Rafa Benitez

[JacknDanny]

First of all I neither loathe nor love the man.

He has had undoubted success and won trophies. He has also had unmitigated disasters.

According to the Liverpool contingent on here, they love him. They say he understands the Liverpool way!

That being the case, why would he go to Chelsea? The 2 teams really do not like each other. For me its a slap in the face to the Liverpool fans.

Secondly, if he is a top drawer manager, as people on here want us to believe, then why would he go and work for Chelsea on a 6 month contract?

Surely he should be saying to Abramovich "If you want me, give me a decent contract and some time to work with"

To accept a contract to the end of the year smacks of desperation from Benitez...

From Chelsea's point of view, it would appear that very few fans want him there. Seems to me that Mourinho is a shoe in at the end of the year, and that Abramovich is hoping Benitez can rekindle some of the footballing desire into Torres, so that when they sell him back to Atletico in the summer, they can at least recoup some of the 50 million.

But I just do not understand the mind set of Benitez? Wanting to put yourself in the shop window for 6 months working for a t@sser like Abramovich, spells small time manager, NOT top drawer manager.

[carmine]

This is an interesting one i agree. I think its shows his desperation to get back in the shop window. He knows that Chelsea are waiting on Guardiola. But baring in mind the club, the personalities within the team i think he's taking on a hopelessly toxic appointment and on the back of his tenure at Inter could do himself yet more damage.

I hope he does ok because i like the guy. Seems a truely decent bloke which makes his choice even more concerning.

This should have been Redknapps job all day long.

[StevieH]

"Wanting to put yourself in the shop window for 6 months working for a t@sser like Abramovich, spells small time manager, NOT top drawer manager."

of course he's a top drawer manager jack. but he needs back in the game, he's been on the sidelines too long despite turning down a lot of offers. if he does a good job at chelsea and wins them the league or champions league this season he'll keep the chelsea job. if he does an alright job and still gets sacked by the idiot abramovich, then he's back in the shop window and available to other clubs etc. he's got an 18-month deal hasn't he? not 6 months?

[StevieH]

I hope he does ok because i like the guy. Seems a truely decent bloke which makes his choice even more concerning.

needs back in the game at a club where he can work with good players. chelsea have a lot of good players. be interesting to see how he deals with terry.

[carmine]

"Wanting to put yourself in the shop window for 6 months working for a t@sser like Abramovich, spells small time manager, NOT top drawer manager."

of course he's a top drawer manager jack. but he needs back in the game, he's been on the sidelines too long despite turning down a lot of offers. if he does a good job at chelsea and wins them the league or champions league this season he'll keep the chelsea job. if he does an alright job and still gets sacked by the idiot abramovich, then he's back in the shop window and available to other clubs etc. he's got an 18-month deal hasn't he? not 6 months?

Perhaps i'm wrong but i thought it was only until the end of the season.

[StevieH]

"Wanting to put yourself in the shop window for 6 months working for a t@sser like Abramovich, spells small time manager, NOT top drawer manager."

of course he's a top drawer manager jack. but he needs back in the game, he's been on the sidelines too long despite turning down a lot of offers. if he does a good job at chelsea and wins them the league or champions league this season he'll keep the chelsea job. if he does an alright job and still gets sacked by the idiot abramovich, then he's back in the shop window and available to other clubs etc. he's got an 18-month deal hasn't he? not 6 months?

Perhaps i'm wrong but i thought it was only until the end of the season.

i've got the radio 5 podcast on now and they just said 18 months. that was last night though so that could be incorrect i guess.

[Macclad]

Benitez did well at Liverpool till the owners started interfering.....same,same at Inter Milan,if only for a short time.

How the <deleted> is he going to deal with someone like Abramovich ?

It is just till the end of the season.....a chance to put himself in the shop window in the English Premier League again......he could well start next season in charge at White Hart Lane after Villas-Boas departs !

[nev]

Good to have rafa back in the premier league he has been sorely missed

[StevieH]

How the <deleted> is he going to deal with someone like Abramovich ?

yeah, been wondering that and will be interesting to watch. he's a very single-minded manager and doesn't like interference. so the russian gimp in his man at C&A jumpers and that self-obsessed pillock john terry sticking their oars in and telling him how he should be doing the job really could be fun.

[LeungKen]

How many managers has Abramovich had sine he took over the club ?

He probably would have fired "Fergie" in the early days - and I still don't understand why he let Mourinho go.

[carmine]

How many managers has Abramovich had sine he took over the club ?

He probably would have fired "Fergie" in the early days - and I still don't understand why he let Mourinho go.

NINE!!

[StevieH]

How many managers has Abramovich had sine he took over the club ?

He probably would have fired "Fergie" in the early days - and I still don't understand why he let Mourinho go.

ten or eleven?

benitez's official title at chelsea is apparently 'interim manager'. which while it's a disgusting, horrible title symptomatic of that ridiculous club, isn't every chelsea manager merely an 'interim manager'?

[nev]

How many managers has Abramovich had sine he took over the club ?

He probably would have fired "Fergie" in the early days - and I still don't understand why he let Mourinho go.

ten or eleven?

benitez's official title at chelsea is apparently 'interim manager'. which while it's a disgusting, horrible title symptomatic of that ridiculous club, isn't every chelsea manager merely an 'interim manager'?

Chelsea are holding out for

[StevieH]

[insert name here]?

i really don't see guardiola at chelsea. doesn't add up at all.

[nev]

[insert name here]?

i really don't see guardiola at chelsea. doesn't add up at all.

Yes agree thats why i put no name, who is going to jump in the hot seat with Chelsea''s record of sacking managers, abramovich can only be holding out for pep or jose, or maybe harry or even klopp but why would he leave dortmund?

[carmine]

[insert name here]?

i really don't see guardiola at chelsea. doesn't add up at all.

Yes agree thats why i put no name, who is going to jump in the hot seat with Chelsea''s record of sacking managers, abramovich can only be holding out for pep or jose, or maybe harry or even klopp but why would he leave dortmund?

Real Madrid seem to be able to get away with a hire/fire policy but they are the biggest club in the world not one of the smaller london teams

baring in mind that these top mamagers mentioned can command huge salaries wherever they go i'm struggling to understand why they would joing this little outfit and be treated like dirt by an idiot owner like Abramovich. i think Guardiola, Mourinho or Klopp would be mad to take this poison chalice.

Where Chelsea really are in terms of a manager is Henry Redknapp. He fits the bill in every respect

[StevieH]

Where Chelsea really are in terms of a manager is Henry Redknapp. He fits the bill in every respect

i was thinking neil warnock myself.

[Exsexyman]

Abramovich statement yesterday: " We are in the process of finding a new manager who shares the club's belief's." Should be Ron Atkinson's job all day long!

[JacknDanny]

How many managers has Abramovich had sine he took over the club ?

He probably would have fired "Fergie" in the early days - and I still don't understand why he let Mourinho go.

ten or eleven?

benitez's official title at chelsea is apparently 'interim manager'. which while it's a disgusting, horrible title symptomatic of that ridiculous club, isn't every chelsea manager merely an 'interim manager'?

Hence the reason I posted this.

It doesnt make sense to me why Rafa would take charge of a team only on a short term (very short term) contract?

If he understands the Liverpool way, then why go to Chelsea?

He knows how Abramavich interferes, he knows what a t@sser JT is. Why go through all the stress??

I think Mourinho is a certainty to take over a the end of the season. His daughter has just enrolled at a London college. Immaterial how Rafa does, he will be gone at the end of the year. My estimation of the mans character went down several degrees when I heard he took the job

[smokie36]

Where Chelsea really are in terms of a manager is Henry Redknapp. He fits the bill in every respect

i was thinking neil warnock myself.

Its only a trudge through the swamp for Mark Hughes....

[Chicog]

[insert name here]?

i really don't see guardiola at chelsea. doesn't add up at all.

Yes agree thats why i put no name, who is going to jump in the hot seat with Chelsea''s record of sacking managers, abramovich can only be holding out for pep or jose, or maybe harry or even klopp but why would he leave dortmund?

Should have appointed Rix, he's used to posting the owner's team selection in the changing room.

[StevieH]

Hence the reason I posted this.

It doesnt make sense to me why Rafa would take charge of a team only on a short term (very short term) contract?

If he understands the Liverpool way, then why go to Chelsea?

He knows how Abramavich interferes, he knows what a t@sser JT is. Why go through all the stress??

I think Mourinho is a certainty to take over a the end of the season. His daughter has just enrolled at a London college. Immaterial how Rafa does, he will be gone at the end of the year. My estimation of the mans character went down several degrees when I heard he took the job

i think there needs to be a moratorium on the expression 'the liverpool way'. it doesn't particularly exist any more, if indeed it ever really did.

benitez is a football manager and needs to be managing football. he's doing it at a club with a load of good players, with the possibility of challenging for both the league title and the champions league. he's no mug, he'll go into it with his eyes open and if he gets fired after 7 months then it'll just be par for the course for the farce of a club that is chelsea.

mourinho a certainty to take over where at the end of the season? chelsea? while abramovich is still owner? never in a million years.

[Chicog]

I suppose it means Torres will get more games.

[nev]

I suppose it means Torres will get more games.

And start to be arsed and play again, hope he scores a hattrick on sunday

[mjj]

https://mobile.twitter.com/UnitedChat/status/271537253807947776/photo/1

[mjj]

I will happily eat my words, or some of them anyway, if Torres scores a hattrick on Sunday. Don't think it will happen though.

The chelsea team at........oh, sod it! Rafa is a tw4t!

[Kipperthai]

"Wanting to put yourself in the shop window for 6 months working for a t@sser like Abramovich, spells small time manager, NOT top drawer manager."

if he does a good job at chelsea and wins them the league or champions league this season he'll keep the chelsea job. i

Well he's already halfway out the door...

I wonder how Rafa will describe the plastic flag brigade (chelski fans) when pressed by media? should be interesting.

Btw I'm a L.F.C supporter & think a lot of Rafa ,always have always will.The man wanted/needed a job ,chelski come up ...Maybe he has an ulterior motive ...

[BangrakBob]

I'll put my money on Rafa guiding this team to the title with fantastically tactical, yet boring to watch football.

He doesn't need Torres to do that, yet it will be interesting to see if the big jessy (Torres) performs better now daddy is home for a bit.

[Chicog]

I'm still plumping for a 2-1 Man City win at the weekend.

[JacknDanny]

"Wanting to put yourself in the shop window for 6 months working for a t@sser like Abramovich, spells small time manager, NOT top drawer manager."

if he does a good job at chelsea and wins them the league or champions league this season he'll keep the chelsea job. i

Well he's already halfway out the door...

I wonder how Rafa will describe the plastic flag brigade (chelski fans) when pressed by media? should be interesting.

Btw I'm a L.F.C supporter & think a lot of Rafa ,always have always will.The man wanted/needed a job ,chelski come up ...Maybe he has an ulterior motive ...

Interesting to see what he thinks now!!!

http://www.london24.com/sport/chelsea/what_rafael_benitez_said_about_chelsea_during_his_liverpool_reign_1_1704001