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Rafa Benítez (unemployed)


Greg

Would you have Rafa back?   

463 members have voted

  1. 1. Would you have Rafa back?

    • Yes, as manager, immediately
    • Yes, as manager, but at some point in the future (eg if relegated)
    • Yes, in an advisory or DoF role
    • No, not in any meaningful capacity

This poll is closed to new votes


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In for a penny, I suppose.

 

I do think there's a tendency amongst supporters of our club to elevate particular individuals to such heroic status, that not only are they immune from any criticism, but any comment that isn't a statement of total devotion gets treated as blasphemy. That really isn't an exaggeration, and I'm thinking here of Keegan, Shearer and now Rafa. Every now and then, that becomes dangerous, and the club as a whole can suffer. 

 

Most of the time, I accept that state of affairs, but every now and then the frustration gets the better of me, unfortunately with the same results. Do you really want this site to be an echo chamber?

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I'm more than happy to elevate Keegan, Rafa and Shearer.  Every club has their heroes

 

Shearer hasn't been singing on the same sheet as the rest of us on a few occassions recently (and has been criticised on here for it) but he's still probably the greatest player to play for our club

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It’s ok to disagree with Shearer and still love him for the legend he is. Not being able to separate that is an issue I’m sure all fans have with their clubs and legends. The legend takes one position and everyone thinks they are terrible for it. Life ain’t that simple. 

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Guest HTT II

Btw, manager in making solid squad signings that don’t cost the Earth shocker. Everton have spent fucking fortunes on absolute dross for most of it and have suffered as a result, he’s strengthening their squad without blowing loads which will benefit them massively. I’m well jel :'(

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17 minutes ago, Cronky said:

In for a penny, I suppose.

 

I do think there's a tendency amongst supporters of our club to elevate particular individuals to such heroic status, that not only are they immune from any criticism, but any comment that isn't a statement of total devotion gets treated as blasphemy. That really isn't an exaggeration, and I'm thinking here of Keegan, Shearer and now Rafa. Every now and then, that becomes dangerous, and the club as a whole can suffer. 

 

Most of the time, I accept that state of affairs, but every now and then the frustration gets the better of me, unfortunately with the same results. Do you really want this site to be an echo chamber?

 

You said that the two managers had similar points hauls so, when comparing them, it all boils down to opinions on each manager's squads. 

 

You got a bad reaction to that; not because it wasn't a 'statement of devotion' or because there's a dangerous prerequisite that you must have certain opinions; but because it completely misses the point as to why Rafa was loved and Bruce was hated. Football's more than points hauls and maths; it's about hope and identity and occasions and characters to whom you feel a connection. 

 

If you're purely looking at the maths, a net result of 13th with circa 45 points is unimpressive regardless; so 'what it boils down to' is the journey to that result, and the aspirations about what might follow. That's where the comparisons between Rafa and Bruce are made in the minds of most people here, but virtually no one in sports media. 

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Rafa is getting pace in to a very slow Everton side on the cheap. They desperately need more quick players. He will get that side balanced, solid and playing better. It's inevitable. The blues fans doubting him will be quiet when they see their side doing well second half of next season once his methods are bedded in.

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I can definitely recall Townsend (Jan '17), Gray (not sure, but I think it was around the time Staveley first came on the scene) and McNeil (often) were all linked with us under Rafa. Gonna be frustrating watching him sign all the players he wanted to sign for us. 

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14 minutes ago, Yorkie said:

 

You said that the two managers had similar points hauls so, when comparing them, it all boils down to opinions on each manager's squads. 

 

You got a bad reaction to that; not because it wasn't a 'statement of devotion' or because there's a dangerous prerequisite that you must have certain opinions; but because it completely misses the point as to why Rafa was loved and Bruce was hated. Football's more than points hauls and maths; it's about hope and identity and occasions and characters to whom you feel a connection. 

 

If you're purely looking at the maths, a net result of 13th with circa 45 points is unimpressive regardless; so 'what it boils down to' is the journey to that result, and the aspirations about what might follow. That's where the comparisons between Rafa and Bruce are made in the minds of most people here, but virtually no one in sports media. 


The thing is, if Benitez had spent £100m over two seasons and showed no improvement whatsoever in terms of performances and league finishes,  after already consolidating the team in 2 seasons, he’d have rightly been getting stick.
 

It’s one thing getting mid 40s after a promotion and consolidation with not much of a Premier League budget, to then takeover a consolidated Premier League side that was showing the makings of a top 10 side with a few good additions, and be in exactly the same position in the league with no improvement in performances and be as far away from a top half finish as we have without actually being relegated, is shocking.

 

 

Edited by Optimistic Nut

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Yeah, when people compare the two, I think of where we’d be now if Benitez was still here and had spent the same amount of money. I don’t think for one minute we’d have merely matched the first two seasons, at the very least we’d have been in that group with Villa & Leeds with 50+ points and that’s being negative.

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49 minutes ago, Cronky said:

In for a penny, I suppose.

 

I do think there's a tendency amongst supporters of our club to elevate particular individuals to such heroic status, that not only are they immune from any criticism, but any comment that isn't a statement of total devotion gets treated as blasphemy. That really isn't an exaggeration, and I'm thinking here of Keegan, Shearer and now Rafa. Every now and then, that becomes dangerous, and the club as a whole can suffer. 

 

Most of the time, I accept that state of affairs, but every now and then the frustration gets the better of me, unfortunately with the same results. Do you really want this site to be an echo chamber?

 

The post before yours was criticizing Shearer :lol:

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1 hour ago, SUPERTOON said:

They are after McNeil as well now from Burnley.

 

I really like that kid a lot. Would be a great move for him career wise as I don't think Burnley's style allows him to really shine as much as he could.

 

If he gets a move to Everton under Rafa could see him begin to make some headway as an international.

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Noticed because the Chronicle wrote about it https://www.evertonfc.com/news/2193711/new-boy-reveals-personal-ambition

 

“I worked with Rafa at Newcastle and had great success [personally] with him.

 

“We tried to link up on a few occasions after that but it wasn’t to be.

 

“When he called me, with the backing of Everton, who are a massive football club and have big ambitions… it was a no-brainer.”

 

Amazing you can get an article on Chronicle from a few lines 

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Few more underneath 

 

Townsend had two months playing for Benitez at Newcastle and in only 10 games with the Spaniard scored three goals and provided two assists.

 

The player’s time at St James’ Park ushered in a period when – in his own view – he refined his game, adding industry and resilience to the flair and improvisation that captured the imagination when Townsend emerged as an influential figure for Tottenham.

 

“Rafa tried to get me to work off the ball, run in behind, come into the pockets, work back defensively.

 

“At Newcastle, he [Benitez] knew I could score from outside the box, he was trying to work on me running in behind without the ball and getting on the end of a pass to score goals, as opposed to doing it all myself.

 

“Hopefully, he can rediscover that goalscoring form I had at Newcastle and I can really start adding some numbers in both goalscoring and assists.”

 

 

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28 minutes ago, nbthree3 said:

Noticed because the Chronicle wrote about it https://www.evertonfc.com/news/2193711/new-boy-reveals-personal-ambition

 

“I worked with Rafa at Newcastle and had great success [personally] with him.

 

“We tried to link up on a few occasions after that but it wasn’t to be.

 

“When he called me, with the backing of Everton, who are a massive football club and have big ambitions… it was a no-brainer.”

 

Amazing you can get an article on Chronicle from a few lines 


They got an article out of Mr Staveley’s 15 word Tweet last night.

 

 

Edited by Optimistic Nut

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13 minutes ago, KaKa said:

It's fine man. Watching Benitez do well and shut up all his naysayers might be the only small enjoyment we'll be able to have this upcoming season.

Love the bloke but doesn't bode well for him so far tbf. Fans going to be baying for blood following any defeat, couple of seemingly bang average signings and potentially a player being slammed into Strangeways' nonce wing. Ropey.

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I really wish I could hide a thread from view.  Don't like Benitez, don't like Everton and I'm sick of seeing this thread continually bumped to the top of the page (I know by writing this I've just bumped it again).:hunter:, :lol:

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