The argument for Benitez

[Kever10]

TLDR

There are only arguments against appointing a manager who hasn't seen success in many years and went off to manage in China.

There are arguments for as well, you just chose not to read them.

 

[Amokachi1995]

It's going to be a massively uphill task for anyone. Layer on the RS connection and historic comments makes it even harder.

Having just been outperformed by Steve Bruce, I don't think he'd be set up to succeed. Big Swerve.

 

[Thomasc]

I get the sentiment but the reality is that we have a demanding fan base starved of success and if this young hungry manager can’t get a tune out these players the fans would turn on him.

Marco Silva was supposed to be that man and it turned out horribly for him

Marco Silva was simply a very bad choice, completely out of his depth.

We need someone with the passion to succeed that Moyes had when he joined with a lot more top flight experience.

 

[barneygumble]

Honestly sounds to me, like we’re clutching at a David Moyes - West Ham scenario.

Seemingly, an out of sorts manager, who’s fallen on harder times, who can do something from nothing and get a gang on underachievers into Europe.

Sadly, Benitez, whilst popular with Newcastle fans, hasn’t done anything since leaving Chelsea… simply put, there are managers who adapts their game and can have a moderately successful career, as they read the game (Hodgson, Allardyce *shudder*), I’ve not seen anything from Benitez to suggest he’s progressive with his approach and that his tactics can be successful or even effective in 2021.

Great list of honours, but 7 years is a long time in football, and that’s not good enough for me.

Ultimately I’m not arsed if he’s a Liverpool favourite, I want to be successful, I want to win trophies and be proud of the football we play. Benitez won’t bring us that.

 

[Kever10]

It's going to be a massively uphill task for anyone. Layer on the RS connection and historic comments makes it even harder.

Having just been outperformed by Steve Bruce, I don't think he'd be set up to succeed. Big Swerve.

It's funny, Real Madrid must have had that exact same thought when they were choosing between Ancelotti and Allardyce as their next manager as well.

I was as surprised as you were that they went the way they did.

 

[ToffeeTim]

There are arguments for as well, you just chose not to read them.

No valid ones for, but that is only my opinion.

The most obvious argument against appointing Benitez is the division it would cause for the club. I see no logical or rational argument as to why that would be beneficial. I think it would prove disastrous and no one wants to see a really bad atmosphere around the club.

 

[Papa Shango]

Fans will turn on every appointment, regardless of who it is. Howard Kendall, Harry Catterick, Carlo Ancelotti, it genuinely doesn't matter. And that should not impact the decision.

The reason I would respect Moshiri/Brands for making the appointment, is because if, at the end of the day he is the best for the job and they pick him to do it, it is a decision based not in emotion but because its the right thing to do. It says get behind it and follow the decision or don't, but this is our decision and we think its the right 1.

Can anyone give us just 1 realistic name that would get universal acceptance for his appointment?

Inwould bet the answer is a resounding no.

Of course not, but you would at the very least get a mehness about it. If we get Nuno some people will be underwhelmed but I doubt anybody will be fuming. Benitez would provide that for some people straight away. It absolutely should impact the decision especially with a manager who has other question marks hanging over him at this point, your argument would be in a much stronger position if this was peak Benitez but it's not.

It would be a doomed appointment, the board would be under serious scrutiny if he was brought in and I strongly disagree about him being the best option regardless of his past with the other lot. For me it would be an incredibly insular appointment that would be fueled on past glories.

Every appointment comes with risk/reward. The reward here is not worth the risk at all.

 

[Terrarian]

He went to China, if that's not winding your managerial career down I don't know what is. He's a has been and hasn't 'been' for a number of years.

 

[4737carlin]

It's going to be a massively uphill task for anyone. Layer on the RS connection and historic comments makes it even harder.

Having just been outperformed by Steve Bruce, I don't think he'd be set up to succeed. Big Swerve.

So your saying we should go for Steve Bruce?

 

[blue to the bone]

The fact he went to China to manage for 2 years shows the ambition and hunger he has.
No.

 

[LocalNative]

Rafael wants this job cause it's comfortable for him. His family live close and he'd get a nice little position beside them which is lovely for him. I'd seriously question his motivation to do what needs to be done here.

 

[windymiller]

The inevitable link returns and with it, the inevitable melt down.

Regardless of opinions on Benitez due to his connections with Liverpool, he seems to me to be the closest thing to a direct replacement for Ancelotti, which depending on your view point may be a plus or a minus in his column.

They have actually had remarkably similar careers, albeit Ancelotti has had a couple of higher profile jobs over Benitez, and a few more successes to boot. Both started at smaller clubs in their own country, before achieving success in their home leagues and winning European competitions. Even then, managing Liverpool and Milan, they contested 2 European finals against each other, taking 1 apiece.

Since then, they have both managed Chelsea, Real Madrid and Napoli, both took jobs at less successful English clubs which raised eyebrows. Both have managed opposing teams in Milan and Merseyside, and they have a similar list of honours, having both won several domestic cups and European trophies at almost every stop along the way. Ancelotti has 18 to Benitez 11, including 4 League trophies to Benitez 2 and 3 CL to Benitez 1, but to be fair to Benitez, I would argue he accomplished some of his at smaller, lesser fancied teams like Valencia and Liverpool (zing), while Ancelotti didn't win anything in any of his jobs at non galactico sides.

He is the biggest name and the most successful candidate we are likely to attract, while his ties to the city and him supposedly actively seeking the job are plus points to me as he is less likely to go running at the 1st flash of leg from a top club.

I honestly do not care about his history with Liverpool at this point. I've said before and it bares repeating, his time with Liverpool was mixed at best, and a good majority of their fans didn't like him while he was there. Going to Chelsea turned a lot of those who did. This appointment would probably end it for the rest. Yes, he will likely always be associated for winning them THAT game, but even a League Cup win here would wipe out most of that good faith. They would hate it so much.

There are people they have employed that I would genuinely despise having anything to do with our club, but Benitez doesn't get close to that list.

He would have an uphill battle convincing a large majority of our fan base, and a good proportion would have such low expectations that it might actually be a good thing. But outwardly, to the rest of the world, appointing someone with his name and reputation is probably the biggest move we can make following the loss of Ancelotti, without looking like we are taking a huge step back and/or hitting the reset button. Again.

In terms of style, there is probably not a lot in it. Both tend to have well organised teams that are based on a solid defensive base, but I was interested to see recently that Benitez Madrid was actually 1 of the more attacking sides they've had for a number of years and recorded a number of high scoring, high profile wins. He also seems to to favour a slightly more aggressive and energetic press than Carlos more passive tactics. He also has a reputation for buying and developing younger players, certainly more so than Ancelotti.

In terms of fitting in and moving forward, assuming he continues with Ferguson on his back room staff, this could point to the next step in developing a succession plan, with him learning the ropes under 2 of the longest serving and successful coaches of the last 20 years, and he will learn different things from each of them.

I honestly believe that even modest success here, getting us competing for top 5 for example, and the possibility of a cup competition, which he has always excelled in, he could actually end up being more well liked here than he ever was over there, and that feeling could end up being mutual.

The connection to them is unfortunate, but it is what it is. If he accepts a job here, it only proves that he has no deep seated loyalty to them. And similar goes to Ancelotti. If a job comes up at Liverpool in 12 months time and things haven't worked out at Real, Ancelotti would take it if he was offered it, deep down we all know it. It takes a lot more to develop those strong ties to a club that is not ur spiritual home, and I don't think either of them found that at Liverpool or Everton respectively. I actually think he probably has stronger ties to Newcastle as a club. To them, it is just business, with the added bonus for Benitez that he likes the area, the people and has found a home away from home here.

When he was first linked, a couple of years ago, I was not keen on the idea at all. But the more I've thought about, the more I could see it working. At the very least, he would organise us and make us hard to beat, and if he agrees to coming in and developing a partnership with Marcel Brands, maybe he could actually oversee the redevelopment that Ancelotti was clearly only paying lip service to, and allow for plans to be put in place for when he eventually does move on.

All in all, I'm sure I will remain in the minority by considering his appointment a positive one, but like I say, the more I've thought on it, the more it makes sense to me.

As with all managerial appointments though, I suppose the only way we will ever know for sure, if it is a good idea or a bad one, will be with Hindsight.

So, in summary, he's a pound shop Ancelotti. No thanks.

 

[KaiserEFC]

THE ARGUMENT AGAINST BENITEZ:




It’s Rafael Benitez.

 

[Kever10]

No valid ones for, but that is only my opinion.

The most obvious argument against appointing Benitez is the division it would cause for the club. I see no logical or rational argument as to why that would be beneficial. I think it would prove disastrous and no one wants to see a really bad atmosphere around the club.

Because the atmosphere is great as it stands.

 

[Papa Shango]

Because they atmosphere is great as it stands.

I mean there have been no fans for over a year...