Rafa felt Alonso was not good enough.(wrong)
So he had a personal vendetta against the player, then? Perhaps you should think again about why he wanted to sell him.
Rafa knew we would need more home grown players.(maybe)
So the FA announced the new rule without informing premier league clubs in advance, then? The 8 home grown rule may only have come into effect in 10/11, but I guarantee you that this was not a sudden announcement.
Rafa believed that Barry could do the same job Alonso was doing.(wrong he would,nt lase alonso boots)
And you knew that for 100% fact
prior to the 08/09 season, after Alonso had been a middle of the road player for 2 seasons, then? No, mate, you didn't.
it was probably the worst piece of business rafa did as liverpool boss.
This I can agree on only because Alonso
subsequently had an amazing season and
then left us in the lurch. Had we signed Barry instead and Alonso gone to Real during the same window, and had they performed as they have during the last two seasons - Barry keeping down a place at City, Alonso doing well enough at Real - no one here would be complaining. It's a matter of perspective.
No one is saying Rafa didn't make a mistake - he cast the first stone after all and ultimately his man management mistakes that season cost us top 4 and a host of talented players, and cost him his job. People here just need to remember that Alonso was a very different player after the Barry attempt - one might say it inspired him, much like Chelsea buying Torres inspired Drogba to perform at his best once more. And again, once people had stopped throwing stones, Alonso still left Liverpool of his own volition rather than accept his manager's criticism that until he got a rocket he hadn't been good enough, and his new level of performance was (and always had been) the standard.
