Former Newcastle Untied manager Rafa Benitez has made his first comments after finally been unveiled as the new Everton boss.
The Spaniard has signed a three-year deal at Goodison Park, returning to the Premier League for the first time since his Magpies exit.
Since then, his name has been dragged through the mud by the media.
He was criticised for going to China. He’s been endlessly compared to Steve Bruce…but only after Brucey has picked up a win or two. And in the build-up to getting the job, his achievements were undermined.
In reality, Everton have replaced a Champions League-winning manager with another Champions League-winning manager.
Yes, Benitez’s Liverpool past will create tension between the fans, but he is capable of getting the results to cloud over his history.
He’s also capable of getting the results that will make Newcastle United fans wish he had never left.
Rafa Benitez comments suggest he’s getting at Everton what he wanted from Mike Ashley at Newcastle
That’s what happened in 2019. Benitez spent three years at St James’ Park, looking to rebuild a broken club.
He even went down into the Championship with us. Benitez delivered promotion, and set about re-establishing the club in the Premier League.
However, he constantly seemed to be at war with owner Mike Ashley.
Benitez had a vision. It was very different to Ashley’s.
The 61-year-old saw the potential in Newcastle, and had the ability to help it reach said potential. However, he just wasn’t given the resources.
Benitez was forced to work with the handbrake on, before leaving when his contract expired in June 2019.
Now he is back in the Premier League, and his first comments as Everton boss will certainly be of interest to Ashley.
“I am delighted to be joining Everton,” he told their official website.
“Throughout this process I have been greatly impressed by the ambition shown by the senior representatives at the club and their desire to bring success to this historic club.
“I believe this is a club that is going places.”
Was this a dig at his previous employer? Benitez certainly wasn’t shown any ambition at Newcastle by the hierarchy.
There’s been no desire to bring success, although that depends on what you class as success.
If just being in the Premier League is success, then Ashley is the master at it, even being able to do it on a shoestring budget. Sure it’s backfired twice and the club got relegated, but who cares?
Benitez recognised Newcastle’s potential and wanted to take them places, but wasn’t given the tools to do so.
He has recognised Everton’s potential and wants to take them places, and seems much more likely to be given the tools to do so.
All he has to do there is convince the fans, something he never struggled with at St James’ Park.
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