Should Rafa Benitez be sacked?

After months of poor form, erratic and confusing team selections, and failure to overcome easiest of opponents at Anfield, do you think Rafa Benitiez time is up at Anfield?

Grind it out until the end of the season and then release him in the summer. It'll give you a reasonable amount of time to choose a suitable candidates for the job.

At the end of the season If Liverpool do end trophyless in 4 seasons he has taken Liverpool to 3 Cup Finals (winning 2) and not setting the Premiership on fire. He should not be sacked should at least have 6 seasons as manager ,just 2 more after this one then we can judge him.

The issue i have in sacking Benitez is that i don't see a better available manager who can take us forward.

If Rafa is still at the helm at the start of next season, and if he doesn't deliver next season, i think his position then becomes very difficult.

I've said it before, the fact that Liverpool are still in the champions league is the only thing keeping Benitez from being sacked. The American's clearly don't get on with him but aknowledge the fans protests etc, however whilst we're still involved in two big cup competitions I think Hicks and co are afraid of a backlash if they were to sack him now. If (and it's a big if because I think the players will do it in Europe again) we lose to Inter and get knocked out then Hicks will have ammunition to sack Rafa and I honestly think a few of the Rafa backers will change their mind.

Obviosuly, if you look at Liverpool's league season it's not good enough, 7th position behind Everton and Villa and we're in January, that's an absolute disgrace for this club. We spent a good 35 million in the summer and we've gone backwards not forwards whilst the teams around us have all improved.

Benitez can't get it right in the league, too stubborn, and for this reason I think he should go, but no until the end of the season because a new manager coming in at this stage wont be able to do much.

If we don't win a cup Rafa will be sacked, If we win a cup but finish outside the top 4 I think Rafa will also be sacked.

Only thing that will save him IMO is if we win a cup and finish 4th, but if that cup is the FA cup he could still be sacked.

I wouldn't sack him, i would wait to see how it goes in the champions league. If he loses to Inter i would sack him. He has made numerous awful signings, Liverpool have not moved forward in 2 years, and he seems like he puts cups before the league when Liverpool fans want the league more than anything, plus he plays dreadful football.

I'm in two minds at the moment. I mean, we can't put all of the blame on the manager - our whole team has been dreadful, individually and collectedly. It's not entirely Rafa's fault that our top players in Gerrard, Alonso and Mascherno have been in the worst form of their lives.

Also, the confusion and shambles at board level must have seriously effected the team, in terms or happiness and confidence. I'm sure some of the recent revelations involving the Kilinsman approach most have been quite shattering for Rafa, and a lot of staff and players will be questioning their futures at the club.

But the new owners have backed Rafa with big transfers like Babel and Torres, as well as our new 'most expensive ever defender.' Benitez does deserve mountainous amounts of blame for the teams obvious incompatibility and for his stubbornness in his dreadful team selections. He'll pick a player regardless of his form, which as Luis says, is ridiculous.

I think if we end the season trophyless and out of the top 4, then he HAS to go. I wouldn't sack him before close season, because that may damage the club more. I'm on the edge a bit. If we do finish 4th, but don't win anything this season, then I think we'll need to seriously contemplate a change, because we're just not seeing improvement.

Should be kept on. Man United should offer to pay his wages as well.

If he stays on though Parky, you'll have to wait a good 3 or 4 years for another European cup

Bring back Roy Quintin Echlin Evans.

Rafa is a very good defensive coach, you could tell that from their previous home record, I mean when-ever a team went to Anfield they would be wondering how to score, this he has been abysmal and the defense he worked so hard to improve has not been playing well, Liverpool need a more attack minded coach

Luis wrote:If he stays on though Parky, you'll have to wait a good 3 or 4 years for another European cup

You won't even get past Inter.

I'd bet you a two week ban on it.

Parks lives wrote:

Luis wrote:If he stays on though Parky, you'll have to wait a good 3 or 4 years for another European cup

You won't even get past Inter.

I'd bet you a two week ban on it.

That's so tempting, I'll take that bet, any mods here to witness this

Luis wrote:

Parks lives wrote:

Luis wrote:If he stays on though Parky, you'll have to wait a good 3 or 4 years for another European cup

You won't even get past Inter.

I'd bet you a two week ban on it.

That's so tempting, I'll take that bet, any mods here to witness this

Inter win, the mods ban you for two weeks.

Liverpool win, the mods ban me for two weeks.

& no complaining either.

Luis wrote:

Parks lives wrote:

Luis wrote:If he stays on though Parky, you'll have to wait a good 3 or 4 years for another European cup

You won't even get past Inter.

I'd bet you a two week ban on it.

That's so tempting, I'll take that bet, any mods here to witness this

I will put up a 2 weeks ban on inter to win

So if Inter win Luis will get a 4 week ban overall?

Parks lives wrote:

Luis wrote:

Parks lives wrote:

Luis wrote:If he stays on though Parky, you'll have to wait a good 3 or 4 years for another European cup

You won't even get past Inter.

I'd bet you a two week ban on it.

That's so tempting, I'll take that bet, any mods here to witness this

Inter win, the mods ban you for two weeks.

Liverpool win, the mods ban me for two weeks.

& no complaining either.

Sound. And @ Punty, no f@ck off

Chicken

The 2 competitions he's one have certainly been remarkable (3-3 draws and a win on penalties). Imo it's those shoot-out wins that are keeping him in his job rather than the CL.

Luis wrote:

Parks lives wrote:

Luis wrote:

Parks lives wrote:

Luis wrote:If he stays on though Parky, you'll have to wait a good 3 or 4 years for another European cup

You won't even get past Inter.

I'd bet you a two week ban on it.

That's so tempting, I'll take that bet, any mods here to witness this

Inter win, the mods ban you for two weeks.

Liverpool win, the mods ban me for two weeks.

& no complaining either.

Sound. And @ Punty, no f@ck off

Consider it done.

if you don't qualify champions league he has to go.
otherwise i think hel come good.

Sensible head on, no personal biased at play.... get rid.
Something is rotten, no confidence, no goals, plummeting down the league and still -generally- playing shite football. All in all that doesn't add up to a happy camp.
On the other hand who do you get to replace him? Lippi is available as is Jose M but beyond that (without any research or more than 3 seconds thought) candidates seem pretty thin on the ground. However either of those guys would do a decent job but would they join? Otherwise you could end up with telescopic-nose back in charge and I cant imagine many of the Scouse army want that!

It is a hard one to call.

I think he should stay until the end of the season and unless Liverpool have some success in the FA cup or the CL (or both), then yes, I think he should probably go.

He's turned Liverpool into a force in Europe but domestically he's done worse than Houillier and really, with the amount he's spent, especially last summer, that isn't good enough

What if he gets to the CL final again?

Dark Savante wrote:What if he gets to the CL final again?

They should appoint another manager for the league, and just keep rafa for the cl

Dark Savante wrote:
What if he gets to the CL final again?

You laugh.

If they do it while beating you in either the Semi's or the Quarters with two set piece goals you simply give up any hope of Rafa having any luck in the League.

Dark Savante wrote:What if he gets to the CL final again?

Then I'd say keep him. It would involve them beating Inter over two legs which quite frankly would be an achievement in itself

Tweedle wrote:

Dark Savante wrote:What if he gets to the CL final again?

Then I'd say keep him. It would involve them beating Inter over two legs which quite frankly would be an achievement in itself

I'd probably agree, but if he doesnt get the CL spot, he could still probably go, remember Cuper?

BoBo Vieri wrote:

Tweedle wrote:

Dark Savante wrote:What if he gets to the CL final again?

Then I'd say keep him. It would involve them beating Inter over two legs which quite frankly would be an achievement in itself

I'd probably agree, but if he doesnt get the CL spot, he could still probably go, remember Cuper?

Cuper should never have been sacked. Benitez IMO will keep his place if he reaches another CL final. Its more valuable to a club than winning the league, in financial terms.

Tweedle wrote:

BoBo Vieri wrote:

Tweedle wrote:

Dark Savante wrote:What if he gets to the CL final again?

Then I'd say keep him. It would involve them beating Inter over two legs which quite frankly would be an achievement in itself

I'd probably agree, but if he doesnt get the CL spot, he could still probably go, remember Cuper?

Cuper should never have been sacked. Benitez IMO will keep his place if he reaches another CL final. Its more valuable to a club than winning the league, in financial terms.

but say if they finish 5th and lose the CL final? its a big blow to not play in the CL financially.

BoBo Vieri wrote:

Tweedle wrote:

BoBo Vieri wrote:

Tweedle wrote:

Dark Savante wrote:What if he gets to the CL final again?

Then I'd say keep him. It would involve them beating Inter over two legs which quite frankly would be an achievement in itself

I'd probably agree, but if he doesnt get the CL spot, he could still probably go, remember Cuper?

Cuper should never have been sacked. Benitez IMO will keep his place if he reaches another CL final. Its more valuable to a club than winning the league, in financial terms.

but say if they finish 5th and lose the CL final? its a big blow to not play in the CL financially.

If that happened, then yes. I'm pretty sure they'll scrape 4th though