2021/22 Rafael Benitez

[Simon Buttle]

They're still sticking with their model. Buying young, developing players. But they've become a selling club. Which isn't sustainable if you want to break the top 4.

Would fans be happy here to buy young, play attacking football, but finish 13th to 15th every season, whilst selling our best players once they've developed.

The board used to put money into the club and now the only money that goes in is the money made from player sales, I live on the south coast and know many saints fans so I am familiar with the setup there. Every club sells on players at some point, it's part of the course, also have you seen our finances? Also I'm not sure why you are going on about breaking the top 4 as we are years away from that, not only do we need a decent first 11 we would also need an actual squad neither of which we have at the moment.

 

[Dixieslaces]

if we won’t spend mate and continue to her injury’s it’s another waste of a season

Looking at recent comments fella, I'm not sure we Can spend. its a bad situation we find ourselves in!

 

[willo30]

I will put forward an alternative management strategy and philosophy.

I suspect that it won't be popular but we've tried everything else without success.

So imagine that Brands and Benitez are both gone.

Brands replacement , let's say Ralph Ragnick gives the most honest and open assessment of any football club in his first interview.......

" Everton have tried literally everything and it hasn't worked.
We have had world class managers , managers a good CV with local connections.
We have spend huge amounts of money on players many of whom had a good track record in this country.
None of this has worked so we are going to do something completely different.

1. We are going to appoint a young manager with a remit to invest in youth and play progressive attractive football.

2. We will run down the contracts of the existing players all on high wages who contribute nothing

3. We will recruit only young players with no new signing aged more than 25.

4. The amount that we spend on new signings will be capped at £50 million plus the profit from any sales per season.

6. We will look to prioritise Bosman signings but only players aged 27 or under.

This strategy may well result in a downturn in results in the short term and we may become less competitive.

However I can promise you a young hungry team which give 100% and which will play attacking football.

In 3 -5 years I would expect that we would have a team that could compete for the top 4 ".

Would you support such a strategy?

For all we know they have some sort of plan. Some don't want to give it time though. It will never change.
When we are not in the top 6 come November some will be calling for the mangers head.
Fans want instant results and have no time for a project. That's the reality.
How much further back will we be in another 5 years anyway?

 

[Spadge Vernacular]

No I think Benitez is better then all those alternatives, however when you have a 2m transfer war chest and a squad like ours there is a certain level you have to bid at.

But we are 11th, five points off 5th. The squad is a bit thin but the first team is arguably as good as any bar maybe the top two (City Chelsea). I am sure any manager would see the same potential that Benitez saw - unless you think he only came because he lived near by?

 

[MikeH72]

But we are 11th, five points off 5th. The squad is a bit thin but the first team is arguably as good as any bar maybe the top two (City Chelsea). I am sure any manager would see the same potential that Benitez saw - unless you think he only came because he lived near by?

This is good bait.

 

[Harryflashman]

I didn't watch on Sunday and don't feel like it was a bad decision at all. I looked up the score at 5 to 4 at full time and watched some highlights.

That's the Benitez effect on my Everton experience. Apathy bordering on boredom. He's not the problem but he's not the solution either. It's inevitable that things go wrong in the near future and his position will become untenable.

You’re not alone in that quite a few people I know didn’t go for a variety of reasons that could all be grouped together under apathy. Saying that Despite not having many chances I enjoyed the game but probably as much as anyone the ref played his part in that by firing people up .

From my point of view I don’t think I’ve watched a pre/post match press conference or interview , or if I have I’ve certainly not paid much attention and it hasn’t been recently .

I certainly don’t like the feeling and lots of factors contribute to it one of which , unfortunately, Is the manager .however If he can stop this pretty dramatic poor run of form then hopefully I’ll become more enthused but I’m not holding my breath .

 

[Zatara]

The spending limit ( my figure is arbitrary) is not per player but per season and is there to introduce a modicum of financial discipline.

The DoF ( Ragnick) in my scenario buys the players and the young coach ( emphasis on young so he has no fixed ideas on recruitment ) manages them.

Rangnick could be a decent DOF. However, the same with Brands its hard to gauge who would be the correct fit.

I agree that the DOF should be solely responsible for signing players and implementing the ethos and playing style of the club/team -- with the manager able to have input of course but 100% decision with the DOF.

Im starting to think the DOF is the hardest role to hire for.

 

[roy vernon]

I will put forward an alternative management strategy and philosophy.

I suspect that it won't be popular but we've tried everything else without success.

So imagine that Brands and Benitez are both gone.

Brands replacement , let's say Ralph Ragnick gives the most honest and open assessment of any football club in his first interview.......

" Everton have tried literally everything and it hasn't worked.
We have had world class managers , managers a good CV with local connections.
We have spend huge amounts of money on players many of whom had a good track record in this country.
None of this has worked so we are going to do something completely different.

1. We are going to appoint a young manager with a remit to invest in youth and play progressive attractive football.

2. We will run down the contracts of the existing players all on high wages who contribute nothing

3. We will recruit only young players with no new signing aged more than 25.

4. The amount that we spend on new signings will be capped at £50 million plus the profit from any sales per season.

6. We will look to prioritise Bosman signings but only players aged 27 or under.

This strategy may well result in a downturn in results in the short term and we may become less competitive.

However I can promise you a young hungry team which give 100% and which will play attacking football.

In 3 -5 years I would expect that we would have a team that could compete for the top 4 ".

Would you support such a strategy?

This.

 

[jazzy]

Rangnick could be a decent DOF. However, the same with Brands its hard to gauge who would be the correct fit.

I agree that the DOF should be solely responsible for signing players and implementing the ethos and playing style of the club/team -- with the manager able to have input of course but 100% decision with the DOF.

Im starting to think the DOF is the hardest role to hire for.

It should be the most important position in the club but Brands has reduced the role to an item of ridicule.

 

[jazzy]

For all we know they have some sort of plan. Some don't want to give it time though. It will never change.
When we are not in the top 6 come November some will be calling for the mangers head.
Fans want instant results and have no time for a project. That's the reality.
How much further back will we be in another 5 years anyway?

But the point is if the plan was known with an element of fan inclusion would the majority then accept the inevitable bumps in the road?

 

[jazzy]

Moshiri thought that there would be no issue appointing Benitez (who on paper without the obvious stuff would be fine.).

Moshiri is a bit of a dope though.

Moshiri reminds me of a man I used to work with.
He was in a very powerful position , very bright with a stunning intellect but absolutely zero emotional intelligence or empathy.

 

[JimmyK]

He’s definitely thick and I absolutely detest the fella but I think he’s got a decent point here. I agree with him that Spurs were there for the taking and we just didn’t look like we really wanted to win the game it was all a bit pedestrian. We seem to play the same way whoever’s on the pitch even when it doesn’t suit them and in a lot of ways we’ve been found out.

 

[GrandOldTeam]

Won't disagree with that but he made some good points.

Like him, I don't see an effective plan from Benitez on the pitch and I can see Benitez being sacked when fans turn on him soon.

He was fair enough to acknowledge the injuries and the lack of spending but that will only buy him breathing room which he has nearly ran out of.

Think it's all shooting from the hip, punditry guesswork nonsense to be honest.

"Football manager needing results to avoid pressure/sacking" - imagine that?!

"I don't know their plan" - Well, maybe he should mention the club's Director of Football at least once then and not the fella who has been in a job for 11 league games.

With regards to Benitez - considering we're 11 games in, he's spent £1.7m, and has a fair few missing - what "plan" do you (and Williams) expect?

Injuries are part of the game but how many games in those 11 games has Benitez had the luxury of even having 90% of his first team?

Having senior players like Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison, Doucoure, Mina, Gomes, Sigurdsson about might have meant we'd have a bit more of a 'plan' - whatever the hell that is.

In one sentence he says Everton have nothing on the bench to turn to, and then says "Rafael is always known for being a great tactician, I am just not seeing it at the moment"

He then says Everton could have done more against Spurs, the game was winnable. Yeah, agree. But whether your Carlo Ancelotti, or Dave from Skem - what do you do to take the initiative with this bench?

I think it's as simple as we're a midtable team, in midtable.

 

[zukai12_]

But we are 11th, five points off 5th. The squad is a bit thin but the first team is arguably as good as any bar maybe the top two (City Chelsea). I am sure any manager would see the same potential that Benitez saw - unless you think he only came because he lived near by?

Drinking on a Tuesday afternoon is it?

 

[tsubaki]

Think it's all shooting from the hip, punditry guesswork nonsense to be honest.

"Football manager needing results to avoid pressure/sacking" - imagine that?!

"I don't know their plan" - Well, maybe he should mention the club's Director of Football at least once then and not the fella who has been in a job for 11 league games.

With regards to Benitez - considering we're 11 games in, he's spent £1.7m, and has a fair few missing - what "plan" do you (and Williams) expect?

Injuries are part of the game but how many games in those 11 games has Benitez had the luxury of even having 90% of his first team?

Having senior players like Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison, Doucoure, Mina, Gomes, Sigurdsson about might have meant we'd have a bit more of a 'plan' - whatever the hell that is.

In one sentence he says Everton have nothing on the bench to turn to, and then says "Rafael is always known for being a great tactician, I am just not seeing it at the moment"

He then says Everton could have done more against Spurs, the game was winnable. Yeah, agree. But whether your Carlo Ancelotti, or Dave from Skem - what do you do to take the initiative with this bench?

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I think it's as simple as we're a midtable team, in midtable.

TBF that bench is the one thing that I really wish Benitez would change - I mean half that bench knows they won't ever start or worse still won't ever get a new contract here; there is zero incentive for them to do anything, indeed for those looking to escape in January theres an incentive not to get hurt.

We all know the squad is short, but I'd much rather we had kids on the bench as they are much more likely to be a bit arsed. If we are looking to loan youth out to Div 1 / Championship clubs, they would be better options than (and this is no disrespect to him as I think he's been treated abysmally since he's been here) Tosun.