Rafael for captain!

His performances this season have been fantastic, he'll be the world's best RB with two years I believe. He's a great footballer.

And the lad's character has turned out to be quite a pleasant surprise for me - far from the doe eyed lad who meekly sits with his brother and keeps his head down - on the pitch Rafael is a fecking warrior, remember his age, his being in a foreign league and his lack of English. When he's got the red shirt on the lad turns into a fecking beast, with a genuine mean streak and a desire to win that you can't teach. You can see fear in other players (who are usually bigger and older) when Rafael snaps, there's an edginess and intent to the boy that isn't your usual on pitch bravado.

He's volatile and prone to seeing the red mist (and thus the red cards too...) and still is very young for his position, so captain now? No chance.

Closest on pitch character to Keano in our current squad? Without doubt.
 
Erm...yeah lets replace our already magnificent captain and most responsible player with a 21 year old who is not even a first choice right back and has a questionable temperament. Great idea. :rolleyes:
 
I understand why you will say this Walrus, sometimes Rafael looks like he is the only one that cares out there. Considering team chemistry and the importance of captains in football, it will not be wise at his age.
 
Just rewatching the Liverpool game, I like that he went balls in on that challenge, reminded me of Keano, you hit us hard we'll hit you hard back.
 
mswiss said:
Just rewatching the Liverpool game, I like that he went balls in on that challenge, reminded me of Keano, you hit us hard we'll hit you hard back.
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Why on Earth would you want to sit through that again?
 
championo said:
I understand why you will say this Walrus, sometimes Rafael looks like he is the only one that cares out there. Considering team chemistry and the importance of captains in football, it will not be wise at his age.
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ffs you would think with comments like that we were in the middle of a footballing crisis.

In one week from now we may be in the 1/4 finals of the CL, the semi's of the FA Cup and gotten a vital win to retain and solidify our position of 1st place in the PL with a welcoming international break to hopefully regain a lot of our squad.
 
Or we could be 2nd in the league and out of all other comps.

But I know what you mean :)
 
You know what, I like this guy, I like him a lot. If he and his brother make out club their home I think they could go down as the greatest full backs to grace old Trafford. Bags of talent, determination and god damn balls to grab an occasion by the scruff of the neck and feck it in the ass.
 
championo said:
I understand why you will say this Walrus, sometimes Rafael looks like he is the only one that cares out there. Considering team chemistry and the importance of captains in football, it will not be wise at his age.
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It might look like he's the only one that cares (although personally I can't see it) but it's clearly not true. We would have to have the most talented set of players in world football to be in the position we are in at the moment if the players didn't care. Displaying needless aggression and making reckless tackles doesn't mean you care more, it just means you lack self control.
 
Mixed performances this season? Some people talk out of their arse.
 
He's almost being as overhyped on this board as Gareth Bale is by the media. Ridiculous.

He's a super talent but saying he'll be the worlds best RB in 2 years is fecking daft.
 
Rafael's fantastic - he plays the game with spirit, he's a red that's for sure. Whether rightly or wrongly when Nani was cut down by Carragher Rafael gave 'em back what we got. We all know it's what Keane would have done.
 
He's alright although I suspect people are wanting to give it to him because he 'looked a bit hard' against Tevez and vs Liverpool at the weekend.

Hardly a compelling case.

I think, to widen the issue out further, the role of 'captain' at top clubs over the years has come to mean less and less.
 
cina said:
He's almost being as overhyped on this board as Gareth Bale is by the media. Ridiculous.

He's a super talent but saying he'll be the worlds best RB in 2 years is fecking daft.
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Well it was me that said it, so hold me to it.

In 2 years time from now (Spring of 2013) I think Rafael will be widely considered the best RB in the World. I'll be shocked if I'm wrong.
 
Walrus said:
I probably should have amended my original post to include the phase "within a few years" or similar.

Just to play devils advocate though, I genuinely can't think of that many of our current squad I would take over him as captain. Granted there is vidic, and evra would be another - but otherwise?
Giggs, scholes and rio I don't think will play enough games anymore to realistically be able to be club captain, due to either age or fitness or both.

Who else? This time last season Rooney would be popular choice but now? No chance. Nani? Carrick? Frankly when it comes to something like this, I am less concerned with age but more interested in personality and temperament.
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It's actually quite worrying to think about who our future captain would be in 4-5 years. You are right, bar Rafael there aren't any major characters coming through, which should be an issue overall. Not much leadership coming through.
 
Walrus said:
You may laugh and jibe, but I'm semi serious here.

The lad has often been MoM for me this season, he has been a breath of life into otherwise awful team performances. Not once have I seen a game with him that he hasn't given his all, kept trying to the final whistle and tried to drag up other teammates who at times have looked like they simply cannot be bothered.

He is the future. He has the passion, the energy, the presence on-field and certainly the talent to lead us. And it would also be a hell of a statement to the underperformers in the squad.
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Fabio, your English is excellent
 
So we're after a creative midfielder who has passion, drive, strength, can defend as well as pass and dribble and shoot? mmm.
 
gambit28 said:
So we're after a creative midfielder who has passion, drive, strength, can defend as well as pass and dribble and shoot? mmm.
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I know what you are thinking, that Irish midfield partnership looked like some hot shit tonight.
 
The amazing thing was, he probably was second in line considering the players on the field. Obviously Rooney should've taken the armband, but after him I'd consider Rafa ahead of anyone else in the pecking order at this moment in time. That's how young the team was in the second half.
 
He probably wasn't bothered and forgot to give to give the armband to Rooney or Evans.
 
Maciek said:
He probably wasn't bothered and forgot to give to give the armband to Rooney or Evans.
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I don't think he forgot. I think he was meant to give it to Rooney when he was stood next to him during the free-kick just after he came on, and thought "sod it, I'm keeping this."
 
Need a .gif of him putting the armband on.
 
I'd go against this notion. I don't want any captain of ours to look that smug while strolling out with the armband on. :nono:
 
Eriku said:
I'd go against this notion. I don't want any captain of ours to look that smug while strolling out with the armband on. :nono:
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I want all of our captains looking that smug... so cool.
 
He was waiting at the back when they went up to get the shield. Thought there was a chance he might lift it for a second.
 
Posted in the pics thread, seems just as appropriate here. Love it...
3j7968y
 
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