Homepage Article Rafael Benitez Appointed Everton Manager

[Harryflashman]

Just like every other season, bar about half a dozen, in the past thirty years

Strangely though, I never lose the optimism I have always have in August.

And as such I am starting to get a tingle about the soon to be upon us new season.

COYBB

Honestly mate I’m exactly the same, I wish I could bottle that feeling. This year though I just haven’t got it , it’s not just the new manager it’s a combination of factors but with the real possibility of being sat in goodison again I should be buzzing and I’m not and that frustrates me and I suppose that feeling transfers to the club owners and the manager .

I just hope and I really do that by the time I hear the siren and z cars , with the obligatory few beers inside me , the emotions get the better of me and that feeling returns.

 

[banno]

Just waiting for a few ins and outs to get my optimism up. Hope it is not a 'go with what we have got' as that will fill me with dread and worry.

 

[gaino92]

He bought him mate. Big profit.

Reina was a great purchase to.
Daniel Agger was sound.

Lets flip reverse that with Alberto Aquilani for £18m or Albert Riera for £9m or Dossena for £8m

 

[banno]

Lets flip reverse that with Alberto Aquilani for £18m or Albert Riera for £9m or Dossena for £8m

All managers.....ALL....have made mistakes with transfers. Ferguson, Kendall......all.

 

[gaino92]

All managers.....ALL....have made mistakes with transfers. Ferguson, Kendall......all.

They have yes, but just ignoring some of the absolute dross he bought for big money is just putting your head in the sand. If you want to show his good signings you've got to take in to account the bad.

Signing Aquilani for £18m is a whole lot worse than what we paid for Iwobi and people don't let the club live that one down.

 

[paultheblue]

Spot on. Totally depressing time to be a blue and I lived through the Walker days. Disjointed squad which need major surgery, a manager who has totally split the fabase regardless of what he does or doesn't do. An owner who clearly doesn't care less what the fans think.
All adds up to a thoroughly depressing season ahead

In fairness I don't think the manager has split the fan base , I have never know a time when the fan base has been more solidly against the manager.

 

[davek]

In fairness I don't think the manager has split the fan base , I have never know a time when the fan base has been more solidly against the manager.

We had a poll on here conducted and most back him.

 

[nsno-chris]

We had a poll on here conducted and most back him.

Sack sack sack

 

[Thomasc]

Like any initial reaction to bad news, I was annoyed and upset with the club.
As the week has gone on I’ve got used to the fact that nothing I can do makes any difference, so no point in sweating it.

I think the Ancelotti situation has been a real moment of realisation for most Evertonians. It’s the same old Everton story, show signs of something good then systematically self implode. Nobody was prepared for Ancelotti leaving though so the club really was thrown into this situation this time.

I still will follow Everton, but the last season and this appointment has made me re-evaluate my feelings for the club as a whole. I’ve not been this less interested since we sold Rooney and I really didn’t think that could be topped.

Im at the basement with Everton, so anything upwards from here is a bonus.

 

[paultheblue]

We had a poll on here conducted and most back him.

I don't believe that Dave. There is a difference between backing him now as we have no choice or wanting him in the first place .
I don't give a toss about what he said 15 years ago I am more concerned about his ability to do the job now and I don't see anything on his recent CV to fill me with optimism.

 

[Harryflashman]

We had a poll on here conducted and most back him.

What’s your experience generally dave with your fellow blues offline ? I come from a family of blues and my friendship group is dominated by match going blues as is my wider Social circle , friends of friends through what you could laughingly call work , and in all honesty the most positive thing I’ve heard is along the lines of got to suck it up and get on with it .

I don’t know one single person in favour of the appointment not one , not saying they won’t go the game of that they’ll boo him or whatever nothing like that just that the appointment is universally opposed. I appreciate this is anecdotal and you can completely dismiss it but it’s a diverse group on lots of levels and it’s also the truth .

 

[jazzy]

Sack sack sack

Makes a change fron sack , back , crack I suppose.

 

[Lord Buckethead]

Makes a change fron sack , back , crack I suppose.

oh he's definitely utter crack mate, and I'd love to see the back of him.

 

[davek]

What’s your experience generally dave with your fellow blues offline ? I come from a family of blues and my friendship group is dominated by match going blues as is my wider Social circle , friends of friends through what you could laughingly call work , and in all honesty the most positive thing I’ve heard is along the lines of got to suck it up and get on with it .

I don’t know one single person in favour of the appointment not one , not saying they won’t go the game of that they’ll boo him or whatever nothing like that just that the appointment is universally opposed. I appreciate this is anecdotal and you can completely dismiss it but it’s a diverse group on lots of levels and it’s also the truth .

My experience is a general lethargy on the issue. The squeakiest wheel gets the grease as they say, and the most opinionated are vocal and hate the idea; but they dont, I feel, speak for everyone.

If he fails (Benitez) no one will be bothered, but no one is that animated about it. That's the consensus as I get it with those I speak to.

 

[catcherintherye]

The gulf from academy to playing in a top Premiership team is vast.
Only very special talents like Foden can really manage it well and even he was carefully structured in when and how often he was allowed to play.
I expect that next season we will see Onyango get some minutes in the first team and that would be great for the academy if he does.
But, I think signing players in the 18-21 age bracket seems to be of interest to us and has worked well in terms of players and transfer fees received for some of them.
Loughman, Stones,Holgate,Vlasic,Braithwaite,Nkoonkou, DCL have been players hought in that bracket who have done well or made us a profit or both.

It is yes and there is a longer answer here. To some degree we are starting to send players out on loan which can help, and it would not be wholly unrealistic to think a couple of Gordon, Brainthwaite, Simms and Gibson could perhaps make the step up. I appreciate they are not "from the academy" now but it looks like most English teams do require that middle step of competitive experience elsewhere. To a certain extent, Everton giving them 1st team exposure boosts the quality of loan they can get, which is sort of a means to an ends themselves.

I'd agree Onyango may be closest, although injured. I like Small too, and if he signs on (interestingly he has not actually left yet, and they is probably a no news is good news situation) he might surprise a few. But Onyango may well have grown and could put himself in the frame.

As for the signings, it has been a fruitful tactic for the club, probably more so than signing lads under 18. We have to be competitive in that area, and crucially we have to keep pathways going. Brainthwaite and a lot of others mentioned pathways and he could certainly be one who could come in and get himself some experience.

The broader discussion was more about Benitez and youth development. He's just known for doing it anywhere he has been. In fact his legacy is pretty much the opposite of youth development. I really hope he proves me wrong on this, but I don't see it at all.