Firstly, let me congratulate Manchester United’s manager, players and fans on finally matching our record of 18 top flight league titles. If I didn’t do that then I might sound a little bitter throughout the rest of this article, because what I’d like to do secondly is establish why it is that people hate Man United as a club so much – and no, it isn’t ‘just because they win’, contrary to what you might think.
Obviously, Liverpool fans hate United because they’re our biggest rivals and have been for many years; but the hatred levels shown towards Chelsea, Everton and Arsenal are nothing compared to the animosity we have for the Mancs. Absolutely nothing. There are so many reasons for this that to attempt an exhaustive list would be futile, but taking a few of the most recent and nauseating instances of United’s extreme arrogance and hypocrisy might allow us to explore the hatred just a little bit.
A few weeks ago was the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough tragedy, and say what you will about Liverpool fans, Heysel, and all of the other historically controversial moments which have shaped this club, there can be no denying that, for those few April days, respect and solidarity were owed to those who lost loved ones on that day. It was a beautiful week in many ways, with a moving ceremony and a lot of very kind, thoughtful words being said by people up and down the country, even those not normally involved in the footballing world.
At the same time, Alex Ferguson was preparing to launch a pre-meditated and public attack on Rafael Benitez’s moral standards. It concerned the infamous ‘gesture’ Rafa made to Xabi Alonso after the midfield playmaker apparently ignored his manager’s instructions to play a free kick short. Was Ferguson there in the dugout, was he even at Anfield? No. Did the incident concern him or his team at all? No. Did he have any evidence that Benitez meant the gesture as an arrogant ‘game over’ signal aimed at Allardyce and Blackburn? No. Did Allardyce say anything about the incident until Ferguson raised the matter? Did he mention it in his post-game drink with Sammy Lee? Did the TV cameras show Benitez to be targeting his opponents in any way?
Did Sam Allardyce once bring a reserve keeper on to play up front in an FA Cup game that he judged his Bolton side to have already comfortably won? Yes, he did.
Allardyce is a disgusting person but by far the worse of the two evils here is Ferguson. He said that Benitez had shown ‘contempt’ for his opponents with the gesture. Well, let’s talk about contempt Mr Ferguson.
Do you think that nobody is watching when you run around like a drunken hooligan, waving your arms and swearing at the 4th official just because a decision didn’t go your way? What about your team’s nasty and well-known habit of surrounding the referee? What about your assistant’s accusation last year that the referee of your FA Cup game against Portsmouth was bent, just because he didn’t give you the decisions that you wanted? What about your deliberate lies to the media about your club’s level of spending compared to Liverpool’s? What about your childish refusal to speak to the BBC on account of the fact that they included your son in a documentary about dodgy agents? Not to be forgotten was your refusal to fulfil your media obligations to Sky Sports – the company responsible for the wealth of your club – because they dared to insist that one of your games be played at 12.45 instead of 3 o clock (this was in accordance with official police recommendations).
And last week, after your side scored a late goal against Wigan, your player Patrice Evra made a gesture which – and this time it was certainly clear – was meant to mock Benitez and imply that the league was ‘all over’. By the way, the league wasn’t over at that point – the Mancs needed Saturday’s bland 0-0 home draw to Arsenal to confirm that. Contempt? Anyone?
Ferguson has been anxious about Liverpool this year. He made remarks earlier this season which ruled us out as serious contenders, despite our strong start. Benitez stepped in soon after and gave his legendary Ferguson lecture, a moment which has wrongly been labelled a rant and which, actually, revealed an awful lot of truths concerning the ‘untouchable’ status that the United manager has deliberately built for himself over his many years in charge. We proceeded to push United to the 37th game of the season, beating them twice, scoring more goals and losing fewer games, leaving them to rely on some excellent defending and some dubious refereeing decisions to win the league.
They won the league because they managed to nick goals in the home games which saw us drawing. They got more points over 9 months and they are therefore rightly champions. But when Benitez beats them to the title next year, it will be every bit as impressive an achievement as Ferguson’s first title win with United – if not more so. Ferguson has a centre back who cost more than our entire defensive squad put together; he has a £30 million striker in Berbatov, a £27 million striker in Rooney and the ability to spend £30 million combined on young lads like Anderson and Nani. Benitez meanwhile has built a team out of dependable players like Alonso, Agger, Skrtel, Reina, Kuyt and Riera without spending small fortunes on each one. His record signing, Torres, was only £20 million and has been much better value than Berbatov. Mascherano, at £18 million, is better than both Carrick (£15 million plus) and Hargreaves (£18 million plus).
Nobody seems to give Rafa the credit he deserves for simply managing to build a title-challenging side at a time when Ferguson is cash-rich and well-established and Chelsea have Russian billions in the bank. Liverpool also manage to play quite nice football – something else that the commentators tend to ignore. We’re no Barcelona but we’re certainly better than Chelsea to look at.
Football in general is not enough to make me angry; it’s the characters and forces involved in the game which get me livid. If Ferguson and United’s behaviour had been different, even for this one season, I’d have accepted them winning the title in a much more gracious fashion. But as it is, their lack of humility and respect for others just drives me on; along with a love of Liverpool FC, it’s what keeps me going, keeps me paying for my season ticket every year. We’ll get that title back from Man United next season, that’s what I believe; and when we do it, it will be as respectable, popular champions, and our manager will show anything but contempt in victory. But – and this is the key - even if we don’t win, all of the respect and honour will still be on our side.
And that’s why I’m proud to be a long-suffering Liverpool fan.
Excellant piece, I hate Utd more than any other team and it hurts to see the have the same number of titles as us.
It will be just as tough to win it next year but lets hope we finally win the Premiership and ram it dowm Ferguson’s throat!
What a load of bitter crap…just like Rafa today not being able to congratulate Fergie…you can harp on all you like about £30 million players but if Rafa bought 1 decent £30 million player instead of 5 crap £7 million players you’d be in better shape! Dream on if you think you’re gonna win the title next year…just let the genius Rafa sell your best midfielder, Alonso, and buy Barry..we’ll see what difference that makes!!!!
Thanks for this piece .Great job ,f*ck the Munks
What a load of nonsense!
Popular? I’m no fan of United, but trust me, in the eye’s of the neutral, your lot are not popular, we’re not all hoping you win the league next year to save us all from the wicked beast that is Manchester United.
Fergie is far from infallible, he’s not the easiest person to like, but as a football fan I respect his winning mentality, especially over the self-loathing winging that pours from Rafa’s mouth.
Like so many Liverpool fans, he’s sheer paranoid, so much of his ‘rant’ and his continued ‘week in week out’ moaning is flawed, ‘facts’ it is not.
Rafa isn’t gracious in victory, and he certainly isn’t gracious in defeat; Liverpool fans talk like he’s some saint, the virtuous one, don’t make me laugh. I’m amazed how easily he’s sucked so many Liverpool fans in, but when you’ve gone from giants of the game, to in the eyes of the rest of us, not very much at all, I guess it’s easy for you to put all your faith in man that giving you a way out, in the guise of excuses week in week out. Why face the truth of what your team really is, when you can align yourself with Rafa and his ‘fact’s’?
And it’s that mentality that will keep you where you are. I’ve never known fans that are so unwilling to face the truth, or look at their team rationally, like Liverpool fans.
Do you sleep with the light on, in case ‘Mr’ Fergie comes to get you?
Fine article, as self serving, smug and full of hope as any ive ever read
which is why itll be even more satisfactory when you fall short next year
oh dear
Nice piece. Totaly agree with everything. Can`t wait for next season
YNWA
well you’ve hit the nail on the head….. Certainly the consensus amongst most neutrals is that they’d rather see the Merseysiders victorious than the mancs. The main reason being their contempt and hypocrisy as you’ve so eloquently and explicitly stated. Granted, since they’ve been so successful it does get boring seeing the same old story each season and people want to see the underdogs (liverpool) triumph, but the main factor here is that United , while being deserved champions, are neither humble nor honest enough to garner universal approbation from the Non-United viewers and certainly not from the pool fans. Their clout over key BPL decision-makers and referees is undeniable. Hence, the fixture always favours them more often than not whilst CRUCIAL refereeing decisions almost always go in their favour (Supposed Pen by Gomes VS Carrick @ OT anybody?? (5-2) ). Now I know that this comment of mine may come across as being a sour grape and bitter but for the record, I’m an Arsenal fan. So I represent the neutrals, and the verdict has been passed, resoundingly passed. United = arrogant, hypocrital SCUM!!!
Man, u won’t believe me, I used to admire man u 4 their attacking play, but watching their glory-hunter,arrogant fans jumping on ‘global propaganda bandwagon called MU ‘ make me puke. Their arrogant & highly ‘over-priced’ players suck. & I always hated the bastard Alex FERG-SHIT.. Proud 2 b a LFC fan whose team ‘never say die’ & make their own fortune ‘gung-ho’ style.. I fuckin’ luv it.there is a god up there, u know.
Spot on! Well, we are just waiting for them to catch up and then we will blast away and send red faced fergie to retirement. As easy as that. Nothing to feel bad about because we are the club with the most dignity and respect. We ain’t no manure and devils. We are the Red Bird and the Red Army, the Almighty Reds and the only one LFC. Rafa will take us there. All we need is to trust our manager and let him sail the ship. In Rafa we trust, in LFC we support. You’ll Never Walk Alone.
Ye and what about them calling Stevie a diver. Or Rafa Fat. Classless supporters. Next season we’ll win the lot ye I’m sure of that, those bastards wont take our thropy next season. In Rafa I trust.
But I have to make a point. You say that they spent xx mill on Rio, Rooney, Carrick, Hargo, Anderson, Nani etc. Well, but add Giggs, Neville, Scholes, Fletcher, O’Shea, Evans, Macheda, Rafael, Foster, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Park and Tevez - who all either came on the cheap or through the ranks, or a mix thereof, Red Noses spending is very wise compared to Benitez.
Hopefully we’ll get some nice additions for next season, because NEXT SEASON no one can stop us. And I really think that this time. Cheers.
Nice article. NICK… please post some examples to back up your nonsense. At least this article backs itself up by citing examples of Fergie’s antics etc. Rafa did congratulate Man Utd which is more than enough in my opinion. Why should he congratulate a man who makes up nonsense just to bring Rafa down? I mean combining with Big Spam Allardyce to make that up was just so low and shows exactly what Ferguson is capable of. Luckily the media and fans alike saw the bullshit for what it was and the only people looking bad after that were the two idiot managers.
Man Utd were full value for their championship and congratulations to them. I just hope Rafa learns from these last few weeks and Liverpool start off next season playing every game with a sense of urgency from the first whistle, rather than wait till the second half which proved too late in too many games this season.
Well done Liverpool, for fighting right to the end.
Sorry, but much of Liverpool’s downfall is SELF INDUCED- Rafa’s got a mouth (he’s not a bad tactician but loses focus by preparing an excuse upfront by appealing to the fans desire for success by alluding to lack of purchasing power ,,, this is dross) and your board’s been an absolute shambles. Pity about Gerrard, he’s a class act though and deserves a team who leaves all the talking on the field.
I am a Liverpool fan…and for me Rafa has been an embarrasment…Shanks, Paisley, Fagan would never behave like he has done….makes us look a right bunch of charlies.
It is such a shame to read this kind of rubbish on a site that ‘claims’ to represent the fans of a proud and great club. It is the saddest form of envy and self denial to delude your audience and the true fans of Liverpool that there may be some substance behind such pitiful headlines. The truth is that both Liverpool and Manchester United have attracted the admiration and envy of rival fans (no such thing as neutral in this context) in equal measure. All true football fans can only stand back and admire the great and exciting football that Manchester United have produced over the last twenty years or so, the same as they did during Liverpool’s golden era. Both clubs have players with high self confidence and big egos - and rightly so in my opinion. You need those characters in football just as you need the gentlemen such as Giggs, Scholes and - in fits and starts - Gerrard. People will always knock/’hate’ the most successful teams of any era. It is the tribal nature of football, but it is completely idiotic to make groundless statements such as this one, and in the poorest form in light of United’s recent triumph. Grow up and realise that football fans love seeing great football, whoever plays it, and Manchester United have played some of the best these shores have ever seen.
I think Nick is a Newcastle fan
It was an interesting read don’t get me wrong, but that is from a biased supporters view. I believe that this is the reason many other football fans view us as arrogant, because, honestly, we do have a lot of self belief, which is being mistaken for arrogance. I for one, am interpreted as arrogant, because I am POSITIVE all the time about winning the league, winning fixtures, the CL, FA cup, and Carling Cup. To be honest, I think the word “arrogant” has been WAY over used in the past few years, this season especially. Sure, there are a few strictly, arrogant people out there, but most are cocky. I will freely admit that I can be a cocky b**** when it comes to Liverpool, but I don’t think any true football fan has not been a bit cocky from time to time. We are all football fans, all trying to watch the beautiful game, and we get defensive over our teams, and that’s very understandable. To disagree with your point, I think a lot of Liverpool fans hate Man U, because in recent years, they HAVE won more than us. The old fashioned (not necessarily old, but have older beliefs) supporters, hate Man U because, they are our rivals. Of course, things have been thrown out over the years regarding Heysel, Hillsborough, Munich, etc, and it is my belief that much of this is said in the heat of the moment, and people don’t fully realize the extent of what they are saying. With the exceptions of WUMs (*cough Steven Cohen cough*)
My two cents.
Signed,
Le scouser.
I posted this on the RoM site this morning - before you’d even kicked off against West Brom. I regard myself as a mature fan, not someone who slags off another team or their fans just for the sake of it. If I forward an argument it’s in the hope that it can be seen as constructive and not insulting. I’m not into slanging matches or verbal points-scoring, so would ask that my remarks are viewed in a sensible and mature way.
After Benitez’s post-match petulance, I feel my earlier comments couldn’t be more apposite, that’s why I’m posting them with you. Here is what I wrote:
‘Someone at Liverpool should tell Benitez to shut his mouth - every time he opens it he makes himself sound stupid. In turn, that makes his club and their fans feel small and embarrassed (I know because I work with some and they cringe whenever he has something to say).
‘His latest drivel: the team with the most points are not necessarily the best team. Just like Usain Bolt, despite winning three Olympic gold medals and breaking world records, is not the best sprinter? Or Michael Schumacher, when he kept winning world titles, wasn’t the best driver? Or Tiger Woods, with all those majors to his name, is not the best golfer?
‘He also has a fixation about the players United buy, comparing that with his own hugely successful transfer policy (I suppose he must get some credit for spotting an unknown like Fernando Torres and personally turning him into a superstar as no one else had recognised HIS potential). He whinged about big-money purchases like Giggs and Scholes who were on the bench when his side visited Old Trafford. Doh!!! Someone should tell him.
‘His vast knowledge of the market must be the reason he has decided to go after players allowed to leave Old Trafford: Gabriel Heinze and Diego Forlan. If they’d been good enough, do you think Fergie would have let them go?
‘Both were enormously popular at the Stretford End, who mourned their passing, and it’s interesting that another hugely popular player, Carlos Tevez, suddenly finds himself on Benitez’s radar. It’s as good as admitting he hasn’t a clue when it comes to finding players for himself, but he reckons if there’s a United connection they must be pretty good.
‘Well, here’s a tip, Rafa: wander over to Bordeaux, where there’s a bright young striker called David Bellion; or go to China, they’ve got a hot prospect called Dong Fangzhou; if you like a Brazilian blend, someone to complement the outstanding Lucas, there’s a lad at Flamengo called Kleberson, who reckons he can cut it in Europe, and nearer to home Liam Millar could soon be looking for a club to help him prove Fergie was wrong to let him go.
‘Someone at Anfield should explain to Benitez - probably slowly and in words of one syllable - that, in England, the teams who win the league are the ones who rack up the most points in a season.
‘Not only have you been shown up by Fergie on the playing field yet again, Rafa, and made yourself appear idiotic in the process, but the good grace in defeat from Arsene Wenger and Guus Hiddink, who must be hurting as much as anyone, exposes you as a bitter limited man who continues to belittle a once great club.’
the long suffering will end next year mate, i promise. i’m with you, its ours next year, without a doubt!
Y.N.W.A (:
Well said and agree with you…
For all the plaudits concerning the title race, Liverpool beat Man Utd home & away with style and finesse. Liverpool came within a free kick, a penalty or a dodgy decsion of taking the title from Utd. So the mancs may gloat and Rafa may be criticised but just one decision in our favour over the 38 games would have made Liverpool champions. Success takes time & money, both of which Fergie has had, I am sure Rafa will emulate that success in less time and with less money.
l draw the line at mascherano being better than carrick and hargo, mate think again. not better than either of them
What a laugh….. do you mob think people have forgotten the years you consigned English clubs to the wilderness from top flight European football? Talk about classless thugs!!! As a neutral I would far prefer to see United take the plaudits, for they have clearly been the best footbal team this country has ever seen.
Can’t argue with anything you say in the article, but I do wish we just ignored the old man rather than pander to everything controversial he says. It’s exactly what he wants.
Oh the bitterness shines through. Rafa hasn’t had what it takes to bring you a title thus far, what makes you think next year it will happen? By your own admissions, United haven’t played very well at all this season - lo and behold though, they have the champions trophy. Imagine them next season, Berbatov with a pre-season behind him, Owen Hargreaves back, a more mature Anderson.
I predict the long suffering will continue my esteemed football fan.
“Ferguson has a centre back who cost more than our entire defensive squad put together; he has a £30 million striker in Berbatov, a £27 million striker in Rooney and the ability to spend £30 million combined on young lads like Anderson and Nani. Benitez meanwhile has built a team out of dependable players like Alonso, Agger, Skrtel, Reina, Kuyt and Riera without spending small fortunes on each one. His record signing, Torres, was only £20 million and has been much better value than Berbatov. Mascherano, at £18 million, is better than both Carrick (£15 million plus) and Hargreaves (£18 million plus).”
Well remember one thing, Ferguson worked for this 20 years. He build history of this club, which counts big especially now when football is so competitive.
Did he got that kind of money during his early years? when he won Cup winners cup, uefa cup and started winning premiership?
can i just say this is a site based around liverpool fc why are there mancs commenting. A) benitez is not selling alonso and gerrard is our best midfielder. B) we gave a massive fight for the prem this season without having to buy it either with major players or somehow always getting the refs decision on ur side. C) benitez’s “rants” were proven to be factual
Since the premier league began in 1992 the following amounts of money have been spent. This may surprise you liverpool fans but when you say united have spent more, you are wrong:
Net spend 92-09 Purchased Sold Nett
Chelsea £538,690,000 £185,750,000 £352,940,000
Total spend per season - £20,761,176
Liverpool £380,115,000 £177,670,000 £202,445,000
Total spend per season - £11,908,529
Man United £319,150,000 £190,565,000 £200,585,000
Total spend per season - £11,799,118
Manchester Uniteds ability to produce players like; Paul Scholes, David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville, Nicky Butt and Phil Neville meant that not much money was needed to buy players in the 90’s. Liverpool have spent more since the introduction of the Premier League so when you say we have bought success, you are wrong. Good management from Alex Ferguson and his team have created 11 Premier League titles in 16 years.
This information is from: http://www.transferleague.co.uk/
Please have a look, this may sursprise you.
All I can do is laugh at this.
The most damming thing to discredit your post, is this piece of information right here.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v154/kizinho/sincebenitez.jpg
As you can see, since the arrival of Rafa, Liverpool have spent more on players then United.
This in a time that United aquired several 25+ million pound players.
Even now the title is over Benitez can do nothing but talk about Manchester United. He’s so obsessed with us, that he fails to see the bigger picture ‘along with most Liverpool supporters’.
While Manchester United may splurge on higher profile players, we successfully manage to bring quality players through our youth system. He has this ability but instead goes and buys poor established players trying to make them better then they are. Don’t think that those players that cost £7 million don’t count towards your total budget as they are where you lose out.
The club buys mediocrity and receives a mediocre return.
And please, while Mascherano is still in your team, no Liverpool supporter can complain about opposition players surrounding the ref.
It has nothing to do with Fergie, but the bitterness of your supporters.
Does it hurt that your no longer the top dog in English football?
That your coach is so deluded that he can’t see the hypocrisy within his media releases.
Does it hurt that your club threw away a title handed to them on a silver platter?
Does it hurt when you consider the fact that Manchester United had over £30 million in quality players out for a rather large part of the season?
Liverpool have thrown away a season that was there’s for the taking. Manchester United are now champions for a record breaking 18th time, and only look like getting stronger.
Scouse logic :roll eyes:
I’ve been a Liverpool fan for 30+ years and there will always be intense rivalry between football clubs. It is only natural too that the intensity of the rivalry should be in direct proportion to the closeness of the opposing teams. Having grown up enjoying, nay expecting Liverpool to win trophies, I don’t consider myself to be arrogant in any way, and yet we do tend to consider United fans as being arrogant!? My team aren’t winning as many trophies these days (well a big fat ZERO as far as top flight titles are concerned), so our rivalry is aimed at whoever is better than us, and so in the past 15 - 20 years it’s been Manchester United. In the late 80s it was Everton! A few years back it was Chelsea. Fair play to United though. They have done remarkably well. What irks me as a football fan is Ferguson’s ingracious attitude in defeat which probably says a lot about the guys desire to win, but I for one would be a little more gracious in defeat of our pursuit of the league title, if Sir Alex would just ONCE accept his team were outplayed (on the rare occasions they are). It is his (and Mourinho’s) attitudes that grates with opposing fans. Which is a pity really because both are tactically astute managers and great characters of the game!
As for Benitez’s comments about spending … I wish Rafa would keep it to himself. There are 16 other clubs (outside “the big four”) who have every right to claim they don’t have the resources of any of the big four to justify their final place in the league, but how many of them actually use that as an excuse? At the end of the day we lost the league because we drew too many games whereas United were able to eek out a few more wins even though they were going through a dip in form. We weren’t handed the title on a silver platter, and we didn’t exactly throw it away. We just didn’t play well enough consistently, and that’s what makes the Champions worthy Champions. I do hope we can find that consistency next season, but then I’ve been hoping it for the past 20 seasons!
It would be interesting to see the reaction of Manchester United fans IF some other team started to dominate England’s top flight for 15-20 years because then you’d be in the same boat as us scousers
and I’d love to see how many of you could retain your sense of humour about your football then 
Oh and well done to Manchester United on a record-EQUALING 18th top flight title.
YNWA
It makes me laugh when fans of the other top clubs try and make excuses and use the money factor, especially Liverpool.
Liverpool have consistently out spent United since the Premier League began:
1992-Present (net spend per year):
Liverpool - 11.9 million
Man united - 11.8 million
1994 - Present (total Spend):
Liverpool - 212 million
Man United -169 Million
Funny that their present manager moans about United spending power yet he has spent a lot more than United in the last five years.
i totally agree i watched the man u /arsenal game and was amazed that they felt they had to waste time bringing on a player at the last minute and then play pass the ball with the keeper we’re they so scared arsenal would score.
also why is it man u always seems to be two games in hand were they to tired to play as the other teams did or did they have to bribe the fa so they could stay i step ahead all season
might sound bitter i know they worked hard for the championship but there seems to be an attitude about it
anyway we’ll have it back next season
good luck lads
Mike you cant keep going on about decisions. On that same day that we got lucky with the pen against spurs, you also had luck, mascherano dived for the free kick and lucas hand balled for the second. You only got 3 that day meaning 2/3’s of your goals shouldn’t av counted. We scored 5 in the end so only 1/5 of the goals shouldn’t av been allowed, end of
i agree with everything you have just said.
contempt = ferguson
arrogance = ferguson
cheat = ferguson
moneybags = ferguson
set piece football = man utd (ferguson)
most arrogant player = ronaldo (ferguson created this beast)
biggest diver / moaner = see above
most contemptuous player = evra (”we were like men vs babies”) vs arsenal in champions league
the list is not exhaustive.
i do not follow liverpool f.c. but i would watch them win the title for the next 10000000000000 years and more rather than see that horrible arrogant club man utd ever win it again.
theatre of dreams = arrogance.
took fergie 7 years to win the league if im correct…benitez will win it next season cum on rafaz army.
and to all you fake united fans out there stop boasting about u won the league 80% of u fake fans dnt even know when the club was established and what the name was back then lmao how can you call yourself fans… and as for this season Liverpool were by far the best team in the premier league this season.
18 times, and thats a FACT
That’s why scousers are so level headed
They’ve got a chip on both shoulders
YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE
You lot really are a bunch of Whiners…… You can’t accept that MANCESTER UNITED are the best team in the league (and have been for may years!!)….. oh the pitch is too big!!…. the Ball is too small!!…. the goal is the wrong shape!!!…. pathetic.. just like your manager!!
grow up people!!!!!!
ONE UNITED! ONE LOVE!
I am liverpool through and through. I think Rafa has the ability to be one of the greats but he really needs to focus more on his club than anyone else and just leave everything else alone. All this argument about spending on players and whatnot.. we’ve not spent as much and that is a fact, but we have a good team so just shuttheuffup and focus on your own house!
I hate ManU but respect Alex Ferguson solely for what he has accomplished in his time there. Apart from that he could go to hell. I hate him for the way he has treated Tevez, and people seem to be quick to fire down Liverpool and Rafa for their treatment of Robbie Keane, but imo Tevez has been treated no better. I really don’t like how Keane was treated and I stand for truth, honesty and positive passion in football, no matter where it comes from - Rafa did not treat Keane well despite any excuses about Rick Parry signing him etc.
I will always love liverpool but I don’t have to always like the coaches. I see possibility for sure in Rafa but he really needs to shut up sometimes and just do his job - which is not a reporter of facts, but is a coach.
Walk on, Walk on,
With a shattered heart,
Because Man United have won,
AND I’LL NEVER WALK ALONE !
Things didn’t go wrong but We’ve never won
AND NOW Life goes on !
ONE LIFE, ONE LOVE, ONE UNITED !
I want to ask three simple questions.
1. Why didn’t the press ask Fergie to congratulate Rafa after we thrashed his side 4-1 at Old Trafford?
2. What do you think Fergies response would have been?
and taking the above into account
3. Wasn’t Rafa’s conduct in at least congratulating the club (which includes the manager, fans and players) as dignified a response as you could expect from anyone considering gesturegate.
Some people say Rafa has no class, I say he has plenty.
After all, didn’t even Roy Keane mention him as one of two managers (neither of which included his old mentor) as someone who would give opposition managers his time of day.
So Man U win the league again. Whoop-de-fucking-do. Would they have done it without some crucial decisions going their way and turning the result into a favourable one? Probably not.
A lot of Liverpool fans, myself included, are reasonably looking forward to next season. But in football as in almost everything else nothing is guaranteed and it does not mean coming second this season will definitely see LFC win the league come May 2010.
In the meantime it’s fair to say that Benitez has built a team that can be serious challengers to Man U. Benitez does not need to suck up to AF no matter what the mainstream media ‘expect’. Sure no one is denying the level of success achieved by AF and Man U, but to be a lapdog just like neolithic Sam Allardyce is what arrogant Man U wish for. After all there is also no denying that AF is the most arrogant, unsporting bastard the game has ever seen.
What I believe Benitez should do is to totally ignore AF and Man U. That would be like sprinkling coal over his head. And if we win it, then let the bastard stew.
Great article by the way and some good comments too.
LFC always was ALWAYS WILL BE!!!
Ferguson needs to match Liverpool’s European record as well. Lets see how many more yes he will need to achieve this if he is so obsessed with Liverpool’s records.
Nice article. We’ll stuff the Scum next year & then for a long time to come we’ll be back on top again.
Fuck the Mancs.
YNWA!!!!!
Pete,
So glad to have found some common sense amongst the endless stream of bitterness. It helps to know that some of the class, dignity and honour that I’ve always believed was special to our club has not been entirely lost.
Well done mate. YNWA!
Excellent! I agree with everything said in this article. Next year is ours and then we’ll grab our 19′th league title.
“victory is for the moment, pride is forever”
YNWA
now we see the comments like:
ohh but we have more european cups…
how pathetic hanging on to the past like a man in a midlife crisis looking for that young girl for a fling.
Disgusting.
I am a long standing Man United fan and an admirer of Liverpool, but i am also an Anyone but liverpool fan also.
This article is a blinkered view on Man United and Liverpool.
Firstly, Not one liverpool fan has blamed Rafa for throwing away the league title by his lack of courage and inability to go play attacking teams against teams that they should be beating. His famous Fact rant cost Liverpool a few points, he has spent a lot of money on a lot of very average players, and still seems to think it is a good excuse to play the poor game. Correct me if i am wrong, but i red somewheree that he has spent over 170 million on players, that’s a lot of money in anyone’s book. Its not Fergies fault if he keeps on buying rubbish players.
I would love to see Gerard at Man United , he is certainly the best midfielder in the world, no doubt about it, however he is also a percentage player and he will dive and throw is hands out if it benefits the team, i don’t criticise him for that, but that is cheating. He gets more penality’s that Ronaldo, and thats a fact….
and as mentioned above, Liverpool have spent more than UNited, so Rafa, get your facts right..
and the biggest fact of all. Rafa screwed Liverpool up this year, and only for the likes of Gerard and Torres, Liverpool would have lost the league along time ago
Aidan
Some very dodgy figures turning up on this thread, none of them official. All I’ll say is that I have taken the time to research Benitez’s net spending and it is less than Ferguson has spent in the same period.
As for those Liverpool fans saying I shouldn’t respond to United in this way - I would ask how they can bare their club being dragged through the mud day in day out by the media, opposition fans and by Ferguson; maybe silence would LOOK more dignified but, to me, it would also look a bit meek in the current climate, a bit like you’re scared to stand up to things.
That is precisely why Rafa read the facts to the press. I like it every time Benitez opens his mouth to defend Liverpool. It’s tenacious, it shows a will to challenge United’s dominance, it’s proud. Burying your head in the sand gets you nowhere.
Anyway, the responses here at least assure me that there are plenty of United fans out there worried enough to post things on a LFC blog. You’re welcome to visit again.
rafa fact, stoke,fulham,west ham,hull city,everton,man city, teams you never beat at home, get your track suits ironed for sunday and yous can all cry together, another fact 18 times.
So Liverpool spend less than Man United, please go to the following web page for factual information.http://transferleague.co.uk/
If only Rafa would get his facts right, he is a hypocrite..
The way rafa goes on about Man United spending money as if there was no tomorrow or like Michael Jackson.
The fact of the matter is, United tend to make one big signing every year, whereas Liverpool tend to make a 1 big signing and a few small ones, Both Fergie and Rafa have made bad signings in the past, and both managers tend to talk a load of rubbish at the best of times. I don’t think anyone would deny this, but rafa, wake up again yesterday he comes out with stuff life, well we will be making a breaking our record this year but won’t be anywhere near United’s record. He is obsessed with United.
aidan
“As for those Liverpool fans saying I shouldn’t respond to United in this way - I would ask how they can bare their club being dragged through the mud day in day out by the media, opposition fans and by Ferguson; maybe silence would LOOK more dignified but, to me, it would also look a bit meek in the current climate, a bit like you’re scared to stand up to things.
That is precisely why Rafa read the facts to the press. I like it every time Benitez opens his mouth to defend Liverpool. It’s tenacious, it shows a will to challenge United’s dominance, it’s proud. Burying your head in the sand gets you nowhere.”
Wenger, Murinho defended their teams with style. It was pleasure reading those word wars between them and Ferguson, and each other. Benitez is just rubbish.
“Anyway, the responses here at least assure me that there are plenty of United fans out there worried enough to post things on a LFC blog. You’re welcome to visit again.”
The response here shows that there is that MU fans are ready to go to your forums to talk and defend about their club. I can easilly bring your argument as you were so smart to mention and then go out about visiting this forum…
“Burying your head in the sand gets you nowhere.”
So we are here to tell you we have matched those 18 titles you were holding with no change in numbers for long long time, about and we are going for more.
Will be really nice to read on this forum next year “It’s ours next year”.
Excellent article highlighting just why we all hate the scum so much!
Just a note too any mancs that point out liverpool have spent roughly the same amount as man u.
Liverpool have had to buy squad, reserve and youth players in many multiple positions.
Fergie was spending £20-30 on individuals in a few positions and has done for some time.
Fergie was already robbing young talent way before clubs were putting real price tags on them.
Benitez has had to gamble £2-6 mil on many different squad players just to get us caught up with the mancunian money men and he’s managed to acheive it. We showed that when we beat them home and away…. easily.
Next decade though I see man u declining and the real team over there being city.
Can’t wait, maybe man u will be in the championship then.
Man U v Petersborough anyone?
Sorry just forgot to say I LOVE that all the mancs are using the oneline “fact we’ve got 18″ It’s brilliant It’s like you’re so chuffed to be able to be mentioned in the same breath with a team like Liverpool of which you should be.
So here’s one for ya
Fact we’ve got 5 - and boy does the one we kept glisten when the light catches it! How’d you boys do against Barca?
Still in our shadow catch up lads.
i thought i would only find scousers on this page.. As it stands, i am quite surprised to a lot of liverpool-hating, rafa-hating comments..
Seems that there are some fair comments either way. However, rafa-rant aside, I think one needs to be blind or an idiot, not to see that Ferguson is is wayy ahead in the whole league, in arrogance.
I think you need to remember the line from Fergie about “knockin us of our perch” it seems he’s made it his life time ambition, he was(and is)obsessed with Liverpool. It must have killed him to see us win the Champions league.If we carry on in the same form next season I’d expect to hear a lot more about Liverpool coming from him.Earlier on this season his was saying two more of these (big ears) and I m finished. that would take Utd passed us on euopean cup wins.Its all about Liverpool.
Guys, guys, guys……
These debates are so inconsequential. We should just wait for this close season to end, hope that Rafa has brought more quality to strengthen the squad and start again.
Anyone who watches football knows that next season will be even closer than last.
We are Liverpool fans! Stop quoting stats and transfer fees. The Mancs won it because they deserved to. All decisions tend to even out over a season. Anyone who thinks we deserved to win it are deluded. Anyone who attended those games last year that we drew to average teams at home knew that if the Mancs were playing those teams, the 3 points would have been secured.
Who are we kidding thinking anything else?
Rafael Benitez is an excellent manager, but he needs to take a leaf out of the the management styles of Paisley, Shankly, Fagan and Dalglish. None of those managers would have come out with the rant that Rafa did with all the stats. Now, we know he is a man of science and diets and stats and laptops and they certainly have their place in the modern game, but when it came to replying to Sir Exlax’s comments, anyone who has followed the Premiership knows that he picks his moments to start the mind games. Does this make Whiskey Nose an honourable person; a clever, fiendish, sly person? A tactical genius?
Who cares!!!
You know when he is resulting to these types of comments (as well as Jabba the Hutt Alardyce) that he sees danger and reacts to it, i.e. Liverpool had him worried. Why then did Rafa not just say what the aforementioned Anfield legends would probably have said; something like ” we’ll see at the end of the season” or “he is entitled to his opinion”. Shanks or King Kenny would have come out with a classic one liner that would have got everyone laughing.
Within 30 seconds of listening to Rafa’s rant I had my head in my hands knowing the media would gobble it up and the southerners who support Utd would be laughing their cocks off. Why didn’t Sammy Lee just sedate him beforehand! Anyone who thinks it was not a rant is willing to just toe the line.
Supporting a team is not about being a fanatic and defending it mindlessly. We need to pull them up and be free to criticise as we see fit. Not things like booing at a game or a player. Fans who do that in the belief they have a right to because they paid money can eff-off to the Pit and watch the Blueslime. Just things like disagreeing with the manager over his behaviour. Managers need a bit of guile and control when they have been called out like Taggart did after Bolton. When asked, Rafa could have thrown in a stat as part of a throwaway remark and made a joke of it. The difference between a staged speech and an off-the-cuff remark is miles apart.
Rafa will do it. Just please do not embarass the club like that again.
I’ve seen some remarks saying we played the better football last season and we certainly did against the Mancs last season.
I am made up we did for them twice, but as a realist, so what. When we were winning leagues like there was no tomorrow the Mancs regularly caned us! It always irked me until I could drown my sorrows later that night, but in the end we were winning leagues and European cups. The Mancs did not matter. The Blueslime were our biggest rivals in those days.
The Mancs, sat in the traffic jam on the M6 South last season, may have been gobsmacked after 90 minutes at the Theatre of Prawn Sandwich eaters had shown up Vidic’s and Wobblymouth’s failings whenever they come up against world class strikers. They only have to rarely in the Prem and occasionally in Europe; especially European Cup Finals!!!!! BUT I am sure it only took a few days to get over the Mighty Reds beating them. What will be remembered is they won the title.
I do not care whether other teams win with honour or spite. Ferguson has occasionally been complimentary towards Liverpool FC in the last few years, but as soon as we became a clear and present danger to his team, out came the barbs.
What I care is that Liverpool win with honour and our football club behave with honour. I watched the Champions League final in an Irish bar in Antwerp. Three quarters of the bar supported Barca. When I asked some of the Belgians why not the Mancs, they talked about players surrounding refs, poor referee decisions in their favour, Fergie rants, Ronaldo diving, etc. When they talked about Barca you could see respect in their eyes. You all know what I mean. Refusal to accept shirts sponsors, UNICEF on the shirt for no money, general respect for the authorities. Anyway, I divulge.
Forget about the Mancs. Forget about stats. Forget about transfer fees and money (because they have almost double our debt does not mean we are not worse off financially).
Honour, respect & humility. I want that from my club and i’ll give it to my club - and Rafa, you need to lead the way mate.
PS. Well done to Liverpool Football Club for lowering the season ticket price albeit by 17 odd quid.
well written bro, nice piece of article. We hate manchester united most n will do that always. YNWA
Great article.
I don’t care about the popularity angle, it’s only LFC that matters, not if they prefer us to the mancs. I couldn’t care less.
But teh rest, very true. Rafa deserves so much more credit than he gets!
Fergie says he will stay at United till they beat our record…we will make him stay forever.
I would give an article more creedance and look at the author if it was honest from top to bottom but when I read this ” If Ferguson and United’s behaviour had been different, even for this one season, I’d have accepted them winning the title in a much more gracious fashion.” I said to myself never would this happen.
Bitterness coated with Bitterness!!!
Yeah excellent article. I’ve always hated ManU and Everton. You’ll never walk alone.
Love the FACTS that lots of mancs on our site
Love the FACTS fergie still bitter about Istanbul
when fergie joined United he spoke about Shankley and Paisley more than Busby I think he is a secret scouse fan like all you mancs on hear
you know you love us
sep 20th 2009 was the day i hate man u the more on there match agaimst man city. That was a total cheating against man city. I am a strong liverpool fan, i hate man u
i tot dis is lfc space..nt 4da nose poking..selfish,shameless a** h*les….long live da reds…man u down u go
It is true Liverpool fans hate man utd more than any other. It is also a fact that fans of other clubs in their own league, lower English leagues and leagues in other countries worldwide (who never play matches with Man Utd) hate Man Utd. That is a fact and a record which will not be equalled!
I love liverpool fc!!for many years ManU win the EPL titles because of that bullied Fergie. He change the additional time for their egoism and bullying referee to win some chances.All of ManU victory are because of cheating! Liverpool aim high!keep on belief!Trust!n work hard!
Hey mate, greetz from Germany !
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