BG

Most pertinent question on this thread. My answer: ego.

I'm a big supporter of Rafa and a fim believer but I did think a lot of his worst qualities as a manager were on display today. Looking at his team he obviously thought Reading are physical and wanted battlers. So he played Momo, despite the fact that Lucas has been playing well and was great two weeks ago at Newcastle. He also played players out of position (Crouch, Momo as the furthest forward midfielder, Voronin). Played a formation that deprived us of any width and pattern. I thought we looked like we didn't know what we were doing for long stretches. Made odd substitutions. Fine if Torres was injured but Gerrard is well capable of three games in a week. Fair enough the ref was poor but I feel that we shot ourselves in the foot today. Oh and Riise and Momo were both awful, as was Crouch.

That's not what I understood Hawkpoint were paid

Old Trafford?

Does Rafa need someone to polish his boots? Can't Parry do that?

In the directors box tonight according to Rawk - apparently talking to Kenny. Hope to god he was there to see Quaresma.

Personally I think he is on another level to Xabi, if not to Gerrard. Certainly if I could only have on of Xabi or Torres, much as I rate Alonso, I'd choose Torres in a heartbeat. IMO Torres, Gerrard and Reina are our most important players. (Carra to but he's been a bit ordinary at times this season.)

I'm not sure it would be. I remember seeing Kenny on there a few years ago when he was boss of Newcastle. Obviously being more used to the likes of Shreeves etc ("Were you pleased with winning away at Old Trafford?) he wasn't really prepared for the grilling he got. My favourite Newsnight head-to-head remains Russell Grant vs Richard Dawkins on Astrology...

It seems to me that what the players say over the next week or two could well be key. Gerrard, Carra etc need to come out very strongly IMO to put pressure on Parry and the owners. Now is the time for 'best manager we've worked with' in the echo.

Independent piece tomorrow quotes the upper echelons of the club (which excluding Rafa I'd have thought can only be one of about four people) as saying Rafa will not be fired yet... Link

As player manager, saves on costs - he's replacing Rafa and Gerrard.

Whoever they were I'd like to know if they stand by it.

One amusing aside: over on Toffeeweb they are praying that this somehow means a shared stadium is back on the agenda...

Resigning would deny him a huge pay-off, I doubt he'd do that.

I hope the club respond robustly to the NOTW story. If there's no response or a weak one, I fear that may be quite telling.

Always a great source, Nicolas and Merson especially.

It seems to me that yesterday Rafa either exploded in the press conference and behaved childishly or he calculated that he could pressure G&H into doing something. I'm not sure which worries me more. Either way I personally suspect that given that the two sides are now communicating via statements, interviews and press conferences (and that Rafa has said nothing today and nor has Parry) that things are really very bad. By the way I also think the decision making process at the club is slow and fractured and I think it is this more than a transfer budget that Rafa seems to be most exercised by.

I don't think the issue is about budget so much as process/responsiblity for decision making on selling (especially) and buying players. Additionally in the light of the last 24 hours there is clearly an issue now around trust/whether the working relationship can be sorted out. Where's Rick when you need him - goalkeeping course again?

Hick's interview in the Echo and another piece there. Hicks basically tells Rafa to shut up. Those who said all is basically fine - is that still your opinion? Mine is that Rafa will be gone within a year - at the most - unless something changes substantially.

Having heard the press conference and read the statement I see things as pretty serious. I suspect the odds on Rafa as next premier league manager to leave their club will shorten a lot tomorrow unless something conciliatory is said by one or both sides. The fact that the two sides are now communicating with each other through press conferences and official statements says a lot - all of it bad.

Times piece is worse. Claims Rafa clarified that he was serious about the England job being a possibility...

Tomorrow's Telegraph has a piece - Rafa clearly very angry, decisions being made too slowly.

Which is a joke. He should have been banned for more like 20.

No, never did.

I think league games and euro games will still sell out. Not least when it isn't so painfully difficult getting tickets I suspect a lot of people will be inclined to think they'll go to more games.