have more or less chance of winning the Premiership? I don't think from a tactical point of view he is anywhere near Rafa's equal, and probably isn't in the transfer market either. My hunch is that he would try something really simplistic. He'd put his arm around Gerrard and tell him he is the best midfield player in the World, he'd tell Torres that he was the one player above all others that he wanted to sign when he was Chelsea manager, he'd do an interview whereby he'd call Alonso "the General", and say that Carra was the one centre half that Drogba hated playing against. Then he'd probably go and play pretty much the same team in the first couple of months of the season. Hand on heart, would I want him as Liverpools manager? NO. Hand on heart do I think we'd have more chance of winning the Premiership with him in charge? yes.

Now is the lack of people jumping in a sign of the fact that I've eventually bored everyone into submission and the mere sight of a Bigmick post is enough to prompt a quick scroll past (quite likely I must admit), or do people maybe think the same thing. Would we be more likely to launch a serious title challenge if Mourinho (and we might as well use him as an example as we all know him, as opposed to Lippi or one of these other feckers) were in charge, or Rafa with his current philosophies?

Disclaimer: I am not saying we should sack Rafa and bring in Mourinho.

by **babu** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 10:57 am

IMO Rafa is a long term kind of guy when it comes to man management. i know next to nothing regarding Mourinho at Porto, but at Chelsea, he struck me as a short term guy (man-management wise, but as it turns out...)

I think Mourinho is the kind of guy that dishes out favouritism, and comliments to his stars, which can be good. but i am sure he is abrasive as he.ll to the rest... this would've caused problems down the line.

Rafa strikes me as being a lot different. The Team comes first, even Gerrard says Rafa rarely prasies him. I think this is a better longterm strategy.

This is an incoherent ramble, but i hope you get my point.

It will come good under Rafa, (i believe this), but he needs time and support.

by **woof woof !** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 11:10 am

Sorry Mick ,My head and stomach can't entertain the thought of Mourinho at LFC long enough to give any kind of considered response to you question. I'll just say NO .

by **bigmick** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 11:21 am

woof woof ! wrote:Sorry Mick ,My head and stomach can't entertain the thought of Mourinho at LFC long enough to give any kind of considered response to you question. I'll just say NO .

Fair enough mate. He is a nausiating little ponce so I can certainly see where you are coming from.

Hopefully once the big guns come back we can get some kind of run going and we can at least try and get a settled team. This alone would be enough to convince me that Rafa deserves another season. Start to approach games with a lot less caution and fear, and I might even join the "in Rafa we trust" brigade you never know.

by **account deleted by request** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 11:27 am

He did a great job at Chelsea, but I think any decent manager could have done almost as well given the players he had. He was hit and miss same as most managers in the transfer market, and tactically Rafa would eat him for breakfast. I do believe he has great man management skills though, and would perhaps get a little bit extra out of some players and maybe the team.

In answer to your question, yes I think we probably would have more chance of the league with Mourinho, but I think his lack of Rafa's great tactical ability would cost us in Europe.

Like Babu says I can't see him sticking with one club for very long win or lose.

by **66-1112520797** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 11:31 am

That is a tough one, at least this post is more interesting than the rotation ones Mick, so I'll give you that.

It certainly is food for thought, but before I give my opinion Mick, if Rafa is better in the transfer market and is the better out of the two tactically, why do you say Mouriniho can bring us the league ?

What IYO does he have that Rafa doesnt ? The simplistic things ?

My opinon, I dont think he's any worse than Rafa in the transfer market, and when compairing their head to heads Rafa just edges it tactically. But when playing the 36 other league games Mouriniho wins hands down.

by **Leonmc0708** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 11:34 am

Hypothetically, I can see him being able to win the Premiership next season as our manager.

This is due to two reasons:

1) Rafa's squad will be within a whisker of it at the end of this season anyway, so it will take little improvement on it.

2) The man management stratergy of the carrot over the stick is a short term fix, (and eventually will lose its appeal), however in the short term "building people up" can reap massive benefits, and could make the players that 5% better that we need to push on. However it will eventually fall on deaf ears, and can be catastrophic in terms of player motivation as can be seen with Drogba's position now and the fact Lampard wants pastures new.

Do I want it ? No, and not because I dislike Mourinho, far from it, his seige mentallity and (often overlooked) whit where a pleasure to behold, however its very very short term. Rafa is here for the long haul, and the players he has signed and the methods he is adopting will reap rewards for 10-15 years. We will not truly appreciate Rafa until he has gone, wether that be before or after winning the league.

by **Lucky** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 11:34 am

I asked myself the very similar question when the rumor came. I don't like Mourinho and definitely don't want him to have anything to do with liverpool. Only the idea of him being liverpool manager could already drive me crazy. I really can't imagine the possibilty. How should I feel watching the club I love the best fighting for the glory we have craved so dearly under the lead of someone I dislike the most?

Back to all sense, I have to agree with you on this:

Hand on heart do I think we'd have more chance of winning the Premiership with him in charge? yes.

Hope that answered your question.

by **redtrader74** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 11:34 am

IMO the way Mourinho manages works in the short term, after a while his bollox must get tiresome, and the fact that there has been very little concern on his departure from his players, other than Drogba, shows what regard the insecure little man was held in. If he did not have such an acrimonious relationship with Liverpool then maybe in the short-term he could have a positive effect on our results, but then most good managers do when they take over a Club, but i cannot see his methods working on the players who have seen him at work from the other side of the fence. I mean can you really see Carra falling for his tripe?

In the longer term i think he would be a disaster for the Club, the quiet way we go about our business, the esteem that we are held in World wide established by our History would be destroyed by the mucky hands of the Arthur Daly of football.

BTW the 'story' of Mourinho taking over from Rafa are totally fabricated imo, the press want to pressurise Rafa now that Jol has departed, but cannot think of another high profile manager.

by **Rockthekop** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 11:38 am

I'll say yes to any manager that has a realistic chance of bringing us the title, he would be one possibility. He might be an arrogant git but he's good and I would welcome him! Rafa knows he has to deliver and soon. I don't like his style at all but I'm prepared to give him every chance.

by **account deleted by request** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 11:47 am

redtrader74 wrote:IMO the way Mourinho manages works in the short term, after a while his bollox must get tiresome, and the fact that there has been very little concern on his departure from his players, other than Drogba, shows what regard the insecure little man was held in. If he did not have such an acrimonious relationship with Liverpool then maybe in the short-term he could have a positive effect on our results, but then most good managers do when they take over a Club, but i cannot see his methods working on the players who have seen him at work from the other side of the fence. I mean can you really see Carra falling for his tripe?

In the longer term i think he would be a disaster for the Club, the quiet way we go about our business, the esteem that we are held in World wide established by our History would be destroyed by the mucky hands of the Arthur Daly of football.

BTW the 'story' of Mourinho taking over from Rafa are totally fabricated imo, the press want to pressurise Rafa now that Jol has departed, but cannot think of another high profile manager.

Do you think Rafa has many friends at Liverpool Redtrader? I don't ,I think a lot of players might regret Rafa going because of his ability but I don't think there would be many tears shed over Rafa the man.

Its only an impression and I may be totally wrong, but I think Rafa's man management skills are poor and I think this is his one real weakness.

by **Big Niall** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 11:49 am

he spent a lot but in his three years in England he won the league twice and never lost a home game in the league.

Whether people like him or not he has proved a top manager in the english game.

I'd welcome any manager I thought could win the league.

by **Ciggy** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 11:55 am

As I have said in another topic, I find it quite strange how quick he has been forgotten already.

Chelsea are not missing him its like a bit of relief to some of their players.
The premiership isnt missing him either.

He had the chance to come to us before Chelsea and he chose to go there for the money.

His ego is way to big and I wouldnt want his type as our manager, in his first season at Chelsea they played attractive football down to mainly their wide men.

But it went stale and boring they where not attractive to watch they just functioned done the job and very hard to beat and masters of the 1-0 even after all the money spent.

If he where to come to Liverpool our style of play wouldnt be much different to it is now.

Benitez and Mourhino both have their qualities ones a gent ones a total @rsehole but the one whos an @rsehole takes the pressure off the team, the gent puts the team under pressure with different formations and rotations.

Ask me who I prefer then its Rafa do I wish he would change some of his methods yes I do.

So for all of Jose's qualities he couldnt have been that great otherwise he would be more sorely missed and quite frankly he hasnt been.

by **dawson99** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 11:56 am

couldnty handle the guy myself. dont care if he coudl win us the league. hes shown us no respect.

dunno what id do if he did become manager. of course id have to support him as a fan but as a person i cant stand him.

by **66-1112520797** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 11:56 am

Its only an impression and I may be totally wrong, but I think Rafa's man management skills are poor and I think this is his one real weakness.

A few of us have been saying this for a while Saint, you included me old China. But we got literally laughed at for making such suggestions.

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