Phew!

[meredithmathieson]

Woke up this morning with that feeling of dread and fear that I haven't known since the last Stevie G wobble.

 

Checked Newsnow for all the headlines.

 

Rafa's still there.

 

Just need to be able to show our support for him tomorrow night (and NOT turn it into an Anti-American rally) and I hope that we can all turn back from the abyss.

 

ps Does anybody else loathe themselves for the way that they let something over which they have no control/say whatsoever so completely dominate their lives?

[Guest prophet]

i hope i am wrong but.....i dont think Rafa will be here much longer after all these

[mooks]

ps Does anybody else loathe themselves for the way that they let something over which they have no control/say whatsoever so completely dominate their lives?

I say we do have control over what happens. This is the time to stand up and be counted. 10 years from now, 40 years from now, do you want to explain to your children and grandchildren that you just sat back and did not even try to do anything? When they ask you what happened to Liverpool FC?

 

This is a watershed moment in the history of our great club. We are about to make history - whether we like it or not.

[So Cal Red]

the fear of losing the best thing to happen to LFC in a long time (Rafa) just terrifies me.

 

i think the knock-on effect of Rafa leaving would be enormous. team confidence, supporter discontent, uncertain direction of the club, etc... plus so many clubs are tracking some of our key players (Reina, Alonso, Mascherano, etc) & ready to swoop in if instability looms.

 

to an extent, winning will help ease the worries. but i wonder if its now just a matter of time before the owners find a feasible enough reason to excuse Rafa for good.

 

ps Does anybody else loathe themselves for the way that they let something over which they have no control/say whatsoever so completely dominate their lives?

 

everyday mate.

[Magic8Ball]

the fear of losing the best thing to happen to LFC in a long time (Rafa) just terrifies me.

 

i think the knock-on effect of Rafa leaving would be enormous. team confidence, supporter discontent, uncertain direction of the club, etc... plus so many clubs are tracking some of our key players (Reina, Alonso, Mascherano, etc) & ready to swoop in if instability looms.

 

to an extent, winning will help ease the worries. but i wonder if its now just a matter of time before the owners find a feasible enough reason to excuse Rafa for good.

everyday mate.

Mascherano will refuse to commit his future to Liverpool until the crisis at the club is resolved.

 

The Argentine midfielder held talks with manager Rafa Benitez in recent weeks, and agreed a £17million package to keep him at Anfield for the next five years.

 

But if the Spanish coach is sacked, there is no chance of him signing that deal. And that could be the catalyst for several key members of the Anfield squad to follow suit.

 

It offers a worrying twist for American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, who have lost faith in their manager.

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There is a strong feeling within the Merseyside club that the owners are now waiting for the best moment to get rid of Benitez.

 

If that happens, then as many as five first-choice players could leave, ripping the spine out of the team, and leaving the next manager with yet another major rebuilding job.

 

If Benitez goes, the new man could be in a depressingly familiar position, because Jose Reina will walk away and the likes of Xabi Alonso, Alvaro Arbeloa and even Fernando Torres would seriously examine their positions.

 

Even more worrying for the Anfield board is that Steven Gerrard would also ask himself whether, at the age of 28, he could again sacrifice his immediate ambition in the service of the club starting over. He did that when Benitez arrived three and a half years ago, after twice turning down Chelsea.

 

Last night, the Spanish manager also added to the air of uncertainty around Anfield, when he seemed to back-track slightly.

 

One of the biggest problems Hicks and Gillett (inset) - along with chief executive Rick Parry - have with Benitez is that he has criticised them repeatedly for not backing him, when they are not convinced the money he has been given has been invested wisely.

 

Benitez wants a new centre-half, with Kahka Kaladze of AC Milan, Argentine defender Ezekquiel Garay and Chelsea's Ricardo Carvalho all on his list.

 

The Liverpool boss had agreed in principle a deal to bring Kaladze to the club for a fee of around £4million, along with two South American Bosman signings. His plan was to finance the deals with the sale of Peter Crouch and Scott Carson.

 

But the Americans blocked both sales and signings, leading to the current furious stand off.

 

Now though, it seems Benitez has relaxed his hard-line position, even if he is renowned for refusing to back down.

 

It remains to be seen if that will appease either of the Americans, with at least one of them said to be 'incandescent' with rage over the manager's insubordination.

 

But the threat of a mass walk-out, and the prospect of Liverpool being submerged in yet more wilderness years of rebuilding, could keep Benitez in place for the time being.link

[Ronnie Whelan]

I still think that too much has been made of this over the last week or so.

[Gomez]

ps Does anybody else loathe themselves for the way that they let something over which they have no control/say whatsoever so completely dominate their lives?

 

Every time one of these 'situations' arise. But as I said, it's not a matter of choice. If only it was.

[Gomez]

One of the biggest problems Hicks and Gillett (inset) - along with chief executive Rick Parry - have with Benitez is that he has criticised them repeatedly for not backing him, when they are not convinced the money he has been given has been invested wisely.

 

Pure spin. Rafa must have one of the best records in the transfer market of any of the big three managers. No matter how many times the press say otherwise, it won't make it true.

 

The Liverpool boss had agreed in principle a deal to bring Kaladze to the club for a fee of around £4million, along with two South American Bosman signings. His plan was to finance the deals with the sale of Peter Crouch and Scott Carson.

 

But the Americans blocked both sales and signings, leading to the current furious stand off.

 

Carson = £10m, Crouch = £10+m (hopefully) since when do you fund a £4m transfer with £20+m of sales? Or are you just making it up as you go along Maddock? Plus the sales / purchase aren't blocked, which implies a consideration has occured, it is that nothing is being addressed until the 17th.

[PortlandRed]

It offers a worrying twist for American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, who have lost faith in their manager.

 

 

There is a strong feeling within the Merseyside club that the owners are now waiting for the best moment to get rid of Benitez.

 

 

with at least one of them said to be 'incandescent' with rage over the manager's insubordination.

 

All fecking speculation. Fanning the flames I think.

[sean]

It remains to be seen if that will appease either of the Americans, with at least one of them said to be 'incandescent' with rage over the manager's insubordination.

 

being.link

 

 

How does that pan out?

 

'hey you, I'm incandescent with rage here, can't you see!!!'

[Hassony]

Pure spin. Rafa must have one of the best records in the transfer market of any of the big three managers. No matter how many times the press say otherwise, it won't make it true.

 

 

 

Carson = £10m, Crouch = £10+m (hopefully) since when do you fund a £4m transfer with £20+m of sales? Or are you just making it up as you go along Maddock? Plus the sales / purchase aren't blocked, which implies a consideration has occured, it is that nothing is being addressed until the 17th.

 

won't we a bit short upfront if we sell crouch in january and only bring in Kaladze?

[John am Rhein]

and NOT turn it into an Anti-American rally

 

aww!

[Hassony]

aww!

 

maybe we should have a few iranian flags at the game tomorrow

[Billy Dane]

Can't we at least burn an American flag?

[PortlandRed]

Can't we at least burn an American flag?

 

Maybe a Dallas Stars flag, that'll make the news.

[The_Adder]

i hope i am wrong but.....i dont think Rafa will be here much longer after all these

 

Coming from you with a name like that I'm officially 'bricking it'

[matty]

We seem to have again put ourselves at the mercy of the press speculation machine.

 

sort this s*** out people.

[Smith]

I still think that too much has been made of this over the last week or so.

 

No schit.

[cymrococh]

Can't we at least burn an American flag?

Bring me an EFFIGY!

[John am Rhein]

maybe we should have a few iranian flags at the game tomorrow

 

George III redcoat uniforms, maybe.

[Hobbsie]

Maybe a Dallas Stars flag, that'll make the news.

 

Or whoever their main rivals are (don't know the sport) we could all wave those flags.

[Guz]

Noone would be stupid enough to sack the manager before a crucial CL game. It would leave Alex Miller in charge of the team for the night and the next few weeks. Cant help but think they'll keep him on till after the Marseille game and relieve him of his duties then.