Benitez has his say after departure
Rafa Benitez was relieved of his duties as the Everton manager on Sunday after just six and a half months in charge of the Premier League club.
The former Liverpool manager was an unpopular appointment last summer, and the disastrous results under him have only convinced the Everton faithful, but the Spaniard was a disappointing appointment.
Everton have had nine defeats in their last 13 league matches, and it is understandable why the club hierarchy wanted to make a change period.
Duncan Ferguson is expected to take over from Benitez for the remainder of the season.
The former Everton manager has now released a statement on his personal website claiming that he knew the job would be a massive challenge, and he knew that he would have to win over people’s hearts along with matches when he started at Everton.
Benitez also believes that the team has the potential to perform better when the key players return from the sidelines, and his term at the club was affected by the injury crisis and the financial situation at Goodison Park.
He wrote: “We knew it wouldn’t be easy, and that it was a big challenge, both emotionally and in terms of sport. My love for this city, for Merseyside and its people, made me accept this challenge, but it is only when you are inside that you realise the magnitude of the task.
“From the very first day, my staff and myself worked as we always do, with commitment and full dedication, we didn’t only have to get results, but we also had to win over people’s hearts.
“However, the financial situation and then the injuries that followed made things even harder. I am convinced that we would have been better once the injured players were back and with the arrival of the new signings.
“The road to success isn’t easy, and sadly, nowadays in football, there is a search for immediate results, and there is always less and less patience; unfortunately, circumstances have determined the results, and it won’t be possible to continue this project.”
Wayne Rooney and Jose Mourinho linked
Meanwhile, the Toffees have been linked with a move for the Derby County manager Wayne Rooney.
The former Everton striker has done an exceptional job with the Rams so far, and it will be interesting to see if he is willing to take over at Goodison Park at the end of the season.
Meanwhile, the Toffees have reportedly made contact with the Roma manager Jose Mourinho as well.
The Portuguese manager started impressively in Italy, but his team is struggling right now. It will be interesting to see whether Mourinho is willing to move on and return to the Premier League at the end of this season.
