Rafa Benitez is set to become the new Everton boss.
And if you ask “why ?!” rest assured, you are not the only one.
The Spaniard is a legend of Stanley Park in Liverpool. Before Jurgen Klopp, he is still by far the best manager in the 2000s and won the Champions League, the FA Cup and eight Merseyside derbies at Everton’s expense.
So when the news came that he has been named their new boss and will only be the second coach ever to cross the Merseyside gap, it’s easy to see why those with a blue persuasion were less than happy.
The decision-makers at Goodison Park see him as the perfect replacement for Carlo Ancelotti, and in many ways he is the perfect candidate. He is just as experienced and has a history of winning trophies, and Everton can certainly do with someone like that. The last time they won anything was in 1995, and Benitez was still in charge of the Real Madrid B team.
The question is that the board has desperately misjudged how much some are willing to swallow to get there.
??????? | Everton legend @NevilleSouthall about the possibility of Rafa Benitez joining Everton.
? “What does he hope to achieve by going to Everton? To be fair, I think he has steel balls, if he goes in there and does not do well after six games, it will be absolute chaos. ”Pic.twitter.com/7wb50Cy4ma
– The Everton End (@TheEvertonEnd) June 26, 2021
There are a large number of Everton fans who would rather go another 26 years without winning a trophy than ever to see a former Liverpool manager in charge of his club. And whether you think they are naive and stubborn or morally superior to the rest of the fans, their presence means that Benitez will be under the microscope from day one.
It is almost admirable that the Spaniard, now in the 60s, seems willing to go there as few as ever before and meet that challenge. But perhaps there is a reason that no manager since William Edward Barclay in the late 19th century has coached both teams. It’s hard to imagine that it will be worth the pressure it welcomes.
It’s not even as if Benitez needs the job at Everton. With all due respect to the toffees, they are not that special. Virtually all clubs of their size, and some even larger, would like to take him in.
2015: Real Madrid replaces Carlo Ancelotti with Rafa Benitez
2021: Everton can replace Carlo Ancelotti with Rafa Benitez
It’s a fun old game … pic.twitter.com/juwng96awc
– Sport Social (@TheSportSocial) June 20, 2021
So what’s it about Everton that has caused a sudden heart change? And why does he think it’s worth potentially making a huge dent in his reputation and his mythical position at Anfield in the process?
The sad fact is that if Benitez is to become the next Everton manager, something must happen.
Succeeds, and his entire relationship with Liverpool – which he delivered one of the most famous nights in their history in Istanbul – lies on the chopping block.
Fails, and his chances of one day managing a top Premeir League club again go up in smoke.
Is it really worth it, Rafa? We hope so.
