Rafa Benitez’s mantra at Goodison Park was always patience.
Everton’s problems – a dressing room pieced together by a succession of coaches with very different aims and beliefs, a bloated wage bill and a culture of underachievment – were built over five years, Benitez and his close advisors argued. So why think he’d be able to solve them in five months?
There was a kernel of truth to his diagnosis of the Toffees’ issues, such as the club’s injury problems and muddled transfer policy – which led to the departure of Marcel Brands and a reform of the club’s medical and sports science departments.
But Benitez’s steadfast and unbending belief in his methods contrasted markedly with a run of results which would have done for any manager, never mind one who was appointed with so little credit in the bank in the first place.
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i understands Everton are considering Duncan Ferguson on an interim basis as they consider options, with Roberto Martinez heavily favoured by some elements of the Everton board. i can reveal that he would be open to a return to the Premier League, even with the World Cup looming at the end of the year.
Wayne Rooney is an intriguing option given his work at Derby while Graham Potter is probably the most compelling choice. His work at Brighton may yet put him in the frame for bigger roles, though.
And those close to him believe Ferguson may press for the chance to do the job on a long-term basis given his length of service at Everton. He will certainly unite the fans – unlike his predecessor.
There is an irony that if Benitez had been inclined, he could have walked out on Everton and joined the Saudi-backed project at Newcastle in the autumn.
The business plan at St James’ Park always had Benitez’s name in indelible ink, viewed as the perfect manager and “club builder” for an institution hollowed out by Mike Ashley. He lost belief that the buy-out was imminent and took the Everton job believing he could turn around public opinion – which was beginning to turn when Newcastle were taken over.
In the end there was no official approach for Benitez but only because both parties knew he would not walk out on the Toffees and break his contract.
His faith was rewarded by Moshiri sticking with him through a run that began with a crushing home defeat against Watford on October 23. Before then Everton had been ticking along well, Benitez winning over some of the players lightly coached by Carlo Ancelotti with his meticulous, driven approach.
But differences of opinion with certain players, notably Lucas Digne, emerged as Benitez and his tactics stopped producing results. He wanted time and backing to transform the dressing room with more players who would fit into his system. Everton disagreed.
Against the backdrop of a move to a new £500million stadium, relegation is simply unthinkable. The club is a byword for overspending in the Premier League, with one former executive at a top flight club consistently bringing up their wage bill and lack of progress up the league table as justification for his own club’s more conservative spend.
Benitez felt he had a plan to get them overachieving. Instead it was a recipe for more trouble – problems Everton can ill afford.
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/3Igaa9p
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