He's won 25 games since Wigan have been in the Premiership - that's 6 games a season, yet everyone thinks he's a great manager. He isn't.

Laudrup won't leave Swansea - why would he when the just won a cup and will play in Europe next season?

Lennon - awful character, hateful little man with a rose-tinted record in a 2 horse (now 1-horse) race in Scotland.

Phil Neville - no experience at all = bad choice.

Rafa Benitez gets my vote, along with the other 5% on here according to the poll. He has all the attributes required, regardless of the RS connection and his occasional meldtdowns & outbursts - I like his passion and he's a very good manager. His family live on the Wirraland he's a proven winner looking for a job in England - name me a better placed/bigger club in the Premier League that's looking for a manager? Yes, it's us.

Controversial for the majority, but if people could put the past behind them, and let bygones be bygones, he's the best man for the job by a country mile.

After all Man U, Chelsea, Liverpool and the rest have all changed managers some more frequently than others, but they have all kept their identities no matter how high the profile of the outgoing manager. For some people Everton are seen as David Moyes and that cannot be allowed to happen again, we are Everton a club that means a lot to many people and we should never forget that and as such we need a manager who represents the club and its aspirations whoever that may be.

Martinez, no thanks. Not good enough. He is a patchy manager, although I accept that there are considerable mitigating circumstances. You don't hear to much about his coaching methods and devotion to the job, other than from what Whelan says, which is as believable as the words from our own beloved chairman.

Mackay is someone Cardiff fans tell me they will not be sad to see the back of. Which tells me all I need to know. Apparently he's a Moyes-lite type amanger who does little to excite.

My top 3 are all obtainable and realistic:-
1. Bielsa
2. Benitez
3. Peirera

All are actually top coaches and could do a lot with the current side without much investment.

Benitez is mental, we all know that, but I quite like that in a person! He may be bitter but he sticks to his guns, and that's a fine quality for a manager to have. He backs his players and they respect him, he takes no shit and doesn't care who he upsets. He's my kind of manager. The Chelsea players have had nothing but good things to say about him, and he gets results - that, in my opinion is the biggest factor here, winning games.

Eleven years ago, we were a perennial bottom-ten club, unrecognisable from the mid-Eighties legends.

Moyes duly delivered a decade of top-seven finishes and restored some sanity back at the club.

Thanks to that, the complaint over these past few years has revolved around our inabilty to crack the top-four under him.

Although Benitez is a good shout, I doubt many can get past the Liverpool FC affiliation; but that is the ideal standard for me.

My fear however, is that Kenwright just isn't thinking that big.

That could be one interpretation. It might also be possible that some are looking to one of those three because they'd be more likely to bring us "success", regardless of the style of play. Maybe a mix of both?

Holding grudges is not helpful to anyone, and this is 21st century football, not the 70's.

I would counter everything I've said, and contradict myself somewhat by saying the chances of it being Benitez, are probably slim to none!

He's still the best man for the job, in my opinion.

Little hideous shitbag Lennon is now leader of the pack.

NO

Neil Lennon 11/4
Roberto Martinez 3/1
Alan Stubbs 6/1
Gus Poyet 8/1
Malky Mackay 20/1
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer 25/1
Vitor Pereira 25/1
Mark Hughes 28/1
Phil Neville 28/1
Rafael Benitez 40/1
Michael Laudrup 40/1
Duncan Ferguson 40/1
Peter Reid 250/1 –

Jus sayin, like...

Of all the candidates he is the most experienced, lives locally, would love to stick it up the reds, and just imagine the furore from tha dark side if we were to get him. Unlike Moyes, he does know how to win a game that must be won!

Yes, I've looked at lots of other lists too - none of them cheer me up sadly....

Let's get Rafa.

NO.

Martinez
Pereira
Zola
Hoddle
Lambert
Poyet
Jorge Jesus

YES.

Or is this just another name at the head of the list, to be replaced by another in a few days?

You say that to a lot of people saw David Moyes as the club, and was promoted by the media over and above the club - you do not want this to happen again.

I would disagree. If this happens, it means something is going right. You mention Utd still holding their identity. Before Ferguson they were 26 year nobodies and everything they are today is because of him.

Wegner too at Arsenal - he is the club.

Chelsea, Mourinho... In fact it is Abramovic's billions that keep the club successful. He is the club's identity. Man City don't have one - they haven't had the level of success to make such a name.

Liverpool? If they had a manager above their name, they wouldn't be where they are now. In fact Shankly is all you ever hear about. Clough is all Nottingham Forrest will ever be. Revie, Leeds.

The fans and the club only bare witness to success, and that will be brought by the manager. If he's around for a long time and becomes revered, he will take on the club's identity. Names are made on the back of success and hopefully the name of our next manager will become huge... the club is merely the vehicle to provide that success.

That Moyes achieved it by finishing 5th and 6th etc, is a sign of the times. Modern day football. Perhaps in the same way Dario Gradi is Crew. Its all comparative but if the new managers name becomes bigger than the club I will look forward to the day!

Kenwright has sold all the assets and run up a massive debt. He's no idea how to run a business or a football club. Another £9M loss last season. This situation cannot go on much longer before something gives and I fear for our future with that clown in charge.

The only thing that will unify both sets of supporters when we play our game against Chelsea at the weekend will be a shared animosity against Benitez.
No a thousand times

Why would he come to Everton?

Why would we want him?

If Moyse recommends the next coach, surely he will pick a clone of himself. How many of you want that? Because I don't. I don't think we need that much change in Staff and with the likes of Oveiado, Duffy, Barklley and Velios with say 2 forwards, midfielder and goalie I think we'll do ok.

BK is just covering his arse so that he has someone else to blame when the choice turns out to be wrong and unpopular.

It's the same stunt he pulled with Desperation Kirkby.

The same ones that told him the (alleged) new badge is great?

In reality he wouldn't be interested and neither should we. Hateful character.

1982 in Grasmere seems such a long time ago now........................

"I know it's a bit romantic of me, but I believe somewhere out there is a superstar manager – proven – who shares my notion, and wants to make history with a club that has not lost its identity and integrity whilst others melt into the common, bland and fickle..."

It's much easier for any manager to succeed with bucket loads of money in this day and age - Man City proved that (eventually).

But to be a really great manager and write your name in the history books you have to do something out of the ordinary.
Thats what Sir Alex Ferguson did at Man Utd, restore a great football club, with a great tradition back to the top of the pile.

We need someone "special". Perhaps the name of the manager you are looking for is Jose Morinho.

Can you imagine what he could do at Everton. I suspect if you offered him Glory or money at this stage of his career, I would back him in to take the Glory and I reckon he has got a lot of respect for Everton Football Club and its fans.

Get on the blower Bill - the "special one" might up for it.