09 Mar 2017 10:22:06
I would like to say what a player Alonso was and wish him the best . Great buy from Rafa.


1.) 09 Mar 2017
09 Mar 2017 10:47:20
Pity he then stabbed him in the back to try and get . Gareth Barry.


2.) 09 Mar 2017
09 Mar 2017 11:23:07
It's between him and Suarez for the best player I've ever seen play life. All the best to him and think he'll need the time off to arrange his trophy cabinet because it must be flooded!


3.) 09 Mar 2017
09 Mar 2017 11:33:32
I don't blame Rafa the club was in massive debt and 27mil and what he was on was a lot of money back them,

{Ed001's Note - that was not why he was wanting to swap the two, as Barry was offered a similar wage.}


4.) 09 Mar 2017
09 Mar 2017 11:59:40
Why did he want the swap if you don't mind me asking? Rafa seems a manager who is good at the technical side of the game (apparently man management is his big weakness), so surely it must have been obvious that Alonso was one of the best players in world football.

{Ed001's Note - Alonso had not been playing to his best following injury and Rafa had feared he would never return to his best. As for Barry, I have absolutely no idea why he wanted him, bad scouting, like so much of the dross he bought, I would suggest.}


5.) 09 Mar 2017
09 Mar 2017 13:55:53
Alonso did have an absolute stinker of a season, the Barry bid failed, Xavi stayed and had a magnificent season the following season, but the bridges had been burned, sadly.


6.) 09 Mar 2017
09 Mar 2017 13:23:36
Rafa wanted to sell him to Juventus the season before and for some reason the deal did not happen. Xabi then had the best season for us. Real came calling for him and he couldn't resist a chance to return. We got a good long and wasted it on Aquilani and all those now praising Lucas couldn't step into the shoes of Xabi when he left us.


7.) 09 Mar 2017
09 Mar 2017 16:06:51
I think I remember rafa falling out with xabi when he chose to stay with his wife rather than play a champions league game. Don't know if that had something to do with him selling him.

{Ed001's Note - that was a big part of it yes.}


8.) 09 Mar 2017
09 Mar 2017 16:10:26
Turn it in with the Lucas bit, honestly Harry you come out with some stuff sometimes mate.

{Ed001's Note - and what was meant by Xabi returning? He never played for Madrid before.}


9.) 09 Mar 2017
09 Mar 2017 17:10:03
Alonso couldn't resist a return to Spain.


10.) 10 Mar 2017
09 Mar 2017 23:16:16
No Harry. Alonso could not resist the fact that Rafa (for reasons only he can say) stupidly wanted him gone cos he stayed with his wife after delivery or cos he wasn't sure Xabi would recover well from injury.

We now know how well he recovered as we have seen the great success he's had since he left us. Real had nothing to do with it. They knew Rafa wanted him gone and swooped in and got him. We had a great team and Rafa broke that team up due to his arrogance.

Alonso NEVER wanted to leave us until Rafa forced him out in favor of the supremely woeful Barry, later replaced by the pathetic disaster that was Aquilani. Some world class manager he is. NOT! I always maintained even then, that Rafa should have been sacked for forcing Aloso out even then and I stand by my statement.


11.) 10 Mar 2017
10 Mar 2017 15:28:13
Noah

Alonso had a dreadful season prior to his all time beat on a red shirt and like every manager Rafa feared for the player just like you want Sturridge to be replaced. You cannot slag of managers wanting a replacement of a player who wasn't hit either injuries.

Rafa didn't force him out. Give me a break. He wanted Barry who was pairing with Gerrard in the heart of that England midfield and trust me both Bary and Milner were outstanding for Aston villa.

Many players fell out with Rafa, From Albert Riera to Craig Bellamy. That doesn't make him a bad manager. In case then half of the Dortmund squad fell out with Klopp FYI.

I was in Asia when Liverpool toured for pre season and still remember the fans pleading for Alonso to stay amid his move to Real. ( Banners and quotes ) .

Alonso is my all time fav player. But facts are facts. Simple as that. You can't deny what happened.

We cashed in for Alonso and spend it on Aquilani who came in injured while we had Lucas who couldn't step into the heart of midfield.


12.) 11 Mar 2017
11 Mar 2017 15:08:39
Harry, read Carras column in the paper today (unfortunately he writes for the Fail, but anyway! ) I'm certain he knows the situation a billion times better than you and he said Alonso left as Rafa didn't attempt to mend the bridges he had burned the previous season. If he had Alonso would've stayed, accordingly to a player who played with him and who is a Liverpool legend.