First Liverpool legend to stick the knife into Kop boss Rafa
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Kop legend: His days have got to be numbered at Liverpool...
RONNIE WHELAN last night became the first Liverpool legend to stick the knife into Kop boss Rafa Benitez and warned: "His days are numbered."
Whelan savaged Benitez for taking off Fernando Torres in Saturday's 3-1 defeat at Fulham to protect him for Wednesday's crunch Champions League tie at Lyon.
Former Republic of Ireland midfielder Whelan, 48, who won 12 major trophies in a glory-filled career, said: "It's all gone wrong with the manager and he's shown exactly where his priorities lie.
"He wants to win the European Cup so he can get a job in Europe. For me, his days have got to be numbered at Liverpool.
"Why after such a great result against Manchester United, do you want to take a huge step backwards after losing to Arsenal in the Carling Cup as well? I don't see where he's coming from."
Whelan, speaking on Ireland's RTE Television, added: "He's taken players off who are the only players who are going to give you a chance of winning the game. "And he drags them all off because he's got a game on Wednesday.
"When I saw the team I thought he's not bothered about this game. He's putting all his eggs in one basket and I can't see why he's done it." Benitez took Torres off after an hour with the teams level at 1-1.
Liverpool went on to lose disastrously and finished the game with nine men after Philipp Degen and Jamie Carragher saw red.
It was Liverpool's eighth loss this season and their sixth in seven games. They are nine points behind leaders Chelsea and, with their Premier League hopes all but dead, defeat at Lyon on Wednesday could spell the end for Spaniard Benitez.
Lyon will go into Wednesday's clash in high spirits after a late Bafetimbi Gomis goal gave them a 1-0 derby win against St Etienne.
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i think Whelan's right..
but i don't see LFC doing well in the UCL.. they're too demoralised already
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time for RB to go..
he's really running out of ideas..
he always has no Plan B to backup..
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no money, no money!
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That is what a coach would normally do.
If he risked Torres and win and torres get injured, he will still be blamed.
Whatever he do, he will be blamed.
So, it is a sure to be blamed situation.
He would have got out of this shit last season, knowing Liverpool have no money at all.
Strange that he stick around for all the blame.
Maybe it is his pride or ego as a manager.
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dear "Dr Phil"
nice try with your advertising...
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is he another juan ramos?
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The only realistic manager after Rafa is only King Kenny...if not, get Martin O'Neil...if he wants to leave AV.Mourinho? No chanceHiddink? Impossible
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Personally I don't think Kenny can do the job on a permanent basis anymore... He has shown even during the time he was still coaching that he can't take the pressure... Now he is having a slower pace job like Bobby Charlton and looking after the youth stuff only... He is more relax these days...
I belief there are lots of capable and competent managers out there, some we may not have even heard of... Its just a matter of being brave or not to engage them...
There are also those that already have some reputation like... The Mancini, Marco van Basten, Dick Advocaat, Frank Rijkaard, Louis van Gaal... And closer to home ones... Martin O'Neill, David Moyes, Roy Hodgson...
Look at AC Milan... They gave Leonardo the job... And Barce, giving an unknown to management Guardiola his first big try in management as well...
So, I don't think the list is so narrow that Rafa is indispensable...
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yeah.. you got a point..
they need to go out and scout for a good manager.. doesn't have to be a big name..
hey.. the last time a big club got a "no name manager" was Arsene Wenger!
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LYON's DEN.. Rafa faces crucial clash..
RAFA BENITEZ summed up his future in one sentence.
When I asked how long before he reconsidered his future, the Liverpool boss replied: "My future is against Lyon."
After the 3-1 defeat at Fulham, their eighth loss this season, the Wednesday clash with Lyon is make-or-break for Benitez who has major doubts over Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard.
Lose in France in the Champions League and Benitez will be left without any vestige of excuse to masquerade a disastrous campaign that has seen his lousy Liverpool lose half their matches.
Rarely has so much rested on a game so early in a campaign. So the significance of the Lyon result is impossible to underestimate, particularly as rivals Fiorentina face Group E whipping boys Debreceni.
Liverpool already trail leaders Lyon by six points and Fiorentina by three. Another defeat means they cannot catch Lyon, while the Italians would be all but out of sight.
Benitez said: "The most important thing for me is to know how many players we have available and start preparing a team."
Stand-in skipper Jamie Carragher said: "These are tough times and it hurts a lot.
"This is un-Liverpool like. But it is not just the fans who are disappointed, it is the players, the staff and the manager.
"We have got to get back on track with Lyon, which is another massive game.
"We made up for a few things last week by beating Manchester United. Then we have had two defeats since.
"There is only us on the pitch that can turn it around and there will be a lot of talk about this result again.
"We have got to sort this out with the management and staff. We can't afford to be too down-hearted for too long because we've got to get ready for the next game."
The bookmakers have already given their verdict - Liverpool are 9-1 favourites to win the EUROPA LEAGUE. Ladbrokes offer 7-2 that Benitez will not even last the month.Inspirational skipper Gerrard is still a doubt for Lyon after missing the Fulham defeat with a groin problem.
Torres was subbed on the hour at Craven Cottage despite not suffering any ill-effects.
But Benitez still insisted the Spanish star needed four days to recover after playing 80 minutes against United and was a doubt.
He added: "Maybe David Ngog will be available. Gerrard could be. We'll have to see about Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger.
"We don't know about Torres. The last time it was four days to be ready again.
"But that's the problem we have now with injuries, you cannot play without Gerrard, without Torres, without Johnson, without Albert Riera, without a lot of players in too many games."
Benitez defended his decision to include Torres in the starting line-up and then haul him off to introduce Ryan Babel after 63 minutes even though the game was at 1-1.
He said: "We needed to do something because always you think about protecting the player. In this case we were more or less in control of the game.
"But we had some chances in attack with Andriy Voronin, Dirk Kuyt, Yossi Benayoun and Ryan Babel so to keep the player on the pitch could be a problem - maybe you lose the player for one month.
"We were analysing before the game what to do. So we decided to play him. That was the most difficult decision. And after you have to manage during the game.
"The question is, if you don't play Torres you'll be talking about why he is not playing so it's a difficult decision.
"This league will be difficult but you can see that all the teams can lose and lose points."
Having already lost to both Fiorentina and Lyon, the Reds are faced with disaster should they capitulate again.
Benitez has in the past pulled Liverpool back from the brink of Euro elimination, famously against Olympiakos in 2004 when Liverpool scored three second-half goals and went on to win the trophy in Istanbul.
The Kop boss added: "Hopefully we have experience and confidence and can do it."
He also refused to write off his side's title hopes. He added: "We have to win against Birmingham. That is the priority."
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he get all priority wrong.
i remember last season Aston villa did the sameting, they fill a weakened side against a team in europe or domestic cup, lose the game terribly, and go on a ten games winnless streak.
as a manager, he has to win all games. he has been in liverpool long enough to know one of the trophies the pool fans wishes the most is not UCL but BPL title.
he has basically done nothing in incredible at liverpool dispite spendings hundreds of milions. he has no youth academy player coming thru the ranks, few players flourish under him. bad judgement in transfer market. good tactician only against better sides. often fielding player off their best position that not only puzzle me but the soccer analyst as well.
frankly hell do i care, as i am gunners fans. but to see liverpool management so weak to act against such a inept boss just boil my blood!
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Originally posted by Medicated Oil:
That is what a coach would normally do.
If he risked Torres and win and torres get injured, he will still be blamed.
Whatever he do, he will be blamed.
So, it is a sure to be blamed situation.
He would have got out of this shit last season, knowing Liverpool have no money at all.
Strange that he stick around for all the blame.
Maybe it is his pride or ego as a manager.
no money? halo... he spend so much money on players even more then chelsea..
and yet the only team you can see in liverpool is only gerrard and torres?
at least in chelsea we are a team... no drogba no lampard, no problem.
but he don't even have a decent bench players!
who is gonna cover for torres?
after spending so much... he should have results.. but nonono untill now i see a wasted pool of shit.
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to be honest, rite aft Pool won e UCL..
Rafa shld used tat "limelight" to sign super high profile player or players of "A" class or even those players who are ardy household names in EPL..
but he chose to sigh super unknowns & every single one he sure tagged as the very next potential aka the next Gerrard, the next Torres, the next Carragher..
arrh! enuff of all those "as if" ardy.. sick of it..
i tink the only solution nw is to sack him la..
time is really not on his side nw..
i really hope Pool lost in Lyon..
else nth will chg for gd.. really..
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he really should go
somehow i felt that i am seeing another newcastle team
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Originally posted by nature-ones:
he really should go
somehow i felt that i am seeing another newcastle team
i don't see a newcastle in this..
i see a leeds
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Realistic one....
Frank Rijkaard? possible?
O'Neil? Don't think he will leave AV
Redknapp? He will not leave Tottenham although got some issue recently suggesting that he will walk away.
Moyes? Don't think he will risk his life moving across? Their fans will kill him.
Zico? He is doing a good job in Japan.
Klinsmann? I think Rafa is better
Sammy Lee? No thanks.
But I believe Kenny will replace him should he be sacked.
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i tink Sammy Lee is a gd option for now.
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if losing to lyon can make rafael go, i hope we get trashed
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Chelsea have a bunch of star players as a starting line despite of having lousy managers after the special one.
So, cannot compare them with Liverpool.
Only thing that is consistent throughout the five seasons is that Ah Ben is around.
After the 1st season, the rest of players that Ah Ben have bought are all rubbish.
Ah Ben have no strength in selecting star players and grooming players.
Even his tactics are flawed in fielding incompetent players consistently.
But, his tactics seem to worked when the players are fired up.
So, the players have to take some of the responsibility.
Changing the manager is not a option now unless the management is changed with new cash to replace the existing players. (They are not good and hungry enough as compared to the devils, gunners and the blues)
It will take miracle for them to recover now.
For the next three seasons, they will remain as the 5th of 6th placing playing the UEFA cup.
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At the same time, I am glad that the fans from the other club also gave their comments.
I guess they are disgusted on the present situation in Liverpool and hope that they can be strong again.
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I think if pool change manager half the team would be sold and a major rebuilding needed
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Taking off Torres was bad enough.
He took off essentially his entire strike force - players who could score.
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the only few player in liverpool that are good enough is torres, reina, benayoun and gerrard. the rest should go.
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Originally posted by Cries:
the only few player in liverpool that are good enough is torres, reina, benayoun and gerrard. the rest should go.
1stly, will there be any interested buyers? 2ndly, it will only serve to worsen the depth problem in the squad. 3rdly, we would not have enuff $$ to even buy a quality 1st team players and add a few more quality squad players..