Rafa v Hodgson..

[Andy @ Allerton]

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/nov/01/rafael-benitez-roy-hodgson-liverpool

 

 

 

 

Rafael Benítez has launched a withering attack on Roy Hodgson, telling him to stop complaining about what he inherited from him at Liverpool and suggesting Hodgson does not fully understand the intricacies of life at Anfield.

 

Hodgson, who has suffered a difficult start to his tenure and the job of succeeding the popular Benítez, has aimed a series of recent barbs in the Spaniard's direction bemoaning the size of the rebuilding job that faced him, claiming the squad lacks quality in depth and features other "people's left-overs". He also tried to claim that he has got Kenny Dalglish truly back on board at the club, whereas the legendary former player and manager was marginalised under Benítez. This last claim has particularly irked his predecessor.

 

Benítez, whose Internazionale side face Tottenham Hotspur tomorrow night, hit back that some men, in other words Hodgson, "cannot see a priest on a mountain of sugar", whereas most people could see the black-clad figure against the white backdrop.

 

"I feel that Mr Hodgson, he doesn't understand," Benítez said. "Every single press conference is worse than the last one. He's talking about things he doesn't know. He doesn't understand, maybe he has been in the job for not so long.

 

"Instead of talking about the flips and the flops, he has to concentrate on his players and do his best. He has a good [big] job to do. He signed nine players [in the summer]. I left that squad and with £10m net spending, I left that squad with £300m value. Thirteen internationals.

 

"So instead of talking about flips and flops, he has to concentrate on the job, try to do his best and not talk about the level of his players. Let the new players come in and concentrate, try to do their best, because it will be the best for the club and the best for the fans.

 

"We gave the fans the pride. Again. We fight for the fans, we fight for the club and we fight for our players. Maybe he cannot understand this."

 

It was Benítez who brought back Dalglish to Liverpool, in a role that incorporated ambassadorial duties and youth academy work. "I brought back Kenny Dalglish to do a role in the club," Benítez said. "Christian Purslow [then] gave to him another role. So he [Hodgson] doesn't know but I will explain to him."

[sutty]

Just seen the interview

 

I've seen people saying that they want Rafa back but I thought it was pie in the sky. He'd never come back now. Then I saw that

 

Unfinished business here for him.

[smithdown]

It's quite an interesting plot development, aye.

 

Was he carrying a sword?

[sutty]

It's quite an interesting plot development, aye.

 

Was he carrying a sword?

 

 

He was angry.

 

I'm glad he wasn't tooled up

[goodrobotusses]

Ben Smith from the Times (think he was the first to mention the fact Henry is meeting RH tomorrow) just tweeted "An incredible night of #lfc themed insight and entertainment."

 

To which I replied with a smart-a*** crack about it being Rafa handing Roy his a*** back to him via the presser, only for Smith to reply just "nope". He could have just been giving me short shrift for the tone of my reply though.

[Swipe]

Hodgson really shouldn't be trying to take him on.

 

Great stuff from Rafa.

Edited November 1, 2010 by Swipe

[Billy Dane]

Looks like life at Inter is treating him well.

 

 

[Flasher]

Hodgson is so stupid he'll probably come out shouting how s*** the squad is. Hope he does and the players smash him a new one.

[pipnasty]

 

Unfinished business here for him.

 

Totally - it's not going to go away, is it? It almost seems inevitable now.

[Hodgson for Chelsea]

Hodgson will start digging into Shanks next.

 

Whoever is advising him is oing a bad job!

[Red2Core]

video of Rafa gettin pissed

[abc]

If Inter don't do well tomorrow, expect the following...

 

Sky: Rafa, do you think your "rant" upset your Inter players and bayed the Spurs crowd, making it a more difficult match than it was?

 

Headlines on Wednesday: Rafa rant fails to produce performance again.

 

Redknapp: I thought it was unwise of him to say what he did, it got my players fired up and it now puts a lot of pressure on Roy and Liverpool for their game on Thursday and more so on Sunday...

[Eskimo]

 

"The eyes are open, the mouth moves, but Mr Brain has long since departed, hasn't he, Roy?" now stick that up yer a*** and feck off....

[Conrad]

Off the field this is the most entertaining season in years, shame the stuff on the pitch is so turgid in comparison

Edited November 1, 2010 by Heighway 61 Revisited

[Billy Dane]

Off the field this is the most entertaining season in years, shame the stuff on the pitch is so turgid in comparison

 

very true

[Paisley]

It's made for Rafa to return at some point isn't it? New stadium, sound sensible owners who'll let him compete at the top end of the transfer market and Fergie off into retirement - time for Rafa to return and put us back on our perch. Unfinished business...

[growler]

my hope is that we beat napoli and chelsea and the crowd chant for Rafa in, Roy out, you don't get us Roy, learn liverpool Roy. etc etc.

[RBM]

Off the field this is the most entertaining season in years, shame the stuff on the pitch is so turgid in comparison

 

It's like one of those really bad channel 5 American soaps, with most bizarre plot twists and turns. I'm waiting for Torres to turn up and unmask his evil twin who has replaced him in order to discredit him, because Torres, once ate his paella.

[Red Kent]

Rafa has lost any moral ground he had with this. I also wonder how the Inter fans will react. Not many fans appreciate their manager talking about his previous club this way.

[stressederic]

Rafa has lost any moral ground he had with this. I also wonder how the Inter fans will react. Not many fans appreciate their manager talking about his previous club this way.

 

If they're smart they'll think; 'Why do these English journalists keep asking Rafa about everything going on back in England?'

[Hassony]

Rafa has lost any moral ground he had with this. I also wonder how the Inter fans will react. Not many fans appreciate their manager talking about his previous club this way.

 

Mourinho was always going about england and "my boys" chelsea

[smithdown]

Kev, you didn't have him on any moral high ground before tonight did you? Honest like?

[Andy @ Allerton]

Rafa has lost any moral ground he had with this. I also wonder how the Inter fans will react. Not many fans appreciate their manager talking about his previous club this way.

 

What moral ground has he lost? Hodgson personally attacked him and then lied about Dalglish. He's lied about the squad. He's attacked the fans. he's attacked the club. he's attacked the players. He's attacked the club. He's monumentally f***ed up every press conference he's been involved with.

 

Why shouldn't Rafa take 20 seconds out to tell him to shut the f*** up, do his f***ing job, stop f***ing moaning and stop f***ing lying?

 

Just a question.

[Gomez]

Rafa has lost any moral ground he had with this. I also wonder how the Inter fans will react. Not many fans appreciate their manager talking about his previous club this way.

[Swipe]

Exactly. And they might appreciate a man's right to defend themselves from lies.