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Rafa Benitez the clear fans’ choice for LFC

By on May 21, 2012

Opinion polls across all major Liverpool FC fans websites have revealed that former manager Rafa Benitez it the clear fans’ choice to fill the vacant hot seat at Anfield.

Results were recorded from This Is Anfield, Red and White Kop, LFC.tv, YNWA, Est1892, Scouse Not English, RAOTL and LFC Reds/Anfield Online, and found Benitez was the clear favourite on every single forum.

From a total of almost 4,000 votes across the websites, Benitez polled an average of 59% – a clear majority.

The second favourite was former Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas, with Borussia Dortmund’s Jurgen Klopp in third.

In some instances, Benitez polled over 70%, even when listed alongside several other candidates.

The Spaniard, who has openly admitted his desire to return to Liverpool, is seen as having ‘unfinished business’ by many supporters who feel that the ownership of Tom Hicks and George Gillett halted the development of Liverpool under his reign.

Benitez, who still resides on Merseyside, is reportedly not being interviewed for the vacancy by owners FSG, leaving Villas-Boas and Wigan boss Roberto Martinez as the current favourites. A separate poll on This Is Anfield asking fans to choose between Martinez or Villas-Boas returned a huge 85% majority for Villas-Boas.

While Benitez may divide opinion among the media and some supporters, most recognise the huge achievements he made during his five years at Anfield and would welcome a return for him to work under the new owners to continue his legacy.



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  • Huddo

    Never go back. Should never of ask Dalglish. Benitez is not as good as HE thinks he is. The football was boring, negative and at some stages down right crap. I remember a game again Middleborough, we were 1-0 up after 25min and we were taking the ball to the corner flag to waste time. Complete disgrace. Blamed everyone else for results and tactics. Tried to sell Alonso behind his back to bring in Barry from villa, joke. After that Alonso put in a transfer request. He went treble winners Inter Milan and said he needs money for players to win something, haha. They won NOTHING, if i remember right they never even got into the champions league. Defo NOT Benitez

    • http://twitter.com/CHRISDABAHIA4 CHRIS OWENS

      Actually, idiot, they won two cups whilst he was in charge. Check your facts.

  • rick

    First, Kenny should never have been sacked, FACT. I would like to see the King at the helm still now. They forced an iconic manager Who FINALLY bring some silverware and THREE TRIPS TO WEMBLEY after six yrs OF TORRID AGONY, to walk away for the CLub, with no respect for the fans, and the tradition of the Club. He deserved AT LEAST ONE MORE TIME to fix some problems. A three yrs contract was on going. Which are the strategy? And some fans still living in the land of dreams: They are persistently trying to put pressure on the owners to bring back Rafa, but They don’t realise FSG will never pick up another “fans choice”. I personally Think Roberto is actually not the right man, and his move will come too soon, but if They should choose RM, He’ll get ALL MY GENUINE SUPPORT BECAUSE I’M A LIVERPOOL’S SUPPORTER, PROUD AND LOYAL. Any MANAGER DESERVES A CHANCE TO PROVE HIMSELF, AND I WON’T SPLIT AGAINST THE MANAGER AFTER THE FIRST DRAW. I speak for myself, anyone can do what He wants, but If you give the back to Roberto now, You won’t doing a good service to LFC.

  • ianmcd31

    i would even prefer Benitez over Guardiola, why, because with benitez you have a guy who would love to spend the rest of his career working for liverpool without eyeing up any previous club.
    AVB? He has yet to even build a team. Capello, Martinez, those two ideas worry the hell out me. Why sack Kenny for Capello or Martinez!This was always Bentiez’s job, as soon as FSG took over they should have reinstalled him. i’m hoping the owners are just interviewing others to see whats out there, all the while knowing Rafa is ready. He’d do the club proud, again, he loves Liverpool and is a genius.

    • http://twitter.com/CHRISDABAHIA4 CHRIS OWENS

      I’d be hesitant even ore Guardiola.
      Two reasons: a) he’s never played or managed in England. As good as Rafa is, it still took him some time to work out what was required here (remember the bad buys – Gonzalez, Josemi, etc, buying what he thought was required, not what was really needed? And remember how bothered he was by how Bolton, under Sam All., played?);
      and b) Guardiola was manager of a team he grew up with, played for, and had access to huge sums of money, the very best players in the world, and one of the best youth academies to be found.
      Those two reasons make me wonder how he’d fare. I’m sure after time he’d do well, but how long would it take?

  • ash aminy

    it is kinda rude that hes not been interviewed at least. give him the JOB.

  • peter

    let me get this clear. it took £6m to get rid of him then 2 weeks later signs for inter.
    if he cared that much about us he would have waited and we would have got compansation for him

    • Someone else

      My thoughts exactly why waste that £6mill. I loved Rafa but he went mad, lost the plot a little and made some unacceptable decisions. I really can’t believe that he is fans favourite.

    • http://twitter.com/CHRISDABAHIA4 CHRIS OWENS

      Shame on you. He was given no funds ot carry on – what was he supposed to do to compete?

  • JP

    How come there is so much support for a man who believes that playing Kuyt out the right is a good idea?

    • http://twitter.com/CHRISDABAHIA4 CHRIS OWENS

      Foolish comment. He came with a reputation for being prolific, but had a hard time scoring. Pushing him out to the right, took the pressure off him so his confidence returned..

  • REDFORLIFE

    NO NO NO NO NO . We need to move forward,going backward does not help anyone.Rafa had his time.end of

    • http://twitter.com/CHRISDABAHIA4 CHRIS OWENS

      I’d be happy to go back – to being Europe’s number one.

  • Cong Danh

    HI everybody !
    i’m from Viet Nam.
    i wish Benitez were The Kop’s Coach
    Thank you Our boss very much

  • Pete

    If LFC bring the idiot Benitez back we will be playing championship football soon . Back to Spain with the numpty and take Reina and Enrique with him !!!

  • nzscouser

    Please not rafa boring

  • Bill&Bob

    My appointments would be Rafa manager and Brian Barwick Sporting Director. I’d sort the references out later.

  • Intellectual beard

    Every anti-Rafa poster just regurgitates the lies and myths perpetrated by that self indulgent enemy of the club -Alan Hansen

    You know, free transfers given hefty price tags, the Alonso bullsh’t, the split (carragher!) dressing room, lost the plot and went mad. All total and laughable nonsense

  • Intellectual beard

    What have the new owners got against Rafa? I just dont get it. It’s not like they’re intellectually challenged like so many of the d’cks on here, who have a problem with him.

  • Nick

    All you Rafa fans are insane! Totally insane! Have you forgotten the 2009 – 2010 season finishing a woeful 7th under Rafa?? Wow we really set the world a light that season. More of that please, oh yes.

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