This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
Speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football show, former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez refused to rule out taking the Everton job in the future if it was offered to him, but says he won’t be taking it now.
What did he say?
Well, having earlier on the programme ruled out any return to the Premier League at the moment as he continues his work in China with Dalian Yifang, Jamie Carragher asked the former Newcastle United chief whether he would ever consider taking the role at Goodison Park in the future given his previous connections with their arch-rivals across Stanley Park.
Benitez told Monday Night Football: “I have Liverpool connections, and that is very clear. But at the same time we are involved in the city and have a lot of friends in the city who are Evertonians or Liverpudlians.
“We are closer to Liverpool and that is fine, but I am a professional so in the future you never know.
“In fact, I wanted to stay in England and stay close to my family, but then I couldn’t get a job.”
Very interesting
Those three words “you never know”, as well as the fact that he went on to apologise for once calling Everton a “small club” in the past, more than suggest he is open to a taking charge of them at some point even if it won’t be as Marco Silva’s replacement – Sky Sports report the Toffees want a new man present in time for the clash against Manchester United this weekend.
It is difficult to say whether the high-profile 59-year-old, who is the only manager to have won the Champions League, the Europa League, the Super Cup and the World Club Cup, would be accepted by the Goodison Park faithful given his history with Liverpool.
That said, you only have to look at some of the things he has achieved during his managerial career and the great experience he has to conclude that he would be a strong appointment.
What he achieved with Newcastle – including a 10th-placed finish in 2017/18 despite having little financial backing from Mike Ashley – shows what he is potentially capable of at a club who should have a larger budget given some of the fees they have spent in the transfer market in recent years.
Did he play for Everton? Simple question but a lot tougher than you think…
If Everton did want him now, it appears as though they would have a huge task convincing him to give up his job in China just a few months after taking it.
However, his comments about wanting to be close to his family in Merseyside hint he could be persuaded if the move was right.
In other Everton news, Toffees fans have been sent into meltdown following Dominic King’s latest update on their managerial search…