New Chelsea manager

[Jimbob]

IT will all end in tears.


The only certainty is this: Rafa Benitez will become Roman Abramovich’s 10th managerial victim.
Benitez became the only manager in Liverpool’s history to win major trophies in each of his first two seasons at the club.
Then he landed the Holy Grail — the Champions League trophy in 2005. But then it all imploded spectacularly.

Rafa managed to upset players, fans and owners with a farcical rotation system that at one stage saw him change the team 99 times on the trot, plus a dodgy transfer spree that saw him sign an incredible succession of dud players.

And Rafa’s managerial ‘skills’ were further exposed when he moved to Inter Milan — after they had won the Champions League under former Blues boss Jose Mourinho — surviving there for only six months.

Certainly, ex-Inter defender Marco Materazzi is no fan.
He insists Benitez was paranoid about following Mourinho’s success at the Nerazzurri — and simply did not measure up.
The Italian international says of his troubled spell under Rafa in 2010: “I did not get on well with Benitez. He thought he knew everything but he was afraid of his own shadow.
“He made me remove pictures of the most important moments of my career with Mourinho and Marcello Lippi from my locker.
“Mourinho was No 1. His secret was to make the players feel involved in the project.
“In Madrid at the 2010 Champions League final, he told me that he was leaving. I said to him, ‘Damn you for leaving me with Benitez’.”
And club president Massimo Moratti had his misgivings, too.
He reflected: “We tried to find positives from this experience until the end... but we didn’t find any. He has his qualities but marriages don’t always go well.”

Xabi Alonso played for Benitez at Liverpool — and reckons Rafa’s man-management skills were often found wanting. The Real Madrid midfielder said: “Every now and again a player would appreciate a bit more closeness, a pat on the back, but Rafa is not that kind of guy.
“At the end of that 2008 season, speaking to Rafa, he told me the situation and that he wanted to sign other players and I could be one of the replacements.
“If an offer had come, probably I’d have been sold.
“That’s when I told myself that the situation had changed — from being a very important player to being one of those who can be sold to get funds to sign other players.
“I accepted it because I am a professional but you have to realise what your situation is.”
And what about those lasting images on Benitez talking away another defeat on Match of the Day? Somehow it was never his fault. Week after week he would throw facts at the interviewer to deflect blame from himself. But the players, fans and owners saw through it.

Maybe Roman Abramovich should have watched those tapes.

[The Kop]

what a farcical peice.
where did that get ripped off from? redcafe?
you mancs have a very unhealthy obsession with rafa. 1-0 to chelsea already before a balls' been kicked.

[Ga Pala]

Can't say Liverpool played well Benitez. I've seen better signs for the long run , under Rogers even though they're results haven't been great.

[BTAC]

Can't say Liverpool played well Benitez. I've seen better signs for the long run , under Rogers even though they're results haven't been great.

I've got no complaints over the way we played under Rafa. Prefer the style of play Rodgers is trying to implement though.

[pernunz]

A year after Benitez left Ferguson broke that record for number of consecutive rotations.

[totsreds08]

Liverpool played good under Rafa especially in the season when we lost the season by 4 points. We easily played the best football in the league and had a great never say die attitude. I think Chelsea will be good with Rafa. Watch Torres fire.

[Nice One Cyril]

Apparently, RDM was sacked because he refused to play Torres when Abramovich wanted.

Reminds me of this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCAAuoq7oOo

[rulebritannia]

this is crazy stuff

one of the coolest managers in the EPL replaced by one of the world's most mentally unstable
it will end in tears that is certain

[Faith No More]

this is crazy stuff

one of the coolest managers in the EPL replaced by one of the world's most mentally unstable
it will end in tears that is certain

Chelsea + Rafa = a load of shite in 2013.
Manager dead no:10 by may !

mo' money , mo' problems !

[Los Del Eague]

I see the Chelsea fans have taken to him then!