Neville Southall wants Duncan Ferguson as new Everton manager and not Rafa Benitez
Neville Southall wants “under-rated” Duncan Ferguson instead of Rafa Benitez to be the next Everton manager.
It was widely reported on Wednesday night that Benitez, 61, will be the next man in charge of the Toffees despite his previous spell at Liverpool. Sky Sports journalist Keith Downie has added he could even be appointed by the end of Thursday.
Ex-Everton goalkeeper Southall appreciates Benitez’s track record in management but he doesn’t feel as though it’s right for the Blues to be hiring a legend of their biggest rivals.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Southall said: “I think Rafa Benitez is a good manager. Is he right for Everton? No – not a chance.
“He’s Liverpool, they won’t have it and if he comes into that ground… He’s going to have to produce something special and at the moment, with the squad we’ve got, he’s going to do well to produce something special. It’s a work in progress.
“For me, I’d rather have Duncan because we’re never going to get relegated, he’s a good manager and I think he’s far under-rated than anyone else.
“He started before Ancelotti getting us on a good run, I think he’s quite knowledgeable in everything he does, he knows the club inside out and he knows all the younger players.
“Why not give him a season-long contract because we’re not going to be in any worse position at the end of next season than we are now.
“Rafa Benitez, no. [He’s a] good manager in his own right but [he has] too many connections with Liverpool.”
Ferguson is risky
We have to slightly disagree with Southall here.
As much as we love Ferguson and respect him for everything he’s done with the club, there’s too much money being thrown around these days in football that the board cannot risk hiring an inexperienced manager to handle that kind of cash.
As Southall says, Everton’s squad needs a lot of work doing on it. His own words are that it is a “work in progress”.
What experience does Ferguson have of dealing with transfers? Can he tempt big-name players to Goodison Park or can he use links to other clubs across England and Europe to make signings and broker deals?
Our squad needs a revamp this summer and we’re not 100 per cent sure Ferguson is ready for something like that.
Benitez, on the other hand, is a proven operator in the transfer market and he’s proven that he can manage big players and win silverware.
The only reason fans don’t want him is because of his ties with Liverpool. If that’s the only reason then you know he’s going to do well.
In other Everton news, this Toffees ace has posted a picture of himself in a Leicester shirt on social media.
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