• You may have to login or register before you can post and view our exclusive members only forums.
    To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Benitez vs Mourinho?

Forums Unread posts
Status
Not open for further replies.
G

Garmy

6CM Follower
Member
What are the odds on that earth-shattering scenario to shake up the whole of football, let alone Anfield? Maybe pretty long odds, I would suspect. For the moment.

For me, this is a distinct possibility. This bombshell might not be quite as farfetched as it sounds. Let me explain. Rather let me light the blue touch paper and retreat to safety!

Liverpool are desperate to break Manchester United's stranglehold on the League title, which was once the private domain of Anfield. And patience is wearing thin with Rafa Benitez to deliver. Sir Alex Ferguson's dominance in the domestic league is something that has become far more than a mere irritation; it has become the club's Holy Grail.

Last season, with Fernando Torres looking to be Benitez's best buy by a long way, the club came so tantalisingly close. This season they were heavily favoured by pundits and by their own fans, as finally being in a position to mount a realistic challenge and eventually take the championship crown. Two early defeats have badly deflated such high expectations. Patience with Benitez is even thinner.

Failure to win at West Ham United on Saturday, in yet another massive ESPN live Premier League game to follow the thoroughly entertaining Spurs-Manchester United event, would heap enormous pressure on the manager. Patience with Benitez will be at an all-time low ebb.

And, if the pressure doesn't reach fever pitch at Upton Park should Liverpool win, then it could easily occur if Liverpool lose touch with the leaders at any stage in the near future.

At the moment Chelsea and Manchester City are setting the pace as both have 100% records. City's credentials will be tested to the limit in the Manchester derby, so it's Liverpool's big chance in East London to close the gap. Benitez dare not fail in this task.

The Champions League has been Benitez's field of expertise, and, indeed, saving grace, but it is the domestic title that their fans now crave above all else. Strange, because, it is the opposite at a club like Chelsea, who would dearly love to be taken seriously as one of Europe's elite by winning the Champions League. Don't get me wrong, their fans want to win the league as well, but the clubs priority is to finish at the summit of Europe.

Jose Mourinho delivered back-to-back titles, but never quite conquered the Liverpool hurdle in Europe. Mourinho's mission at Inter is to deliver the Champions League having won the league title in his first season. Any failure in Europe might be hard for Mourinho and Inter to accept, which might make his tenure in Italy far less secure.

Now, if Mourinho was returning to the Premier League, there would be two likely destinations, Old Trafford, or... Anfield.

There has been plenty of speculation that United's American owners would covet Mourinho the day Sir Alex opted to retire. But that might not be for another couple of seasons, and while Sir Alex likes the Portuguese coach and would not object to him taking over his mantle, Mourinho might feel uncomfortable with that, and he would surely wish to retain Sir Alex in some sort of advisory role.

However, there would be no hesitation on Mourinho's part on ousting Benitez. They never really got on during their conflicts in England and abroad when Mourinho was boss at Stamford Bridge. And Mourinho loves the Liverpool heritage, and would put them on his potential wish list for a return to English football.

I believe it is inevitable Mourinho will return. And, it will only be at a club that matches his ego in terms of size and paying power. The only club likely to challenge Liverpool for Mourinho's services, would be big spending Manchester City.

But they will stick with Mark Hughes, while they continue to be successful and Hughes has got off to a flyer this season with all his new signings in place, and more to come in the January transfer window.

So, logically, it is Mourinho for Anfield if Benitez fouls up in the Premier League this season, and already he hasn't made a very auspicious start.
Click to expand...
Article by Harry Harris
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=677138&sec=england&root=england&cc=4716

A penny for your thoughts.
 
I just don't see Rafa getting the sack no matter how poor we do this season. He'd get about a 16m quid payoff.
 
Not to mention the problem of finding a replacement who could do better at our club. I can think of only a few that I would even entertain, and then out of those 2 who could possibly do as well/better. Not much choice to play with if Rafa were to leave the hot seat.
 
As said we can't afford to sack Rafa. We have given him a long contract, the people and the power he craves to get the club back to the top. He would have to fail spectacularly to get the sack within the next 3 seasons IMO. It's clear the club have bought into his vision for the club (football wise).
 
[quote author=Biggus Dickus link=topic=35910.msg945689#msg945689 date=1253260230]
As said we can't afford to sack Rafa. We have given him a long contract, the people and the power he craves to get the club back to the top. He would have to fail spectacularly to get the sack within the next 3 seasons IMO. It's clear the club have bought into his vision for the club (football wise).
[/quote]

They may have bought the vision but they havnt bought the players
 
[quote author=Jack D Rips link=topic=35910.msg945696#msg945696 date=1253261637]
[quote author=Biggus Dickus link=topic=35910.msg945689#msg945689 date=1253260230]
As said we can't afford to sack Rafa. We have given him a long contract, the people and the power he craves to get the club back to the top. He would have to fail spectacularly to get the sack within the next 3 seasons IMO. It's clear the club have bought into his vision for the club (football wise).
[/quote]

They may have bought the vision but they havnt bought the players
[/quote]

True but thats another thread.
 
I'd bet against Mourinho going to Old Toilet as Ginsoak's successor.  Whoever does so will be on a hiding to nothing.  He's vain enough for it to appeal to him on one level, but he's not stupid.

I wouldn't say no to him succeeding Rafa, but I'd prefer Hiddink.
 
Yup, Rafa seems to have a long-term plan in place, and the club seem to trust him with it. I'm definitely a supporter of longevity. But if Benitez were to go, I agree with FoxForceFive. Mourinho would be my #1 choice. He'd better not go to the Scum.
 
So, are people impressed by Mourinho's Inter recent displays? He's been going down since his 2 league titles with Chelsea, so why do people consider him as a potential successor to Rafa?
 
[quote author=jimmy link=topic=35910.msg945709#msg945709 date=1253263558]
So, are people impressed by Mourinho's Inter recent displays? He's been going down since his 2 league titles with Chelsea, so why do people consider him as a potential successor to Rafa?
[/quote]

displays? no
results? yes i guess - he's won the league since he's got there rather easily. Much like Chelsea, he was given a fantastic base and has tweaked it slightly ...

He's still a top rated manager ... I want to stick with Rafa though.
 
i think mourinho would win us the league within 2 seasons if he inherited this team at the end of the season.

all hypothetical really as the contract rafa's managed to negotiate means bar an outside top 4 finish i really can't see him getting the sack.
 
[quote author=Garmy link=topic=35910.msg945670#msg945670 date=1253257557]and while Sir Alex likes the Portuguese coach and would not object to him taking over his mantle, Mourinho might feel uncomfortable with that, and he would surely wish to retain Sir Alex in some sort of advisory role.[/quote]
Why the hell would he want that.
 
[quote author=LeTallecWiz link=topic=35910.msg945710#msg945710 date=1253263714]
[quote author=jimmy link=topic=35910.msg945709#msg945709 date=1253263558]
So, are people impressed by Mourinho's Inter recent displays? He's been going down since his 2 league titles with Chelsea, so why do people consider him as a potential successor to Rafa?
[/quote]

displays? no
results? yes i guess - he's won the league since he's got there rather easily. Much like Chelsea, he was given a fantastic base and has tweaked it slightly ...

[/quote]

So did Mancini.
Souness won it easilly in Scotland with Rangers as did Walter Smith. Strachan won it with Celtic.
There is no competition in Serie A and there hasn't been any in the last 4-5 years, so winning it easilly with Inter does not mean a lot.
Their display against Barca was appaling. Think well before you wish him to manage LFC.
 
I personally don't like Jose. So no way Jose! Just don't like him.

So we have to stand with Rafa.

He will be sacked if he cannot deliver.

If so, I would like Hiddink.
 
Hiddink is 63 (if I remeber correctly) so I think he'll be too old by the time Rafa is sacked/leaves.
We will have to look for a younger replacement.
Anyway, I still can't see Rafa being sacked, and I'd also like to see him continuing.
 
The main thing that'd concern me about Mourinho is his ability in the transfer market.

Rafa has come under a lot of criticism for his transfer policy in the past, but he has shown that he can pick up quality players for under 10M. I'm not sure Mourinho has demonstrated this.
 
Even if Rafa wins nothing again this year, I dont think he should be sacked.
If we finish outside the top 4, we have to reconsider though.
Hopefully his contract has some kind of results based clause that allows this to happen cheaply.
 
He is 63? wow.

I can't see any younger or better replacement at the moment. So we are stuck with Rafa, for better or for worse,.... until death do us part 😉
 
Off topic;

Love your avatar y1 (well the big version anyway), it is an awesome sight. Were you there?
 
[quote author=iseeredpeople link=topic=35910.msg945720#msg945720 date=1253264664]
[quote author=Garmy link=topic=35910.msg945670#msg945670 date=1253257557]and while Sir Alex likes the Portuguese coach and would not object to him taking over his mantle, Mourinho might feel uncomfortable with that, and he would surely wish to retain Sir Alex in some sort of advisory role.[/quote]
Why the hell would he want that.
[/quote]

He wouldn't, which is why he won't go there, at least not till Ferguson's a thing of the past.

BTW, for those questioning Hiddink as a possible choice because of his age, Ferguson himself is 68.
 
I hate to say it, but I think Mourinho would win the league this season with our current squad. You never know, Rafa might also.
 
The 'reasoning' this Journalist has used is ridiculous.

Madrid, Barce or United would be his next obvious move.
 
yes fallon, my two sons and I were there....

towards the left at the edge of that picture

lol
 
*gets out magnifying glass* 😛

It looks like it would have been worth making the trip for that. I love it when there's nothing but red as far as you can see *thinks back to the 2005 homecoming*.
 
Why is everyone assuming that the only way we would change managers was if Rafa was sacked.
I think that only likely if new owners came in.
The possibility of him wanting to leave, and walking out is more likely

regards
 
Yep, fallon, it was an amazing experience for the three of us.

Vlad, yes it is also possible he walks
 
What a dull piece of pure speculation from Harry Harris.

A month into the season and he has Rafa under pressure and Mourinho as a likely successor.

To think he would've got paid for this fairy story too.

Beggars belief. Did he work for Jackanory in a previous life?
 
Harry harris is a twat and thats a fact, it actually says Liverpool went tantalisingly close in the ifrst paragraph and then jumps to the logical conclusion that patience is wearing thin in the second... he mentions us being favourite in the next and yet fails to mention the selling of a key player and the failure of the summer to transfer in...

as for the rest its just bollox really, Mourinho would be a natural replacement for rafa would he?? yes i suppose he would if he was given carte blanche in the transfer market for two seasons in a row...

Of course im sure Mourinho wouldnt be interested in managing man city and pissing every fucker off at OT ...

It is a SHIT article designed only to put pressure on the manager and the team and nothing more, its a goade, London press love doing it every now and then, cunts like Harris do it for fun.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom