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These 119 comments are related to an article called:

Rafa Benitez - An Unbiased Appraisal

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posted on 26/5/15

comment by Xiu (U6109)

posted on 26/5/15

I am a very happy Barça fan. Ancelotti was a class manager and person and I feel sorry for him but I am relieved he's gone as Madrid under him and Mourinho have improved so much in their competitivity. I think Benitez will be a step backwards for a club like Real and I look forward to them struggling for third. This is the man who preferred David Luiz in DEFENCE to John Terry!

posted on 26/5/15

It's sad how English football culture has discarded Rafa. This is the 3rd time Madrid have tried to appoint him as manager in his career, and it seems they are finally going to get him.

He may not have the personality of a Mourinho or Sherwood, but he's a bloody good managrr

posted on 26/5/15

brilliant signings there, even better results

it all went wrong when G&H went bankrupt paying their cowboy high interest loans and asset stripped the side into negative spend.

posted on 26/5/15

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posted on 26/5/15

Just look at our net spend after out title challenge!? We actually took in five million!

posted on 26/5/15

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posted on 26/5/15

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posted on 26/5/15

Lads but look at the spine of the team and the signings he made.

Wenger had a tighter budget. You guys spent a shedload but it was not spent wisely IMHO

posted on 26/5/15

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posted on 26/5/15

I think inflation works the other way around Ttliv

posted on 26/5/15

I think Benitez's transfer are very similar to how the majority of windows work for any club. Usually only 50 percent of signings will be successes. Look at Tomkin Times for more info

posted on 26/5/15

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posted on 26/5/15

What Benitez brought was a very good backroom staff. One of the best managers to surround him self with good coaches in my opinion

comment by Jay. (U16498)

posted on 26/5/15

I think you have to bear in mind that while he did have you qualifying for the Champion's League every year, this was a time when there was no City in their current form. I think it's quite likely that he'd have still finished 5th if he were manager now. Though that said, they'd have had a far better chance of top 4 given how shíte we are now!

Some of his signings were good, but an awful lot look to be 'Djemba x2'.

Has he ever been at a club for more than 2-3 seasons without winning something?

posted on 26/5/15

It's all pretty pointless as he's gone to a big club.

posted on 26/5/15

The argument is that many fans (United, Chelsea, Arsenal) don't rate him. It's idiotic when the likes of Mardrid are appointing him as a manger

comment by Neo (U9135)

posted on 26/5/15

Consistently had us qualifying for the CL which we would bite your hand off for at the moment. Great tactician in Europe every season at the club, undeniably one the best around in this field.


On the flip side you'd question how much of an achievement the top 4 actually was, we were well established before he arrived and was before City got their money. Spurs never challenged until the season he left. Everton never did properly after 05. His subs and negativity drove us mad at times.

I like him but he will only last a season at RM. Can't see him winning the league and fans will turn on him for his negativity. Whether he survives will depend on whether he wins the CL, I think he might but he will be gone if he doesn't.

posted on 26/5/15

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comment by Xiu (U6109)

posted on 26/5/15

He also inherited a good and fairly successful squad. Houllier built up a squad with few stars but it was hard working and had strength in depth. Benitez signed a few good players but sold some really good players too.

posted on 26/5/15

Good but not brilliant....

posted on 26/5/15

"He also inherited a good and fairly successful squad."

oh god

he inherited a handful of good players capable of 60 points in the league and 15 or so completely worthless players we could barely get off the books. And Owen (our top scorer and best player) left within a week of him arriving.

we sacked Houllier for good reason.

posted on 26/5/15

Repeated this many times on here.

Rafa had to make a lot of gambles. He was not given £150m in one window like Van Gaal has or Mourinho or Pelleagrini were given.

He had to buy 4/5 players each window and had £20-30m to do so.

When he was allowed to spend big he did really well.

Torres was the best striker in the league when he was with us. Made a healthy profit.

Alonso was bought for £10m. Need I say anymore

Mascherano was quality and plays in the best team in the world now.

He wanted a lot of other players but we had a moron called Rick Parry involved in most of our transfers. he wanted Dani Alves. We could of got him back then for £7.5m but Parry would not pay over £7m for him .

We finished 2nd and had a good first team and only needed to buy quality players. So maybe 1-2 each window for £20-30m instead of buying 5 for the same money but he had to sell the best players.

Only 50% of the last 3000 signings in the premiership have made the first team in their clubs. All managers mess up and Fergie made many so did Jose.

he won the champions league with Pongolle, Neil Mellor and Milan Baros up front. I would like to see Fergie or Jose do that.

I like Rafa but he had to go when he did as he was getting bitter and angry with the owners and that was bad for the club.

Good manager in my eyes. His Valencia team were fantastic.

I have not seen a team come to anfield in 30 years and dominate us in such style as his Valencia team did. we clapped them off the park

posted on 26/5/15

Rafa had to make a lot of gambles. He was not given £150m in one window like Van Gaal has or Mourinho or Pelleagrini were given.
..............................................

Nobody was back then....

Even Mourinho in Chelsea's huge splurge early on didn't get that much in one season I am pretty sure.

He outspent United and Arsenal but was outspent by Chelsea in fairness...

posted on 26/5/15

comment by SAF_The_Legend-FreePalestine(7) (U5768)
posted 7 minutes ago
Rafa had to make a lot of gambles. He was not given £150m in one window like Van Gaal has or Mourinho or Pelleagrini were given.
..............................................

Nobody was back then....

Even Mourinho in Chelsea's huge splurge early on didn't get that much in one season I am pretty sure.

He outspent United and Arsenal but was outspent by Chelsea in fairness...
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My point was they did not have to buy a number of players each window. They had a settled squad and only had to add quality hence why they could spend £20m + on players when we had that as a budget for all signings. Look at his net spend.

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