“It became increasingly clear to me that those at the top of the club did not share the same vision.”
Rafa Benitez’s emotional farewell to Newcastle United fans after more than three years at St James’ Park contained a parting shot to Mike Ashley. The popular former boss left in the summer of 2019, just months after pleading for the club’s hierarchy to do ‘a little bit more’ to challenge in the top-half of the Premier League. The Toffees confirmed the appointment of the ex-Liverpool boss on Wednesday following days of speculation, with the Spaniard putting pen to paper on a three-year deal. Ambition was the buzzword of Benitez’s first interview as Everton manager, and the contrast in praise for Farhad Moshiri to his frequent public frustrations with Ashley will not have gone unnoticed by Newcastle fans.
Rafa Benitez said: “You can see the ambition is there. This club is growing. For me, it is about bringing the winning mentality, being competitive, so everything is in place on the pitch and off the pitch. I love the passion of the people behind the Club. I know the city, I know Scousers, I know what it means for every fan here to compete and to have the chance to win. To come to Everton is something that means a lot, for sure. You can see the ambition of the owner, of the Board, everybody wants to be better and to go to the new stadium with a massive boost. I like to compete. I like to win. I came from the academy at Real Madrid [as a young player and coach], and the winning mentality is already there. We [myself and my coaching staff] have won 13 titles because we have this mentality and I still want to win. And I have come to Everton because I liked the idea to be competitive again – and to have the chance to compete in every game, to compete against anyone.”
Everton fans have made their opposition to the appointment of the former Liverpool manager, with Merseyside Police still investigating a ‘threatening’ banner left near Benitez’s home. Much of this stems from the lingering resentment to the ‘small club’ comment made following a Merseyside Derby in 2007. Everton’s announcement acknowledges Benitez’s successful six-year spell at Liverpool, as well as the claim which continues to draw the ire of supporters. In explaining the comment, Benitez listed the majority of his previous employers stretching back to 1997. However, the former Toon boss did not list Newcastle or his most recent club Dalian Pro when it came to his defence.
Rafa Benitez said: “I have been in Madrid, Naples, Valencia, Tenerife, Extremadura and Liverpool. Every single club I was there, I was fighting for them. If you analyse things in the context, what you are expecting from your manager is to fight for your club, and I will do that. I am here, I will fight for my club, I will try to win every single game, and it doesn’t matter who the opponents are, or the rivals. It is something you have to do, it is your nature, that you have to try to do your best. And why a lot of fans in a lot of these cities love me is because I was giving everything for them. If you analyse this in the context, then it is very clear I will do the same for Everton.”
