Rafa: I am staying

[fred]

Rafa's new song for Saturday

Stay when we're scoring

You only Stay when we're scoring

 

Stay when we're scoring

You only stay when we're scoring

[Bailo]

No, I have it on good authority they have identified Sam Alladyce as their number one target.

Grow his tache again and you couldn't tell the difference!

[Gomez]

I can see him now, sitting in the stands in a Sombrero

 

Sunburnt, with a wicker donkey under his arm, shouting, "Offsideio"

[Leo No.8]

I'm not surprised to see you say that Elisha.

 

I think when you look at the unequivical statement he's made here, it's pretty clear he could have made this statement a few weeks ago, but things were still being sorted out and his future was uncertain.

 

Was all this a carefully planned push to the board, or was he genuinely thinking of going?

 

I'm not sure, but what I do think is that one hell of a lot has been going on behind the scenes, and the outcome is Rafa is happy and getting the money he wants for the targets he wants.

 

After all - what is he thanking the board for in this statement? The money they've pledged to give him, thats what.

 

My take on it is that Rafa wants to build a great side, and he wants to do it most of all where the people love him, and he'll get the patience and support he wants, which is right here. However, he is still a professional, and if not given the proper tools to do his job, I believe he could have gone somewhere he would be.

 

A little frightening to think the boss could have gone, but the upshot is he's got what he, and all of us wanted - big money to support his vision and take us to the next level; we're in for an exciting summer I think...

 

[Leo No.8]

I missed that part of his interview

 

I made it up...

[Lecter]

I missed that part of his interview

 

KT is reporting Torres is Rafa's No.1 target

Edited March 16, 2006 by Lecter

[Leo No.8]

KT is reporting Torres is Rafa's No.1 target

 

Torres is number one target, and I've got info from my man which agrees with KT on that...

[Molby]

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N...060316-1406.htm

 

Rafael Benitez today delivered the news all Liverpool supporters wanted to hear when he announced that he's definitely staying at Anfield.

Speculation last week hinted that the Liverpool boss could be tempted by the offer of a managerial position at either Inter Milan or Real Madrid. On Wednesday, the speculation came full circle when rumours began to emerge in Spain that the Reds chief had already put pen to paper on a new deal tying him to the club until 2010.

 

Today however, Benitez insisted that while he hasn't yet signed any new deal at Anfield, he definitely won't be going anywhere.

 

"It's clear that I'm staying at Liverpool," Rafa told liverpoolfc.tv. "I want to thank the fans, the chief executive and the board for their support. I'm happy here and I'm staying."

point of order Anny:

 

I'm not a doomsday boy, rather I am an identifier of how and why doomsday scenarios might ocurr - nothing negative for the sake of being negative in anything I say or do that concerns the club, at least give me that credit, as a good supporter yourself

[BG]

If this is all true then surely we must have investment either that or Parrys got a magic money tree ? Wonder who it could be , Kraft is the most obvious i suppose ?

 

Parry's a hypnotist too. Look into my tie Stevie and Rafa, you don't want to leave do you.

[anny road]

point of order Anny:

 

I'm not a doomsday boy, rather I am an identifier of how and why doomsday scenarios might ocurr - nothing negative for the sake of being negative in anything I say or do that concerns the club, at least give me that credit, as a good supporter yourself

 

 

fair point mate

[5InIstanbul]

Parry's a hypnotist too. Look into my tie Stevie and Rafa, you don't want to leave do you.

 

Brilliant, I can just see it now. What Parry said to Rafa.

 

"Look in to my ties, Look into my ties. Son't look around the ties, look into my ties.

 

And you're Under.

 

When Inter and Real come calling in the summer, you will not be interested. You will believe that the board are backing you to the tune of £30 million. Whether this is actually true or not remains to be seen but you will believe it.

 

3-2-1, you're back in the room."

[Logic]

Brilliant, I can just see it now. What Parry said to Rafa.

 

"Look in to my ties, Look into my ties. Son't look around the ties, look into my ties.

 

And you're Under.

 

When Inter and Real come calling in the summer, you will not be interested. You will believe that the board are backing you to the tune of £30 million. Whether this is actually true or not remains to be seen but you will believe it.

 

3-2-1, you're back in the room."

[Ombudsam]

Where the f*** have you got that from?

 

Don't fancy Torres at all...not convinced in the slightest.

 

I'm not saying rafa wants him as I don't know but don't you just hate it when the manager rates/buys someone who you've been saying for how long is schit.

 

I think Torres is overrated too although since i said that to my spurs mate after they were linked with him the t***ty haired one's gone on a run making a mug of me.

[Maldini]

I think Torres could go either way, he's a bit like E'too was at Mallorca, hugely talented and carrying a mediocre team. It'd be a huge risk to sign him, mainly because I'm assuming it'd involve a huge fee, but he's very talented and could be a great signing, his attitude is good anyway even if he looks like someone who'd be a petulant fecker

[Ombudsam]

i didn't want eto'o at mallorca but i'd still back myself to say i don't particularly want torres from what I've seen. He's clearly not without talent but let someone else gamble their £15mill+

[CarraLegend]

I've made no secret of the fact i'd love us to sign Torres so it'd delight me if it happened. For someone so young what he's achieved goalscoring wise is pretty exceptional, he's very quick, got great technique and although he hasnt got a bagful this season I think he's a very good goalscorer. He's in big danger of going stale there or the pressure on him just eventually getting to much. Theres often games he goes missing but thats the same with anyone, you see Utd games often where Rooney does absolutely nothing of note, its the way it is especially with younger players. For the last two seasons in a row he's destroyed Barca at the Nou Camp near enough on his own, thats the sort of damage he can do. I think he's defo worth the gamble (And it is that but sometimes you need to take a gamble)

[anny road]

I would think if rafa is paying serious money for a striker, and it were to be Torres.....then I would back his judgement...

 

However, I have to say that ftom what I (and thats the key point) have seen of him I have never been overlly impressed

 

But what the f*** do I know about La Liga

[Guest JV]

When Houllier was in charge here, we were offered Etoo for 6 million Euros, the manager decided he wasnt good enough and turned him down, this was post 2002 as well. I still struggle to get my head round some of his transfer decisions.

I feel sick

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 16, 2006 by JV

[Knox_Harrington]

Golden rule for me on these things is 'never believe your lying eyes'. Or, put another way, it is impossible for us, as fans, seeing bits and pieces of players to really be able to measure their true worth. Jesus, most of us have enough trouble agreeing on or understanding the merits of players we watch week-in-week-out, without trying to think we can get a handle on men playing in foreign leagues.

 

My rule is to go by the CV, in the broadest sense. What are the players stats, who does he play for, and is he coveted by big clubs, and carry a generally agreed high price tag? From memory I seem to recall that Torres is always talked about being worth anything fom 15m upwards. Assuming those valuations aren't toal fictions, it's safe to assume he's a very good player.

Cisse is the obvious reply.

 

Every transfer is a risk and especially ones between leagues. The Forlan Example (Ludlum) is one of the finest of recent years. Obviously a good player, looked decent at United but couldn't buy a goal and then was magnificent in Spain where things have just suited him more. I've seen nothing from Torres that makes me think he could make a real impact here. If the manager buys him for real money then that's good enough for me (who am I to argue? And what can I do?) but up to this moment there's very little I've seen that makes me think he would be a success. You can clearly be a good player with a good CV and a substantial price tag and not be a good buy. His name is Morientes. His name is Veron. His name is Luque. His name is Chris Sutton. His name is...

 

...also Torres' CV isn't anything special. Scored some goals in Spain, won nothing, still young. Seems to me it's a potential buy. Massive potential and massive potential we wouldn't significantly lose on (someone in Spain would pay a wedge even if he flopped here) but the money mentioned just seems too much for potential.

[stressederic]

The simple fact is that even if the board give Rafa a nice fat lump of cash, we're likely going to have to take something of a gamble on a striker. There are only a very few world class strikers around, and they'll likely be priced out of reach for everyone except Chelsea.

 

There are however strikers who have the potential to be world class but will be something of a gamble. It's very well saying, we should let someone else gamble their cash on a player, but thats only useful with hindsight after said player has turned into Diouf. Henry was something of a gamble for Arsenal, Van Nistelrroy was getting over a bad knee injury when United tied up the deal for him.

 

If it works out we can all be dead chuffed, but I think we're going to have to admit we likely won't be buying a striker (in the Schevchenko mould) who you can sit back and say "He's definitely going to score s*** loads".

 

When Houllier was in charge here, we were offered Etoo for 6 million Euros, the manager decided he wasnt good enough and turned him down, this was post 2002 as well. I still struggle to get my head round some of his transfer decisions.

 

Oh sweet jesus.

[David Hodgson]

Cisse is the obvious reply.

 

Every transfer is a risk and especially ones between leagues. The Forlan Example (Ludlum) is one of the finest of recent years. Obviously a good player, looked decent at United but couldn't buy a goal and then was magnificent in Spain where things have just suited him more. I've seen nothing from Torres that makes me think he could make a real impact here. If the manager buys him for real money then that's good enough for me (who am I to argue? And what can I do?) but up to this moment there's very little I've seen that makes me think he would be a success. You can clearly be a good player with a good CV and a substantial price tag and not be a good buy. His name is Morientes. His name is Veron. His name is Luque. His name is Chris Sutton. His name is...

 

...also Torres' CV isn't anything special. Scored some goals in Spain, won nothing, still young. Seems to me it's a potential buy. Massive potential and massive potential we wouldn't significantly lose on (someone in Spain would pay a wedge even if he flopped here) but the money mentioned just seems too much for potential.

 

I did stress that there are no guarantees. Let's put it like this : if the esteemed Mr Benitez thinks 'boy wonder' Torres is worth paying over £15m quid for, I'm gonna get excited, despite what you boys who've watched him 3 or 4 times might say.

 

 

well if torres is rafa's top target and he thinks he's good enough to shell out huge money on then its good enough for me ,at the end at the day rafa more than anyone knows how big the responsibility it is to get this situation right .

 

He'll be fully aware of the danger of spending big money on flops that led to the downfall of the last manager and which also left with him with a 14 million pound striker he would rather ship off to another continent ASAP .If he's prepared for the gamble then its his job he can do what he likes and if it goes wrong it will be him who'll carry the can.

 

..what he said.

[anny road]

I did stress that there are no guarantees. Let's put it like this : if the esteemed Mr Benitez thinks 'boy wonder' Torres is worth paying over £15m quid for, I'm gonna get excited, despite what you boys who've watched him 3 or 4 times might say.

..what he said.

 

 

oh I agree (now thats three times in the past two days I have agreed with you I am worried )

 

AS I said I have seen himmaybe 4 or 5 times in total, and he is obv a player but just never stood out.....but as I said...its 4 or 5 times

 

What Rafa says goes...and if he has a significant amount of money to spens and he spends £10+ on someone I AM getting excited....

[David Hodgson]

oh I agree (now thats three times in the past two days I have agreed with you I am worried )

 

AS I said I have seen himmaybe 4 or 5 times in total, and he is obv a player but just never stood out.....but as I said...its 4 or 5 times

 

What Rafa says goes...and if he has a significant amount of money to spens and he spends £10+ on someone I AM getting excited....

 

Do we dare to speculate just how much Rafa might spend this summer ?

 

I'm gonna throw my hat in the ring and say it'll be 50-60m. That's assuming he pulls in 20m in sales.

 

£50-60m buys plenty of SWP, Defoes, Owens and Kuyts. Heck, maybe we should go for Ballack, just to upset Chelsea.

[anny road]

Do we dare to speculate just how much Rafa might spend this summer ?

 

I'm gonna throw my hat in the ring and say it'll be 50-60m. That's assuming he pulls in 20m in sales.

 

£50-60m buys plenty of SWP, Defoes, Owens and Kuyts. Heck, maybe we should go for Ballack, just to upset Chelsea.

 

 

i think regardless of investment (which i believe is going to happen now) I dont think Rafa is the type to go over valuation on a player unless hebelieves that he is the missing piece.....I think, for example, had Sociedad said "no we want £15m for Xabi " then he would have demanded the cash

 

I think he will spend around the £30 - £40m mark assuming he has the cash,....plus as you say pulling money in from sales...

 

Where I think investment will make its mark is the level of the second triker and right winger, plus he may even try to sign a play maker too

[Lee W]

 

I'm gonna throw my hat in the ring and say it'll be 50-60m. That's assuming he pulls in 20m in sales.

 

 

Got any leftovers of what you're smoking David ?