Finnan and Rafa

[Guest GrandpaSimpson]

After having a bit of a falling out apparently, anyone hear anything?

[Guest Looptroop]

After having a bit of a falling out apparently, anyone hear anything?

 

I heard Finnan was pissed off with not being included in the squad that travelled to Norway and the fact Rafa seems to be willing to include him in deals here ,there and everywhere without talking to him about it first.

 

Finnan wants to stay.

[Joxer]

Would it have anything to do with the fact that he's back in the Ireland squad?

[Guest Looptroop]

Would it have anything to do with the fact that he's back in the Ireland squad?

 

Maybe he just wants to play football.

[Chili Palmer]

Rafa is a football manager, he has to make tough decisions, but everytime a player is sold or dropped, it does not mean that there is some big fall out.

 

I agree with Rafa by the way, the second half of last season showed that Finnans legs had gone.

[ali]

According to sporting life, Finnan had an op in the summer, hasn't travelled to Belgium. Is on the uefa squad list for the qualifiers but Dossie isn't. Hope someone hasn't dropped a clanger

[benno2]

According to sporting life, Finnan had an op in the summer, hasn't travelled to Belgium. Is on the uefa squad list for the qualifiers but Dossie isn't. Hope someone hasn't dropped a clanger

 

Going by this, Sporting Life have it right.

Edited August 12, 2008 by benno2

[Keita]

After having a bit of a falling out apparently, anyone hear anything?

 

according to Bascombe its true.

[Earl Hafler]

according to Bascombe its true.

 

cue stampede to place bets on a Finnan / Rafa marriage

[Guest GrandpaSimpson]

[Andy @ Allerton]

You can feel sorry for Finnan.

 

Any player being touted to Aston Villa under their gimp of a manager is obviously going to be a bit miffed.

[Kvarme Ate My Food]

You can feel sorry for Finnan.

 

Any player being touted to Aston Villa under their gimp of a manager is obviously going to be a bit miffed.

 

that 'gimp of a manager' looks like he's going to keep his captain now.

he'll be claiming victory

[Hugh]

that 'gimp of a manager' looks like he's going to keep his captain now.

he'll be claiming victory

 

An extremely unhappy captain who'll run his contract down and join us eventually.

[Mike]

An extremely unhappy captain who'll run his contract down and join us eventually.

 

after this?

unlikely.

[Kvarme Ate My Food]

An extremely unhappy captain who'll run his contract down and join us eventually.

 

maybe.

or maybe he'll do a Gerrard, come back from the brink, sign a new contract and re-prove his commitment.

[Guest GrandpaSimpson]

An extremely unhappy captain who'll run his contract down and join us eventually.

 

Dont think so

[Hugh]

maybe.

or maybe he'll do a Gerrard, come back from the brink, sign a new contract and re-prove his commitment.

 

Barry's had his heart set on this since May and shows no sign of relenting. He may recommit but he will never realise his ambitions at Villa. He's got a better chance of doing that here. We all know how keen Benitez is to sign him. I could see it happening in January to be honest if not in the next few weeks. Not that I'm necessarily thrilled about it.

[Mike]

these f***ing owners of ours have done nothing but tarnish us further with every passing month they own us. if i was barry i'd have serious second thoughts about joining us.

[MFletcher]

At the same time, it appears to be the owners who are entirely at fault for this. I'm sure Rafa would be just as embarrassed and pissed off as Barry regarding this whole sorry f***ing episode.

[psl]

If Barry stays at Villa now, I can't see him joining us in the future.

[floyd the barber]

dont think Rafa has ever seriously rated finnan hes tried to replace him with josemi,krompkamp and now degen...

[aka Dus]

If Finnan is fit (and I think his op was very very earlyin the summer) and he isn't included in squads, I am sure he is having words with Rafa. Harsh words or not, he is entitled to consider himself a front runner for the starting RB slot, going on his time at the club to date.

[MFletcher]

Reputation and length of service do not mean he should be considered a 'front runner'.

 

His form in the second half of last season was dire. Arbeloa is the clear front runner to start at RB, and I doubt you'd find many people who would quibble with it.

[aka Dus]

Reputation and length of service do not mean he should be considered a 'front runner'.

 

His form in the second half of last season was dire. Arbeloa is the clear front runner to start at RB, and I doubt you'd find many people who would quibble with it.

 

It wasn't dire. I dont care who would or wouldn't quibble with it, Arbeloa was not significantly better, neither were "world class" formwise but since we know Finnan is capable of playing at an extremely high level, and given his age, there is no reason to suggest that he couldn't play at that level for Liverpool again.

 

Anything else, to my mind, is just self-fulfilling doomsday consensus bulls*** and flies in the face of football

fact.

[MFletcher]

Finnan not only looked over the hill, but half way down it already last season. Arbeloa is a better bet for the RB position this season. Finnan may have been able to play at an extremely high level a year or so ago, but he appears to be on the way down now. Maybe that is 'doomsday bulls***', but I make that assessment having watched the player last season and saw his form gradually deteriorate in the second half of the season.