Quote:
Originally Posted by rahl
I agree with all you said bro except for the above. These are exceptional times now at Pool cos we have immensely unpopular owners and Rafa is drawing on that. You are right that no other manager has taken on the owners in the way he has, so publicly and insistently since his 'I concentrate on the training' remarks last year.
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I agree that our club have owners who are immensely unpopular. Heck, they are even unpopular people among themselves. Hicks will not be a popular figure in Gillet's eyes.
And to think these two people chose to work together in the first place.
I better elaborate on my view of how Rafa handles club matters, especially on transfer. I was reading the book 'A season on the brink' by Guillen Balague. Talks about our 2004/5 season, how Rafa ended up with us, the changes and problems he face etc. I noticed a trend with regards to the Robbie Keane issue.
In 2003/4, while he was still at Valencia, Rafa wanted a right back and a well-known striker. The board bought him a left winger (Nestor Fabian Canobbio) and an unknown striker (Ricardo Oliveira). During the press conference to introduce Canobbio, Rafa told the reporters
'If I was stubborn about this, then Canobbio simply would not get a game with Valencia. I asked the club for a sofa and they brought me a lampshade.' 
Rafa's the kind who dare to say such shocking words to the press to make his unhappiness known. Obviously, when he came over to Anfield, the sofa and lampshade analogy became the legs of the table description. Those 'I'm fully concentrated on the training' comments are typically Rafa's way of expressing his frustration through the media.
The same transfer sage, in my opinion, happened last season when he wanted Barry and we bought Keane. He wanted a central cum left midfielder and we bought him a second striker. I just wonder if Rafa will give more time to Keane if Keane wasn't forced onto him. I also do wonder if Lucas will play as much if Barry had joined us as planned.
Now, if you look at his history, outbursts are definitely not out of Rafa's character. I just don't think we needed more distraction at this point in time. Rafa shouldn't be negotiating through the press.
Anyway, here's something interesting.
Liverpool Manager Rafa Benitez gives Journalist "Middle Finger"