Rafa to hold charity Q&A sessions

[refugee]

Nabbed from Est

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-news/2011/08/16/liverpool-fc-fans-to-quiz-rafa-benitez-for-wife-montse-s-charity-foundation-100252-29240882/

[quote author=Liverpool Echo]
LIVERPOOL FC supporters can question Rafa Benitez about his time at Anfield at special charity events being held in aid of his wife’s charity.

The former Reds manager will be the star attraction at a black tie gala dinner at the BT convention centre on October 15. The following night he will be at the Empire Theatre for An Audience With Rafa Benitez.

His wife Montse recently revealed plans to launch her foundation, which will benefit a host of charities. The two events will help ensure it gets off to a flying start.

Benitez famously led Liverpool to Champions League glory in Istanbul in 2005 and lifted the FA Cup 12 months later before his six-year reign ended last summer.

He told the ECHO: “We are trying to give something back to the fans and the people who have always supported us.

“My wife has been involved with a number of charities in the past and now we have launched the foundation to try to organise things.

“The two events will support the foundation with money going to charities like the Hillsborough Family Support Group and the Lily Centre.

“At the same time it is a good way to have contact with the fans and explain to them about the time I had at the club and what we were trying to do.

“I am sure people will want to ask ‘why were you doing this or why were you doing that?’

"They can ask why I played Harry Kewell or why we did zonal marking – anything.

“We will talk about Istanbul, Athens, tactics and everything which happened when we were in charge.”

Benitez parted company with Inter Milan in December.

He returned to Wirral with his family and is determined to play his part in ensuring his wife’s foundation flourishes.

He said: “Now I have some time I have the opportunity to help and support.

“Usually when you are managing a football club time is something you don’t have.

“My wife has supported a lot of charities and with the launch of the foundation it will be easier to manage.

“The people of this city have always supported us. When I walk through the streets, I feel that love from a lot of them.

“These events are a chance for me to show people I have a lot of respect for them.”

An Audience With Rafa Benitez will take place on Sunday October 16. Tickets ranging from £30 to £45 will be available at www.liverpoolempire.org.uk from tomorrow.

A range of packages for the gala dinner are available.

For more information about both events, go to www.escapehospitalityandevents.com

[/quote]

 

[HC]

Jesus, these two are absolute charity monsters!

Fair play to them!

 

[Rosco]

I'd love to ask a few questions

 

[Dahuge]

[quote author=Rosco link=topic=46494.msg1381202#msg1381202 date=1313576002]
I'd love to ask a few questions
[/quote]
Until you're escorted out...

 

[themn]

[quote author=Dahuge link=topic=46494.msg1381213#msg1381213 date=1313577061]
[quote author=Rosco link=topic=46494.msg1381202#msg1381202 date=1313576002]
I'd love to ask a few questions
[/quote]
Until you're escorted out...
[/quote]

Hahahahahaaa !

 

[spider-Neil]

[quote author=Rosco link=topic=46494.msg1381202#msg1381202 date=1313576002]
I'd love to ask a few questions
[/quote]

oh, let it GO, ross!

 

[jexykrodic]

[quote author=Rosco link=topic=46494.msg1381202#msg1381202 date=1313576002]
I'd love to ask a few questions
[/quote]

Go on, give us a taster of the type of question you'd ask him face to face.

 

[Skullflower]

i'd like to ask him why once we had positioned ourselves as one of the elite clubs in europe, we didn't buy any elite players -- instead chasing keane and barry.

 

[Squiggles]

Ha, I suspect plenty of ex players have a few questions they would like answered, and they would pay handsomely for the opportunity!

 

[spider-Neil]

[quote author=jexykrodic link=topic=46494.msg1381218#msg1381218 date=1313578285]
[quote author=Rosco link=topic=46494.msg1381202#msg1381202 date=1313576002]
I'd love to ask a few questions
[/quote]

Go on, give us a taster of the type of question you'd ask him face to face.
[/quote]

keane, aquilani - what the fuck were you thinking?
alonso for barry - what the what fuck were you thinking?

 

[peterhague]

Without wanting to start another interesting debate, I actually genuinely would like to ask him about Alonso. We all talk about his slump in form, the row over the birth, and the apparent alienation, but I've never seen anyone pick up on the quote from Rafa in Brian Reade's book that Alonso already wanted to go back to Spain in 2007. I honestly hadn't given it any thought til recently, but I wonder how that fits into the picture. I'd always thought it was a fairly clear case of Rafa deciding to flog him, for various reasons, not finding a taker, and Alonso taking offence and resolving to leave ASAP. Maybe not, though.

 

[RedStar]

[quote author=Skullflower link=topic=46494.msg1381292#msg1381292 date=1313587483]
i'd like to ask him why once we had positioned ourselves as one of the elite clubs in europe, we didn't buy any elite players -- instead chasing keane and barry.
[/quote]

I dont think thats fair and Im not a Rafa apologist, if Kenny signed those players people would be banging on about how he wants established players who know the league and wont take time to settle.

Hindsight is a funny thing, and what happened in the meantime has obviously changed peoples opinions but at the time Rafa wanted them Barry and Keane were widely respected and consistent performers

 

[spider-Neil]

to be honest I think being in the CL is more beneficial helping to KEEP top players then buy top players*




*except arsenal

 

[Rosco]

You had to be retarded to think they were good signings. It was obvious both were close to the end of their peak and about to become average/shit again. Their career arcs threw up red flags all over the place.

 

[Rosco]

And Peter if Alonso wanted to leave in 2007 why did he sign a new five year deal?

Sounds like more bullshit in defence of Rafa to me.

 

[themn]

And, here we go...

 

[Rosco]

[quote author=themn link=topic=46494.msg1381545#msg1381545 date=1313660820]
And, here we go...
[/quote]

they started it

 

[spider-Neil]

I will always have a 'bit' of sympathy towards rafa with regards to the 'alonsogate' partly because I personally thought alonso's levels had dipped below the high standards he set himself, it was only then that rafa tried to get rid. in hindsight an alonso at 70% is far better than a lucas at 100%. heck, I'd take an average alonso over mesh.

 

[Rosco]

Anyone who agreed with Rafa on that was being stupid and possibly is stupid.

World class footballer suffers dip in form during a spell of significant injuries, lets replace him with an averagely talented fullback who has been good in defensive midfield for a couple of years, at an age where average players often have their peak. Success!

If you look at the big picture theres no way you come to the conclusion that there was any merit in the idea. Particularly when Rafa admitted he then wanted to play Barry on the left wing.

 

[spider-Neil]

[quote author=Rosco link=topic=46494.msg1381558#msg1381558 date=1313661532]
Anyone who agreed with Rafa on that was being stupid and possibly is stupid.

World class footballer suffers dip in form during a spell of significant injuries, lets replace him with an averagely talented fullback who has been good in defensive midfield for a couple of years, at an age where average players often have their peak. Success!

If you look at the big picture theres no way you come to the conclusion that there was any merit in the idea. Particularly when Rafa admitted he then wanted to play Barry on the left wing.


[/quote]

I have sympathy with him wanting rid, it's the choice of replacement that was ill advised. look at kaka, a world class player, at what point do you say, 'fuck this' and look to move him on, the problem is selling him and looking towards crouch as a replacement.

 

[Rosco]

its not difficult to have good guesses at these things. Most people thought Reals move for Kaka was stupid.

Look at recent Brazilian AM's, to a man they nearly all peak in their early 20's and become lazy, talented but much less effective players as they edge towards 30.

 

[spider-Neil]

[quote author=Rosco link=topic=46494.msg1381561#msg1381561 date=1313662099]
its not difficult to have good guesses at these things. Most people thought Reals move for Kaka was stupid.

Look at recent Brazilian AM's, to a man they nearly all peak in their early 20's and become lazy, talented but much less effective players as they edge towards 30.

[/quote]

so you move on talented players when they hit 27, regardless?

 

[Rosco]

no.

gotta look at contracts, fee, upcoming youths and potentially available replacements.

You need to be able to separate true talent from good form. Looking at the entirety of someones career and looking at similar players is a good place to start.

 

[spider-Neil]

[quote author=Rosco link=topic=46494.msg1381575#msg1381575 date=1313663267]
no.

gotta look at contracts, fee, upcoming youths and potentially available replacements.

You need to be able to separate true talent from good form. Looking at the entirety of someones career and looking at similar players is a good place to start.
[/quote]

you have a world class talent in alonso who is one of the best passers of the ball in europe, sees the entire pitch, one of the few players to be able to dictate the pace of the game. most seasons he is a '10' for two seasons in a row he dips to a '7' (just go with me here) so you look to move him on because you are worried alonso will never get to a '9' or even an '8'. okay, who do you replace him with? it's already established the guy is virtually unique in football.

 

[Rosco]

He dips at age 25/26, around the time of a broken ankle amongst other things. Given his game was never about pace or physical attributes, he was an obvious bounce back candidate. Luckily we still had him when he bounced back.

 

[spider-Neil]

[quote author=Rosco link=topic=46494.msg1381585#msg1381585 date=1313664034]
He dips at age 25/26, around the time of a broken ankle amongst other things. Given his game was never about pace or physical attributes, he was an obvious bounce back candidate. Luckily we still had him when he bounced back.
[/quote]

well, the 'alonsogate' was certainly the beginning of the end for rafa. it's funny, alonso was the first player rafa brought in, alonso embodied everything about rafa's style of player, in many ways alonso WAS rafa on the pitch so it's almost fitting that when alonso went rafa wasn't far behind him.

 

[peterhague]

[quote author=Rosco link=topic=46494.msg1381542#msg1381542 date=1313660567]
And Peter if Alonso wanted to leave in 2007 why did he sign a new five year deal?

Sounds like more bullshit in defence of Rafa to me.
[/quote]

that's just the quote as i remember it from the book mate. honestly not tring to blindly defend him - maybe someone else who's read it can confirm?

 

[the count]

[quote author=peterhague link=topic=46494.msg1381681#msg1381681 date=1313673714]
[quote author=Rosco link=topic=46494.msg1381542#msg1381542 date=1313660567]
And Peter if Alonso wanted to leave in 2007 why did he sign a new five year deal?

Sounds like more bullshit in defence of Rafa to me.
[/quote]

that's just the quote as i remember it from the book mate. honestly not tring to blindly defend him - maybe someone else who's read it can confirm?
[/quote]Yea I read the book Peter and the quote is along the lines you said.
I guess that doesn't make it true though.
It would probably be considered one of Rafa's greatest errors while Liverpool manager so it is understandable that he would attemp to deflect critism from himself and his handling of the situation.

 

[peterhague]

[quote author=the count link=topic=46494.msg1381703#msg1381703 date=1313676593]
[quote author=peterhague link=topic=46494.msg1381681#msg1381681 date=1313673714]
[quote author=Rosco link=topic=46494.msg1381542#msg1381542 date=1313660567]
And Peter if Alonso wanted to leave in 2007 why did he sign a new five year deal?

Sounds like more bullshit in defence of Rafa to me.
[/quote]

that's just the quote as i remember it from the book mate. honestly not tring to blindly defend him - maybe someone else who's read it can confirm?
[/quote]Yea I read the book Peter and the quote is along the lines you said.
I guess that doesn't make it true though.
It would probably be considered one of Rafa's greatest errors while Liverpool manager so it is understandable that he would attemp to deflect critism from himself and his handling of the situation.
[/quote]

but the quote is from before the whole sorry affair started isn't it? the one i'm thinking of is the bit where rafa's under serious pressure during the klinsmann rumours (late 07) and he calls brian reade to try to get himself some support in the press, and it's during the conversation that rafa insists (as i remember it) that alonso wants to return to spain. so he's actually not defending anything - that's precisely why the quote struck me as important.

 

[the count]

[quote author=peterhague link=topic=46494.msg1381710#msg1381710 date=1313678241]
[quote author=the count link=topic=46494.msg1381703#msg1381703 date=1313676593]
[quote author=peterhague link=topic=46494.msg1381681#msg1381681 date=1313673714]
[quote author=Rosco link=topic=46494.msg1381542#msg1381542 date=1313660567]
And Peter if Alonso wanted to leave in 2007 why did he sign a new five year deal?

Sounds like more bullshit in defence of Rafa to me.
[/quote]

that's just the quote as i remember it from the book mate. honestly not tring to blindly defend him - maybe someone else who's read it can confirm?
[/quote]Yea I read the book Peter and the quote is along the lines you said.
I guess that doesn't make it true though.
It would probably be considered one of Rafa's greatest errors while Liverpool manager so it is understandable that he would attemp to deflect critism from himself and his handling of the situation.
[/quote]

but the quote is from before the whole sorry affair started isn't it? the one i'm thinking of is the bit where rafa's under serious pressure during the klinsmann rumours (late 07) and he calls brian reade to try to get himself some support in the press, and it's during the conversation that rafa insists (as i remember it) that alonso wants to return to spain. so he's actually not defending anything - that's precisely why the quote struck me as important.
[/quote]I cant remember the chronology of when the remark was made Peter.
I have the book at home and will see if I can find it if I get a chance.

FWIW I remember the remark struck me while reading the book.