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The perception of Rafa (bring popcorn)

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Silver Sean

Silver Sean

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I'm truly aghast at how he is viewed by other fans. I have two mates who are intelligent people and who know their footy. One is a Villa fan, one a Citeh fan. Both expressed their concern with me that they may 'end up with' Benitez at different times. The Citeh fan has said to me he'll just give up if he got the job there. Spent the weekend arguing with a Chelsea fan , who admittedly is a massive WUM, who said that Benitez if a truly awful manager.
Anyway, I don't really want this turning into a 'hate him-love him' thread, we've got plenty of them to be going on with, but I'm interested in why you think there is this perception of him? Even mates of mine who support Coventry, Birmingham, Bristol City and Newcastle always laugh at you when you mention him. It's like he walks around with a clown hat on or something.
My view is the media have managed to portray him as an idiot who knows nothing about football. Something the masses have lapped up as usual.
Thoughts?
 
YOU FOOL, you have opened the gates to hell.

Let's pray the devilish beasts that come forth can contain their fury in an controlled area and do not engulf the innocent bystanders.
 
I agree. The London hacks are astonishingly parochial, they have zero curiosity about northern managers except whatever clips they see. That's why quite a few have slowly been won round by Rafa since he's been at Chelski because they've actually talked to him and have realised what a caricature they used to accept as reality. They'll give him some very respectful write-ups when he leaves, and that'll probably improve his image generally, so the move has done him some good. Then again, he's overweight and balding, doesn't wear a fancy scarf and doesn't make jokes on a regular basis, so some fans will never like him!
 
I know Newcastle fans who are disgusted at the idea of him being their manager. They seem to think they are above his level. Same with Chelsea fans.
 
Silver Sean said:
I'm truly aghast at how he is viewed by other fans. I have two mates who are intelligent people and who know their footy. One is a Villa fan, one a Citeh fan. Both expressed their concern with me that they may 'end up with' Benitez at different times. The Citeh fan has said to me he'll just give up if he got the job there. Spent the weekend arguing with a Chelsea fan , who admittedly is a massive WUM, who said that Benitez if a truly awful manager.
Anyway, I don't really want this turning into a 'hate him-love him' thread, we've got plenty of them to be going on with, but I'm interested in why you think there is this perception of him? Even mates of mine who support Coventry, Birmingham, Bristol City and Newcastle always laugh at you when you mention him. It's like he walks around with a clown hat on or something.
My view is the media have managed to portray him as an idiot who knows nothing about football. Something the masses have lapped up as usual.
Thoughts?
Click to expand...

I am aware of his worth. If other "intelligent" people want to dismiss him because of the media portrayal or because a few Chelsea fans actually managed to make some placards - they couldn't manage it for a European Cup semi final though! - then more fool them.

I'd have him back at the club. There you go, the portal to hell on the forum has truly been opened...
 
Oh and you do realise that you are now a Billy Goat who has clip clopped across someone's bridge?
 
Rafa has made a lot of enemies that are more successful and / or more powerful than he is.

For example:

The media
Alex Ferguson
Mourinho

Mourinho in particular has taken delight in sticking the boot in where it hurts and unfortunately (for Rafa) he's been given too many opportunities over the last few years.

If you're going to talk as much as Rafa does, you really have to be able to back it up with success.
 
I sometimes think that Rafa pays the admins of this site money every time a thread about him is created.
 
keniget said:
Rafa has made a lot of enemies that are more successful and / or more powerful than he is.

For example:

The media
Alex Ferguson
Mourinho

Mourinho in particular has taken delight in sticking the boot in where it hurts and unfortunately (for Rafa) he's been given too many opportunities over the last few years.

If you're going to talk as much as Rafa does, you really have to be able to back it up with success.
Click to expand...

Yeah i think that's pretty much true, he allowed himself to be painted into a corner and they all had daggers. I think he did have success to be fair but no need to push open the gates of forum hell any wider.

I read a very good piece written by Sid Lowe for the Guardian the other day which basically laid into Mourinho and how his shit has got so tiring out in Spain, the grumpy answers the moody self centred nonsense etc. He has a good point and he expressed it far better than I could, I just wonder if the British press will call him out for what he is this time round. On the wider point of Mourinhos return I think he may have underestimated the change in the last 4 years, wereas before Chelsea were the boss financially that is not the case now. I wonder how long his "special" tag will last here as well.

I also so an interesting little vox pop with the odious Paddy barclay in which he attacked the gnomic way that Ferguson used to express himself in an antagonistic way via using the words of others etc.... he claimed that Ferguson brought with him a deterioration of press/manager communications and had damaged football in that respect. I was pleased he bothered to mention it just not surprised he didnt say fuck all when Ginsoak was in charge still.

As for a Newcastle fan not wanting Rafa.... well.... fucking dizzy that high up the country...
 
I might be wrong but it strikes me that Spain (Italy too) is full of "colourful characters" and therefore Mourinho's shtick doesn't quite work. In a game full of guys like Steve Bruce and Mick McCarthy, Mourinho was thought to bring something new to the table. It was certainly new.
 
keniget said:
I might be wrong but it strikes me that Spain (Italy too) is full of "colourful characters" and therefore Mourinho's shtick doesn't quite work. In a game full of guys like Steve Bruce and Mick McCarthy, Mourinho was thought to bring something new to the table. It was certainly new.
Click to expand...
He brought arrogance, rudeness, vanity, and a miserable face with him. So yeah it was new, and having the titles to back it up starting in his first season certainly helped the press not getting on his back.
But in terms of entertainment value, our ex managers in Shanks and Dalglish were funny as hell with some of their interviews (brilliant quotes) and Strachan in the modern era was great to watch/hear.

Mourinho's just a gimp.
 
I find it amusing that a club like Newcastle who have not won a trophy since the 50's - yes folks, over 60 yrs - can actually consider Benitez as "not good enough for them". Its ridiculous and long may it continue.

Add to that the fact that they avoided relegation in the penultimate game of this season too. I mean why would they want a manager who has a track record of winning trophies?

Newcastle United doesn't exist to win trophies.
It exists to trumpet itself as the powerhouse of the North East football giants of Middlesbrough, Sunderland and Hartlepool.
It exists so that obese tattooed fuckwits can go to games and take their tops off, whatever the weather.
It exists so that numerous grown men can turn up in the middle of work day for a press conference when they employ their latest "messiah"
It exists so that Sky can show replays of that Keegan meltdown
Its exists so that 52000 can regularly boo their team and manager or both. Further proof that there really is, fuck all to do in the North East but piss and moan.
But most importantly it exists to provide people who support the club, the fantasy that they really are a big club.

Newcastle Utd - the biggest of the clubs who claim to be a big club but aren't in fact a big club. Keep it up Mike and Alan.

*Disclaimer - by suggesting that Benitez is good enough for Newcastle, I'm not suggesting he is a God, so put the hounds away.
 
I don't understand it, it's totally bizarre. Even the Chelsea hatred I don't really get. What did he actually do to them?? Mourinho beat us a few times and did the whole 'shush' thing yet most of us find him more or less tolerable - there certainly wouldn't be mass protests if he turned up as manager. I know people blame the media but is that really it? I remember until his last season the standard media line on us was that he was the one great asset we had to protect us from the H&G nonsense.

Dunno. It's just really weird.
 
I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
 
I spoke with a Chelsea fan @ the weekend. Normally a little cranky but a good lad. His words were "The FSW can F-off, he was useless. the Players got qualification for the CL, and if they win the Europa it'll be down to the players". I was going to ask if failure in the final would be attributed to the players too, but I let sleeping dogs, lie.

I don't get that hatred. I also don't get honestly, how our own fans (mostly on these boards), forget the good times, or dismiss them as "Well, I'm grateful for this or that, BUT he signed Voronin/Alberto etc." I don't believe you can forget the good so quick. I'll stop there.
 
Thanks for the genuine replies to what people think is the reason for this perception of the man. Shame on you if you think this was just another Rafa thread!
 
Okay. This is an emotional moment for all of us. I know that. But let's not make snap judgments, please. This is clearly an important species we're dealing with, and I don't think you or I or anybody has the right to arbitrarily exterminate them.
 
StevieM said:
Okay. This is an emotional moment for all of us. I know that. But let's not make snap judgments, please. This is clearly an important species we're dealing with, and I don't think you or I or anybody has the right to arbitrarily exterminate them.
Click to expand...

Hang on - I came in here for an argument!
 
Silver Sean said:
Thanks for the genuine replies to what people think is the reason for this perception of the man. Shame on you if you think this was just another Rafa thread!
Click to expand...

This is so nuts. I mean, listen - listen to what you're saying. It's paranoid delusion. How - It's really sad. It's pathetic.
 
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