Benitez Appointed Manager of "Small Club"
Yesterday, Everton confirmed the appointment of Rafa Benitez as their new manager on a 3-year deal. Having managed Liverpool for almost exactly 6 years (source) and being a very popular manager at Anfield, I'm very surprised by this.
I racked my brain to remember if anybody had managed both Merseyside clubs before and ended up seeking Google's help. He's the 1st manager to do so in 129 years, the last being William Edward Barclay who was both Everton and Liverpool's first ever manager (source 1 source 2).
If this announcement was met with surprise by me, it was met with anger by some Everton fans. Benitez didn't exactly endear himself by calling Everton a "small club" back in 2007 (see the video above) and some fans have even gone as far as creating a banner reading "we know where you live, don't sign" aimed at the ex-Liverpool boss (source).
Fortunately for Benitez, they obviously don't know where he lives since the banner was left outside the wrong house 🤣
This hostility is nothing new to Benitez though. When he took charge of Chelsea in 2012, this was the welcome that he received:
With fans returning to Goodison Park next season and Everton's 1st match at home to Southampton on the 14th August, I suspect that the half-full stadium will be louder than Stamford Bridge was on that evening. It's rare that a manager is given time to settle these days and with the fans on your back before you've even been appointed, I'm already wondering how long he'll last.
Good luck Rafa. I think you're going to need it.
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Yo también e quedado sorprendido, no imaginé que el fuera a sustituir a Carletto, bueno este equipo viene en gran decadencia y Rafa Benítez tampoco viene muy bien, esa combinación podría ser muy mala.
I agree 100%.
Here in my country the media says that Benitez would be signing the Venezuelan Salomon Rondón, he is a center forward who makes 9 in our national team, currently he is in a club in China.
Rondón is not in his best moment so Everton and Benitez will not have a very good time in their first matches. You also have to see what mentality gives the team benitez.
I remember him from his time at West Brom - I'm guessing that if he does sign, he'll be a back-up with Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison and Josh King all ahead of him in the pecking order.
Yeah read about it in a BBC feature article by Guillem Balague.. Said he turned down a 12m Euros/yr with Dalian, coz he wanted to be close to his family.
I understand he still has a home in Liverpool (the one that the Everton fans don't know where it is). He'll probably get a good pay-off when they sack him well before his 3 year deal runs out and then he can earn the big bucks in China.
I wish him success in his new role as club manager at Everton. Hoping to see him in action soon
Everton is not a small club. it almost up there with the big six in the premier league