At the outset, let me start with saying, I abso-fuxxing-lutely hate what Benitez said about Everton "oh-so-many" years ago. But, he is Everton manager right now, so I will hold my tongue while he is here.
To address the name-calling some of us have started: Calling Benitez-haters as anti-Everton is just reaching in my opinion (Yes, it's an opinion, and you can chuck it down the ..., but it is out there anyway
).
While I agree with the point made that he made those comments to pander to the fanbase, does that not show that is what he is... A panderer (If at that's a word). Yesterday, he pandered to what the Red fans wanted, now he is pandering to what the Blue-fans will want, tomorrow if he ends with some other club, he will pander to them. He seems to be too insecure to not give a damn about non-footballing stuff. So would we be OK, if he goes somewhere and started bad-mouthing Everton again, because he "pandering" to those fans now.
As I posted somewhere else sometimes back, Excepting a stint with Chelsea, a season with Napoli What can we point to as Benitez excellent record (You can point to NewCastle, but do we want to take Championship results in consideration). Is that the success that we want?
He said what he said and then later claimed he was mis-quoted(?). When did he claim that? Did he admit he was mistaken when he was the Red's manager, even afterwards. He said that when he was being considered as a candidate for Everton's revolving managerial chair sometimes after-Martinez-before-Ancelotti. That just shows that the guy will say whatever is needed to line his pockets. And that makes me hate his ideology even more. Benitez does Benitez, he doesn't give diddly-squat about the fans / anything else. There's this thing called as pride-in-what-you-are. I won't like if any tom, [shortform-for-Richard] or Rafael gets to call us whatever the hell he/she wants because, you know... "Big picture". I am not going to like it if some "superstar" calls us names and then because he wants to curry favour with us says he was mistaken.
Do I condone some-of-the more aggressive supporters putting up banners? Hell no. That's just abhorrent, but do I like him just because he is the Everton manager? Hell no for that as well.
Repeating again, so long as he is Everton manager, he has my silence, not support yet. I will not be criticizing anything football-related while he is here. And of course, this is just a personal opinion, so feel free to ignore it.
[EDIT]: changed couple of words that might sound offensive. I did not realize the [shortform of Richard] would be turning into an offensive word when taken in isolation.