[Ryan57]

Originally Posted by Jesus.H.Christ

Istanbul.

Took over the dregs of Houlliers team, and turned it around while you lot had already spent £30m on Ferdinand, £27m on Rooney etc, and he made us competitive, despite only spending £15m each season. Don't forget Arsenal were the invincibles, and you and Chelsea were spending loads on top players at that time.

People will try to rewrite history in a way that they never do for any other manager, but the job Rafa did was unquestionably good. Only people who believe the media narrative buy into this Rafa was a clown nonsense. How many managers have won the CL with players like Traore and Biscan?

You want to know why he's a hero? Because of footballing reasons. He spotted what H&G really were before anyone else and he called them out. The media say he got too involved in the politics at the club, but he was fighting for the club, not against it. H&G were the cancer, not Rafa.

Think what you like of Benitez, but he was never the problem. He made some transfer mistakes in his last year, and the team wasn't great, but Fergies first few years were up and down, and he didn't have a cl and fa cup to show for it.

To be fair, we also bought Liam Miller and David Bellion around that time. Rooney was the only big signing. Rio came two years previous so wouldn't really count him. We had a sh-it team back then.

Rafa did a good job but there was also some luck in that Champions League run.