The One About Rafa That Led To A twitter Barney, That I Stood Back And Watched
I should be smirking - but I'm not.
All United fans would have loved Rafa to stay for as long as possible. He had become so poor tactically, and so misjudged in his spending, he was ruining them.
So what does he have to show for his time there? A Champions League win, in great, rousing circumstances - albeit totally outplayed at half time. The similarities with their win, versus ours in 1999, are pretty clear to me.
They then won the FA cup Final on Penalties, against an over achieving West Ham team.
Then another Champions League Final. They lost this one, and this is where it started to go wrong, in my opinion. Getting two Finals in such quick succession bought him the time to make some glaring mistakes.
Liverpool fans, well Ricky, will point to coming second 1n 08/09. Fair point. That was my favourite season for ages. Last years was epic, and it's not me being a sore loser - but Chelsea aren't Liverpool.
So follow it up. Go one better, or at least do the same again.
No. They went out of the Champions League by December, in a poor group. They lost an FA Cup replay to Reading. At home. (We went out to Leeds, to be fair - but it kick started our season to go on a run that got us... yep, second. How Liverpool would have craved that.)
Alonso out. Barry to City. Aqualiani in. That's the transfer that ruined him. The key thing now is whether Stevie Me and Nando want to stay, and stick it out. I think Stevie G is more likely too, now. Nando, and the Spanish connection? Well, Reina has already spoken out about it, so... United fans will always have the above picture. Must win game. 1-1. Half hour to go. What shall we do Boss? Bring off our best player, and the only one scoring of late? Errr... Yeah.
Seventh in the League. Two points ahead of their local rivals, who were injury ravaged up until January. 22 points behind a Rooney inspired United, who had injuries issues worse than any of the top four have ever had in the whole of the Premier League.
Not good enough.
Now... Well. Who comes in? Liverpool fans want Dalglish. If only for a secondement, for a year maybe. I can see that would get the fans into it. But it's ludicrous. What has he ever done, in the last ten years?
Liverpool need to test Martin O'Neills resolve. Does he want to be in the running for United in two years, or not? Hodgeson is a great manager, and may have taken Fulham as far as he can.
Guus Hiddink did OK at Chelsea. There's people out there.
Liverpools financial situation is not going to get them someone at a top, top club. If it's true and only five million is available... ouch. They may be better getting in Harry Redknapp, so he can "wheel and deal". But he won't leave Spurs... he just got Liverpools fourth spot, remember.
So stop the Dalglish madness, and get focused. Or from a United point of view, get Dalgleish in there. I'd have a little wager it's like Keegan going back to Newcastle. And look how that ended.
Don't worry Liverpool fans. You'll always have Istanbul. Just like you've been saying for the last six years.
Over to you, Gray....
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