None of us want Rafa to go. Because if he does, it means that he has ultimately failed and that will not be a good thing for Liverpool Football Club. Of COURSE he has made mistakes, of course things have gone wrong when he genuinely expected them to go right - that makes him human. But the position of Manager of Liverpool Football Club is not a job for any regular human being. Shankly was not a regular man, neither was Paisley, nor Fagan, nor Dalglish. Only a couple of them had to genuinely cope with the incredible pressure that comes with the job, but none of them brought the pressure on themselves like the imcumbent.
I like Rafa Benitez. In fact I really like Rafa Benitez and I am aware that this blog has turned into a mini-tirade against a mighty man. This man taught me the importance of continued high level performance in my job off my own back, the importance of statistics in proving outcomes (which all my colleagues will testify to), and genuinely understands the power and importance of Liverpool Football Club. He is one of our sons, because like Gerard Houllier before him, he is a fan of the club and not a mercenary.
Maybe this semi-apology (you will never get a full apology from Rafa) is a step towards latent humility. Maybe it is a defence after the scathing actions of his top two players this week, but the bottom line for me is that it speaks the truth. Rafa had made mistakes, and I for one can pinpoint about 20 serious mistakes that an above-human manager would not have made.
Self-awareness is one gracious quality. Self-improvement is what we need now.
