Rafa's Milkman is Found..

[localny]

http://www.thespoiler.co.uk/index.php/2010/10/20/rafas-milkman-revealed

It’s been the question on everyone’s lips since Rafa Benitez coughed up a brilliantly convoluted milk analogy to register his disgust with ex-Liverpool owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett yesterday afternoon - does ‘John the milkman from the Wirral’ actually exist?

Well, the Telegraph have tracked him down and can confirm yes. Yes, he does exist.

Liverpool fan John, whose morning milk deliveries Rafa says he would greet with the reassuring message ‘It’s milk, sure’, used to dump three pints of semi-skimmed on the doorstep of Benitez’ £4m digs in Caldy.

Says the country’s most famous milkman:

I’ve had texts from people all day saying that Rafa mentioned me in his press conference.

It is just a shame he left the club. He and his family loved it here and I don’t think he wanted to leave. He still comes back every now and again, though.

He was a very good customer. He was just the three bottles of semi-skimmed. They didn’t have to be placed zonally on his step or anything. He was happy to have a chat and he would always look after you at Christmas.

At least he’s actually a real person. Makes Rafa slightly less crazy than we originally thought. Only a little bit, mind you.

 

[Farkmaster]

I think Rafa genuinely loved the area and misses it. He's a good sort.

 

[FoxForceFive]

Three pints of milk a day?!

Fuck me, was he bathing his pets in it?

 

[Judge Jules]

[quote author=Farkmaster link=topic=42407.msg1205121#msg1205121 date=1287959189]
I think Rafa genuinely loved the area and misses it. He's a good sort.
[/quote]

No question, and his family feels the same way. Otherwise I don't think he'd have hung on as long as he did towards the end.

 

[HC]

I miss rafa.

 

[Avmenon]

I do too, believe it or not.

 

[HC]

I genuinley believe last season was a flash in the pan.

I'd love to see what he could do with henry and co

 

[Judge Jules]

It's funny, this, because while I feel sorry for the guy and his family that they had to leave a place they clearly consider home now, and despite the fact that I defended him longer than most, I never actually warmed to him as an individual and could understand why some players couldn't. I'm afraid I don't think last season was a flash in the pan either - Rafa was ultimately too stubborn for his own good, and that would never have changed.

Nonetheless, all I want to do now where Rafa's concerned is wish him well and hope he and his family do manage to come back permanently to a place where they clearly belong now. Not as LFC manager though.

 

[Ossi]

You still have milkmen in GB!? Prrft!

 

[Avmenon]

[quote author=Hardcastle link=topic=42407.msg1205219#msg1205219 date=1287991040]
I genuinley believe last season was a flash in the pan.

I'd love to see what he could do with henry and co
[/quote]

No, I don't agree with that.

For all his brilliance as a manager (and yes, I do still think that),a major failing was in dealings with the media and with the owners.

Can you imagine what would have happened if Hicks had gone to Rafa and promised him another contract extension and say 30 million for transfers in January in exchange for his support?

One aspect we've all forgotten is that the management wanted a manager who'd let them get on with their job whilst he got on with his.

Can you imagine Rafa being silent on that point?

(Interestingly enough, Brendan called that one perfectly, though not for the reasons he thought at the time)

 

[HC]

I don't get all this too stubborn bollocks.

When we finished 4th and above it was all fine,the one season we bomb out a bit and all of a sudden things will never change.

He always complained about lack of funds for big buys and being 'given' players either he didn't want or couldn't utilise.

Therefore I'd like to see him under potentially more democratic and fair ownership.

 

[Avmenon]

Well, let's not get into the funds issue again.

What I mean is that I think Rafa would have gotten very involved in the ownership issues, and I don't think he could have helped himself.

That might not have been a good idea.

 

[Mamma Mia]

[quote author=Avmenon link=topic=42407.msg1205212#msg1205212 date=1287990446]
I do too, believe it or not.
[/quote]

We knew you would ;-)

 

[Avmenon]

I liked him, and thought he always tried his best for the club.

'Coulda been a contender'

🙁

(some on here taking glee from Hodgson's shitness to say 'oh look we wuz right all along and should have kept Rafa coz he'd saved us from the mess created by others' are a bit annoying tho)

 

[HC]

What are you basing that on.

Its no secret rafa didn't get on with g+h and hasn't done for 18 months

 

[Avmenon]

Basing what on?

That he'd have gotten involved with the ownership issues?

Past history,mainly.

Do I know for a fact that he would have?

No, of course not.

But it stands to reason that the involvement (or more rather, the endorsement) of Rafa would be very relevant to any prospective owners.

 

[Mamma Mia]

[quote author=Avmenon link=topic=42407.msg1205236#msg1205236 date=1287992765]
I liked him, and thought he always tried his best for the club.

'Coulda been a contender'

🙁

(some on here taking glee from Hodgson's shitness to say 'oh look we wuz right all along and should have kept Rafa coz he'd saved us from the mess created by others' are a bit annoying tho)
[/quote]

Yeah, I getcha.

There were very, very few who didn't see the need for Rafa to be moved on.

However there were plenty who kept saying fine, he needs to go, but only when someone better is available.
There were plenty of threads with Rafa supporters asking the rest who they would bring in.

As annoyed as you are about those who supposedly take glee, some of us were pretty annoyed with the 'anyone but Rafa' camp.

 

[Richey]

Finally, someone who Benitez actually seemed to get on with. Shame it was just the milkman!

As good a manager as he may be I wouldn't want him back. I don't think that Henry will be throwing unlimited money at the club and will be bringing his own people in.

Benitez has a record of falling out with people, playing stupid political games in the press and, ultimately, not dealing especially well within a budget. It would just be a matter of time before something went wrong.

Yes i would prefer him to Roy but that is a different issue. Roy is useless and was a poor appointment. Benitez needed to be moved on. 2 seperate issues.

 

[HC]

[quote author=Avmenon link=topic=42407.msg1205236#msg1205236 date=1287992765]
I liked him, and thought he always tried his best for the club.

'Coulda been a contender'

🙁

(some on here taking glee from Hodgson's shitness to say 'oh look we wuz right all along and should have kept Rafa coz he'd saved us from the mess created by others' are a bit annoying tho)
[/quote]

That's not where I stand on the matter at all.
i
However I think the board should've assessed whether a suitable replacement was available. If Mourinho or whoever was prepared to come in straight off the bat Id understand it, even the King to a certain extent but to replace a failing potentially world class manager with an average manager with little success in England doesn't really make sense to me.

At the end of the day our old manager went to Inter and we got ours from fucking Fulham!

It turns out there potentially wasn't a suitable candidate based on the past 2 months showings;I don't think getting rid of Rafa as soon as we did was anywhere near as urgent as we made it.

Either way it looks like were most likely stuck with the Podge for the foreseeable future, so might as well get behind the bloke whilst he's managing the team and hope for the best.

 

[jexykrodic]

From the interview:

He was a very good customer. He was just the three bottles of semi-skimmed. They didn’t have to be placed zonally on his step or anything. He was happy to have a chat and he would always look after you at Christmas

Had to chuckle at that.

 

[the_khl]

Haha... liked that one too.

Rafa's a top bloke really.

Wish him all the best.

 

[Richey]

A top bloke because he tips the milkman at Christmas?

 

[the_khl]

[quote author=Richey link=topic=42407.msg1205312#msg1205312 date=1287998823]
A top bloke because he tips the milkman at Christmas?

[/quote]
Amongst other things yeah.

Donating thousands of pounds to charity whilst leaving for Inter, always showing respect for the club and the city where he lived and worked is nice too. He's always come across as someone who cares really.

I like Rafa the person.

 

[Richey]

I agree with that. His giving money to charity was a class act. Full marks for that, and the way he conducted himself in matters outside of his actual job.

 

[Judge Jules]

[quote author=Hardcastle link=topic=42407.msg1205232#msg1205232 date=1287992025]
I don't get all this too stubborn bollocks.

When we finished 4th and above it was all fine,the one season we bomb out a bit and all of a sudden things will never change.

He always complained about lack of funds for big buys and being 'given' players either he didn't want or couldn't utilise.

Therefore I'd like to see him under potentially more democratic and fair ownership.
[/quote]

It's not bollocks, mate, and it wasn't "all fine" when we finished 4th and above either. We should have won the title two seasons ago, but Rafa wouldn't give up his insistence on two holding mids at home against weak sides and that lost us vital points. In his last season he wouldn't give up his insistence that Lucas should play every fupping game, instead of putting Stevie back there to replace Alonso as everybody and his brother knew he should have. And he left Valencia singing exactly the same tune as you quote in your post. Rafa is a very good, sometimes great manager whom I defended on here long after it stopped being the general view, but who has shot himself in the foot more than once in his career by being too stiff-necked for his own good.

 

[etchy]

[quote author=Avmenon link=topic=42407.msg1205227#msg1205227 date=1287991664]
No, I don't agree with that.
For all his brilliance as a manager (and yes, I do still think that),a major failing was in dealings with the media and with the owners.
Can you imagine what would have happened if Hicks had gone to Rafa and promised him another contract extension and say 30 million for transfers in January in exchange for his support?
One aspect we've all forgotten is that the management wanted a manager who'd let them get on with their job whilst he got on with his.
Can you imagine Rafa being silent on that point?
(Interestingly enough, Brendan called that one perfectly, though not for the reasons he thought at the time)
[/quote]

While Rafa did himself no favours, it's no conspiracy to suggest there are certain sections of the media who are set against him. See Sur Alex and his old boy network managers coordinating their views & mutual dick sucking.
The man's a fighter, albeit a pudgy one. Sure, in 'normal' circumstances, management does their job and coach does his. But the last couple of years of H+G was hardly the norm. How can he or if any of you put in his situation stay quiet about it?
Yeah Rafa's stubborn for sure. The same attibute would have been labelled as determined or perservering had he succeeded.

 

[localny]

[quote author=etchy link=topic=42407.msg1205503#msg1205503 date=1288014013]
[quote author=Avmenon link=topic=42407.msg1205227#msg1205227 date=1287991664]
No, I don't agree with that.
For all his brilliance as a manager (and yes, I do still think that),a major failing was in dealings with the media and with the owners.
Can you imagine what would have happened if Hicks had gone to Rafa and promised him another contract extension and say 30 million for transfers in January in exchange for his support?
One aspect we've all forgotten is that the management wanted a manager who'd let them get on with their job whilst he got on with his.
Can you imagine Rafa being silent on that point?
(Interestingly enough, Brendan called that one perfectly, though not for the reasons he thought at the time)
[/quote]

While Rafa did himself no favours, it's no conspiracy to suggest there are certain sections of the media who are set against him. See Sur Alex and his old boy network managers coordinating their views & mutual dick sucking.
The man's a fighter, albeit a pudgy one. Sure, in 'normal' circumstances, management does their job and coach does his. But the last couple of years of H+G was hardly the norm. How can he or if any of you put in his situation stay quiet about it?
Yeah Rafa's stubborn for sure. The same attibute would have been labelled as determined or perservering had he succeeded.

[/quote]

once again, I'll never get the people who slag off Roffa without properly acknowledging he's been our best manager in 20 years. How can you hate a man who brought us so much success, and so many great nights. Probably those people are just kids, or quite simply social outcasts 😉. The man loves our club, and I want him back some day (when he's acknowledged Lucas is brutal, and he's too cautious).