Rocky Ride Rafael

I sit here now and all I can think about is one thing, when will Rafael Benitez get his act together.

I've gave Rafa a chance and stuck up for him when mates, family and people in general have slated him, but now I feel it is time for change at Liverpool football club. Time after time he's rotated, rested and this time I think he's gone to far.

Remember Robbie Keane, the link man we had for 6 months who played on average 75 minutes a game. Yet here we are with a Ukranian porn star look-a-like who to be honest would stuggle to get into the Cowdenbeath U-15 girls B squad, given his hairstyle he'd fit in perfectly.

As I listen to Oasis' 'I'm outta' time' it has a very strange, yet true link with Rafa Benitez and Liverpool. But the biggest mistake Rafa ever made was falling out with possibly his best signing (except Fernando Torres), Xabi Alonso.

As I recall it Rafa made it publicly clear he didn't want Xabi and made this very visible when for the first game against Sunderland at the start of the 2008-09 season by starting Damien Plessis (yes Damien Plessis) ahead of him. Not only must this have been humiliating for Alonso it sent strong signs to the Midfielder about his status and the club, regretting that now Rafa?

For me Rafa also made some horrific signings during that season, only to cover it up by bring Liverpool closer to the title than they've ever come. Andrea Dossena for example 7 million pounds was bought from Udinese, when a player who cost Liverpool nothing Stephane Warnock was sold to Blackburn when they player had far more ability than Dossena and more years ahead of him.

It always seems to me that when Liverpool sign a player Chelsea and Man Utd always seem to buy someone 10x's better. Liverpool sign Lucas Leiva, Man Utd sign Anderson. Liverpool sign Mohammed Sissoko, Chelsea sign Mikel Essien, then Jon Obi Mikel for good measure. Liverpool sign Ryan Babel, Chelsea sign Malouda and Man Utd sign Nani. Liverpool sign Keane (who is by all accounts a good player), then Man Utd sign Berbatov and Chelsea sign Anelka. Liverpool sign Arbeloa, Chelsea sign Bosingwa. Get the point.

He even causes problems amongst the Backroom staff, he let Stevie Highway, the man who nutured Steven Gerrard and other Liverpool home-grown talent, walk out of the club. Pako his assistant was let go without any force to keep him. One of the things you need to be successful is to have a strong backroom staff.

So in the 5 years of managing liverpool he's won 1 champions league and 1 F.A cup, rotated player till their dizzier than someone who's been on 'The Big One' 10 times in one day and from the team he had at day one I honestly can't say its vastly improved from the team he has to this day. Not to mention opened his big mouth to one of the most mind-games manager in the game, fergie. Which in my opinion was a major factor in Rafa blowing the title.

Rafael Benitez, you're outta' time.