Rafael Benitez

[nd]

Fair enough he should take as much blame for the first half as he's given credit for the second, and fair enough this was 'only' Luton, but f***ing hell...what a gem he is.

 

The way he conducted himself today was a credit to his profession:

 

- Shows respect for the opponents and competition by fielding our strongest, most knackered side (bar Reina).

- Sends out a team that takes control of a game that initially looked like it would be a stroll.

- Team loses control in an abysmal way and goes into half time in very poor shape.

- Team comes out in second half and re-asserts itself before crappy reffing decisions throw us deeper into the s*** (and you could tell from Rafa's passionate display on the touchline that he was sensing disaster).

- Keeps a cool head, throws on an unlikely-ish sub, and changes to more attacking tactics (swapping a holding midfielder for a forward).

- Cue four goals in thirty-odd minutes (how many substitutions have that kind of effect?).

- Handles himself immaculately in the post-match interview, paying full respect to Luton and displaying obvious displeasure at the performance.

- Comes away from a banana-skin tie having added another class piece of Liverpool history to the record books.

 

Sack Parry.

[Spike]

Agreed. I don't think that there are many better but I'm sure Rafa would be the first to mention the roles of the Pako / Paco, Hughie, and the backroom staff.

 

The great thing about Rafa is that his 'team' mentality and sharing success is replicated amongst his own crew. The sum of the parts as it were.

 

I love what Rafa has been doing at our club and the personel that he has brought in, and credit to the board for doing that and allowing Rafa the freedom to create his own backroom staff.

 

Like many I was hoping that Thommo or Sammy Lee would stay on to hand on the baton of the bootroom, but Rafa shows that the bootroom isn't about ancestry but about a shared belief and understanding of LFC

[Guest Anders Honoré]

he is beginning to overtake Lippi in my estimation.

[Guest JV]

Sack Parry.

I especially agree with the above, well said.

[nd]

Like many I was hoping that Thommo or Sammy Lee would stay on to hand on the baton of the bootroom, but Rafa shows that the bootroom isn't about ancestry but about a shared belief and understanding of LFC

1143976[/snapback]

 

That is so true. And it's probably why Mourinho didn't get a sniff.