Actually in the 6 seasons that Napoli were back in Serie A before Benitez took over they only finished in the CL Places on two occasions. 2010/11 and 2012/13 so far from every year.
Rafa - 2 nil down at half time
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Actually in the 6 seasons that Napoli were back in Serie A before Benitez took over they only finished in the CL Places on two occasions. 2010/11 and 2012/13 so far from every year.
I just can't see a Rafa / Real marriage ending happily.
Most managers leave clubs under a cloud of failure but weirdly at Real Madrid your just as likely to get sacked even if you do well.
Err in 13/14 they finished 3rd, in 12/13 they finished 2nd, they were out of the places in 2011/12, but in 2010/11 they were 3rd. So that's three times in four years, and he's took them to their joint worst finish in the last five years.
I'm with Hansern, what he did for us was great, but he wouldn't get us to where we wanted to be. He doesn't seem capable of managing a team to a title challenge any more. He's been at clubs more than capable of it.
I wouldn't go that far.
For example, the co-commentator on BT Sport covering the match, Richard Hughes (of Portsmouth and most un-Scottish haircut fame) couldn't wait to stick the boot in. He was basically saying at half time that Istanbul was down to luck.
Rafa is/was a good manager, but he is most definitely flawed. Plus, I suspect he may have burnt out. His obsession for the small details, often ignoring the bigger picture, his lack of man management skills, his lack of trust in his players, his stubbornness... it all seems to have been exacerbated since is final season with us. I am loathe to get embroiled in another Rafa debate, but he has had a lot to spend at Napoli and spent it poorly. I can't imagine he will do too well at Real. He needs a break and he needs to lighten up.
For example, the co-commentator on BT Sport covering the match, Richard Hughes (of Portsmouth and most un-Scottish haircut fame) couldn't wait to stick the boot in. He was basically saying at half time that Istanbul was down to luck.
Rafa is/was a good manager, but he is most definitely flawed. Plus, I suspect he may have burnt out. His obsession for the small details, often ignoring the bigger picture, his lack of man management skills, his lack of trust in his players, his stubbornness... it all seems to have been exacerbated since is final season with us. I am loathe to get embroiled in another Rafa debate, but he has had a lot to spend at Napoli and spent it poorly. I can't imagine he will do too well at Real. He needs a break and he needs to lighten up.
He never understood what made him successful in his early years.
It wasnt down to luck at all. It was down to Didi Hamman
Rafa with money will rule the world.
He had us ranked as number 1 in Europe. It feels like a generation ago.
And Benitez had the tactical nous to throw him on. Shame he didn't have the nous to start him, but...
I'll always credit Rafa for changing that game, and other great games he won us. But I'll also blame him for turning us into a turgid mess that finished 7th in his last season. Rough with the smooth and all that.
Hmm, depends on the definition of 'slide'. 😛
2012/13 (Mazzarri's last season)
League: 2nd - 9 pts behind 1st (1st: 87 pts, 2nd: 78 pts, 3rd: 72 pts)
Italian Super Cup: Runners-up
Coppa Italia: Round of 16
UEFA Europa League: Round of 32
2013/14
League: 3rd - 7 pts behind 2nd (1st: 102 pts, 2nd: 85 pts, 3rd: 78 pts)
Coppa Italia: Winners
UEFA Europa League: Round of 16
2014/15
League: 5th - 7 pts behind 2nd (1st: 87 pts, 2nd: 70 pts, 3rd: 69 pts. interestingly, runners-up finished 17 pts behind champions, just like in 13/14)
Italian Super Cup: Winners
Coppa Italia: Semi Final
UEFA Europa League: Semi Final
On a sidenote:
After 36 games
- Napoli have the best attack (26 goals) and the best defence (8 goals conceded) among the Europa League semifinalists.
- Napoli have recouped the joint-most points (17) from trailing situations in this Serie A season
- Juve have scored the most goals in the first-half (38), while Napoli have netted a league-high 44 second-half goals.
Dated 8 Sep 2014
The wage bill for the 2014-2015 Serie A clubs + the highest paid player in each club
[article]Juventus: €118m
Roma: €98m
AC Milan: €94 million
Napoli and Inter: €70m[/article]
The number of players each Serie A team has this season
If you read my post i said in the six years BEFORE Benitez took over they had only finished in the champions league places twice. The other time they did (13/14) it was with Benitez in charge so that's hardly something to hold against him.
Ross is gonna look like a cunt next season when he does the treble with Madrid... 😉
(Of course I am not expecting him too, but it would be funny.. regardless)
(Of course I am not expecting him too, but it would be funny.. regardless)
Well there's a ready made team there for him with World Class players in, it's what alot of managers are good at working with, isn't it? I'm sure if they throw £100m his way, he'll make a rod for his own back.
I think with the forward line Barca have... he has his work cut out for honours next season...
Sterling is no neymar...
Looks like he's going to be Real Madrid boss, so I'd like to offer some of the thoughts offered in this tune to help and counsel those who haven't yet come to terms...
Credit to Rafa - spends 100 million to take a team backwards, and lands the Madrid job ... This is what he always dreamed about, and it's tough to wish for success as I hate Madrid, but he'll win something next year ... be it a cup or La Liga.
Well they've only had money thrown at them in the last six or seven years. He took a team that was comfortably second in a league with one team, finished third with them, and now has finished 5th with them. He's been a failure at Napoli whatever way you look at it, and he's been a big part of it.
I read this thinking Ross must have an 'old wife' hidden somewhere!
I thought a manager was inconsequential as they don't make a difference? As for pride, I didn't realize there was a march going on there.
He still won more with Napoli in the two years he was with them than Liverpool have since he left us and that's with 3 different managers in 5 years.
He has better players there, an inferior league, loads of money, and one of those two things he won is the Italian charity shield. Meh.
The teams in that inferior league did far better than the english teams in european football this season though didn't they. The italian supercup (or charity shield if you prefer) might not be a major trophy but when your team hasn't hardly won sod all in their history then it gains extra significance. Especially when they beat Juventus to win it as Napoli fans hate Juventus.
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