Courtney Sweetman-Kirk issues claim on Benitez and Everton
Courtney Sweetman-Kirk isn’t convinced that Rafael Benitez’s start at Everton is convincing fans about him.
The former Liverpool and Toffees women’s footballer praises Benitez for starting well, but she isn’t convinced that Benitez has swayed many Everton fans.
The former Liverpool manager was a controversial choice to take over from Carlo Ancelotti, but after four games, the Toffees sit in fourth place unbeaten in all competitions.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Sweetman-Kirk said: “We’re four games in and last year, I remember being here and having callers saying ‘Everton are going to win the league’ and ‘Calvert-Lewin’s going to get [the] golden boot’.
“As a person that’s lived in Liverpool, played for Liverpool and Everton.
“That place is something else in terms of the football; the way people feel about it is tribal. It’s something completely different from anywhere else I have ever witnessed.
“So as much as he is doing a great job, I don’t know how much it will convince the Toffs.”
Interesting point.
There was a lot of anger towards the club when they announced that they had appointed Benitez as their manager.
He was even sent a threatening banner warning him not to take the job, but that hasn’t bothered him, and he has got on with the task at hand and made a cracking start to life at Goodison [Daily Mail].
However, the Toffees started last season well before fading away horribly under Ancelotti.
Despite this, though, we can’t see that happening this season, Benitez will have his side too well-drilled to allow them to fade away, and we would expect the Toffees to finish as strongly as they have started.
Remember, the Spaniard has spent very little and has already improved the Toffees considerably, so though some fans might remain unconvinced, we would hope that many Evertonians are now backing Benitez.
In other Everton news, one Toffees star could be set for a new contract.
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