When Rafa came to LFC, pre Twitter days for me, and perhaps even for Twitter, my mantra was "Believe!"
I always did believe, and I got that he was fighting the demons from within the club when things started to go a little pear-shaped! (Not Spanish waiter shaped)
Rafa was a successful Liverpool manager and not just because of 2005. He stood up to the cowboys who were destroying our club, to Ferguson and to the FA. He was his own man.
He was a successful Liverpool Manager because he reorganised the Academy and we are reaping the rewards for what he did then right now as we have youth coming through with the kwality to "make it" for the first time for many years.
He was a successful Liverpool Manager because he took our city to his heart and has made it his home. (Yes he lives on the Wirral but that was where the milkman lived!)
He was a successful Liverpool Manager because HE believed in justice for the 96. He's backed that with donations (easy given his earnings you may say - but he didn't have to) but more to the point he backed it with real and personal support to the families.
Rafa was a successful Liverpool Manager at probably the most difficult time in our history. My hero Bill Shankly brought us up from division 2 and built us from nothing into the force that let Bob Paisley & co take us to the pinnacle of club football. Shanks did that with the full backing of a board as committed as him to making LFC the best. Rafa's reign was at a time when the board were committed to draining the life blood out of our great club.
Rafa always did his best for our club. He may have made mistakes, he sold Xavi Alonso after the midfielder had a season playing top class football. (The season before his football was not top class to say the least - and that was when the sale was planned.)
Not every Liverpool fan feels as I do toward Rafa, many do, many don't. It's a game of opinions. Some of you wanted Martin O'Neill - see what I mean?
Rafa's now managing Chelsea, I wish him well. I hope he smacks Manc arses every time they meet.
I think for now though my belief has shifted, it has to. My belief is now with Brendan Rodgers and a squad that needs additions but is looking good for the future thanks partly to Rafa.
I always did believe, and I got that he was fighting the demons from within the club when things started to go a little pear-shaped! (Not Spanish waiter shaped)
Rafa was a successful Liverpool manager and not just because of 2005. He stood up to the cowboys who were destroying our club, to Ferguson and to the FA. He was his own man.
He was a successful Liverpool Manager because he reorganised the Academy and we are reaping the rewards for what he did then right now as we have youth coming through with the kwality to "make it" for the first time for many years.
He was a successful Liverpool Manager because he took our city to his heart and has made it his home. (Yes he lives on the Wirral but that was where the milkman lived!)
He was a successful Liverpool Manager because HE believed in justice for the 96. He's backed that with donations (easy given his earnings you may say - but he didn't have to) but more to the point he backed it with real and personal support to the families.
Rafa was a successful Liverpool Manager at probably the most difficult time in our history. My hero Bill Shankly brought us up from division 2 and built us from nothing into the force that let Bob Paisley & co take us to the pinnacle of club football. Shanks did that with the full backing of a board as committed as him to making LFC the best. Rafa's reign was at a time when the board were committed to draining the life blood out of our great club.
Rafa always did his best for our club. He may have made mistakes, he sold Xavi Alonso after the midfielder had a season playing top class football. (The season before his football was not top class to say the least - and that was when the sale was planned.)
Not every Liverpool fan feels as I do toward Rafa, many do, many don't. It's a game of opinions. Some of you wanted Martin O'Neill - see what I mean?
Rafa's now managing Chelsea, I wish him well. I hope he smacks Manc arses every time they meet.
I think for now though my belief has shifted, it has to. My belief is now with Brendan Rodgers and a squad that needs additions but is looking good for the future thanks partly to Rafa.
So good luck Rafa us Reds will be keeping a watchful eye on you but we will concentrate on OUR team.
We are LFC and no one knows that more than the current Chelsea manager.
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