Rafa...

[Dipesh42]

Seriously,which Liverpool official (was it RP)had the blinkers on and had his heart set on Rafa,ignoring Mourinho and all others after GH left ....I am sure with some of the names on the market,that someone had to do a lot of convincing for the somewhat less regarded Rafa ....

[Gunga Din]

i dunno, but Kev wanted Peter Reid

[Benitez]

I wanted Alan Curbishley

 

I think we have to thank whoever pulled the balls ( ) out for the CL draw that year before, when we got Valencia in the group stage.

[Spike]

i dunno, but Kev wanted Peter Reid

 

 

I do hope that has a hint of sarcasm

[Gunga Din]

I do hope that has a hint of sarcasm

 

 

nope, he did

[anny road]

nope, he did

 

 

he did

[Spike]

*doubletake*

[Guest lollyfi]

micheal owen suggested him.

valencia at anfield convinced him he was the man for the job.

so liverpool get him in and owen..well u know the rest

[RaoulD]

I think it was common knowledge within European football circles that Rafa was having difficulties with the Valencia board and that he was putting on a brave face (but really unhappy) during his last year there. Mourinho was touting for the job before he won the European Cup and we were still in the UEFA Cup. If we had beaten Marseilles and reached the final who is to say that Houllier would have been sacked? By the time the position became available, Mourinho had got ino bed with the Russian and Rafa resigned at Valencia. We were extremely fortunate that things turned out the way they did but I doubt anyone at Liverpool thought that Rafa was going to be the next manager when Mourinho was mouthing off. You have to remember that Houllier was the first manager we had sacked in over 45 years!

[Eskimo]

Mourinho's agent last had contact with us about a year prior to GH getting sacked, both he (agent) and his son attended a game at Anfield...

[Ombudsam]

I'm thanking Pete Robinson and John Smith

[Gomez]

I think it was common knowledge within European football circles that Rafa was having difficulties with the Valencia board and that he was putting on a brave face (but really unhappy) during his last year there. Mourinho was touting for the job before he won the European Cup and we were still in the UEFA Cup. If we had beaten Marseilles and reached the final who is to say that Houllier would have been sacked? By the time the position became available, Mourinho had got ino bed with the Russian and Rafa resigned at Valencia. We were extremely fortunate that things turned out the way they did but I doubt anyone at Liverpool thought that Rafa was going to be the next manager when Mourinho was mouthing off. You have to remember that Houllier was the first manager we had sacked in over 45 years!

 

Rafa didn't resign until after Houllier departed, clearly he had been lined up beforehand, but legally Liverpool weren't aloud to approach him for 10 days or so.

 

I think Mourinho held out for the Liverpool for as long as he could until it became clear he wasn't being considered, even saying "whatever I could achieve at chelsea would be meaningless, as it would always be because of the money, I would be more interested in making a club like Liverpool great again" (or words to that effect)

 

For some reason that quote is never repeated.

[Diarmuid]

Rafa didn't resign until after Houllier departed, clearly he had been lined up beforehand, but legally Liverpool weren't aloud to approach him for 10 days or so.

 

I think Mourinho held out for the Liverpool for as long as he could until it became clear he wasn't being considered, even saying "whatever I could achieve at chelsea would be meaningless, as it would always be because of the money, I would be more interested in making a club like Liverpool great again" (or words to that effect)

 

For some reason that quote is never repeated.

 

So, his almost limitless bitterness stems from the fact that he was rejected by his "true" love?

 

[Eiler99]

So, his almost limitless bitterness stems from the fact that he was rejected by his "true" love?

 

 

Another good "Mourinho on Liverpool" piece. He must be really bitter that he ended up at Chelsea.

 

Liverpool over Chelsea, no doubt about it

Edited March 8, 2006 by Eiler99

[Suth]

Another good "Mourinho on Liverpool" piece. He must be really bitter that he ended up at Chelsea.

 

Liverpool over Chelsea, no doubt about it

 

haha classic!

[D.Boon]

PETER REID

 

That Kev's a funny guy

[fyds]

*doubletake*

Yep it's true - Monkey bowlacks wanted Monkeyheed. Now - when he gets in one of his miseries...you just have to remember that and realise all's right with the world!

 

This should be put on a banner for the next time we play them :

 

'Mourinho has made it no secret that he would love to take charge at Arsenal or Old Trafford but claimed he would prefer Liverpool over a switch to Chelsea despite owner Roman Abramovich's billions.

 

"Liverpool over Chelsea, no doubt about it," he added.

 

"I think Chelsea is a complicated club because there is a lot of money but an enormous pressure to win something soon.

 

"Do you think it's bearable to keep this crazy investment and not to win something? I think not.

 

"I think the money will stop entering the club if they fail to win anything."

 

Absolute, hypocritical classic!

[RaoulD]

If I remember correctly Mourinho's quotes were before Houllier was sacked! Houllier left Liverpool on 24 May 2004, Porto played in the Champions League Final on the 26th (when it was obvious that Mourinho was going to Chelsea) and Mourinho was actually installed at Chelsea on 2 June. Rafa resigned from Valencia on 31 May. I suspect that Mourinho's inability to keep quiet mean't that he could not be approached until after Houllier left and by the time the position became available he was committed to Chelsea.

 

It is hardly surprising that Mourinho would have preferred the Liverpool job since it presents a far greater challenge to an ambitious manager than having to manage football's equivalent of the Harlem Globetrotters. For Mourinho, Chelsea are merely his current employers and nothing that has happened in the last couple of years leads me to believe that he has any other attachment to the club. I suspect the same was true when Rafa first joined Liverpool but I am fairly certain that the bond has got stronger and that there is now at least some emotional attachment to the club.

[fyds]

If I remember correctly Mourinho's quotes were before Houllier was sacked! Houllier left Liverpool on 24 May 2004, Porto played in the Champions League Final on the 26th (when it was obvious that Mourinho was going to Chelsea) and Mourinho was actually installed at Chelsea on 2 June. Rafa resigned from Valencia on 31 May. I suspect that Mourinho's inability to keep quiet mean't that he could not be approached until after Houllier left and by the time the position became available he was committed to Chelsea.

 

It is hardly surprising that Mourinho would have preferred the Liverpool job since it presents a far greater challenge to an ambitious manager than having to manage football's equivalent of the Harlem Globetrotters. For Mourinho, Chelsea are merely his current employers and nothing that has happened in the last couple of years leads me to believe that he has any other attachment to the club. I suspect the same was true when Rafa first joined Liverpool but I am fairly certain that the bond has got stronger and that there is now at least some emotional attachment to the club.

Rafa and his staff like to get in among the fans at a watering hole after a game - particularly the european ones. This has hugely upped his feelings for the club and the City.

 

In a conversation, James Lawton reputedly told Kelly Dalglish that earlier this season, when he talked to Rafa and asked him what he thought of the club, city and people, he grinned broadly and in his best Carra said 'I f*ckin' love it la!' to much hilarity. Balague has said similar things in the press and on TV.

 

I don't think I've ever seen Moanio getting within a barrier's width of the Chav fans.

[cymrococh]

I don't think I've ever seen Moanio getting within a barrier's width of the Chav fans.

We only know that stuff about Rafa because we support the club, Chelsea fans may have similar stories about Mourinho.

 

If not, no-one could blame him for steering clear of the scumbags.

[fyds]

We only know that stuff about Rafa because we support the club, Chelsea fans may have similar stories about Mourinho.

 

If not, no-one could blame him for steering clear of the scumbags.

True on both counts!*

 

 

*Mind you - I couldn't see him missing out on playing a 'man of the people' media perspective if such existed!

Edited March 8, 2006 by fyds

[Benitez]

Rafa and his staff like to get in among the fans at a watering hole after a game - particularly the european ones. This has hugely upped his feelings for the club and the City.

 

In a conversation, James Lawton reputedly told Kelly Dalglish that earlier this season, when he talked to Rafa and asked him what he thought of the club, city and people, he grinned broadly and in his best Carra said 'I f*ckin' love it la!' to much hilarity. Balague has said similar things in the press and on TV.

 

 

 

that sounds all very made up.

 

 

Rafa himself admits he hardly knows the city, as he dosen't have time to go there, and spends what spare time he does have at home on the wirral. This he said in a Spanish interview a few weeks ago.

 

(and yes i know they went out after the Chelsea CL game last year, but Rafa is hardly known for going out on the town with the lads).

Edited March 8, 2006 by Benitez

[RP]

Rafa and his staff like to get in among the fans at a watering hole after a game - particularly the european ones. This has hugely upped his feelings for the club and the City.

 

 

Any examples?

 

Apart from the night before the game in Cologne (Leverkusen) last season, I haven't heard any such stories. Rafa was eating in a private room when various reprobates hounded him after the Chelsea 2nd Leg semi-final, although Paco, Xabi and Luis were in the public areas.

[fyds]

Any examples?

 

Apart from the night before the game in Cologne (Leverkusen) last season, I haven't heard any such stories. Rafa was eating in a private room when various reprobates hounded him after the Chelsea 2nd Leg semi-final, although Paco, Xabi and Luis were in the public areas.

Some stories from lads post the Olympiakos (home) game - wasn't with them so can't confirm or deny, but as he did next game up at Leverkusen I relised they may be right.

 

You've earned your right to be a reprobate.

 

that sounds all very made up.

Rafa himself admits he hardly knows the city, as he dosen't have time to go there, and spends what spare time he does have at home on the wirral. This he said in a Spanish interview a few weeks ago.

 

(and yes i know they went out after the Chelsea CL game last year, but Rafa is hardly known for going out on the town with the lads).

Just what I've heard and seen here, on the box and from various fans - he also went out after the Olympiakos and Leverkusen games.

Edited March 8, 2006 by fyds