If's and But's

[Lanus]

Only a small thing really but I can imagine the owners and fansd would all be delighted with Rafa if we'd have beaten Milan for the 2nd time. I don't mean this in an 'if only' type way, I'm just using it to make a point at the difference between being fired and being hailed a genious is not always that large.

 

and yes, im aware of us wanting the league more than anything now, before anyone says it

[Stevie H]

aye. seen ac milan's league form this season?

[meepins]

Only a small thing really but I can imagine the owners and fansd would all be delighted with Rafa if we'd have beaten Milan for the 2nd time. I don't mean this in an 'if only' type way, I'm just using it to make a point at the difference between being fired and being hailed a genious is not always that large.

 

and yes, im aware of us wanting the league more than anything now, before anyone says it

It would have made little difference to the situation we find ourselves in.

There is a cancer eating away at our club and it needs to be removed.

[Rimbeux]

This is not about results, it's about what it took for two corporate raiders to get in through the door and the fallout when it all unravels. Rafa is one who knows what was offered and wasn't prepared to stay obediently complicity silent when plans were 'downgraded'.

[Molby]

Only a small thing really but I can imagine the owners and fansd would all be delighted with Rafa if we'd have beaten Milan for the 2nd time. I don't mean this in an 'if only' type way, I'm just using it to make a point at the difference between being fired and being hailed a genious is not always that large.

 

and yes, im aware of us wanting the league more than anything now, before anyone says it

 

go back to the beginning and read all the posts about the structural problems faced with the club as a result of the disparate ambitions of the owners and Rafa

 

do not post again until you have understood the issues

[honourablegeorge]

If Kuyt had scored instead of hitting the bar against Chelsea, we'd have won it last year.

[Lanus]

go back to the beginning and read all the posts about the structural problems faced with the club as a result of the disparate ambitions of the owners and Rafa

 

do not post again until you have understood the issues

 

High and Mighty much!

 

Im well ware of the other talk about the owners.. my point was that success would have smoothed over most of the issues.

 

 

oh and

 

 

so's your face.

[Gerry]

"Ifs and Buts"

 

And ignore Molby.

[Elisha_Scott]

Only a small thing really but I can imagine the owners and fansd would all be delighted with Rafa if we'd have beaten Milan for the 2nd time. I don't mean this in an 'if only' type way, I'm just using it to make a point at the difference between being fired and being hailed a genious is not always that large.

 

and yes, im aware of us wanting the league more than anything now, before anyone says it

 

Perhaps, but it was down to Rafa's team selection that we didn't beat Milan, so maybe he has brought it all on himself.

[Bigal]

Perhaps, but it was down to Rafa's team selection that we didn't beat Milan, so maybe he has brought it all on himself.

 

Know that for a fact??

[Hassony]

Perhaps, but it was down to Rafa's team selection that we didn't beat Milan, so maybe he has brought it all on himself.

it was down to his selection that we beat barca and chelsea on our way to our second final in 3 seasons

[Stevie H]

Perhaps, but it was down to Rafa's team selection that we didn't beat Milan, so maybe he has brought it all on himself.

think a lot of us would have had a different starting XI in athens but it's not exactly a fact is it?

[Lanus]

Perhaps, but it was down to Rafa's team selection that we didn't beat Milan, so maybe he has brought it all on himself.

 

you think so? I thought we played pretty well against Milan... especially after seeing how they stuffed man utd in the 2nd leg. Seems to me that rafa won the tactical battle on the night... unfortunately the score didn't mirror that but that's football.

[Elisha_Scott]

Know that for a fact??

 

Yes, I know it for a fact! f*** off, its my opinion obviously. Do I need to state on every post that its an opinion, or could you maybe work it out for yourself.

[Lanus]

think a lot of us would have had a different starting XI in athens but it's not exactly a fact is it?

 

Of course... Im sure a lot of us would have started with different team selectio in the previous games leading to the final and gotten knocked out too. When the smoke clears, I just hope Rafa has some supporters left... and a job!

[Elisha_Scott]

it was down to his selection that we beat barca and chelsea on our way to our second final in 3 seasons

 

And that we lost the final too then? And didn't threaten in the league, and got tonked at home in the FA cup too. Rafa is not blameless in all this. We are in danger of turning him into some sort of martyr

[Guest GrandpaSimpson]

go back to the beginning and read all the posts about the structural problems faced with the club as a result of the disparate ambitions of the owners and Rafa

 

do not post again until you have understood the issues

[Hassony]

And that we lost the final too then? And didn't threaten in the league, and got tonked at home in the FA cup too. Rafa is not blameless in all this. We are in danger of turning him into some sort of martyr

 

out of him, Parry, G&H he is the only one I trust and believe that he wants the right thing for the club

 

of course he has made selection mistakes and transfer mistakes in the past (who hasn't?) but a manager (especially one as talented as he is) needs the support of his bosses

[Bigal]

Yes, I know it for a fact! f*** off, its my opinion obviously. Do I need to state on every post that its an opinion, or could you maybe work it out for yourself.

 

No, but in my opinion, the recent statements seem to indicate that rafa would have gone this season irrespective of what happened in Athens.

[Lanus]

And that we lost the final too then? And didn't threaten in the league, and got tonked at home in the FA cup too. Rafa is not blameless in all this. We are in danger of turning him into some sort of martyr

 

I agree, he's not blameless... only a blind moron would say it's been all rosey under rafa, but I am a strong supporter of him cause I do believe that with REAL financial backing , he'll bring us success..blah!

[MarkD]

And that we lost the final too then? And didn't threaten in the league, and got tonked at home in the FA cup too. Rafa is not blameless in all this. We are in danger of turning him into some sort of martyr

 

I agree with this.

 

Their treatment of Rafa is shocking but that should not hide the fact that at no time under his stewardship - TO DATE - have we looked like a domestic power consistently. I feel dirty saying that because I believe a lot of factors that he is unable to control (transfer budget, sale of the club etc) have impeded him but a lot of factors that he has created (questionable selection policy, poor purchases) have hindered him more so.

 

Do I want him to go? Definitely not.

Do I want him to be more consistent in his selction and less pragmatic in games in the premiership? Definitely.

[Stevie H]

And that we lost the final too then? And didn't threaten in the league, and got tonked at home in the FA cup too. Rafa is not blameless in all this. We are in danger of turning him into some sort of martyr

i've not read one person say that rafa's blameless or whiter than white. nobody is making him out to be a martyr either.

[D.Boon]

I agree, he's not blameless... only a blind moron would say it's been all rosey under rafa,

 

[Lanus]

I agree with this.

 

Their treatment of Rafa is shocking but that should not hide the fact that at no time under his stewardship - TO DATE - have we looked like a domestic power consistently. I feel dirty saying that because I believe a lot of factors that he is unable to control (transfer budget, sale of the club etc) have impeded him but a lot of factors that he has created (questionable selection policy, poor purchases) have hindered him more so.

 

Do I want him to go? Definitely not.

Do I want him to be more consistent in his selction and less pragmatic in games in the premiership? Definitely.

 

I guess this is how I feel about it also. Ive often been frustrated with what look like bad selection choices but I think that if he had more quality , as in players would are good enough to make a place int he starting 11 their own then we would really see his potential.

The main players don't generally get rotated at all.. I mean when Torres first came here, he was. If he Rotated now? No.. he almost always starts for us now.

[Guz]

Nobody is making Rafa out to be blameless. FFS ever since we lost to Reading there has been non stop discussion and debate about the merits of almost everyone in our squad and the manager, there's been pages and pages of analysis of every game and every decision the manager has made. There's a lot of people who disagree with his decisions and even some who have lost faith in his ability to take us forward. Fair enough.

 

But as this whole political battle and PR disaster becomes more and more clear, the only one that goes up in my estimation and continues to get my support is the manager.