He won’t go away; Benitez’s name still comes up for Everton manager
While Nuno Espirito Santo continues to be the odds-on favourite to become the next Everton manager. Rafa Benitez’s name won’t go away as the Blues’ search continues.
And while Benitez’s Liverpool connections would seem to immediately eliminate him as a candidate for Everton. It appears majority shareholder and money man Farhad Moshiri still considers the Spaniard, who managed the Reds for six years, an acceptable candidate.
According to a report, despite being close to an agreement with Espirito Santo, Moshiri is having further interviews with candidates, including Benitez.
The Mirror reports, Benitez wants the job and it appears Moshiri wants to push his appointment through against the advice of Marcel Brands, the Toffee’s director of football. Brands is aware of the commotion Benitez’s appointment would create. After all, the Spaniard did call his potential new employers, a small club.
Despite his association with the Red side of Merseyside, Benitez did not grow up in the cauldron of Blue vs Red. In a city, where the first question someone is asked is “Blue or Red?” that might make him a little bit more palatable.
This would especially be true if he makes somebody open the Everton trophy case for something else than dusting its contents. Trophies make a lot of difference and change perceptions of people.
And while Benitez would be the first manager to cross the divide, there are quite a few players who have done. More than you would think. It’s 38 in the 125-plus years since the two clubs have existed.
Here are some who crossed the No-Man’s Land of Stanley Park.
Gary Ablett Liverpool (1986-92), Everton (1992-96)
Ablett came through the Liverpool Academy and eventually made more than 100 appearances for the club. Winning two League titles and the FA Cup. He added another FA Cup winner’s medal for the Blues in 1995. He died, prematurely, from cancer in 2012.
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David Johnson Everton (1969-72; 82-84) Liverpool (1976-82)
Johnson started out in the Everton system before moving on to Ipswich then back to Merseyside. He became the first player to score for both teams in a Merseyside Derby. Peter Beardsley matched the feat later on.
Johnny Morrisey Liverpool (1957-62) Everton (1962-72)
Another Scouser, Morrissey, a combative left-winger, moved across the park for £10,000, without Liverpool manager Bill Shankly’s knowledge. Morrissey won two League titles and was an FA Cup finalist in his time at Goodison Park.
Finally, there is Shankly himself. After the garrulous Scot retired from Liverpool. He wasn’t made overly welcome at the Liverpool training ground.
Christopher William Shankly Carline, the great man’s grandson, mentioned in a blog that his grandfather wrote in his autobiography, ‘Over the last few seasons I have been received more warmly by Everton than I have been Liverpool.” It was a different time then.
What do you think, could Evertonians learn to love Rafa?