No conspiracy against Liverpool but Rafa has a good point
It’s been fascinating to see Rafa Benitez change over the last couple of months. His bullish nature had always been there before Liverpool games (especially when playing Chelsea or in Europe), but he’s taken it to a whole new level by showing a confidence and brashness not seen since he landed as Liverpool manager.
So when he complained that he can’t work under present conditions (something to do with the lack of time between international fixtures and domestic league games), I crushed the urge to make fun of the newly bearded one and tried taking him seriously (only for a second).
Rafa is absolutely right. Because your best players get very little resting time or even training time between Wednesday evening and Saturday morning, it’s tough for any club (let alone Liverpool) to prepare for league games, especially if they happen to be away games with a 12:45 pm kickoff. It’s somewhat the same when there are Champions League games in midweek, but no, it doesn’t mean that there’s a conspiracy against Liverpool.
Rafa:
“When you play for the title, if you lose two or three games away against ‘normal’ teams, after that you know maybe you can lose against the top sides and maybe your possibilities will be more difficult.”
At least he didn’t call them ’small’ clubs, right?
One thing that I don’t agree with is what he says here about ‘changing schedules for the top teams’. If you want to fix something, make changes across the board and ensure that all the problems with international fixtures are resolved for all teams.
There have been proposals to give two month-long breaks during each season for leagues to play all their internationals - presumably that would also include qualifiers and friendlies. While such an approach would leave many players with nothing to do as they sit and watch from home, it also avoids the problems any targeted solution might cause. Why do special favors for the top teams when it’s a problem that affects a lot of clubs?
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Discussion - 15 Responses
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This is ‘Evil Rafa’. Its the beard.
“Crushed the urge to make fun of”?
I’m sure he regrets his remarks, now that you have made your views known.
Rafa didn`t just mention the lack of time between national and league games..
he also mentioned the burocracy and sticks in wheels if you like for when Liverpool are about to get a player such as mascherano`s paper work for example when teves had the same problem but somehow man.utd managed to sort everything in less than a week..
or heinzes redeculouse story that he can`t join liverpool (in my opinion only cause of the rivality there is between LFC and MAN.UTD wich has nothing to do with the transfer season)..
there might be no consipracy but it`s a fact that Liverpool have suffered a lot of injustices from the FA…so yea maybe we all should take good ol Rafa`s complaints seriously (even for a second, like you said)
A KOP
Actually the reason Rafa complained is because Liverpool have far more matches like this compared to Utd, Chelsea and Arsenal.
Well, I’m United fan but for once I’m going to stick up for Liverpool. It doesn’t seem fair that clubs like United and Chelsea get an easy ride form the FA/Premier League while the small clubs like Liverpool get such a hard time. C’mon, give the little guy a break!
BEN,
pmsl, typical Man UTD they only think the premiership is different to the old division 1. Liverpool a “small club” haha. Oh dear! I think you fail to realise that we are STILL the most successful club in England which will be further realised when we win the premiership this year and probably next. I will even go on to say that we will win do the quadrouple this year. Unlike Manure UTD we have no debt and are owned by 2 billionaires not 1.
Maybe we should compare our trophy cabinet to yours. You’ll find yours sadly lacking in silverware. The true giant is back.
We do sympathise and feel sorry for your team constantly being under our shadow and greatness it must be a real bitter pill to swallow.
Now be a good boy and go back to your jealous corner.
LFC, Easy Tiger. It was just a joke, man.
Ben! If you look at the trophy cabinet of Liverscum or Manc Utd, you will see that you are very close to each other in quantities. Stop right there a minute before you switch on the liverscum auto pilot and start ranting on how you have won the campions league five times because over the years it has become boring. In all fairness you were a great club once upon a time but be honest and face the fact, you are not in the same league as the two giants at the top of the english football league. Maybe one day but not at the moment. As far as two billian airs owning you pathetic little ex everton ground, If you check your facts, they are not billion airs even if you add all there assests together. It will take alot more money than that to make any real long lasting change at liverscum. After all compared to Mr A, it is only a post office account they are withdrawing there funds from and being American, that wont last for long. You are going to have to win something this year just to keep them happy but as we know the chances are slim. Lets face it that its finishing the sesson at the top not being there in the middle of September. So just to sum everything up, personally you are a total camel living on hopes and dreams and custard creams. Twat…..
Penalty Pete.. being the moronic imbecile you are, you’re obviousy blissfully unaware just how insignificant Chelsea are as a club. No one around the world knows of you, when asked about you, 95% believed you to be a new club named after Bill Clinton’s daughter. Even Tottenham will always be more famous than you, so to suggest you’re one of England’s big two is simply laughable. There’s really nothing worse than a jumped up little club trying to play with the big boys.. managed to make a profit yet? No I thoguht not.. carries on much longer and Mr A as you delightfully call him will soon push off, taking his blood money with him.. and then where will you be.. no name, no money to attract the mercinary ’star’ names.. how we’ll all weep for you. With laughter. Prick.
Someone needs to explain why 12:45 can be considered ‘too early.’ How is a 12:45 start significantly different than a 1:30pm or even 3:00pm start?
I could understand if the game was to be played at 6 in the morning, but c’mon! If you really need those two extra hours to get ready for a game, you shouldn’t be an international player anyway!
How is it not possible for Clubs in all competitions to play there league games at either 5pm saturday or sunday… Uefa and champions league. If Sky don’t like it they can fuck off.
Sorry but Liverpool are third in the european rankings so i don’t see how we are a small club?
[…] the midweek Euro 2008 qualifiers Benitez lashed out at football authorities for giving clubs very little time to prepare for weekend games, making it easier for […]
I love it when cluless little jumped up plastic fans like Penalty Pete try and put their opinion across only to provide further confirmation that Chelsea fans are truly clueless. Just to point something out Pathetic Pete, sorry Penalty Pete, have you ever realisd that Chelsea are a small club with money? probably not as you probably didnt know who they were before it was fashionable to support them! All of a sudden there is this urge for people who want to fit into society some how(sad loners) to support Chelsea because they supposedly have the best oppurtunity of being successful due to their wealth, well we are now seeing the true worth of the self proclaimed “special One”(although nobody else but himself and cluless Chelsea fans would agree. He has spent so much more money than anyone else and in all honesty the amount he has spent should guarantee either the EPL or European Cup or even both yet we see them not acheiving what the bigger clubs do, get back in your place Pete and keep your opinions to yourself as you continue to provide further ammunition for those who want to call Chelsea and their fans a bunch of cluless cretins.