Article from Sunday Independent re Rafa

[Tyler]

Wham bam, thank you, Sam: It's time for Method Man to go

 

 

 

N o More Bulls***. That is the all-encompassing resolution this column has embraced for 2008. It was, of course, Norman Mailer's unsuccessful slogan when he attempted to become mayor of New York back in 1970 with Jimmy Breslin as his sidekick.

 

 

Mailer failed but only at the ballot box. Americans, apparently, don't like politicians whose message is one of fear or even loathing. They love our old friend Hope. They can hear endless talk of a new frontier. Mailer told them it was all bulls*** and they didn't want to know.

 

My resolution will be characteristically unsuccessful, but it is time to make a start. It is time for Sam Allardyce to be sacked. There is much talk out there that says Allardyce needs time. In fact, he has had too much time. During his few months at Newcastle, he has demonstrated that he is, like many hard men, far too sensitive for a big job. But what, goes out the cry, of his fabled 'methods'? These, it is said, 'do not work overnight'.

 

Discussing Sam's 'methods' as they do makes him sound like a Swiss child psychiatrist with proven, if idiosyncratic, ways of treating ADD. He could be a scientist, perhaps one of the men working on the lifelong research project into the human genome rather than a football manager who has to figure out how to get Nicky Butt to play. Not that Sam wants him, or any of the others, to play too much. That is how Sam likes it, he has a staff of 32 at Newcastle and they are all fuelled by his talk, by the promise of a dividend to his methods some time in the future. At Newcastle, Sam works out of an office called the War Room. It is, of course, first-class bulls*** as well as perhaps not the best term for a club with Joey Barton on the payroll. Some of the players have spotted it too, reportedly asking at the end of one long briefing session, "But what do you want us to do when we've got the ball?"

 

Sam's flimflam disguises this essential truth, as all bulls*** does. Neither he nor his 32 staff has an answer to that fundamental question, unless "get rid of it" qualifies as a valid response.

 

It certainly did at Bolton where Sam's time is now viewed as a great success and another reason for him to stay at Newcastle. Sam never won anything at Bolton despite reaching a League Cup final in which Steve McClaren was the opposing manager. But there were no expectations, no belief that, at the very least, a team should try and do something with the ball, nobody hollering, "What do you want us to do when we've got the ball?" Sam can't answer that one. There is one persuasive argument for keeping Sam. There are some who will tell you that Sam has betrayed the traditions of Newcastle United with his style of play. It is time for Alan Shearer, they say. By all means, give Shearer the job.

 

Nothing could be more entertaining than the man who described Steven Gerrard's performance against Croatia as a bad day at the office being asked to produce a purposeful football team. But it is not a reason for sacking Sam. Sam knows that the talk of the Newcastle style is more bulls***, even if it conflicts with his own quality s***. The Newcastle fans believe it, have been fed this stuff and believe it is their right to play with style. Shearer may, indeed, be the man to acquaint them with reality.

 

* * * * *

 

One of the Liverpool fans on the phone-ins last Wednesday night ended his increasingly hysterical rant against Rafael Benitez by demanding that Allardyce be given the Liverpool job.

 

Who manages Liverpool is an increasingly irrelevant point. Who governs the club is what matters now, especially as the new owners seem to have been as affected by the sub-prime credit crunch as a paper mill worker living in a trailer in Wisconsin. The danger for Liverpool is that this story is portrayed as a conventional tale in which an owner loses faith with a manager and refuses him any more money as happened with Abramovich and Mourinho.

 

Hicks and Gillett may have lost faith with Benitez, but, crucially, there is no evidence that they have any money to give any manager (or even to Luton). Now that Liverpool are temporarily outside the top four, it would be no surprise to hear that the owners will wait until Champions League qualification is assured before spending again. When they bought the club last February, Hicks and Gillett made great play of the fact that they were not saddling Liverpool with debt. You don't hear so much from them now, perhaps because that is what they are about to do. Gillett insists that, in business, "debt can be your friend", but you'd expect a very happy ending from a half a billion pound buddy.

 

This week, Liverpool expect to finalise, once more, plans for their stadium. Hicks and Gillett haven't been able to come through with their big promises in that regard either, talking things up, wowing the fans with models and designs, but essentially just feeding bulls*** into a system already overloaded with horsecrap.

 

Liverpool were booed on Wednesday and Benitez is, once again, under pressure, but the manager who has reached two Champions League finals with Djimi Traore and Bolo Zenden deserves better. Gillett and Hicks don't. The man on the phone-in was right. They deserve Sam Allardyce.

 

dionfanning@gmail.com

[bobbyboulders]

The Sunday Independent is a s***rag, but that is article is good.

[owenthomas]

I've had a little shufty through the first few pages and can't see anything relating to the Brian Reade article from Saturday's Mirror.. decent enough though i think he stopped a little short of really getting stuck in.. still quite good..

-----

 

The most depressing sound coming out of Anfield this week was not the boos from the stands or the desperate words from Rafa Benitez about the title still being winnable.

 

It was the eerie silence from the men who run the club. A silence which continues to deafen.

 

When the new owners handed David Moores £88million last February, they also tossed the fans some bold pledges: "This club is not far from being the best in the world. That's what we want. We need to look at all the resources we possibly can, to compete with Manchester and Chelsea", said George Gillett. And many Kopites believed that paradise was about to be regained.

 

A year on, those fans are still in purgatory, completely in the dark as to the thoughts going through the heads of the club's selfstyled "custodians".

 

There have been soundbites and flattery but little else. The new stadium plans, which were unveiled in July, have been ripped up on cost grounds. There are stories that the debt incurred in the takeover will have to be piled on to the club, Glazer-style.

 

Despite reaching two European Cup Finals in three years, Benitez is frozen out due to an ill-judged outburst, and is unsure how much, if any, cash he has for the January transfer window.

 

One of the few world-class players, Javier Mascherano, is left in limbo, with nobody prepared to say if the club will pay the going rate for him despite his desperation to stay. Every draw (not defeat) sparks speculation about Benitez's future, fuelled by informed sources saying the owners want him out before next season.

 

Well Texans like plain speaking, so here's some. If taking over Liverpool now looks like an expensive error, own up and sell. If you don't want Benitez, sack him instead of waiting for him to sack himself. If you believe in the Spaniard, then honour your pledge to the fans and give him licence to compete at the top end of the January transfer window.

 

Despite some terrible home form and bucketloads of hysteria, Liverpool aren't that far behind Manchester United. But there is a crucial factor holding them back. Alex Ferguson has superior quality all over his squad, meaning when he rotates (which he does as much as Benitez) he gets away with it.

 

That's because he has been allowed to compete for a decade with the Real Madrids, Barcelonas and the Chelseas.

 

From the £30m cheques written for Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney, to the £18m spent on Michael Carrick and the £60m-plus he's just spent on Nani, Anderson and Owen Hargreaves. Benitez has competed with the big boys once. And bought Fernando Torres.

 

Critics mock his transfer dealings, and there's been the odd howler, but last January, with little money, he brought in Alvaro Arbeloa and Mascherano. Runaway successes both.

 

If he was allowed to sell Peter Crouch, Momo Sissoko and Scott Carson this month, he could show a £15m profit from his own dealings.

 

Under Gillett and Tom Hicks (inset) he's had one transfer window, spent a net £24m on Torres and two outstanding prospects - Ryan Babel and Lucas Leiva.

 

So why don't the American businessmen do what they do best. Disregard personal differences, look at the hard facts and realise Benitez deserves more, not less, freedom to buy.

 

Starve him of funds, force him into a corner, and he will leave for a top European club with genuine ambition, along with most of the class talent he has brought to Anfield.

 

Then those pledges of a year ago will be truly tested as they give another manager the chance to start again, with a "five-year plan" and little financial muscle.

 

Down that road lies only one certainty. Liverpool will undoubtedly emulate Manchester United.

 

By going for 26 years without winning the league. Or even Chelsea, by going 40.

[genghis]

I've had a little shufty through the first few pages and can't see anything relating to the Brian Reade article from Saturday's Mirror.. decent enough though i think he stopped a little short of really getting stuck in.. still quite good..

-----

 

...

Well Texans like plain speaking, so here's some. If taking over Liverpool now looks like an expensive error, own up and sell. If you don't want Benitez, sack him instead of waiting for him to sack himself. If you believe in the Spaniard, then honour your pledge to the fans and give him licence to compete at the top end of the January transfer window.

 

...

 

Good article that. And the bolded bit is the most important.

[owenthomas]

by the way, compare that article above - plus the majority of the fans' feelings - with this written by Lawrenson.. how out of touch is he?

---

 

My biggest fear for Liverpool is not them being out of the Premier League title race. Or Rafa Benitez getting the sack. But that George Gillett and Tom Hicks may walk away.

 

The American owners are clearly finding the going tough and the credit crunch is biting them hard. Benitez was clever in the way that he flushed them out and effectively challenged them to put up or shut up.

 

If they go then it will leave Liverpool up the swanny without a paddle. But while they stay, what is the future for Benitez?

 

These are difficult times for Liverpool and it's a period of uncertainty. But don't forget that when it comes to spending big then Benitez has been afforded a lot of cash in the past.

 

Sadly, that money has been blown on quantity rather than quality. You cannot rely on Gerrard, Carragher and Torres every week. Outside of those three, who are Liverpool's top players - those that can step into other top teams?

 

Xabi Alonso comes close but has had a quiet season. Javier Mascherano - good player but doesn't drive games enough.

 

Then when it comes to Sissoko, Arbeloa and the rest, you can take them or leave them. It's just a shame that band of average players cost tens of millions of pounds and Liverpool are still no closer to winning the title.

-----

Also, do yourself a favour a click the link to read what he says about Allardyce - apparently, he thinks Allardyce "will need about 3 years to lay down the foundations for the club".. so in 3 years what foundations has Rafa laid down for Liverpool other than a couple of reasonably important finals, a highest ever Premier League points total and two 3rd Place finishes while completely overhauling the playing squad to the point where it needs just a couple of top class, game turning individuals?.. they make me fkin laugh (not really)..

[johngibo YPC]

Everyone in the country should read that Brian Reade article

Starting with Mark Lawrenson

[IgPig]

Xabi's had a quiet season, eh Mark? Can't think why.

[Maldini]

Lawrenson hasn't had any credibility for years, his biggest achievement in the last decade is making Alan Shearer seem funny on MOTD.

[Jarg Armani]

Lawro is Motson's full time carer. he cleans up after Motty's little accidents and wipes his Botson.

He isn't there to know anything about the footy. It's a difficult and selfless job that not many on here would fancy doing so leave him alone.

[ricflairandy]

I met peter kay once and he toldme his biggest fear in life was mark lawrenson.

[stressederic]

I met peter kay once and he toldme his biggest fear in life was mark lawrenson.

 

And not garlic bread?

[Stevie H]

I met peter kay once and he toldme his biggest fear in life was mark lawrenson.

it should be being exposed as an unfunny plagiarist.

[matty]

it should be being exposed as an unfunny plagiarist.

 

Says the man who's made a career out of being a fat lookalike.