So it is a full day now that Rafa is out of my beloved Liverpool. Even sad, I kind of feel relieved. For Rafa. I can only imagine the pressure, and probably the frustration this fine,fine gentleman had to live in last 10 months. And not to mention the last two which were total bullshit in terms of comments and gossip.
It is an absolute shame and disgrace when the so called “pundits” or “journalists” doesn’t do their homework. It is even worse when former players come and criticize Benitez without even having remotely similar success being managers themselves.
What strikes me in today’s media is the lazy, lazy journalism. Especially in football. Nobody does their research. Everyone is looking for a scapegoat. And usually it is the one that doesn’t fit the environment. Most of the times the one that actually stands tall, has balls, you name it. Football media this days is an altar where players, managers, club administrators, etc are being sacrificed to the bloodthirsty mob.
The money that football started generating changed the rules of the game. It is different now. And I am still not sure about the quality of the game itself. But surely the media went downhill.
And there you have a person. A mare mortal. That happened to be a manager of a popular football club. Or should I say THE manager of THE BEST club ever. What is unique about him is that he has balls to stand up for what he believes is right. Or with him being a Spanish, should I say “cojones” 🙂 If you look at today’s football, there are not too many managers that have these. Not with the money invested. Not with the crazy people/owners/etc that invest these money into the clubs. Not with the circus that the football media is. And just like anywhere, not only in football, the price you pay if you have balls is the vultures that are waiting for the sign of weakness. And vultures there are many in football.
And there was weakness. And the time of the vultures arrived. So be it.
What I will remember is the football brain behind the team in the last 6 years. The beauty of watching a team that plays a game of football that is not only based on heart and passion but also on a well thought plan. Don’t get me wrong. Football is all about passion. But the real greatness is reached when you put a brain alongside the passion. And Rafa put so much brain. And I thank him for that. The wins, the magnificent nights – these were great. But seeing the team improve, seeing it playing like one was much better 😉 And I am grateful.
Now a new day arrives for a Liverpool Football Club. A day that is darker, I am afraid. Not because we lost a great manager. There aren’t that many great managers out there but we will still find one (as long as it is not Martin O’Neil :)). Still. But because with every single day passed, with all of the debt placed on it, this Club is heading to oblivion. And Rafa was one of the few inside it that worked to prevent it from happening.
Thank you Rafa! For everything. You Will Never Walk Alone!
PS. For those that want to read on some objective materials than media bullshit, The Tomkins Times. There isn’t better site that discusses Liverpool in an objective manner.
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