Benitez set to be confirmed as new Everton manager

It's quite embarrassing really and it's shown our support up in a poor light much like knobhead behaviour from Kopites over the years.

Sad times but it's the brain-dead culture of people today isn't it.

If I recall, wasn't Steve McMahon's car doused in blue paint outside his house when there was talk of him going directly from Everton to Liverpool in the early 80s? He went to Villa instead, but it only delayed the inevitable. If that was a deciding factor that is.

It's a lose-lose situation, if the club is serious about appointing him and then pull the plug because some idiots think that it's okay to threaten his family, the idiots appear to have won. If Benitez decides that taking the job is not worth the hassle, the club is managerless a week before the players return. Whichever way it pans out, it's been an ill-thought-out process and the club looks – to put it kindly – pretty silly.

I'm still hoping that some other manager is appointed for the sake of Everton FC and for the Spaniard, it's only football, but some people take it far too seriously. It's a pity they don't show the same 'passion' for more important things, that have real consequences for many people.

I'm more interested in why Brands can't or won't try and sign anyone and why we need a manager to do it. I know players want to know who they are playing for but his job is at least to do the groundwork and have the moves far down the line or doesn't a Director of Football do that?

Another shit show of a summer. As things stand now, Moshiri is banking on there being three worse teams in the Premier League. We might not be so lucky this season in that respect.

This does nothing but damage the image of Everton FC, and no doubt as i'ts outside the family home, the police will be informed.

It's pathetic. Where do such people stop? That some so called Blues can intimidate his family just beggars belief.

Your point about if the club pull the plug, or Rafa Benitez decides to say forget it, then the cretins have won. That leaves the club, exactly, where?

Any other manager on the supposed list, would think long and hard before taking the Everton Manager's job on; and would likely say, sod that!

All those saying that Ferguson should be given the job. Do they expect another manager (of their choice) to rush in and save our bacon if Ferguson proves to be not up to a managerial job?

As for the criticisms pointed at Moshiri (and maybe Usmanov) I just think where we'd be if Moshiri had not got involved with the club.

Many other rich Benefactors just queueing up to pour money into our club?

It is also worth considering that before Moshiri came in, we were in a situation where Moyes had left and if good old Chairman Kenwright kept the "cosy club" feeling going and we could all be cosy Evertonians, but quite likely be in the Championship.

It's football for god's sake! Okay, it is important to us because we identify with the club but it shouldn't take too high a priority in our lives.

That's only my view so feel free to do as you wish.

It seems to me that some climb on the bandwagon and think, the more that they insult whoever is the current scapegoat, the more they appear an avid supporter.

I don't know if it's so-called Evertonians or koppites who have done this but we have to admit, both sides have some scumbag followers who have no sense of shame.

I hope the police find these fucking morons and get them under some anti-terror law. The club need to take a stand and do it now,

We are a small club in the modern era, so what? My Dad's bigger than your Dad. People need to grow up and get a grip on reality.

You think Usmanov will be happy either? It was him who wanted Benitez. If I was him I wouldn't put another penny in the club.

I didn't think it would take long for some moronic supporters from our club to do this but alas I feel the club are partly to blame. They have clearly let this appointment sit on the back burner thinking "If we let the furore die down, then it will be okay." All it has done is allow some cretins the time to spell out a pathetic and childish banner and hang it during the dead of night.

I hope he now tells them to shove it and we'll end up with Duncan who will last 6 games. Nobody will then want to sign, nobody will want to manage us and why? Because we appear to have dithering owners who seem intent on listening to the scum minority and bowing down to them and the childish, cowardly gestures.

Do yourself a favour, Rafa, and walk away; we are a small club, with small-minded fans. We have become a joke of a club and are supported by a small number of idiots who know nothing about managing, nothing about supporting, and know less about being decent human beings. A sad day to be an Evertonian.

We parked the bus and barely crossed the half-way line. If I remember correctly, Moyes and Kenwright reacted to the goalless draw as though had won the game.

The club isn't small but the mentality of Moyes and Kenwright was.

Everyone grow up and give the man a chance to lift us out of this nightmare period of our club.
He's got my support.

We should get behind him more than any other manager in our history.

Look what he is going to do, to himself, with his family. They are Red.

But he is coming to us.

Why? Football, Liverpool Football, he's given the Reds success, Now he wants to try to bring success to us. No easy task, we ain't as good, big as we think are we.

So let's get behind those who are trying to bring success, unsuccessfully so far. Also Benitez. A suppporter of 60 years, 100 years if ya count my old man. Mate who played for us 76.?? Son from 9 to 17 now a world class golfer. Brother.

So 200 odd years of Blue years.

I'll back him, also stand outside his house and say so.

But who knows if he's coming?

After all whenever their fans behave badly its usually Evertonians, Chelsea fans or mancs that get the blame.

It has all the hallmarks of a Moshiri gamble or instruction from his Russian paymaster.

That however, does not give the scum element of our support the right to put the banner outside Benitez home, it should be his castle no matter what the circumstances.

I am very much against this appointment but I'm getting to the point where I am thinking, let's get the appointment over with and start to concentrate on who is going to be in our line-up against Southampton.

If it's going to happen, it needs to be announced quickly to get rid of the speculation and let the man show what he can do for us. If he does a good job, does it really matter where he has worked before? Surely the majority are sufficiently bright to realise someone like him might actually give the club the hard edge it needs to become competitive?

There is one very important thing for Evertonians to consider before draping banners here, there and everywhere: The man who we would give our eye teeth to come onside is Usmanov – he has ploughed lots and lots of money into this club and he could take this personally and walk. And I think Everton would crumble... unless Tiny Tears can find another mug.

Benitez plays pragmatic football, someone on here has already said, but with our current squad, pragmatic football is about the best we can hope for with the occasional jewel courtesy of Rodriguez in which ever 5 games he plays.

If Benitez is appointed, then I'll back him till he too shows he can't do the job. Although, if rumours are right, we might get some coaches who can actually teach our players some of the more difficult skills, eg, pass to a bloke in the same shirt, ball control and hopefully some clinical finishing skills.

It is really down to the impact Benitez will have on the Everton team, who finished a miserable 10th last season and have been miserable for sometime.

A lot of Evertonians and so-called fans, plus idiots they would not be caught dead with, need to get down off their high horses or donkeys and push for and support good football.

He knows Merseyside football

He knows what it takes to.win more than Ancellotti.

He will get us results.

We have been appointing politically correct managers since Moyes left and look where it has brought us?

Jack squat.

We need someone who knows what it takes to win and what it takes.

More importantly, we need someone outside the box.

None of them.fancy European managers who thrives on humongous transfer funds.

The Old Spanish Waiter has proven it with the Barcodes that, even with limited funds, he can still.deliver some results.

Glad you posted after me. No Comment. You get it so right everytime.

If he was that good, other clubs would have stepped in. Nobody else wants him. We are appointing a yesterday's man.

Give it 18 months and we will be looking for another manager. I just hope we stay in the division with him. My fear is the fans turn against him early and it impacts the players.

I have said it on here before and some don't like it but these lunatics leaving banners near this man's home put the club and the real support to shame. I will say it again: these are the same that marched under the banners of the Blue Union and represent those that think ownership of clubs don't have all the decision-making power which they undoubtedly and deservedly do.

The 'small club' comment is something these idiots would be delighted about if an Everton manager had said it about Liverpool. He is the type of manager that will create an "us vs the rest" mentality at the club and hopefully he has negotiated everyone, from Duncan down, out of the club for no achievements whatsoever.

In Rafa I Now Trust... and so should all of us. Because, if you're a real club supporter, you have no choice.

He knows Merseyside football - he hasn't managed on Merseyside for over a decade.
He knows what it takes to.win more than Ancellotti - suggest you check out their respective honours list as managers
He will get us results - where did he last "get results".
None of them.fancy European managers who thrives on humongous transfer funds - erm, perhaps get an atlas out Jamal and look up Spain.

You are not on the right wavelength.

Benitez will last longer than 18 months. He has backing , which is determined and most importantly controls the finances.

Where Everton is at the end of it, is a different matter.

If the appointment is made, then we will have no option but to give Benitez a chance. The acid test will be whether he and Brands can work together to genuinely improve the squad by the deadline and get rid of (or at least sideline) the wasters.

I'll give Benitez until November. Personally, I'd always favored giving Dunc the chance by giving him the job until November and then making an appointment if it didn't work out. By then there might be other better candidates available that all Evertonians could get behind, even if they didn't personally agree with the Board's choice. A house divided will never stand.

My biggest nightmare is a group of RS festooned with tinny badges rattling like the chains of Marley's ghost unfurling a monster banner at that place with 'Agent Beneathus, Mission accomplished' on it.

The reality is that many Evertonians are vehemently against this appointment - noting those on here who disagree. It is up to Moshiri if he chooses to ignore the feedback or listen to it. It has parallels for me with the announcement of the Super League by six clubs who thought they could ignore their fans.

We all know how that turned out and I think Moshiri is about to go through a similar awakening in the next 6 months.

The same old every time, they actually breed this type of idiot I am convinced.

Let's get them out of this club and ensure they know they are not welcome as supporters.

If it was Rafa Benitez I'd have backed him, because it was the clubs choice. After this intimidation of his family, by all to typical moronic behaviour, he's my choice as well now.
I hope he gets the job and shows those arrogant tossers, that Evertonians don't want to see intimidation, especially iof innocent family members. How could they do it??? Leave that to the Koppites.

If you come, good luck Rafa, pull this club out of the mire it's in.

I have always supported Everton, the club, and want us to do well so we need to pull together.

Personally if I was Benitez I wouldn't even contemplate the job, for all of the tea in China, I suspect he has enough brass to get by on so he doesn't need the vitriol he's currently getting and will continue to get.

Hope it works out well for my club whichever way it goes, let's go from a small club with some small minded fans to a winning football team we can all cheer on!

And I'll bet we find out this interminable delay is all kenwright's doing, trying to choreograph 'the bad news' so that it's swallowed up with the daft arse England game. just get on with it, you knobheads.

What type of human being covertly threatens a man and his family for wanting to manage a football team?

I wouldn't blame him if he walked away and we get what we deserve in another proven journeyman who will deliver the sum total of fuckall.

The "Peoples Club" my fucking arse.

Benitez is now being threatened not to sign. So much for sport. If it is to be Benitez, just get on and announce it instead of letting it fester this long and allowing the vacuum to be filled by scumbags threatening him to try and stop it.

This is beneath any genuine Everton supporters and, to me, this action will more or less make Benitez our manager, as these money men are not gentlemen and will not allow a minority to change their minds.

Congratulations to whoever thought this banner would change the club's decision – you have just got Benitez hired.

I just wish the Club would make a decision, whoever is pulling the strings, one way or another so we can all get on with reluctantly backing him, or welcoming someone else who may be totally off the radar at the moment. Pre-Season allegedly starts on Friday, so surely we need a Coach or a Manager to oversee all that.

Then there are the Transfers which again were allegedly, almost agreed upon, (Dumfries and Nunes etc,) what player is going to sign unless they know who they are to be playing under or for, and what style of Football does he employ?

I am also equally concerned that Usmanov, who has NO OFFICIAL Capacity at the Club yet allegedly is dictating what we should do, or who we should have as Manager/Coach. What is the point of having a Board, as ineffectual as they are, if they are all going to jump through hoops when Usmanov plays puppeteer?

As for his remark about Everton. Well, I'm old enough to remember when we mixed with the other lot on a friendly basis. I still remember being at Wembley for the, as it was, Charity Shield and having to get up a small (near waist height) walled incline when a hand came out with the remark; "I'll help you, Mate" and looked up to see a red & white scarf and after a "Ta, Lah" both went our ways. But remarks like Benitez's just added to the bitterness that now seems more prevalent. So a little less of this, does it make any difference, it did.

If any knuckle dragger wants to start with the personal insults and threats, I suggest they start with Usamov (seeing as he's supposedly a noise in the background) and see how it goes.

Good luck with that...

It's hardly mob rule is it? A few dickheads place a
banner near his home (which is more of castle
than a house). It's deplorable because it involves the mans family.

Somehow I'm sure Benitez will find the motivation to sign the contract perhaps the million a month will lessen the angst he might be feeling about taking the job.

The sanctimonious tone taken by some posters who support his appointment is more than bloody irritating. His pending appointment has certainly created an ever greater schism amongst our supporters and it will be interesting to see how the different factions react on the 14th of August when he is paraded at Goodison.

If he is appointed and brings success, none of us could complain. If he fails to achieve what the board and owners require, then it's another one out of the door
.
Either way any manager has the task of rebuilding the midfield by getting rid of dead wood and we desperately need two other strikers.

Did the previous 5 managers not have the same backing?

Time will tell.

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He is not a great manager and hasn't been for a while and LOTS of people seem to be conveniently ignoring the fact. His record at Mordor was average and his amazing success was not actually that amazing. First Season and a CL winner, and this just opinion not fact, He had Houllier's team and Carlo Fantistco disappeared in the second half. Probably too busy blowing on his latte. After that an F.A. cup and then argument's with the owners and little else.

This alleged ability to shake things up, re-structure and get us on the right track is wishfull thinking. His track record on transfers is appalling, he did not improve Inter Milan or Real Madrid. His record across the park (apologies for using them again) was appalling 64 players in 6 years. TEN players every season most of whom were shite

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Just in case anyone was doubting my position on his appointment, I think it would be the biggest slap in the face this club could give the this fan. I will remain a blue but t would be hard to get behind him.

One of many reasons that the forum of hate - Grandoldteam - shouldn't be associated with TW

Did you bother to read my post? I said their action was deplorable. You don't think that the money on offer is influencing his decision ? Cmon get real he pissed off to China to double his money with 6 million on the table at Newcastle (a club whose fans he was supposed to love)

He does well, wins over the fans and gets a longer contract.

Or... He bombs, gets the sack, and laughs all the way to the bank while the RedShite laugh with him, at us.

"So Rafa, why did you take this job?"
"It's half-an-hour from my house, mate."

I hope Big Dunc twats him after a couple of weeks.

I certainly don't like the ignorance of those who suffer us to put up with Benitez and see today's news of the slobs in our ranks as a sign that we are now bereft of all dignity.

Goodbye and best forgotten!

Just get the manager appointment made and let's move forward.

I've said elsewhere, the TW poll suggests a Brexit style split down the middle, so much more divisive that I originally thought. I'm resigned to it happening even though I don't want it; Danny @ disappointed in the poll by the way.

If it's true and the transfers are being lined up, then surely this means we're seeing Brands take control as a DoF should. The manager the becomes more of a head coach in the continental manner. I'm happy with that model, because if implemented in the way it should be, it works. Which leads to a glaring concern with this appointment. Putting the name and the history to one side, isn't Benitez someone who likes to control?

There could be trouble and turbulence ahead. Again.

I've said mine many a time throughout these past weeks across many pages. But not where the club seems to be thinking.

Seems they want to continue with project Carlo and are going for similar.

He knows his shit and is a winner. Let's get behind him and he may surprise us.

From the outset, I thought Benítez was the best candidate among the names listed. I never expected the decision-makers to have the bottle to appoint him because their track record so far has suggested a strong inclination to blow with the wind of supporter opinion. In that respect, this departure from their usual approach is to be welcomed.

Nuno was third on my list. He was a decent candidate but there were enough doubters on here to suggest his honeymoon period would be brief if or when things started to go awry. Benítez will not have a honeymoon period. I hope against hope he will be given a fair chance by supporters to turn our unbalanced squad into a consistent outfit.

Loading discontent on to one man will not only undermine the club but also give this squad another shield behind which to hide. Some of them have seen off more managers and interim managers than we have won trophies in the last half-century. It will need a tough character to take us forward. I hope Benítez is that character.

If my kids needed a heart transplant, I'd grab the first healthy one available. If Benitez can manage our slow, uninspired floundering ship, let him do it.

Nah, not having it. A few tasteless banners are not the same as their behaviour bricking team coaches and everything else they airbrush. Not making light of it by the way.

I prefer and hope we win games and improve and hope he is given the same chance as any other manager would be.

Let's face it, we have tried many since Moyes; it's about time someone stuck around and did the job they are well paid to do and got us to where we want to be.

From John Moores who was the "Peoples" chairman who truly was NSNO to a deceitful bit part actor, an Iranian accountant and a Russian oligarch who know no more about football than any of us leaves me with a sour taste and totally disenchanted with all things Everton.

They may be worth a lot of money but the way the club is being run is nothing short of a shambles.

Make the F'in decision, sell it to the supporters and get on with it FFS.

I honestly trust the board to do the best they can in recruiting the next manager. All these names that get thrown around that we want but we will never know whether they were ever an option.

We would all love a manager that hits the ground running and wins the first 10 games but I'd settle for performances that are solid and seem to hint at an idea, a spirit, an identity.

I have no idea whether Rafa can achieve that but if he gets the job I'll support him.

Get ready for some defensive boring park the bus crap. If you thought Allardyce football was bad... you aint seen nothing yet.

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In any case, unless this puts him off, which it might do given what his wife might say, it is pretty obvious the opinion of the fanbase is of zero importance in this choice, no matter how much we complain, what will happen will happen.

It reminds me of that line from Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy endlessly repeated by the Vogons, to their captives:

"Resistance is useless"

Is it possible that Usmanov is in fact a Vogon?

If Benitez had never been at Liverpool but had mirrored his success there at some other club the guy would never have been anywhere near a long list for the Everton job never mind be standing at 20/1 on to get it. How we've ended up in this position is unfathomable. After Allardyce then Ancelotti I was just looking forward to us procuring an ambitious, attack minded manager, someone whose style of play would cement a relationship with supporters deprived not only of success but of entertainment. What we've got is the total opposite.

HK will be turning in his grave.

The Benitez appointment for me would be just a bit meh. I mean, I could have come up with this myself. It's not very original, and he does seem past his best-before date. I didn't mind his small club jibe, that was just banter. The reaction by some Evertonians seems to suggest it touched a nerve, though.

Anyway, if he is appointed, I would support him. I wouldn't have any choice, would I?

No matter how emotional and committed one is, this is unacceptable and reflects really poorly on the supporters.

Anyone who has experienced this sort of nasty intimidation themselves will understand

I do think they are more determined this time. They seem to be taking on the Everton Establishment, where before they tried to work with it

I don't agree with their selection process and the lack of Football knowledge involved could be their undoing, but in a longer time frame. They could be lucky though, for a change. They all need to be on the same page.

Regarding Jamal comment, I should have known better.

" Is it possible that Usmanov is in fact a Vogon? "

I would say no, but he bears a very strong resemblance to Jabba The Hut!

Different show I know, but you started it! :-)

Football Managers Out Of Work 2020/21

The A-Listers
ANTONIO CONTE
ZINEDINE ZIDANE
LUCIEN FAVRE
RALF RANGNICK
ERNESTO VALVERDE
ANDREA PIRLO
PAULO FONSECA
RUDI GARCIA
VITOR PEREIRA

B-listers, Premier League Contenders
ROY HODGSON
NUNO ESPIRITO SANTO
RAFA BENITEZ
CHRIS WILDER
FRANK LAMPARD
EDDIE HOWE
MARCO SILVA
BRUNO LABBADIA
EUSEBIO DI FRANCESCO
PATRICK VIERA

Derek@97. O'Keefe's words, not O'Neill's!!!

But being realistic, like Mark i'd 'll take Benitez, if he still wants it.

As long as it wasn't Moyes, Unsworth or Dunc (reasons for not wanting Dunc i've already stated)

I might not agree with everyone who works for the club, but when they cross the white line I back them. I stand - when allowed - and shout and call my team home.

I shout so we win, yes I clap the odd top pass, but what gets my ass off my seat is the chance the ball hits the net and when it does I shout all the more and hug anyone - covid rules allowing - I can. I watch and cheer to win. So all this talk about style of play, of is history matters not. Chelsea fans kicked up the same fuss and bagged third and a European title. If that's what a manager who might not be my first choice brings, then bring it on.

It doesn't make sense because he's already got his back against the wall, but it does make sense, if people have begun to see the errors they committed when they first came on board, and if this is the approach taken although it will feel painful, I'm just hoping for a more professional, and more committed Everton, and it's why I agree with John Rafferty@79, when he talks about the players, who hopefully won't have another shield that absolves them from blame, but makes them start giving everything to the cause, instead.

I remember quite a few ex-red players who did great things for Everton like Morrissey and Sheedy.

Rafa's credentials are second to none compared to many so why not give him the same chance as Ancellotti or Koeman.

C.O.Y.B.

That piece of shit banner has turned me 180 degrees into a committed Rafa supporter.

Mr. Benitez, as one banner target to another (my wife's ethnicity was insulted in this way by a neighbor), I hereby applaud your impending appointment and encourage you to shove that banner down the offender's throat in the best possible way.

Win lots of games.

I'll be here cheering you on. And hopefully over there soon to do so personally.

The banner is simply ridiculous, uncalled for, and frankly embarrassing.

Oppose the appointment. Oppose Rafa as manager. This kind of threatening banner crosses any sane human being's line.

Still hope the guy isn't named manager. It's a brain-dead appointment.

If he is indeed named manager later this week, it'll be official. We're no longer a "big" club, no matter what the history says. Mid-table, irrelevancy awaits us under Rafa, and his appointment will set us back to the point where we most likely won't recover before I die. Opinion, that last bit, but it's my opinion.

I don't think I can ever get behind this appointment. 1000 bedsheets painted by a retard won't change that.

I have the nails and colours but I'm not 100% convinced the mast is stable. Why only out of work managers?

If pushed, I'd go for Favre from the A list. I like Ranginck but he is a Brands replacement in my view and needs a manager under him. I'd actually pick Conte because he is young and a winner but he is not realistic and if we are dipping into that pool, give me Simeone whose time at Atletico would be a great template for us.

The B list is a struggle, I'd take Nuno over Rafa, but could Galtier not be on this list? He might even be my number 1 (realistic) option. Otherwise I'd take Lampard over Howe and Potter over both.

Surely it will be Martinez, that would be a 100% Brands appointment.
Then again, if that was true then they should have come out and sqaushed the Spanish One's rumors to keep everybody save.

But cause and effect.

The upper echelons of the board are refusing to listen to the fans. We have got to this stage due to Moshiri yet again going all Captain Ahab on us.

They are deaf and blind to the negative ground swell of public opinion from the fans. Any owner who ignores the fans does so at his own risk.

Brands should just resign.

We can all pick a name from the list's but surely as Director of Football, Brands will have had these names on file, and approached those who he believed would be interested.

We all cringed when we heard what Ancelotti was supposed to be getting paid, and there are rumors that Conte wanted more. We have to get a manager that wants the position and does not demand an outrageous fee protected by clauses that he can leave if anything better comes up.

The only vitriol Benitez is getting is over a saying, my own personnel feelings is I did not want him because of the style of play he uses, but like to think he is adaptable to change.. Then I still remember that saying ( a leopard never changes its spots ) but then Benitez is not a leopard.

Sounds far fetched, but how do we know it is not a fan from another club, with such high esteem, surely a few would not want Rafa to join their local rivals.

Someone touched on Steve McMahon and his Car, so how do we know for sure it is someone not wanting Rafa being the Everton manager, and at the same time, shining a bad light on our fans, nothing is too low from a certain element of their support.

Like I say nothing would suprise me the limits they will stoop to, if it puts Everton in a bad light.

If it is one of our own, they should be ashamed of themselves, well out of order.

I was not a fan of Benitez, but after the managers linked, I think he is probs the best option available, and will get my full support, if and when he takes the Managers job.

IF Benitez is named manager, he WILL get my full 100% support. I want one thing and one thing only, and that's to see Everton win matches and make progression towards a European place. I don't give a rat's ass what he said about us in the past. I don't care that he managed Liverpool. I don't care what he's done or not done lately. I DON'T CARE.

I want to see Everton succeed. Nothing less. I WILL give him the chance to make that happen. End of.

It's nothing to do with him being an ex RS manager that I don't want him, it's more to do with him being shite. He missed relegation in China by a play off and his style Of play is excruciating.
I was gutted when the RS sacked him as he was slowly strangling them. At the end of his reign they were as bad as can remember them for 40 years.
He's 61 FFS not exactly an up and coming manager.

Anyway, big Duncan will be in charge by Christmas and Rafa will be back waiting on tables much to the disappointment of the many RS fans following TW.

Therefore, they should be the target of any fan discontent in the future.

I've read a few posts over the last few weeks that mention Rafa likes total control. Again if I'm Mr. Brands, I can't implement my vision for the Club if the new manager wants control.

An appointment I don't favor, a man who will decrease my responsibilities and marginalize my influence being placed into a position of power, seemingly superceding me?

I'm off. Like a shot, fast as fuck, I'm out the door. The owners just sent a message of how much they trust me, and what they think of my work and influence.

It looks like Nuno had laid down those same conditions re his own staff coming in and an agreement couldn't be reached. Of the rest in the B list it looks like, for one reason or another, the powers that be, have decided the best manager to take Everton through, yet another decidely Rocky patch, is going to Benitez.

If Brands has been involved; and they have come up with Benitez as the best available, thne a popularity contest from supporters, doesn't really compare, so let the club get on with what has been, no doubt about it, hard decision to make.

Waiting on a coach currently occupied in the Euros to see the end of their involvement there??

I might call you many things, Julian, but you're not quite “a thorough disgrace”!

Open and see the same people who have been doing this for years started by the BLUE Union. They are not supporters they are the Local scum bags probably no older than 18 bred by similar minded parents.

I don't know what it is with our club and the hiring of dislikable characters/managers. Fat Sam, Koeman and now Rafa. We're a glutton for punishment.

Seriously, I get Rafa isn't an appointment all fans are happy with (myself included), however I'm more willing to give him a shot after all the crap he knows he's walking into and he still wants to come.

We've had some shite recently and despite the "Aura" Ancelotti had, the football was terrible to watch. At this moment in time I couldn't care less if they hired Joe or Jane Bloggs off the street as long as they got us playing good football and giving games a go. It's been far too long since we had something serious to cheer about.

I'm sure they do give more than a fuck about the club but in basically a business performance sense. To think they'd genuinely care deeply about the personal feelings of fans, or Everton's long history and such, would be naive.

First off we are in the EPL, always have been, never relegated. This is the biggest, most glamorous, richest league in the world, the latter by a big distance. One might argue no manager can truly claim to have acquired greatness if they can't crack it. Only the German league comes close in terms of competitiveness, and even then a little way behind.

Granted we don't have CL status but that is a lot harder to achieve here than any other league. What we do have is an ambitious, albeit somewhat naive owner, possibly accompanied by an even richer individual in the background to bankroll things. Meanwhile, those glamour clubs of Europe like Real, Barca and Juve are close to skint. At least with us you get stability and a proper transfer budget.

We have history, a bigger support base than most clubs elsewhere in Europe and the promise of a new ground. We are coming off a period of relative failure, but that itself is an opportunity, easier to be seen to succeed than try to emulate Pep at City. We don't expect trophies so anyone winning one will get cult status.

So come on Mr Simeone, why hang around in a broken league, come and do for us what you did for Atletico and give the entitled neighbour a serious poke in the eye, you know you love doing that.

(OK the last bit is a pipedream)

What players has Brands lined up and which ones will sign with us this window?

I like it, James.

These insults have also turned my thinking into the polar opposite and I get the feeling you and I are not alone in switching votes on the appointment.

If it's Rafa then so be it - bring it on and let's get some sort of stability as well as a decent line up for Southampton in only a few sort weeks time.

True story! Well, maybe not.

If I'm still alive when Everton move into the Bramley Moore stadium, I will raise more than a few glasses to The Blue Union, and shiver at the thought of why any Evertonian, could have even considered taking us to Kirkby, which showed me that Kenwright has never been worthy of Everton, because he was nothing but a small minded owner, who took the piss out of our once famous motto, because he was simply a pauper, who couldn't let go.

He's on the Board, so probably! Ride out the storm while collecting a massive paycheck - the Everton Way!

My God, how has it come to this? Seriously, what in the holy hell is the thought process behind this appointment?

I'm in denial. I'll believe it when I see it because I can't, for the life of me, figure out what the Board is thinking bringing in Rafa. I've seen some stupid shit in my time, and frankly I've done some seriously stupid shit, but this takes the cake.

You see the following statement written, but never more so than now is it applicable:

Only on TW!

On a more practical note, the transfer window is open, and we need players, so it's time to put a manager in place and get to shopping.

And DK, Brent and Jamie... thanks so much for a mental image that will take me all day to expunge.

As Simon Jordan the ex crystal Palace owner said of the possibility of Everton hiring Benitez as a really bad move. He said the only project Benitez is interested in is the Benitez project. Does nobody question why if he is jsuch a stand out candidate why no other club has approached him in the last few years. I think most have decided his best days are behind him and football has moved on since he was successful. Even Allardyce was quoted this morning as saying if they thought I was a defensive coach then what do they think Benitez is. Many of our ex players have come out and said he isn't the right appointment which includes Southall, Gray and even Hutchinson says its a mistake.

For those who now suggest because of a few idiots putting up a disgraceful banner near his home, have now made them 100% behind Benitez, surely the most bizarre approach, so your against him but if someone puts
a banner near his home that most fans find abhorrent then that's a reason to know support him.

Also anyone believing the Blue Union were some form of fucking saviours are as misguided as Joe Anderson and his morals. (Socialists)

I had the exact same reaction to Mike's comments as you. Why would idiots hanging a banner change your position on getting behind Rafa? I was befuddled by the usually intelligent and sure Mike Gaynes.

He's posted it was a visceral reaction. Completely understandable in my opinion. It's a disgusting banner, so if the reaction to it is emotional, quick, and full of disgust, that's pretty understandable in my opinion again.

Not speaking for Mike, just sayin'.

Mike @ 179 -

Are you saying that this banner has turned your position to one of support for Rafa?

A banner make you do a total 180?

I'm not interrogating you, but if you can explain your position it would be interesting?

For me, a banner posted by fools simply would never change my position to get behind Rafa. It doesn't change the fanbase ire or his body of work / CV which I find lacking, never mind his boring as shit football that will be on display surely.

A few ne'er do wells won't affect her or Rafa good blues around her will make sure of that.

Be prepared to be bored out of your wits with my continual stream of negativity, bile, and shite, for the foreseeable future, if Rafa is hired!

You can always skip my posts. I won't be able to help myself.

Apologies in advance and cheers.

If I paint a bedsheet that says, "Republicans in the great state of Washington, we know where you live!"

Will you come over to the only acceptable "red" side?

😉

I have resigned myself to his appointment now. But FFS appoint him already and lets move forward with fingers and toes crossed that it works and we play attractive football. Not bloody likely but whatever.

I can't get my head around Moshiri or Usmanov. Did they have anything to do with allowing Sanchez to leave for peanuts or giving Ozil a £350 grand a week contract? I wonder.

Odd how you conclude her charity work must be "for poor souls in Caldy" I suspect it's very likely not

By all means have opinions both for and against and even protest if necessary, but do not tarnish the image of the club and the vast majority of decent Blues.

Do you mean the vile banner threatening a man painted by idiots, or a post on this thread?

If a post on this thread, which post is tarnishing the image of Everton Football Club?

However, you of all people should understand a visceral reaction. Your opposition to Rafa is, first and foremost, based on your visceral reaction to his 2008 comments. You still write about it with raw emotion.

Anyway, to be clear, I had no intention of backing him. I will now.

Being the king of visceral reactions, I do indeed understand!

I think, upon reflection, it would not make me change a position on Rafa.

Either way. You're entitled to do whatever you want, obviously!

I just can't get behind the man.

Cheers.

Mike, l get you are naturally protective of people. The banners are out of order. I'm sure the Caldy neighbourhood angels will be on high alert now.

I just don't understand the hold up. Just announce it and lets all move on. I'm sick of it. Not many Evertonians want him but what can we do but support our team... even if we are witnessing a slow motion train wreck being driven by Moshiri

So, if he's named, go Rafa. Win games.

Some people just hate. It's what they do. Pond scum.

Mike, I don't think the issues we've had with recent managers are related to whether we bought out their contract or whether they were readily available, & I doubt it would be a factor in future.

Benitez won't be any better or worse for being available - he'll be Benitez.

I'm hoping Brands has been thinking along the same lines and with the manager signed, starts bringing in those types of players so we can all say "I like it."

Fingers crossed.

If you are from a younger generation, then Columbo will go right over your head.

He seems to have done a pretty good job keeping Brighton up despite his low win percentage but by achieving a high pecentage of single pointers, whilst also being reasonably entertaining, so one can agree his credentials seem pretty good.

If we were in a stronger position squad wise I think he would be a good consideration but right now it would be a big risk and pretty expensive to buy him out of contract at Brighton (with 4 years to go).

I'm sure he will have been considered but I can understand why our board at this time have perhaps swerved him. Benitez is clearly the more pragmatic option but pragmatism is what we need right now to keep us safe and attempt to provide a foundation of sorts on which to build.

!!!! Who ??

This Management recruitment process had resistance as part of it from the start with obviously Kenwright favourites mentioned from the start and Big Name Managers being Moshiris favourites. There differences prolonging the process and being played out in the Media. Even Big Nev gave us the Stalwarts view on Benitez.

After Nuno set out his radical change conditions Benitez came into the frame, with his leave it to me approach. I have always thought that the public pronouncements of Anchelotti, would have manifested as a few home truths by Anchelitti for the benefit of Moshiri, behind the scenes and they would have a determined part in the recruitment process. Anchelotti was very much a Moshiri/Usmanov and Benitz was always going to find favour with them as, a Big Name who was tuffer and nastier than Anchelotti, able to push forward the Anchelotti plan.

The whipped up emotions has resulted in partisan protest, now even with mob incited acts.

John #79 as you say is right regarding the danger to players attitude. They have been used against Managers before and imo been willing participants.

I know where you are coming from regards the Transfer Budget and your motives are right. But I do not expect a big change from previous Summer Transfer Windows with a attempt to move deadwood and then Moshiri realising funds in the second week of August.

I expect Benitez to start head on. A meeting with Big Dunc is already been talked about regarding his role. Benitez will make it clear what he wants and Big Dunc position in that. He will name his team early, not like Anchelotti. Being a Big Name Manager he will be expected to talk to the Big Name players. He will want to improve on the existing Anchelotti plan on the training ground and add his players in the Transfer Window. It will be a shock to system at Finch Farm where probably little has been done since Anchelotti left.

This is the way I see it playing out and continuing in the same vein, throughout the season. The problem is the resistance will be still there below the surface, because the Everton Establishment do not want Benitez and Moshiri/Usmanov cannot parachute a Manager in hoping to change a whole organisation, that needs change from Top to Bottom.

Benitez has taken on a Tuf job and think expect he will be determinedly back by Moshiri and Usmanov. He is their Man.

How many of us on TW haven't ruined a few bedsheets in our time?

If I hung my bedsheets on the wall Outside my house they'd cause more offence than those in Caldy.

Reserve keeper for the U23s this season. Three appearances.

I got my first season ticket in 1962-63 season, never failed to support anyone playing for or managing my club, and I ain't going to start now. Time to get behind the new guy.

The club is about to implode.

The continuing delay and silence shows a total disregard for an increasingly confused and embittered fan base.

The board rooms current behaviour has an equivalence in that of slow, cut-back, ticky-tacky football.
And it's just as exasperating.

I reckon they are waiting for one or two managers to exit the Euros myself. I hope I am right as I think Benitez would be a catastrophe; nothing to do with him managing Liverpool – I just think he has had his time and much too negative anyway.

Club management is very different to international and these guys all have egos, which are massaged regularly at club level, so I wouldn't discount Martinez or my preferred (always has been) choice: Mancini.

I suppose it depends on the real intentions of the owners: success on the pitch or massive profit from selling up when the new stadium is built at Bramley-Moore Dock and the area regenerated.

It just seems they don't want a manager who takes no shit from anyone, including owners – but they are invariably the winning managers. We will see soon enough.

This is beyond disrespect to our fans, it's beyond embarrassing. A massive lover of Liverpool in charge of Everton, dictating to legends and coaching staff.

This feels worse than when Barmby went to them rats.

Winning 3-1 with 15 minutes to go... and out. We had that with Martinez and ended up bottom of the league. With Carlo, we had a woeful defensive record, hence all our losses.

Having a manager who builds a team based on sound defence will do me fine.

I'm not being funny (and I couldn't do something like that) but this is what happens when the club disrespects its own fans by trying to install a Liverpool legend as manager.

Everybody behaves differently and there is no doubt we have a section of supporters who will take things to a dodgy level. How it turns people's thoughts, I can only think it's really to justify letting the board take the piss with this ridiculous idea.

If it is Rafa? Welcome and good luck. This complete crap that he was Liverpool's manager and can't manage Everton? Results will determine his fate and nothing else – just like every other manager.

After the past year of living through a pandemic, surely life itself is more important and Rafa as our manager is trivial. The banners don't represent the club or me and the 99.9% of fans. Remember we support Everton FC!!

I don't think you get general human nature if you don't think such reprehensible behaviour can cause a change in sympathy towards someone.

For instance, it suggests that Benítez is whole-hearted in his desire to come and do a decent job as Everton manager. Why else would he put his family at risk of the fallout if he stinks the place out? That is enough to weaken the idea that it is just another payday or that ‘Agent Rafa' has been activated.

I also think that most supporters would ultimately decide that supporting the club is paramount – irrespective of who the manager is. And now, some who might have been inclined to show dissent will be more inclined to bite their tongues lest they get lumped in with those who are threatening actual reprisals. That isn't ‘virtue signalling'; that is just recognition that decent folk don't want to be associated with out-and-out scum.

The 'bad news' will be buried in all the England v Germany hype.

We get to pay a semi-retired manager millions to maybe get 7th on a good day... and he is semi-retired – he's already taken the easy China money option.

I'm going to take a lot of convincing.

Whilst I don't agree with targeting him at home, our board need to know how some, if not most, of the fans feel about this appointment, should it happen.

For far too long, Everton fans have been told to stop behaving like kopites when we disagree or protest at what our club does or doesn't do. The last time the shite marched, I think was due to increased ticket prices and then the Super League: the tickets were dropped to their original price, and they dropped out of the Super League. Which club is more effective at getting change? You tell me...

So, before fans start accusing me of being a Kopite, I've been going to the match since I was 8. I'm 53 now, with 2 season tickets. I've introduced my son into the club; he has only experienced disappointment. For once, I want the fans to kickoff and let the club know Rafa isn't the answer and neither is big Dunc.

For me, a wholesale clear-out of the backroom staff, Kenwright and the Old Boy network – otherwise, nothing will change. Carlo I think realised this, which is why he's no longer our manager.

Mediocrity, season after season, regardless of who is in charge or who we sign. If our fans want to kickoff, they've earned the right. More than 38,000 paying fans go to the game who have a voice, it's high time the board were reminded of that because, for far too long, we haven't made our feelings known and, until we do, we will always be in the shadow of other clubs. Leicester City… for fuck's sake, have done more than we have, sad as it is to say. Someone please tell me why?

Not my first choice but I am an Evertonian and support the team – no matter how good or shite they are. I've seen both versions.

Dwayne, have you been living under a rock (as the saying goes)?

The whole story is that the board are aware of this, which is why it is not already a done and dusted deal.

One final question: Do you think it is important whether it is ‘some' or ‘most' of the fans?

I haven't had the same 180 on Rafa as you but I'm fortunate that I don't have a personal precedent in my life that would inevitably make me feel exactly how you feel now. So respect to you, mate, for as always sticking to your principles and building on your life lessons for the greater good.

I deplore what happened to the man. I just think he's a poor choice but at the end of the day, he's one face in the crowd and I support Everton as opposed to any individual.

I know, being honest that at the first sign of trouble I'm pre-disposed to react negatively to Rafa. I hate the Fat Spanish Waiter term as I suspect many on here are fatter than the man and it's kind of juvenile. But I totally respect and understand your view, Mike.

If this is the case, I will be surprised the club ignore this altogether and press on. You'll already be on the back foot dealing with the fans unrest before anything. It would be a huge mistake.

Therefore, I still think he's just a smokescreen.

The club was left in a really difficult position with Ancelotti resigning so suddenly - The Euros being on doesn't help either. We need an experienced pragmatic manager who players will respect and Rafa Benitoez fits the bill. Not really time to cast our net wider or take a chance with someone unknown.

IMHO, there is no way that you could appoint Big Dunc at this stage. He's had a good apprenticeship under a couple of managers but, if he really wants to be a manager, then he needs to cut his teeth with a lower division club first. Having said that, I do hope he stays on with the club for now for the sake of stability.

At least it gives me the opportunity to let my head run away with unrealistic thoughts for a period. So, how does this work out from here?

1. It is Rafa and they announce it as we are on our 4th drink during the England v Germany match. The "gutted" are put out of their misery. The "disappointed" Danny's are left disappointed. The "satisfied" and "made up" will probably be okay but no doubt a few will take a reflective gulp or dry baulk at what lies ahead now that it's real!!

2. It doesn't happen either for what I say in my opening or, that all along we've been talking to one of the Euros coaches. Please don't be Southgate.

3. The club has been reading my ToffeeWeb posts and I've planted some options in their mind that they have been pursuing.

4. No-one wants us and we have to make an embarrassing and scrambling fall-back appointment of Duncan Ferguson. That's not a dig at Duncan by the way. No, I wouldn't want him as manager. It would just be a bit of an embarrassing scenario given how long this has rumbled on. Surely if Duncan was their man, he'd have been appointed straight away.

Anyway, in the real world, the dogs need walking. I'll talk them through the different scenarios and see what they think.

Probably Richard Gere as the younger hero and Robert Redford at a later age, Jenny Seagrove as the charitable CEO and Orsen Welles as the evil Johnny Foreigner. Filmed entirely on location at an aging dock, similar football ground and iconic building.

Quick, somebody, whip out and get Bill a couple more pencils before he stops saving us money by naming the new manager on the 1st of the month.

Fellow poster Lester Yip I think reckons we are waiting for Mancini and this is all smoke and mirrors. Now that would be a blockbuster with a happy ending.

Protest if you want, but do it without the threats or abuse.

@ Kim Vivian (284) – forget Jurgen... he was found out a long time ago. Not up to the task.

Si Cooper – what a load of shit. The change of heart is total social media bandwagon behaviour. Nobody is going to kill him – it's football fans, not ISIS.

The general human nature, turn it in, you would think we have requested he be harmed, the way you are going on.

I haven't got an issue with anyone condemning this act but to change your mind because of it...

Danny, I hope your early morning walk has eased your mind and your companions have given you good counsel.

Alan, Kenwright will not only be looking at producing an epic film on Broadway, he'll be wanting to produce a blockbuster play for the West End Luvvies to be entertained.

I'll be supporting Benitez if he is chosen. I think he's been looked at by the board with their full knowledge of the potential reaction from a number of us.

Spurs and Crystal Palace have both been looking for a new manager, and as far as I know still are. I can understand the anxiety from some fans, maybe most of us (including me!), for the club to get a move on in naming the next manager. However, Spurs sacked their manager in April and still haven't got a new manager. They have a guaranteed European competition for next season and a brand new stadium to attract a new manager, yet they're still managerless Crystal Palace? I guess Roy Hodgson told them well before the end of the season that he would be leaving (I see him as an Honourable man).

So Our club, is in a much more desperate position. It's understandable that they want to get the best manager (that will come) who's available and it's taking time to process. No wonder!

But I think think that Ancellotti bailing out for whatever reason, has totally fucked up the club's plans for transfers, both for recruitment and seeing the dross shifted from the squad as soon as possible.

Not only that aspect though, is it? We are hoping to see the building of a new home for Everton in a couple of years and the above plans have gone out of the window, as the previous manager's reputation in Europe to attract players was part of the plan... knackered now thanks to Ancellotti pissing off. (I think he's gone because he saw how bad we were and the enormity of the task he was facing, him... getting his house broken into might have been a factor as well.) For whatever reason, he's gone.

So the club is face with rebuilding a recruitment and redundancy policy to get better players into the squad, either buying in or from the Under-23s or both.

We need to provide an alternative strategy with (hopefully) Brands and a new manager attracting the best players we can. Difficult now that Ancellotti's gone. Brands and Benitez looks like the best option available to us for attracting players from throughout Europe, now that Nuno seems to have disagreed with the board over something.

I think the popularity chart of picking favourite managers is interesting but none of us knows all the factors going on within the club in picking a new manager. For my part, I see the criticisms of the Owner (and maybe Usmanov as well) and wonder. I wonder where'd we'd be if Moshiri had not come in and poured hundreds of millions into the club, and Usmanov not poured 10s of millions into the club (up to now).

Well, I remember Kenwright in charge and that was the dimmest 20 odd year period (enlived a bit by Moyesey at times) that I've seen in 60-odd years in watching my club. 'If' is the word, but if Moshiri and (maybe Usmanov) hadn't come into the club with hundreds of millions, we wouldn't be in this position now.
We'd probably be in the Championship. So, if Benitez is coming to the club, I'll give him my support.

As for the antics of those so-called supporters: disgusting and counter-productive.

If there's little to no investment, then they would basically be hanging Benítez out to dry before a ball is kicked.

I'm not a fan of Benítez as I think his time is done, like many of that era (eg, Mourinho). But if the choice is him with significant investment in the team then I'd take it, as we need to make a decision and get moving ahead of the season starting – and most other managers I'd prefer aren't an option at the moment.

I think significant investment in the playing squad is a pre-requisite, whoever we get. Whether we see that perceived level of investment remains to be seen. It could just be that the board are basing their decision on who they predict might get the best results using the existing toolbox, with maybe a couple of new bits from Aldi.

Whoever did it should be ashamed of themselves, but it's a tiny minority of a tiny minority of fans.

I for one, don't care about his previous Liverpool FC connections; my worry is whether he's 'yesterday's man'. He clearly think's he isn't; let him prove it.

If at Christmas we're in a European slot, he'll do for me; if we're in a relegation slot, he can go.

If anyone thinks these views make me not a 'proper' Evertonian, I've attended [just about] every home game since 1975; dozens of away games (some of the early ones with Rob Halligan); I've been there when we won the League, I've been there when we won the FA Cup, and I was there when we won a European trophy.

ps: A friend who is a life-long Newcastle fan has just told me: "I'd have him back in a heartbeat."

The banners outside the ground, the writings on the walls round here... Yep, no big problem... but it gives the press a whale of a time. We've still got a "Silva Out" in one of the streets leading up to Goodison Road. (You never know, it might come in handy if he's signed again.)

But that banner supposedly outside his house wasn't a matter of numbers, it was a matter of intimidating an innocent family.

As for the "Always the victims, never to blame" – Michael Lynch is spot on. No retribution for the intimidation of the the Man City players going up Arkles Lane. No headlines in the press either.

One newspaper today says Benitez has signed a 3-year deal – no financial detail given but it must be in the region of £6 million a year to make him take over at Everton.

Anyway you look at it, Benitez is thick-skinned and will ignore any bile directed at him... he's on a sure=fire winner: bring any sort of success, he wins... makes a total bollocks of it all and he gets sacked. Ching-Ching – another £15-18 million in the bank to go with his Chinese fortune. Tough being a Premier League manager??

I'm sure he wants to know "what will my footballing legacy be?" and I really hope it doesn't fizzle out for him and become about some stained bedsheets. I think he has the talent to bring us success.

I, like us all, want Everton to succeed and he might just be the right man at the right time to do this... NSNO

Doesn't this just show what an ignorant, pathetic club we are and what we have come to expect?

We become less Everton on a daily basis.

I couldn't agree more, the banners are shameful but I won't change my mind on him becoming our manager.

I'm gutted, I don't want him anywhere near Goodison Park.

How about £20k a week with a bonus scheme to a max £50k pw and the club has an option to terminate without compensation if we spend 4 weeks below 11th place or don't advance beyond 2 rounds of any cup competition, and on a season-by-season rolling contract.

It's not as though he has to uproot the family to a part of the world they may not fancy.

The other question has to be what is the point of having Duncan Ferguson as an assistant coach for the 5th time, surely if he has any ambition at all of managing this club he needs to manage a club, just like Neil Critchley left coaching Liverpool U23s to manage Blackpool, and a good job he is doing as well.

The one big change that has happened in the past 12 months is the lowering of the average age of our U23 squad. Seeing Brands has been here a couple of years and not done this I guess this must have been down to Ancelotti. Having 21 year olds playing in this group shows that the U23 system is not up to scratch, most of the top sides their U23 sides are filled with 18-year-olds.

Our lack of producing good young players for the first team is very poor, apart from Tom Davies we don't have any players who have been brought through our academy system for years. Calvert-Lewin was poached from Sheffield Utd so we cant include him in this process.

The problem is that the longest any manager has lasted under Moshiri's stewardship has been 18 months, so hardly time to build a decent first team squad never mind overseeing the massive job of starting from scratch and producing an academy that works properly.

Seems the main criteria of Moshiri and Usmanov is try and keep Everton in the Premier League till the new stadium is built at Bramley-Moore Dock then they can sell up and recoup their losses and maybe even make a profit which is their main goal. Usmanov has said he will always be an Arsenal fan but Kronke has blocked him ever owning that club, so he decides to put his puppet Moshiri in charge of Everton.

In Moshiri's own words, when he took over the ownership of the club, he stated that he thought it would only take up 5% of his time and, as he has said, he is having to spend more time than he anticipated. So, if someone thinks they only intend to spend 5% of their time looking after a Premier League club, it hardly smacks of 100% commitment.

Now many will say "But they have pumped in £100s of millions" – which is absolutely true, but they can't afford for Everton to drop out the top tier; otherwise, their plans go up in smoke and we become another Sunderland, great stadium but little else.

This is the start of ridiculous debate and can you imagine if he's called 'Agent Benitez' at some point because he's not doing so well? You will see fireworks then.

John @302. We know mate. Dough balls he's got, a whole oven full.

Give me somebody who will steadily improve us, stick around, and get every ounce of effort out of what we do have.

We have now had 25 years of incompetence, Kenwright's sole achievement being the avoidance of relegation.

Moshiri (and presumably Usmanov) have made several mistakes but we are otherwise extremely fortunate to have such wealthy backers.

The “real Everton” with Kenwright or someone similar with an “up-and-coming” manager in the Championship? Or Moshiri and Usmanov with Benitez? Absolutely no contest.

Guess what, you can condemn mindless thugs and still detest the idea of that man coming into this club.

On the subject of maturity and lunatics, I can't believe some allow their own agenda to cloud their own judgement.

Kenwright, for all his clown-like persona, has chosen Moyes and Martinez as his last 2 managers. Moshiri has had Koeman, Allardyce, Silva, and Ancelotti.

Who chose best? If your are going to let your agenda choose, you still won't find much difference in quality from Moshiri's choices.

I think these type of agendas hold us back a bit with all the other reasons because it always appears to be a waste of time gossiping about Kenwright (with anger and bitterness in mind).

I think we all need to step away from the anger, witch hunt and name-calling. Benitez will probably be an employee of Everton, so what? He is a safe appointment in football terms and that is what Moshiri needs and wants. To be clear, he isn't my choice either but slating what has he won? Since 2005, the Premier League has been awash with oligarchs and oil money. There is only 3 domestic competitions in England that can be won, with the exception of Leicester and a Spurs League Cup win, the same group of teams have shared the trophies, so critism of him on that score is unreasonable.

For clarity, Benitez wasn't sacked at Newcastle, he actually walked away from the contract offered him as Ashley confirmed the transfer pot was miniscule. In China, it was a mutual agreement to tear up his contract as the league was suspended due to the pandemic.

Everton, in many years we have won 1 FA Cup and that was actually 26 years ago. Just maybe it's time for an unpalatable truth. We all love Everton but we aren't the top draw for elite managers that we believe we should be; we don't have a central London location, we don't have a sexy sparkling new stadium, and our squad is at best dysfunctional and awful. So who in their right mind would take the job?

We are in a potential marriage of convenience situation, Benitez wants the gig, he lives local but, more importantly, we need stability and the realisation we ain't a European Elite Club...

As Evertonians, we all want what is best for the club.

In my job I know my limitations. I know who is better suited to achieve certain goals. I also know my strengths and how my contributions can make a difference.

Kenwright can't be asking questions of himself or his performance. His tenure is the worst in the club's history. Some of the worst decisions in our history have been made with him at the helm.

It's time for him to step aside. He would walk away making more money out of the club than his actual business.

He needs to let someone else have a go. He is making himself look like anything other than a proper Evertonian. His ego is bigger than his support of the blues.

Time to go, Bill.

Perhaps the sympathy arises for Benitez because many people from the city are usually generous of spirit and quite often defend those who are unfairly targeted, regardless of which club in the city they support or represent. Of course, it's not mutually exclusive that the banners can be condemned and not be in favour of Benitez.

I don't want Benitez, never did, but once he's appointed, he becomes the manager of Everton Football Club and, for the sake of the club, I'll wish him well. Who has done the most damage to Everton's reputation, the mindless moronic few who emblazoned sheets with vile and sinister messages or the Spaniard who once said we were a small club?

If anybody should be reviled in connection with the Everton manager's job, it should be Carlo Ancelotti. He said he wanted to be in the hot-seat when the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock opened, he said he loved the club and the city, whilst he condemned the European Super League, but his move to Real Madrid proved him to be untruthful and disingenuous.

Benitez, if appointed, should be judged on his actions at Goodison and on the results he obtains with the team. We don't have to like his personality or his past, but surely we can be graceful enough to give him a chance to give it a go. If he gets it badly wrong, he'll take the flak – and rightly so.

I spoke to another very good Newcastle supporting friend earlier. He too, like another I spoke to, would bite our arms off to have Benitez back and with regards to the protests / banners, he told me it was tame compared to the stick Bruce has been getting. And he is a native Geordie right?? I guess this may only be the start and it could go toxic quickly if things don't go well early doors.

To reiterate, in poll terms, I'm "disappointed Danny", but it's always interesting to get an external perspective.

I was firmly in the "Carlo Out" camp from about March last season, when it was clear he had no idea how to fix things. But Benitez is a very bad idea from the start and I'm expecting a hostile atmosphere at Goodison to have a negative impact on the pitch.

As much as I am disappointed with Benitez, I think we need to just get on with it now. It's our team, our club, and we all want what's best for it.

He has won trophies, he has Premier League experience, and there are worse candidates out there, to be honest.

Let's just get behind whatever decision is made and support our club in the coming season.

However, unlike you, I am neither particularly surprised nor outraged that some people are saying that they will now swallow their misgivings and show outward support for him if he is appointed because they very much want to distance themselves from these threatening messages.

It is not that most people will have completely changed their minds; it is just that the sense of ‘fair play' has been shaken for many, and so naturally any of them who were pretty ambivalent before will have shifted into the ‘everyone gets a fair crack' category.

Perhaps what you are upset about is the fact that there weren't a lot more ‘hardcore' fans who are utterly opposed to Benítez being appointed in the first place?

Spot on

Too many on here ready to make assumptions with no evidence whatsoever.

I was born an Evertonian and have been going to the match regularly for the last 50 years. I won't be going back until Benitez gone. Not because of the link with Liverpool FC. (I would have welcomed Brendan Rodgers.) I don't believe Benitez is currently up to the task and the way he has been appointed with no concern for the views of the fans, combined with the huge risk involved, leaves me feeling totally disenfranchised.

Not to mention VAR, the Gobshite Media love-in and the general lack of motivation in the Everton squad – we need a strong manager and strong vociferous captain (not blaming this on Benitez, of course).

The risk is that this appointment goes totally belly-up, leaving the fans split, with Usmanov & Moshiri cutting their losses, leaving our Premier League status and the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock as a distant memory.

With all this dilly-dallying to appoint a new manager, maybe, just maybe, he is the manager of a Euro 2020 team still in the competition?? Not Southgate!

It is a job at the end of the day, like boycotting a particular brand of razor blades because someone else has bought them out. A poor analogy perhaps but the best I could think of at the time of writing.

No! It is because of his lack of success since basically leaving Liverpool. I know it could be argued that he won something at Chelsea where again he was a very unpopular choice, but he took over an established team of expensive Internationals, he didn't build that team!

Again at Napoli, he won Coppa Italia and Super Coppa Italia with a similar scenario; he didn't build, it was already there on a plate for him!

Apart from a few individuals at Everton, we need an overhaul of personnel in the main, but how do you get rid of expensive misfits on ridiculous contracts? For all those promoting Benitez, pray tell me what he will provide in terms of tactics and team building and entertaining too in the process? Oh you hadn't looked that far ahead!

Simply not good enough in my opinion.

If we want mid-table then at least save some money and give it to someone else who costs less, demands less and tries to play decent football whilst giving the kids a chance.

If it's to try and challenge the top 6 and not be concerned about the style of football or fans opinions we should have kept Sam.

If nothing else Moshiri should be made to play football manager so he at least understands some basic footballing concepts.

Then either trust Brands or bring in someone with genuine football intelligence. How about Wenger as manager, coach, footballing director or general advisor.

Imagine the Liverpool fans if they go 1-0 up in a derby, the stick will be relentless, and if a couple of bed sheets with naughty words on upsets people, then imagine the shit he'll take if we find ourselves around the bottom 6 come the New Year.

To be honest, I think I preferred it when we were skint before Bill blagged Moshiri.

I thought the same but, if that was true, surely the club should have come out and squashed the Spanish One's rumours.

They don't have to react to any link in the papers but this one has been here for a few weeks now, has gotten completely out of hand and clearly is getting people very upset and possibly in danger.

They could easily have stopped this nonsense, as could the Spanish camp, if it wasn't true. Therefore, it must be true. (Although no level of irresponsibility in football surprises me anymore.)

But the whole point is to get the best for Everton. Someone to believe in, unite players, fans and the whole club.

Rafa is obviously NOT going to do that, it's starting off on the wrong foot. Move on to the next target.

Does Mancini still have a house in Cheshire? Does Joachim Low want to rent from Klopp or take advice from a German compatriot on life on Merseyside?

I think I'm clinging again.

It's happening.

No-one will convince me that Benitez is a good fit for Everton. The longer Moshiri has been in charge of the club, the greater has been my disillusionment with his ability to create a successful club.

Silva and Martinez is easy to say now in hindsight.

“I just can't see him doing a good job with our shitbag squad” – very true, Mick. That's what worries me much more than who will be appointed manager, whether it be Benitez or if we were allowed to pick and get the best manager in the world. The squad, at the moment, is very, very poor, so whoever gets the nod to manage it has a very difficult time ahead of him. Not so much “In Rafa we Trust” – more: “God help him and us!”

I thought ToffeeWeb poll was 44% against!! Certainly nowhere near 90%

It will be even more difficult if players jump on the anti bandwagon. Big Nev's anti-Benitez announcement reflects where the stalwarts are, but more concerning is reports that the 'loyal hardworking staff' do not want to work for Benitez, though resignations have not been mentioned, as you would expect.

I saw no poll that was 90% of fans were against Benitez.

Maybe the man who just keeps on giving has now had orders from his boss to start slowly getting rid of the king of the blaggers, or maybe that's just my wishful thinking, even though the appointment of Benitez makes me think that they've finally stopped listening to Bill Kenwright.

I'd disagree that Ancelotti had anything to do with Everton, other than the first team though, Brian. I'd argue this is the work of Marcel Brands, who has hopefully made everyone at Finch Farm realise that the Under-23s only real purpose should be trying to develop players who, with good coaching, might eventually be good enough for Everton's first team.

Possibly Benitez might be the first manager in the last 5 or 6 years to be interested enough to find out and try and fix the obvious mess himself. I wouldn't ask the coaches remaining at Finch Farm to see their coaching badges, but watch them perform instead – that might tell him a lot about their ability, and he may act accordingly.

“Is that a dagger or a crucifix I see”, as I'm sure even the non religious, will be saying a prayer for Everton, such is our despair right now?

My own view is that Everton have somehow got something cancerous inside our football club right now, but I hope I'm wrong, and it's just been that we've got too many people on Easy Street.

If it is a cancer, then it's probable that Benitez will just add to our problems. But, if it's the other, then who knows? Maybe he might even be what we've needed for a very long time, such is the belligerence of the man?

It's no good having a firefighter with a bomb strapped to his body, though, which is how I currently view this appointment, when I read what a lot of Evertonians are saying about Benitez being appointed right now.

Think worst-case scenario, as many have on here, and it will inevitably happen. I can't put up a defense for him whatsoever and I dread the appointment. It's just destined to end in disaster. Worrying times indeed.

"It's no good having a firefighter with a bomb strapped to his body."

That's the best analogy I've read of a potential Benitez appointment.

If we can't do better than this with the plethora of managers out there, then I fear for the future of our club with these clowns in charge.

Here is the verbatim quote from the Echo poll published last week:

"One of the queries simply centred around whether fans would like to see Benitez become the club's manager or not, and those who responded were damning in their verdict.

From over 2,200 answers, 72.4% of those who took part did not want to see the former Liverpool boss in charge at Goodison."

I'm sure you know what I'm going to say, but catastrophic is going through the motions imo, having an owner who robbed Peter to pay Paul, and even tried to take us to fucking Kirkby on a freebie, as I look back through the years, and remember what my club used to exist for.

Usmanov obviously doesn't know, or doesn't give a fuck about our true feelings, but I heard one of our directors got on the phone to apologise for his abruptness, explaining that it was because he's only interested in winners, something every Evertonian, has long forgotten about, because Kenwright's only goal was to not let fucking go, and how we've suffered, becoming plucky little Everton, in the process.

Maybe Everton are going to leave it late to announce a new manager, then that will be their excuse as to why we couldn't sign any players as time ran out. If they don't sort this quickly, we will become a relegation team.

Any manager hired is only as good as the players he has to work with. I will wait until I see what he can do with the squad, either good or bad, before I will pass judgement on him. But I will still support Everton FC.

I live in Canada now but was a season ticket holder before I left, and that meant I supported Everton FC before the season started. I am not passing judgement on any person who writes up and says they will not attend any games, that is their prerogative, but to me they are not supporting Everton FC – they are protesting against one employee.

We are Evertonians who unfortunately were born to suffer, and that is what makes us better than other supporters who join other clubs because they are more successful.

Do not let the appointment of one man cloud your judgement of something that is above an individual, and that is Everton FC.

Some players are great, they get signed and, for whatever, style, tactics, they don't produce the goods. Same with managers. We've had great managers on past and on paper, but who've not produced the goods.

The present top managers need the back-up (ie, cash) to back them up – though there will always be a maverick who defies the odds. Same with Benitez or Ferguson or Pep. They will come here and bring success or failure. We have no say in the matter.

The only thing we can do with whoever it is is to support him until it goes tits up. Everton will always be here, we will always be here. Players and managers won't.

Take away the Liverpool connections; people say he plays boring football. He's also fat... he said this, he said that...

People are liars. They need to get over his red connection and stop slagging him ad infinitum and back a man who is clearly a winner and who wants to manage us.

Or just continue to say "What has he won recently?" "He's Allardyce Mk 2" etc.

Mark my words, he'll lift this club out of the doldrums – provided people give him a chance.

The Geordies literally could not believe their luck when they got him. An A-List manager was prepared to help them out and actually stayed with them to bring them back up. He did that cos he wants to stay in this country, and cos he's a gobby sod, most of the big clubs won't go near him. But his coaching skills are reflected in the honours list.

Now, David Moyes is a good manager, we probably appreciate that more having seen the last few years. But Google 'David Moyes honours', and have a look at the list. Then Google 'Rafa Benitez honours" – and see whether we think he's any good?

'Cos, before he went to Newcastle for personal reasons, it was trophies all the way.

I don't really give a fuck what cups Rafa has won. For me, Rafa is nothing more than a total twat and I can easily see him singing YNWA with his red chums and talking about the good old days when he managed a Champions League winning side.

Good, fuck off back there.

Though I have mentioned Brands as being involved in Transfers, which appears peppered over every search for New Manager Information, I have a feeling I am getting carried away this year, with the early transfer speculation I normally avoid, but can't due to the protacted Manager search. I am just hoping/ wishing a right back and pacey midfielder may pop up early, to give Benitez a chance.

But even if I had the fertile imagination that Michael Kenrick credits me with I can not come up with the Finch Farm scene you describe. Brands in more likely trying to make himself important and relevant regarding the New Manager appointment. My vision of Finch Farm is afternoon sunbathing, smoking behind the shed and relaxing out of the sun in the morning allowing proper digestion of a Big Fry up. There will be little regret that Anchelotti has gone or no excitement for the New Arrival, with unrepeatable infamy type conversations the order of the day. (They have got it in for me)

They will have done little since Anchelotti has left, but will look busy when Benitez Security Detail drives in. A surprise visit is out due to mugging considerations on the way.

Benitez is going to have to meet the situation head on. I would suggest he put a helmet on and watch Rollerball for advice.

People may not particularly want to believe the shit you spout but, like shit, it sticks:

They're all on easy street.

There's a cancer running through the club.

There are factions left, right and centre.

All the ex-Everton players who are coaches are incompetent.

Etc, etc etc.

You never have any evidence for the utter shit you post. I would shut you down because you've proven time and agian, over and above all else, that you do not provide any value whatsoever.

I have just read that he is bitterly disappointed and other members are a bit baffled by his omission from the squad.

After his vapid pregame team talks, the captains would meet on the pitch during warmups to plan what we were really going to do. Klinsmann had zero tactical acumen and would change lineups almost randomly. He once put out a back four for a WC qualifier that had never even practiced together. He was a chaotic dilettante.

The only thing he could teach our players is how to dive for penalties, and VAR has reduced the value of that skill set.

Mr. Brands might welcome a manager who isn't just going through the motions but will be trying to earn an extension to whatever contract he gets, he might even slowly, very slowly, change the minds of many Everton fans who don't want him here. It's also more than possible that I'm a very naive fan, but at least I'll be giving the new manager a chance before he has started.

No one knows if he will be a good manager. Three games as as stand in manager only proves he was good as a stand in manager for those three games. It's not enough evidence to justify a permanent position.

Howard Kendall first cut his teeth at Blackburn before coming to us, and even then it wasn't all smooth sailing. Duncan desperately needs experience elsewhere. He needs to prove himself as a successful manager at another club before being considered as a future Everton Manager. Sentimentality can't come into it.

This is the tweet from The Athletic describing his disappointment, but there's no quote from the player:
https://twitter.com/GregOK/status/1409874546044383242

Too many people trade off being Evertonians imo, but I could be wrong because I was training at Everton when Colin Harvey, was in charge and also when he was sacked, and although all the fans were giving Terry Darrocotte and Mike Lyons a lot of stick at the time, Lyons was nowhere near the first team squad then, although when I look back now, I do think Everton was a lot nicer environment than what I'd been used to at Forest, (way to nice) but that was possibly because of Clough's acid tongue.

Maybe it's because (allegedly) "he's started to get a bit of a gob on him", also known as fulfilling his media duties as and when instructed to do so by the England management team.

Brian M, I don't see Benitez as a blinkered appointment mate. I see it as divisive and dangerous, but if it's true that Everton spoke to a lot of candidates, I'd guess that he was probably the person who impressed Usmanov the most, otherwise he wouldn't be going for him?

Maybe he's secretly wanted the Everton job, maybe he impressed because he actually knew quite a bit about our club, and might have even suggested things that might already be happening?

All speculation on my part, although I did here that in the meeting in which Usmanov told Bill Kenwright to be quiet, that word got back that this big Uzbek, is only interested in winners.

This means it might have been blinkered Brian, because out of all the names thrown into the managers hat, I'm not sure they interviewed many real winners, and this is possibly why a lot of us didn't really know who we wanted?

Enough said.

Disaster. Only hope now is he proves us all wrong.

18:44
BENITEZ SET FOR EVERTON JOB

While there is no confirmation from Everton, Rafa Benitez is the club's new manager.

The finer details of the contract have been ironed out and he will become Carlo Ancelotti's successor.

Everton are expected to confirm the appointment tomorrow.

We understand the former Liverpool Manager has agreed a three-year deal at Goodison Park

God, now we'll never know he's been appointed!

My footy fix will for this season consist of Championship highlights on Quest and the Welsh Premier League on S4C.

I'm so fucking angry with my beloved club right now...I honestly believe that ONLY the unthinkable will be only way of this mess and we can finally be rid of the fraudsters that inhabit our boardroom that have brought us nothing but empty words and shame.

NSNO...MY ARSE

We all know mid table mediocrity and no cups beckon next season regardless of who manages us.

Now that we have "Rafa" we can all have something to get het up about besides the football.

The usual pain points of shit midfield, slow players, Sigurdsson's transfer fee and "the deadwood" can all take 2nd stage to our new manager.

Welcome aboard for the next 18 months anyhow!

So, will he be in charge of the catering or what!!?

...How day 180 looks will remain to be seen.

No point in getting hot and bothered about Rafa, we had Moyes for 11 years. We haven't been a force for over 30, we all want CL football, but until the deadwood midfielders on high salaries come to end of contracts we are knackered. The damage was done by Koeman/Walsh.

Hopefully have it nailed preseason but meanwhile anyone got some old bedsheets spare? No need for paint I've got loads of spray cans in the shed and is "twat" spelt with a capital or lower case "t"

Link

How many vowed never to go again after the sales of Bobby Collins, Alan Ball, Lineker etc? Life goes on.

If he's our new coach, then we get behind him.

And to those worrying about the RS taking the piss, here's some news: they have been for the best part of 50 years.

Vamonos azules!

Like it or not?

Benitez to be confirmed but some positive news... Everton's commercial arm about to launch a new range of "street" (ghetto for you?) bed linen.

Sod's law, that just when we think everything is lost the club will have a resurgence under Benitez and start to perform well. Rafa the Red will transform into Benni the Blue before our disbelieving eyes.

Maybe it will form the basis of one of Bill's shows, a comedy/tragedy – after all, he has turned us into a pathetic laughing stock while he counts the millions he has stashed behind his sofa.

Now, with a dysfunctional squad and some desperate owners who have stadium stimulation syndrome, the guy who took the boat to Shanghai at that time may not be the sturdy sailor to right this ship .

Welcome to Everton, you kopite. You are exactly 1 game away from the home crowd turning on you - if they haven't already.

Just so many negatives I don't know where to begin:

1) The arrogance of the board in making such an appointment.
2) The waste of time in having a so called Director of Football.
3) The washed up, negative, boring manager now expected to inspire those around him.
4) The sly timing of the briefing to the journalists tonight.
5) Being absolutely buzzed off by our loveable neighbours when this goes tits up. Which it will.
6) Paying the useless dinosaur off before his 3 years (fuck me, why did we agree to 3 years!) are up. Happy retirement Rafa.

I predict a riot.

I will be raising a glass to Duncan tonight. At least we all know what the powers that be at our club think of the big man now.

They must do to appoint this has-been instead. 💩

I still don't think he's the one to do the whole package, but I will gladly concede defeat if he proves me wrong! :-)

If we do well then he'll become a blue legend and will create years of stability, as he won't be off at the first offer.

If he does badly, well everyone that didn't approve can say "I told you so," and we start over again looking for a half-decent manager that wants to manage us.

Now, let's get to signing talent. Soon.

This new season is a great opportunity for us all to start afresh. At the end of the day, Rafa will not be here for life, but Everton will always be. NSNO

I even have a hunch old FSW will do well with us.

He would not have been my first choice - or second, or third - but the field kept dwindling. And he certainly wants to prove a point, as he clearly does not need the money.

Let's give the man a chance - more than that, let's give ourselves one!

COYB!

FACT! There was zero vision with this appointment.

FACT! Mr. Brands has been castrated in his duties.

FACT! Mid-table glory awaits us.

FACT! The fanbase will get toxic.

Forget the "small club" thing. Can't we do any better than his recent record?

This appointment is a dull one, almost a lazy choice that stinks of survival and not progress.

PR is worse than treason.

I just don't think I can get behind this. Part of me is hoping he will sort out our underperforming midfielders and bomb them out and it will all work out. But I just can't get away from the fact that this is a toxic appointment. We are a toxic club at the best of times. The knives come out for all the managers, they were even being sharpened for Ancelotti, and he had our best win percentage since Kendall mark 1! That's just the club we have become.

10 games in, if we've lost a couple of games, there'll be calls for his head and we'll be back to square one again. I think I'm done with Everton.

You're just taking me out of context.

Not a fan, but I definitely don't want him to fail> If it works, I'll be delighted, EFC comes first. We were hopeful over previous managers, and it turned to despair, so when we least expect it, could he prove everyone wrong?

We need more youth through the system.

Or did we just sign the guy who likes the double quarter pounder with cheese, large fry, and a bed-pan sized soda?

Can you tell the anger is bubbling up in me?

The club is bigger than any individual. Stick with it 0either he will be sacked within 18 months or (please God) he will really show us what he is made of and we will all be happy!

Everton FC will be around long after he has gone.

We're a horrible fan base and that really depresses me. A bit of stability with any of those managers and we'd be in a better position. Silva with Brands would have done for me. Alas, we'll be on a new manager in a year, no doubt.

He will need to hit the ground running, imagine the atmosphere if he doesn't get a win in his first 3 or 4 games.

Imagine waiting on news that is likely to be bad, waiting and waiting... considering every possible outcome. When it comes, it is a relief... we look for a. silver lining. And I've found it.

Better to be in the middle of shit than waiting to take the plunge.

We're in it now, the only way is out.

Let's see what you can do, Rafa. Nothing could be worse than the shite that Ancelotti served up in the last few months.

Just hope the ground can get built and these fools sell up quick enough, but I fear things will probably get a lot worse before that stadium arrives. Plenty more horrendous decision-making will be evident, just like the last six seasons.

What an owner!

Leeds Utd are currently a lot more appealing set up than Everton. Over the decades, we have sunk to even lower depths, the rot set in a while back.

You are saying we are a horrible fan base for wanting managers out yet you are predicting Benitez will be gone in 12 months before he has even clocked on. At least give him time to get his coat off, have a cup of tea, and begin the job.

There is always a bright side of life.

"Better to be in the middle of shit than waiting to take the plunge"

Not quite as evocative as Wordsworth's "I wandered lonely as a cloud"... but effective nonetheless!

A has-been lover of the shite.

The headline something like "What were they thinking in appointing Benitez?" awaits.

The press conference (if there is one) will be interesting, as will the derby if he is still about!

It has to be that none of the other candidates wants the fucking job — that's me consoling myself with this appointment.

Having said that, if this is what we've got then he'll get my support. I'm prepared to give him 6 months to prove me wrong.

And who knows, if he's done knee slides in front of the Kop after giving them a battering by the end of the season, then I could still be won over.

But it will take no less than knee slides in front of the Kop.

There is a lot of opposition to this, obviously from a historical standpoint. But I think this is a world away from appointing someone like Steven Gerrard (who it is obvious loathes Everton, and perhaps with good reason). Whereas I don't think Rafa loathes Everton at all.

In fact, I think he really likes scousers, and nothing would please him more than to send us up the table and improve upon what has – let us not forget – been a truly dire season.

I think the concerns as to which camp he is now in will be washed away once he goes up against Klopp. I can see them really rubbing each other up the wrong way, and once he starts having his little digs on our behalf, we'll be away.

I've absolutely no concerns about the football style, I think it will be good enough. Let's face it, Sam Allardyce never won the Champions League, did he? There is a difference.

Imposters like that Clown Ballague have pushed this and debated with disgruntled fans for days.

Moshiri can do one for me now. I'll never forgive this. The arrogance from the board is horrible for me and I can't support a kopite legend, regardless of how anyone else feels about that.

I am struggling to generate any enthusiasm for the new season and regret renewing my season ticket.

If Benitez is seen by the hierarchy as the way forward, then God help us.

Until today, I was hoping this would just be a bad dream. I will always be an Evertonian, just not one who goes to Goodison until he has gone. 'Once Everton has touched you' is so true and that is why I am at a loss to understand why the Board is agreeing to this.

I no longer want the long letters from DBB telling us season ticket holders how much they value our support. Yeh, right...

I also better go and collect my bedsheets and get them back the mrs hit the roof when she couldn't find them in the cupboard.

Players and managers aren't fans, they couldn't really care less which club they are at, so long as they are at a club. They are all trying to succeed, so don't stress about him being a former RS manager, I'm sure he will do his best.

Will it be enough? Well, his predecessors didn't exactly set the world alight, so he doesn't have a very high bar to beat.

The club is us, and we will be around (hopefully) long after the present board, management and players are gone. We will always have someone new to complain about.

Allardyce was a horrible self serving individual with no respect for our fan base who played dire methodical prehistoric football who never had any success

Benitez conversely is a horrible self serving individual with no respect for our fan base who plays dire methodical prehistoric football who had success at the start of the century.

Thats a good point. I await the email to explain this Moshiri appointment.

I am curious as to what your thinking is when you said this, particularly the last four words.

"But I think this is a world away from appointing someone like Steven Gerrard (who it is obvious loathes Everton, and perhaps with good reason)."

Not a manager who will only be here for less than half of that. Which is the reason we are in this mess.

"pretty low" is his two footed challenge on Naysmith - I despise him.

Blue noses falling into line.. you really think so.

In 55 years being a blue I've not seen anything as disgraceful as this managerial appointment.

For me, Blue noses will never chant Rafa's name. Not Ever.

On match day Goodison is going to be one toxic stadium. The Southampton game, for our Rafa, is already a must win game.

What a kick in the gonads this is for the fans. I'd rather do a Leeds for the next 10 years than have my club run by this man for 10 games.

What a kick in the gonads this is for the fans. I'd rather do a Leeds for the next 10 years than have my club run by this man for 10 games.

It bounced off him, he went home had a look at all his winners medals, his online bank account to see it had grown by another digit and smiled.

Footballers have been taking stick like that since the stone age, it's our prerogative and their duty to be thick skinned.

I can't wait for your chorus of "Oh Rafa we love you, oh yes we do".

You'll be part of very select group, maybe even a soloist, are you up for it?

This will be a telling time in EFC history? But.

But and at the fallout, let's bring it on.. Everton is bigger and will last and for some we will smash it.

What's Our Name?

If Rafa gets 2 or 3 wins out of his first 5 games it will be a miracle so guys - please don't expect him to "hit the ground running". I for one will be right behind him (how can I not be), and wish him all the luck and support in the world while he gets his teeth into the job of getting our misfiring squad in tune.

I know it doesn't quite look right but : Good Luck Rafa Benitez, Evertonian.

Moshiri has balls but is also guilty of poor judgment at times. Two of his other managerial acquisitions are managing arguably the two biggest club sides in the world so I don't think you can charge him with not having aspirations to win.

This appointment is totally different than that B of Fat Sam (contentious as well) this guy has actually won stuff, now his best days might be behind him but I'll give him ago and I don't give a fuck about his past comments or who he managed before.

Anyone giving away their season tickets I could do with one and maybe some of those on that waiting list will take one off yer hands.

Why the fuck would they make such an appointment, it's self sabotage.

I'm still gutted Silva didn't work out but welcome Mr Benitez I just hope for all concerned you hit the ground running.

But hopefully the Everton lawyers have done their due diligence.

No more Italian jobs. It can only get better.

Il keep my views to myself.

This will be a telling time in EFC history? But.

But and at the fallout, let's bring it on.. Everton is bigger and will last and for some we will smash it, soon.

What's Our Name?

Love him or loathe him, let's just get behind whomever is representing our Everton.

But I'm not expecting any stunning victories in front of the Kop under him, we must moderate our expectations, after all we're only a small club!

He left Moshiri, the players and us in the lurch and he is the real villain in what has happened in the last three months. His explanation to us “an unexpected opportunity has arisen”. Big club - little club??

My initial reaction when Benitez came into the frame was that it left me feeling depressed but if he gets appointed I am going to put behind me the fact that he is an ex Liverpool manager and hope for the best from him.

I have made a decision to look forward to the excitement of the transfer window and the start of the new season.

Up the Blues!!

We don't have any Spanish players so can I propose "Ra Ra Ra Rafa Benitez, Ra Ra Ra Rafa Benitez, Richardson, Calvert-Lewin and Gomes?"

Night night.

The Florida Cup...Forth
The Premier League...Eleventh.
League Cup...Third round exit.
F.A Cup...Fourth round exit.

I'll be checking the final scores to see if am proven sadly right.

I'll ALWAYS love my club,but sadly atm,all I feel is hate.

Sorry folks,but this would be an all-time low point in our history.

I wasn't as flush as him but I didn't mind spending in a bid to win the object of my desire (for only the one night in my case, not three years minimum with me to pay a fortune for a permanent floppy throughout).

Anyway, there were times I desperately bedded the sort of lass who in the morning scorned a shave before she went to work as a riveter at Fords Halewood.

I only did it twice though, so I now wonder if there's a vacancy on the board for someone who knows when to stop splashing out on hopeless fantasies everyone else, and I mean EVERYONE else, leaves well alone?

Benítez has the experience and confidence, some would say arrogance, to ignore all the local noise about his arrival and focus on making the maximum impact on the things within his control. His reputation is that of a hard worker, someone who will try his utmost to make a difference. There are no guarantees of success, of course, but I doubt his tenure will end in abject failure.

Many of my pals go the game out of habit, tradition, community, etc., and they don't usually fret about the manager, unless he's producing bad football or his team is unmotivated.

The crowd responds to what the players do or don't do out on the pitch, and the Everton fanbase has never really 'worshipped' any manager, even Howard or Harry, certainly not during their days in charge, they received deserved plaudits when they did well and brick-bats when they didn't.

The other lot over the park are the ones who tend to go overboard about their managers much more than any other club in England. I suppose that's one of the reasons that Benitez's association with them is a thorn in the side of so many Blues on here and elsewhere, personally, I don't give a monkey's about that, grown men who truly think that a football manager should be treated as a god-like being or the devil incarnate is a bit of a mystery to me.

The game is and always will be about the players and what they do and how they perform, obviously, a manager can influence that with his tactics and his motivational skills, but like Ancelotti claimed they are not magicians, just mere mortals doing their jobs to the best of their abilities, if they fail they move on and are replaced. If they succeed they get the plaudits and will be remembered fondly by the supporters, but giving them godlike status is not something I feel the need to do, and I suspect quite a few Evertonians would agree.

Good luck Mr. Benitez, I think you may need it, not due to the negative reactions of some Evertonians to your appointment but because the squad needs a major overhaul and you won't have much time to make the necessary changes to fix it.

If Benitez can get the players to put in the hard yards and make them competitive that'll do for a start, if the same uninspired football continues for the remainder of this calendar year, then Duncan [assuming he's retained on the staff] will be celebrating the New Year as the new Everton manager and Mr. Moshiri will have to pay a few bob in compensation and Mr. Benitez can enjoy the New Year a bit richer than he was last year.

I was going to say it'll be fun to see what happens but I don't think there will be much fun to be had.

Morrissey, Sheedy, Barmby and Ablett are the only ones I can recall being directly bought by us from "them", the latter two in the twilight of their careers, as was and remains Kenwright's want. But they were good.

Otherwise I can't recall even a tea-lady having served both clubs, never mind a manager or coach.

The entrenched division between us and "them" should be obvious to Stevie Wonder, never mind our current owner or his dysfunctional boardroom, still chaired by serial-failure Bill.

I'm 66.

If whoever is actually in charge of Everton has any ambition to keep loyal fans on board after appointing the FSW he/she/it needs to move heaven and earth in the transfer market right now to give us even a modicum of hope, and then prosper beyond.

Not to do so will show contempt for us fans whose growing disinterest in the club, which I believe is real, even though match-day revenue is classified as insignificant by successful Premier League clubs, might soon come to bite billionaires overseas on the arse.

....... only in a small way though - no doubt rectifiable by another mega-bung by/to Putin.

.

People I've never seen post are signing up or making their voices heard on TW as to how unhappy they are with this appointment.

This appointment, in my time (short, but gaining some degree of enough sampling to be legitimate in a distance-bastardized way), has by far garnered the most vitriolic reaction and bile from the fanbase.

This appointment is dogshit. It's embarrassing, it lacks any indication to succeed, but rather to coast and survive, and it's crossed a line with its ties to the enemy.

An enemy who is in my opinion the bitterest of rivals of any other rivalry I'm aware of in sport! Sans the Red Sox and Yankees but even that isn't near as "local" or meaningful for the participants, as the cities are 200 miles apart.

The overwhelming majority of posts are negative.

This brain dead, idiotic appointment has just, straightforwardly, popped the fan base in the back door - and yes, I mean that in the worst of ways, use your imagination.

Tonight I told my 12-year-old son Rafa would be appointed as manager tomorrow.

This is a 12-year-old Yank, who knows every single player and their number, watches probably 80% or so of the games with his old man, and would impress anyone on this site with his Everton knowledge and his unbridled love of the club.

When I told him Rafa would be appointed, he just looked at me blankly, his shoulders slumped, and he said, "What?"

Disbelief. We'd talked about the rumors, but in the Crowley house, no-one ever believed it would come to fruition.

My boy looked disgusted and gutted, all in one body and facial expression. If he was allowed to utter, "What the fuck?" he would have.

My 12-year-old realizes how fucking disgraceful and disgusting this appointment is. Why can't the Board?

I have been of the thought that there must be a manager out there to drag some kind of football ability from our current crop of crap players but, if they decide not to work for him, then we will be relegation candidates early on. (Can you hear the laughter from the kop?)

If he can get these players going, then he gets my respect but I won't hold my breath given what I saw at Newcastle. Ancelotti did leave us in the lurch indeed but the board have fucked up on every single level with this one.

Do you get that?

I'm not attacking Rafa but management with a few cheap shots just for fun. The whole routine of ‘get real' and ‘get a life' is some low rent provocation given the circumstances.

You want him or you're okay with him? Fine. However that complacency isn't just riding with a coach who is limited with a misfit squad. No, this is a difference in kind. You are supporting a serious mishandling of a crisis just to get past it or get to the stadium without too much you know, protesty stuff.

Get real? Fucking come on man, I've got a good Everton life and I'm showing pride in it.

I'm disappointed with the Benitez appointment, but I'm going to play Devils advocate with myself as much as anyone else. I appreciate it wasn't the hot seat, but many of us were foaming at the mouth with Sammy Lee in the dugout. I wonder if the City fans concern themselves with Brian Kidd's United background? He's been a big part of their success and noone ever seems to mention his United roots.

My bar is high for Everton. Modern fans would call me unrealistic bordering on mad, but I expect us to eventually be challenging for the title and Europe again in my lifetime. I guess I was brought up on that expectation, but also had an all too brief taste of it first hand. So I expect it just as much as I want it.

Devil's advocate moment again though. If we talk mismanagement (and I don't deny - I totally agree), in my lifetime only 3 of the current top flight clubs have not been relegated.

Everton is one of them. Now, admittedly, by the skin of our teeth on 2 occasions, but we have never endured what Leeds, Newcastle, City, Leicester, Wolves, West Ham, Villa, etc etc have had to. Even United got relegated in my early years. I remember Tottenham's first game back in the top flight around 1977/78 when they got trounced 7-0 by Liverpool. Chelsea seemed a bit bouncy in the 80s.

On that basis, many more clubs, including some real big hitters, have been way more mismanaged over the years. But that was then. Now is now. Like all of those mismanaged clubs though, 30 years of mismanagement is unfortunately going to take more than 5 years to fix, as frustrating as that is.

Like everyone, I expect more of Everton and I wanted a much more ambitious approach to the the managerial appointment. In the aftershock of Ancelotti departing, it could have been an opportunity to reset & rethink our strategy. However, with the seemingly inevitable on the cards, it would appear the leadership are going for more of the same. But having lost the Jaguar, we're replacing it with a Skoda. In property terms, downsizing from a detached to an apartment.

Here is my submission:

"Oh Fat Spanish Waiter, oh Fat Spanish Waiter, you are total crap so it's adios later."

His first 12 games in charge will be tense. I suggest Big Dunc gets his match dossier ready for Man City away on 20th November as he may in charge by then.

One positve is the fact that Benitez has to succeed more than any manager we have ever appointed. I look to the early season games and he just has to have a good start or the fans will turn on him far more than what he may be experiencing now.

I hope he is given sufficient funds to make a significant change because what he is inheriting is a poor team who have been playing dog's arse football for most of the 2020-21 season. I think it is naive and utterly ridiculous to hope he fails just to be able to say "See, I told you". Nobody should give up their Evertonianism for one very suspect appointment. I just cannot do anything other than to wish him the best of luck!

But it doesn't change allegiance. It can't. It's simply not possible to give up you're Evertonianism or stop loving Everton. That's unconditional for fools like me. 'Non-negotiable' as I've often told my West Midlands wife.

We (well, the vast majority) will be there wanting the team to win come season start, regardless of who the manager is.

The dogs are in for a long walk and talk this morning.

If, as we have been led to believe, and there has been a split on this then let's see if those opposed are willing to live by their principles.

Or alternatively, say their piece, swallow their pride, turn to the right and march on – to coin a military term.

Let's say we get to the derby behind our neighbours, what about the “Well done, Agent Rafa” banners? Using Ancelotti as an example, if Liverpool came calling (I know it's a stretch), who thinks Benitez wouldn't ditch us quicker than a second-hand face-mask to go back across Stanley Park?

We only have to look back to Allardyce to see how toxic the relationship with the fans can become and arguably Fat Sam didn't start the job with this level of hostility. I don't see how it can ever work personally. We would need trophies and probably the league title to get people on side and there can't be many people out there who think that is realistic.

I can only hope there is a plan with huge signings in the pipeline, because if I was to bump into Moshiri in the street, I would have to ask: “Are you on crack?”

Not that it matters but Barmby joined us from Middlesbrough and then became a traitor 4 years later, after Euro 2000, where we believed he had been tapped up by the Liverpool players.

The anger expressed against him at the time was immense. It seemed less just a year later when Xavier was the deserter. I guess we didn't like him as much!

Thank for your comments.

There are reasons why Everton are in mid table mediocrity. Many of them unpalatable. Benitez is the result of the owner or owners trying the break the mould in the hope of changes this. Of course he does have experience and qualification regarding the team, but not the experience , qualification or control or access to finance to turn a whole Premier League Football Club around. This is all obvious.

Benitez will encounter resistance from the start and those responsible for previous performances and got away with it, when Numerous Managers haven't, will not want someone coming in to question their performances.

At Everton these people are well established in their seemingly secure jobs and will have developed a false set of arrogance as a result. There are numerous reports on this regime over the years giving observers a idea of what actually goes on. There is no job description or black and white reasons for it. They are grey areas that people in everyway of life experience themselves daily and recognise as a result.

The result is performance mediocrity, it isn't good management, work practice or attitude. If you are interested in Everton progressing you call it out for what it is and support the lone voices that do the same. , Often with resistance and call for evidence in the absence of alternative explainations. There is nothing pleasant about it as Benitez knows as he faces into trying to deal with it.

Anchelotti was a attempt to break the mould, but inevitability came up short, since he did not, like Benitez, have the necessary qualifications. Benitez is the adapting of a harder approach by the Owner/Owners and good luck to the owners with that. But this is only part of the package needed to turn Everton around.

All jobs look great when advertised with job description to match. Alot of the job will be as described, but like all challenging jobs it will be how the blood and guts part is dealt with determine the performance. Often it is avoided. Whether you like it or not there is a lot of blood and guts to deal with at Everton. Live is not all happiness, sadness is also part of it.

Good luck Rafa.

Alternative posts help make Toffeeweb.

Nick Barmby actually went the other way. At the time it looked as if he was instigating the move, but it looks like the club were keen to flog him off.

https://www.acrosstheparkpodcast.co.uk/post/exclusive-alan-myers-nick-barmby-didn-t-want-to-leave-everton

Is this an accurate metaphor? Time will tell

He won the FA cup and the luckiest champions league win in 6 years there. Nearly 20 years ago.

Rather than a reset, re-think and re-adjust, I can only assume (as I don't know), that they (the board, the owners) think that with Benitez they are getting more of where they hoped they were going with Ancelotti before he caught them off guard.

A name in the game and one that has won some stuff in the past. Oh, and he has a house on the Wirral to make it a convenient match.

It seems they are opting for more of what they see as the same to fit what I assume is their strategy. Only it is an even more out of date model for those who thought Ancelotti was yesterday's man. And that's before we go into his past history with our neighbours.

But if he's Everton's manager then I support him and if he's successful winning a few trophies (the only gauge of success) then fantastic - with the bonus of pissing off Red's fans. But if he starts losing games then all hell will break out and make things for the club a hell of a lot worse. I'm not optimistic but hope I'm proved wrong,

A house on the Wirral? More like Castle Benitez!

Moshiri has fucked us again.

It could be this one, whilst skeptical, I hope he proves us all wrong.

This is something I have discussed in person with a group of fans for a long time now.

Ancelotti was brought to steady the ship and although it wasn't a successful season and he wasn't pulling any trees up, he was likeable. Players and pundits like him. Massive in todays spoilt sport.

This appointment wreaks. It seems the only backing it has is from fans that don't pay anymore or haven't lived in the city and seen what fat Rafa means to them lot.

This is where the club want to be though. 7th is the ambition going into Bramley Moore and miles more profitable than where the club was when Clown Moshiri bought it.

Mark my words 7th is a happy place for a businessman in control of Everton. Thats the ambition and its happening just like we discussed it.

We hit them safe places every season and Moshiri has bought a Goldmine. The premier league is one of the last growing markets and we are being mugged as fans while it happens.

We seem to be chasing "names" rather than emerging talent.

Are we starting to sense that this is about stabilising Everton FC during a period of transition and maximising its sale value once the stadium is completed rather than focusing on what happens on the pitch?

If this project takes any longer I'll be too old to enjoy the frigging outcome!

I appreciate many others don't think like me but I wanted to add a bit of balance

COYB

Interviewer: "Do you think that you will be hamstrung by the reaction of the Everton supporters?"

RB: "No not at all, I have faced the wrath of supporters at previous clubs and I won't let it affect me"

Interviewer: "What do you hope to achieve at Everton?"

RB: "I believe in the project, I have the ear of the owner and we are in agreement, a club of this size should be where they belonged many years ago, It's my job to get them back in the championship, sorry Champions League, Benitez's face turns red as he smirks about his gaffe.

Interviewer: "Will you try and keep hold of the likes of Pickford, Calvert-Lewin, and Richarlison if they feel they have to leave Everton to improve their chances of silverware"

RB: "Silverware isn't the only measure of success, it's about ensuring the club are kept on an even keel, financially. That means that sometimes players will leave and players will arrive, it's a facht that for clubs like Everton and Newcastle, it's almost impossible to compete for the trophies, but with the fans onside there is a slight chance, but realistically, the club has to cut its cloth accordingly.

Interviewer: "Have you any signings in mind during the summer? "

RB: "I have many targets in my mind, but some of them will not please the fans, but I have to be pragmatic and realistic, to make sure I get those players who will improve the chances of taking Everton to a place I feel they belong, surely the fans will see the merit of seeing new teams playing at their ground and those sturdy away fans can enjoy some exotic trips to places they have not been to for league fixtures since the 1950s.

The rest of the interview consists of his reminiscences about his glorious time spent over the park, and the wonderful players he was in charge of, three hours later the interview ends.

This is about how thousands of Evertonians feel. I couldn't care if Liverpool fans do end up gutted its still a poor move from Everton.

Any player that wants to do his own thing on the pitch or go against the waiter in any way, knows they have thousands of fans on the same page.

Potential disaster.

SHOCK - surprise this is even happening (no way Rafa will ever be considered)
DENIAL- disbelief looking for evidence this isn't true (look at the odds, that source is unreliable)
FRUSTRATION - Realising it will happen, things will be different, anger annoyance (bedsheets, giving up season tickets)
DEPRESSION - low mood lacking energy resigned to the fact its happening (realising you've no choice, you'll probably go the game still but not bothered)
EXPERIMENT - starting to see what positives there might be, becoming more used to the idea
DECISION - you have accepted it, you're going to cheer on the team and give him a chance
INTEGRATION - fully accepted, chanting his name after we've just beat the RS 5-0 and won our 3rd trophy of the season...

I'm probably moving towards Decision, I'm going to go give him a chance and hope he delivers, but I have gone through every phase in this curve.

So, when we are all fighting on here about it, just see it as Blues on different parts of the Change Curve. Some might never progress past Frustraition and never accept this. Some will given time.

I also think Everton are fully aware of the impact of this change and are applying change management principles, hence the strategic leaking of information to get people used to it more quickly.

I have lived in Australia for 11 years and still called myself a True Blue... This is the same nonsense that wanted the European Super League... Soccer is dead; Long Live Capitalism.

I get more joy from my daughter playing netball. I'll await the Benitez apology for calling us a small club and then delete ToffeeWeb from my browsing history and just view it in Incognito mode lest somebody find out I still care.

I think I can feel the blood draining.

Do a Lloyd Grossman and examine the evidence! I genuinely don't believe there is some sort of Voodoo Doll Skullduggery going on amongst those who find his appointment both distasteful and totally the wrong one for Everton Football Club after a succession of bad choices.

Now here we are again with the tail wagging the dog: neither the Board nor Brands seem to have been involved in making this decision, which looks to be based on distant history rather than from a footballing perspective, and on what will actually benefit our once magnificent club.

Jabba The Hut is dictating from afar, and he has technically no recognisable position at EFC, yet is over-ruling everyone, tell me that is fair, or has any logic in it? Like I said before I will gladly concede defeat if he turns out to be a success, like he was at Newcastle eh! Oh and getting back to the Lloyd Grossman reference, his was 'Through The Keyhole' not through an Anal Orifice!

I put my name on that list a few days ago, as did quite a few other fans, although some have reservations about his appointment. Every new manager who signs in comes with reservations, there are no guarantees of success.

One of the worst to come in was Howard Kendall third time around, in my opinion. I certainly didn't want him and got on Radio Merseyside to say so so. That certainly was a very poor appointment because of his illness; we escaped relegation in the last game of his ill-judged reign.

If you put £500,000 into a business, then I think you have a say, a big say in who manages that business. However he goes about it, it's his money that has gone into the club.

Clueless front-man, Moshiri, the captain of this doomed venture; spineless yes-men on the useless board, a bloated squad of over-paid average players, the iceberg looms large.

I've witnessed the work of every manager since 1970, and have been witness to the vitriol that has poured from the terraces towards players and managers, but it will be nothing in comparison to what is to come when this next disastrous appointment begins to unravel; a dinosaur manger for a dinosaur of a football club.

You mean like the Conservative Party, make a large donation and rules will be bent to accommodate, and favours will come your way?

You seem to be missing the point, what is the point of having a Board, if they are being over-ruled, manipulated and dictated to from afar?

Not doing so seems a bit pointless really and maybe Benitez is the perfect choice. We'll soon find out.

But...

...if we're in the shit at Christmas and/or playing the sort of turgid bollocks that other ex-Newcastle-managing twat, Allardyce, gave us, then I will be screaming at the top of my lungs for him to go and for the board to get their bastard act together.

We now have a stubborn, determined man in charge with a lot to prove – he will cut through the crap quickly and we might just end up with a decent team.

The super rich agents that are neighbours of Moshiri and other billionaires in Monaco will continue to assist in washing Usmanov's (and the like's) ill-gotten gains.

Meanwhile, the fans are left to bicker about trivia such as managerial appointments and player signings. The club we supported ceased to exist a long time ago. Only money matters. Greed is has destroyed football and is destroying the world.

This is obviously not true as some can't see past it.

He's not my first choice, as I've already paid for the 3 season tickets in this family, I've no choice but to go so I'm now resigned to it.

I just hope he is a success. If he is, imagine how more upsetting it will be to the bitters over the park.

I hope he kicks em all up the arse and galvanises the club – for fuck's sake, someone needs to. It's now down to him to prove the moaners and groaners wrong and get us back on track. He can start with some quality signings.

Galvanise.
A hated rednose to galvanise this already fed up club. Fingers and toes crossed ey.

We'll bring in some more average rubbish i'm afraid. No progressive or hungry players are coming to this shitshow to finish midtable or lower.

I just can't see this appointment being anything other than a complete disaster. Not looking forward to the new season with any optimism whatsoever.

Benitez is here to further line his pockets with the easy money available from the gift known as Everton. Let the misery commence!

He is here now. I wont cheer him. I wont boo him. I will support the team.

Signings should be down to Brands so if things do go downhil the replacement can carry on being a coach.

A few top signings in the next month and his job gets easier. If we get off to a good start we will soften towards him. If he gets off to a bad start... then he will be gone by November and Moshiri can write his severance cheque for £20 odd million.

If he will cut through the crap, I expect the Chairman will be gone by end of the week.

He was sacked from Napoli for a reason

Honestly, it's pretty funny the reaction people are having to this appointment.

Isn't he the first ever RS manager to come to Everton? We're normally so excited and proud of all our 'firsts' aren't we?

You can't have it both ways :-)

I just don't know if that would be Kenwright as this must be against his will? Or Brands? Surely there will be conflict of character ahead with Benitez the controller and Brands? But then Brands recently got elevated Board level responsibilities didn't he?

See, I'm all questions and know nothing!

Maybe it's Rangnick after all.

I'll give myself 18 minutes and then I can have a medicinal drink to calm myself.

So, never wanted him here. But he is here. I can't change it. Breathe and / or vent on ToffeeWeb. But let's not forget that on ToffeeWeb we don't speak for all Everton fans – our views don't necessarily reflect their views. If it's to be believed, apparently over 40% of Everton fans out there would be okay with Rafa – doesn't make it right; doesn't make it wrong; doesn't make me feel any better about him. But our forum doesn't necessarily reflect general opinion.

So I'm going to try to breathe calmly and try to accept it. Let's now hope we get the player signings we desperately need. I'll still be going to all home and away games, Covid permitting. And I'll never be booing the guy while a game is on.

My guess is that Brands will become the new Chairman of Everton FC, obviously, I have no evidence to support this, but it's the only logical outcome I can come up with for Brands remaining at the club, given his supposed lack of input in choosing Ancelotti's successor.

Since we last won a trophy, he has won 2 x La Liga titles, a UEFA Cup, the Champions League (some call it jammy, but it's on his CV - he was also a runner up), the FA Cup, UEFA Super Cup, Supercoppa Italiana x 2, the FIFA Club World Cup, the Europa League, Coppa Italia & the EFL Championship.

Some may snub that last one, but many also laud the Leeds manager.

Yes, it may have been a while since he won a trophy, but it wasn't 1995.

And don't forget people, I'm "disappointed" in the poll. The owners are clearly going for someone they view as being suited to their Ancelotti model.

But I am not bothered about the Liverpool connection. I have no personal gripe against him, nor anyone in football...who has the time?

So I truly hope he proves us wrong and shows he is still an elite manager. And pray that he employs a better style and of play that I believe he will employ.

I hope to god I'm wrong.

And I'll pay for everything, no expense will be spared!

The lack of recent success is more of a concern. In Darren H's recent article, he likened a past-his-best manager to a punch-drunk boxer. In the case of boxers, there is the obvious physical toll taken on the body. With management, it can only be mental and the question would be if they still have fire in their belly.

Hopefully in Rafa's case, the controversy surrounding his appointment will give him some added motivation. All things considered, I'm okay with this move.

I thought that Jamie Carragher was a big advocate for Benitez getting the Everton job? Wasn't he telling all and sundry that his former boss was the best man for the job?

Its absolute fucked this fanbase, sadly.
This club makes an idiot of us on a regular basis. The "ask and we listen"bullshit over the stadium.
Fans ask for 61878 seats. Club laughs it off then thanks fans for getting involved.

I have been a door mat far too long.

We've been getting mugged off for years imo, but most of us still we go the game. Steve B, if you was a player and you won the Champions league, with the squad Benitez had, I honestly think the last thing you would be thinking is any team that takes him as manager, are being mugs.

Seriously though, I still think Carragher has a massive soft spot for us. His eyes light up at the subject of Everton on Sky.

Another thing. If posts on here get really toxic after a new manager loses a few games, how will someone know?

The prerequisite for any manager to achieve anything for us is overachievement. This is a manager who hasn't overachieved once in his last six jobs, indeed he has brought the majority to their lowest ebb (Inter,Real,Dalian).

No offence but it's a ridiculous comparison between Benitez and Everton which only highlights how difficult it is for us to compete for trophies and ironically the last two managers who gave us a chance were Moyes and Martinez who both have terrific records of overachieving at various times in their careers. Not since Valencia and arguably our neighbours have we seen this from Rafa.

Don't worry I'll see myself out.

Link

Given that he lives on The Wirral and will be hearing all the abuse, part of me admires him for taking the job on, which shows a level of stubbornness and bloody-mindedness that will be a pre-requisite for any successful manager we have.

Handsome is as handsome does for me.

According to some reports: "When it comes to preventing injuries, Paco de Miguel has a very simple theory. "The closer a player is to peak physical fitness, the higher risk of injury there is".

That is why Benítez's right-hand man prefers to have his players at around 85% of their peak fitness levels.

85% fitness? I can see a player revolt, they'll never be able to get to that level in one pre-season. :)

It is the same in any industry, you are judged by your CV and competency. Obviously Benitez holds some credence in this regard and, like it or not, like at Chelsea, the board & owner will make decisions, based upon who they feel is the best or most equipped manager, regardless of whether it's popular or not. I, for one, prefer this approach to who romantically would have preferred to have Ferguson etc.

If Benitez is our manager, then traits he has previously shown, such as sorting out defences and petulance, will be useful, as we suffered from that. He also generally engendered teams with some characters, which we lack.

Hopefully with a favourable start to the fixtures, and support from the fans, we can move forward. People really do need to get over themselves. Same type of fans booing after 5 minutes in our biggest game for a while against Dynamo Kiev when we dared do a back pass, to make themselves feel important. That type of fan takes us backwards and limits us. Let's get behind a new era.

Lets hope he wants to have it over them, WIN for us, live as a Blue in Meseyside for the rest of his life.

Last job, give us what we crave and lots of it.

Here we go again, lets hope this time its 7 th time lucky Farhad, well Alisher.

I ll take all the success he can bring us.
He can set up any way he likes away, to get the points.
At Goddison hes going to have to play a different way to get us behind the team and him.

But if hes ours, then hes Blue thats that.Until hes gone.

Come on you Blues and we got 100 years in.

EFC has just employed a true "Professional" who wasn't interested in working in Europe where he would be tested, he preferred China where it's easy and the money is easy.

Incidentaly he couldn't get these Chinese nothings to do anything in a nothing league.

Having a go at Dunc, Bainsey and Unsy?

Ancelotti couldn't give a fuck during his time with us, If it was just him and his so,n at Finch farm we'd be in the Championship by now. The one thing Moshiri has got right is keeping the old boys with heart around.

We've just hired another "Professional", but in his recent history took Newcastle down, he was just 1 point off safety with 9 games to go and still took them down. He hasn't achieved anything in the last 7 years and now he's our saviour!

You haven't got a clue, Mark.

Everton.

It all helps with the money laundering.

You could say he's got balls of steel to take the job knowing the backlash, but I'm sure the millions he'll get when he gets the push at Christmas will soften the blow.

I give more than a shit about Everton. I'm fiercely passionate about Everton. I've put Everton above family and I'm not particularly proud to admit that, but I have. If that's the criteria, make me manager tomorrow. But I'd fail within weeks.

Conor @647. Not my preference. I have very different views on who I would have liked the club to have gone for. I was just pointing out the probable future manager's past successes. It reads better than most who have managed us in recent decades. Agree or not, that seems to be the path the owner(s) are choosing.

I'll reiterate. Benitez is not my preference. I'm just trying to debate the subject. And just because I can see it through the lens of the owner's thought process doesn't mean I agree with it.

But if / when it happens. I'll still be there wanting us to win on the first day of the season.

More than I can say for watching England in a London pub last night. Awful experience. But I should have know better.

Soren, also on a light-hearted note - as it's a Finch Farm medical, he'll probably pass it!

Yes, they can have some nice video and articles put together professionally under minimal time pressure for posting on the Everton website and social media outlets. Presumably scheduling a press conference involves certain logistical constraints but is timed to get the highest profile for the impending news. We're still waiting...

The metrics for that profile, and performance accolades for those involved pulling the strings, must revolve around mentions on the primary news media sources, knowing that releasing snippets here and there, and having pet jurnos bounce them out to the baying click-bait mob, is some form of quantifiable success... a 'coup' for Everton Football Club? Getting the most mentions every hour?

Not really. They made the real decision weeks ago. Let's say they really did leak this in dribs and drabs so they could gauge the response of the fans. Well, our polls have been pretty consistent throughout, showing roughly the same proportions with less than 1,000 votes as they are now, with almost 7,000 respondents.

But Paul the Esk used to exasperate about Everton not "managing the message"... is this drawn-out agony really what he wanted to see?

Anyway, I am in the camp that I support Everton. Managers and players come and go, Everton and it's true fans stay.

I wish Benitez good luck. I'll get behind him and the team, please give us some organisation and improvement.

Top 6 and a cup for starters and all but a few will be won over.

Logged on to TW wincing in anticipation of the TW home page telling me it's official.

Not yet! Hope survives someone sees the light in the 11th hour and calls this off. It's 3:33 in Blighty. Surely the announcement would come during working hours? Does this mean we have 1.5 hours to go until the Rafa appointment implodes?

No. But a guy can dream, right?

Thought the time difference was 6 hours? Well, that gives the whole saga another agonizing hour to pan out.

And, so nobody would notice! God, there are some bollocks being posted... nobody would notice?!

I'm guessing at four or five o'clock here, if it's to be announced today.

"Can't wait".

Craig, you're not stupid enough to swallow that, so why do you think others would be?! Just like the idea of the announcement being made to coincide with the England win.

I know, I know, it's all meant in jest!

But come on, Man, we all know how PR is.

Looking back at their trophy haul of the 21st century, nearly everything has been won on pens… for me, it's less of a TRUE victory 😌

Two more hours to dodge the incoming nuclear bomb.

I've read you go on about Martinez, you said Portugal would have won at a canter the other night if Roberto, had been managing them instead of Belgium, and again that's fair enough, even if I thought that it was both a ridiculous comparison, and also a very juvenile thing to say.

My own view is that I didn't have a clue who I wanted to get the job, but taking away Benitez's Liverpool connections (which is very easy for me to do) I'm glad we've got a horrible little belligerent manager.

The other thing I look for in an Everton manager is pragmatism, because I feel this is one of the main ingredients I seen from the two managers who've actually brought a trophy to Everton, in my match going lifetime.

" Tom @ 660 you're right, I haven't got clue what the fuck you're on about "

And that's because you haven't got a clue!