Rafa's at it again!

[russbeer]

Nice thought

Liverpool FC's former manager Rafael Benitez has donated an undisclosed amount to the Rhys Jones Memorial Fund.

His cash injection will help build the new community centre in memory of the 11-year-old who was shot dead in Croxteth in 2007.

The new Inter Milan boss arranged for a cheque to be delivered to the Jones family on Thursday.

Mr Benitez said: "In all my time at Liverpool this is one of the stories that affected me most."

Rhys Jones was gunned down while walking home from football training through the Croxteth Park Estate.

His killer Sean Mercer was convicted two years later after a lengthy police investigation and scores of arrests of gang members across Liverpool.

Mr Benitez added: "I am doing this on behalf of the people that cannot. I know that every person on Merseyside would have loved to give the fund a donation but they are in hard times and can't find the extra cash.

'So dignified'

"To think that this lovely little boy was taken from his family in such awful circumstances is heart-breaking.

"I still remember his mother, father and brother Melanie, Stephen and Owen coming to the match not long after Rhys died and how they were so dignified, it is something I will remember for a long time.

"I hope this money goes towards making this community centre happen for all of those people who are working so hard for it."

The £1.5m development is just yards from where Rhys honed his football skills and will include a purpose-built sports facility when it is finished.

Melanie Jones, Rhys' mother, said: "I'm lost for words really. This is so kind of Rafa and his family and we are once again overwhelmed by the generosity.

"He didn't have to do this and we have let him know just what a difference it will make to this project.

"Something good will come out of our tragedy if we manage to keep Rhys' story in the hearts and minds of everyone."

Rhys' father Stephen added: "It's an amazing gesture, and as Melanie says the football clubs together with the players and managers have been a great help ever since we lost Rhys.

"We will put the money to great use and continue to try and sing the praises of sport over joining gangs or getting involved in crime. It's really given the family an amazing boost this."

Mr Benitez made a £96,000 donation to the Hillsborough Family Support Group only a few weeks ago and has also donated money to the Lily Centre - a Liverpool based charity that offers support to women with breast cancer.

Now he's gone up in my estimation, I was sceptical about the Hillsborough donation but this is a genuinely decent gesture. Nice one.

[Lighty]

Well the guy is just full of suprises, between this donation and his other one to the hillsborough fund.... they are probably the best two bits of spending he's done as a manager

Seriously fair play to the bloke, wish there were more like him in the football world where we know they can all Afford it.

[Clubber Lang]

I thought the guy was a prick and i'd love him to still be the manager of Liverpool, but club rivalries aside, this is a top gesture. I'm starting to change my opinion of the guy.

[chesser]

Good on yer Rafa...nice to see that the local community has touched him, plus I never knew about the Hillsborough thing...nice touch!

[BBK]

Bloody nice gesture, again. Like many I thought he was a joke of a manager, but he's quite clearly a genuinely nice man. I have to be honest, as a manager I worship Ferguson, but as a man I know I would not like him. Much respect to Benitez, if only there were a few others like him.

[B.I.G.]

He got 6 million therefore unless he gave a majority away he is a mingebag.








Well in Rafa.....again.

[Swiss Tony]

It's a tax off set......

[jacko1]

, but he's quite clearly a genuinely nice man.

Maybe now you'll understand why we liverpool fans really took to the man, A good man at heart and will always be welcome back.

[jacko1]

It's a tax off set......

Don't chat shit mate.

[Sonrisar]

[passion4plex]

Do you think if we ask him nicely he'll make a donation to the new stadium ?

[BBK]

Maybe now you'll understand why we liverpool fans really took to the man, A good man at heart and will always be welcome back.

fair enough, but Id rather have a nasty man who is a winner than a nice guy who isnt

[jacko1]

fair enough, but Id rather have a nasty man who is a winner than a nice guy who isnt

He wasn't totally unsuccessful though was he? and i very much doubt that even fergie would have been able to deal with the shenanigens at our club.

[BBK]

Only totally unsuccesful in 5 of his 7 years. In a row. And lets be honest, the shenanigans at OT are pretty bad. How much money have we got to spend? Where did that £80 million go? I think its ONLY because of the strength of Ferguson that we aren't in deeper shit than you.

[jacko1]

Only totally unsuccesful in 5 of his 7 years. In a row. And lets be honest, the shenanigans at OT are pretty bad. How much money have we got to spend? Where did that £80 million go? I think its ONLY because of the strength of Ferguson that we aren't in deeper shit than you.

Don't agree mate, Utd were successful already when the glazers took over and fergie has managed to keep that going and remember they have backed him well over the years in the transfer market, Rafa came into a club that needed a complete overhaul and then had to cope with all the shit from those 2 cowboys, Also using your analysis do you think Wenger should have been sacked as well?
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,195...227778,00.html
Looks like Fergie's happy with the owners.

[BBK]

Wenger no, because he is a proven winner. I dont see that from Benitez. 2 cups in 7 years, both arguably with the majority of Houllier players. Wenger I believe has been even more limited in the transfer market than Benitez.

Proof for Benitez will be at Inter. Taking over a very good side. I expect him to do well next year, and indeed the season after, but the more influence he has on the team the less they will win until they end up not qualifying for the CL.

[jacko1]

Wenger no, because he is a proven winner. I dont see that from Benitez. 2 cups in 7 years, both arguably with the majority of Houllier players. Wenger I believe has been even more limited in the transfer market than Benitez.

Proof for Benitez will be at Inter. Taking over a very good side. I expect him to do well next year, and indeed the season after, but the more influence he has on the team the less they will win until they end up not qualifying for the CL.

No more proven than Benitez imo , Yeah he won the prem but wasn't his first one mostly george grahams team or whoever was the manager then and he's never one a european cup and he's won fuck all for nearly 6 seasons, And all thats down to his stubboness not to buy players. By the way i don't think he should be sacked either i just find it strange that certain managers are allowed to go years winning nothing and others are hounded out of a job.

[willp2003]

very nice gesture, if only more players/managers would give back some of the horrific amounts of money they earn.

[wijit]

For a tosser, he sure is a bloody good chap! Word is that "substantial" is a severe understatement. This, incidentally, is the third donation in the last couple of weeks.
Total repsect to the guy.

[dainese]

Even though he managed the bin dippers, I take my hat off to him. I would love to believe this sort of charity and human kindness is happening all the time in football, but doesn't get highlighted. Well it's nice to believe!