Don't think I've ever seen such a polarising moment in Everton's history. We've been through a heck of a lot as a fanbase and as a club, but for much of it the fans have been on the same page as each other, reacting together to what's going on on the pitch or whatever.
Kirkby is perhaps the only thing that comes close to being this divisive, but even that doesn't seem to match the levels of fume which are being caused by the club seemingly appointing a manager who once dared to successfully manage Liverpool and in doing so made some very disparaging remarks about Everton.
I've read an awful lot of opinions about it all.
Being very honest here, I think Benitez is (or has been) a good manager, and I've spoken people - particularly Liverpool fans (scouse, season ticket holding ones whose opinions I'd trust) who rate him extremely highly. I genuinely believe he could do a good job and has the quality required to manage Everton, if given the right opportunity and circumstances.
However, I also think that these are not the right circumstances, and that appointing him is almost certainly going to end in tears. The strength of feeling is so high that the tolerance for anything less than total success (top 6 minimum and good cup runs in season 1 as a starting point) is going to be paper thin. Every poor performance, every defeat, will be met with howls of derision, and it's just not a tenable position. We're going to be back here, searching for a manager very quickly at worst. At best, we're going to be experiencing luke-warm atmospheres, arguments among our own fans, and probably players feeling the heat and underperforming.
This season showed how important atmosphere at goodison is. Without fans we were woeful. With fans we won every match. Having fans in the ground who are not united behind the team and manager is not going to be good for anyone - nor is having many blues jibbing the game off altogether. Our players are fragile need the confidence boost of good support.
All in all I just don't see how it can work, and I'd rather we appointed someone else.
What I would say is, I think it's all a bit sad. I love footy and I love our rivalry with Liverpool. Without rivalry, sport is far less interesting and there's less passion and risk. But at the same time, I do think we need to keep some perspective and not go crazy. Benitez hasn't killed anyone. He was employed by our rivals to do a job and he did it very well, and he took the Micky a bit with us. Now our owners want to employ him to do a job, and I dare say he'll upset people at other clubs. We love it when Richarlison has digs at the reds. But if he was to sign for Liverpool they'd welcome him with open arms as he's a quality player.
I do think Benitez could be a quality manager, but I don't think we'll ever get to find that out now.
I think some of the bile and abuse being aimed at Benitez is a bit much. All the FSW, "FAT FAT FAT" stuff is needless. And the more x-rated stuff being daubed on banners/goodison is way too much, imho. But we are where we are.
Anyway, I have set this poll up because I don't think the other ones actually had an answer I could give. It's not as simple as "yes" or "no" for me. I'd be interested to see where people fit on the options I've listed.
Kirkby is perhaps the only thing that comes close to being this divisive, but even that doesn't seem to match the levels of fume which are being caused by the club seemingly appointing a manager who once dared to successfully manage Liverpool and in doing so made some very disparaging remarks about Everton.
I've read an awful lot of opinions about it all.
Being very honest here, I think Benitez is (or has been) a good manager, and I've spoken people - particularly Liverpool fans (scouse, season ticket holding ones whose opinions I'd trust) who rate him extremely highly. I genuinely believe he could do a good job and has the quality required to manage Everton, if given the right opportunity and circumstances.
However, I also think that these are not the right circumstances, and that appointing him is almost certainly going to end in tears. The strength of feeling is so high that the tolerance for anything less than total success (top 6 minimum and good cup runs in season 1 as a starting point) is going to be paper thin. Every poor performance, every defeat, will be met with howls of derision, and it's just not a tenable position. We're going to be back here, searching for a manager very quickly at worst. At best, we're going to be experiencing luke-warm atmospheres, arguments among our own fans, and probably players feeling the heat and underperforming.
This season showed how important atmosphere at goodison is. Without fans we were woeful. With fans we won every match. Having fans in the ground who are not united behind the team and manager is not going to be good for anyone - nor is having many blues jibbing the game off altogether. Our players are fragile need the confidence boost of good support.
All in all I just don't see how it can work, and I'd rather we appointed someone else.
What I would say is, I think it's all a bit sad. I love footy and I love our rivalry with Liverpool. Without rivalry, sport is far less interesting and there's less passion and risk. But at the same time, I do think we need to keep some perspective and not go crazy. Benitez hasn't killed anyone. He was employed by our rivals to do a job and he did it very well, and he took the Micky a bit with us. Now our owners want to employ him to do a job, and I dare say he'll upset people at other clubs. We love it when Richarlison has digs at the reds. But if he was to sign for Liverpool they'd welcome him with open arms as he's a quality player.
I do think Benitez could be a quality manager, but I don't think we'll ever get to find that out now.
I think some of the bile and abuse being aimed at Benitez is a bit much. All the FSW, "FAT FAT FAT" stuff is needless. And the more x-rated stuff being daubed on banners/goodison is way too much, imho. But we are where we are.
Anyway, I have set this poll up because I don't think the other ones actually had an answer I could give. It's not as simple as "yes" or "no" for me. I'd be interested to see where people fit on the options I've listed.
