Hutchison: Everton chief Moshiri takes ridiculous risk with Benitez hire
Don Hutchison has blasted Farhad Moshiri and Bill Kenwright for taking a “ridiculously high risk” by appointing Rafa Benitez as the new Everton manager.
On Wednesday, the 61-year-old Spaniard was officially unveiled as Carlo Ancelotti’s successor at Goodison Park, almost a month after he left for Real Madrid.
Benitez’s appointment has been met with a mixed reception with many Evertonians unwilling to forgive the fact he once managed Liverpool and once called the Blues a “small club”.
BBC pundit Hutchison cannot see it ending well and has taken aim at majority shareholder Moshiri and chairman Kenwright.
“It’s a ridiculously high risk. Moshiri and Bill Kenwright have taken one hell of a gamble here with Rafa,” Hutchison told BBC Football Daily.
“I hope it goes well being an ex-Blue, I really do. I hope he hits the ground running but I don’t think he will.
“In my humble opinion, I think Everton, after losing Ancelotti, would have been better off going for Graham Potter, who would have steadied the ship and made sure the football was good. It would have been entertaining football.
“They’ve taken one hell of a risk going for Rafa. The football at Newcastle wasn’t particularly good.
“He’s going to have to start well because all I see – and I really hope I’m wrong for all Evertonians – I can see this ending in tears.
“I don’t know when it will be, maybe 12 or 18 months time. Then all of a sudden Everton will have to pay an awful lot of money for him and maybe his staff to depart where I think there was a better option.
“I think Nuno would have been a better option and I think Graham Potter would have been a better option for sure.”
Get over it
Hutchison has regularly shown that he’s unhappy with Benitez’s appointment at Goodison Park on his Twitter account.
While we appreciate his honesty and the fact that our former player still has the Blues at heart, it’s time for him to get over it.
And that goes for the fans too.
Benitez was last at Liverpool over a decade ago and since then has gone back on his comments when he called the Toffees a small club.
Yes, he’s highly regarded among Kopites to this day but imagine how much angrier they’ll be feeling? They’re the ones who are going to be feeling betrayed by Rafa.
If someone is willing to annoy Liverpool fans that much then we’re happy with that.
We’re also happy with his track record and the fact he’s a big name who will no doubt attract big names to Goodison Park.
Sure, he’s no Ancelotti in terms of stature – but he’s better than the managers who Hutchison thinks we should have got instead.
In other Everton news, Jordan Pickford has shared what was said to him when Benitez called him last night.
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