Annasfield Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Like I said - can't be arsed going backward and > forward over the same argument. From another > forum, but this sums it up perfectly for me. > > I watched the reds go down to chelsea in the > champions league. After Torres scored I was on > cloud nine and after the game I was fairly pissed > off (obviously) at the result. I remember thinking > at the time that I really shouldn't be that > annoyed - for a start, if anyone could organise a > team to win at the bridge it was Rafa; but my main > thought was that I had been privileged to watch a > transformation in our side - we had gone from a > once proud club who had conquered all before us > home and abroad to a laughing stock. "Champions > league - you're having a laugh". One man turned > this around. > > His detractors said it was a fluke and that we > were lucky. Lucky Rafa then led us to the knockout > stages in 06, another final in 07, and knockout > stages in 08 and 09. > > During this time we beat juve, real, barca, inter, > milan - giants of the game. Top ranked in europe, > a name to be feared in the draw. > > It's only 11 months since then. Not even one year. > Yet some so-called fans are calling for Rafas > head. I know he has made mistakes but I can't for > the life of me understand why, after all he has > done for us, people want him gone so quickly. Even > if he had been backed to the hilt in the transfer > market he has earned another season but under the > current circumstances it is a testament to him > that he has stuck with us. > > We didn't win at the bridge but he gave it his > best shot. I felt down but not out - we'd be back > there or thereabouts over the next few seasons. He > has now had the rug pulled from under him > financially and I reckon this will be extremely > difficult to achieve - but if anyone can do it - > it's Rafa. > Is how I feel too. One bad season and some people want him out, it's laughable.