Rafa Benitez insists he is not distant with his players as claimed
Rafa Benitez insists claims he is distant with his players are wrong, pointing at the relationship he has with Everton players to disprove them.
Some of those who played under the former Liverpool boss say he hardly praises those under him, often preferring to always point out how they can improve and get better instead.
It has led to a popular belief that Benitez is not close with his charges, but the Toffees boss insists that is far from the truth, and he says he has a good rapport and relationship with his players at Goodison Park.
“I think that perception is wrong,” Benitez told Sportsmail when the claim was put to him.
“We can talk about Demarai Gray or Andros Townsend or even Michael Keane. I talk with my players every day about anything.
“With Richarlison I was talking the other day about Ronaldo — the Brazilian player — Socrates, Garrincha, even his dogs.
“You try to be sure you understand your players and in this case we talked about Brazilian players, ones he maybe doesn’t know as well as ones he does know. I think that’s normal.
“As a manager you have to bring the best from your players and that is the way for me.”
Great
Benitez is a Champions League-winning manager and a La Liga title winner, so he definitely must be doing something right to have won major trophies and remained in the game for this long.
While it has been claimed that he is a hard man to please, he is willing to get closer to his players nowadays, and that has been evident since he joined Everton in the summer.
The Spaniard knows things are different in football nowadays, and having a personal closeness with his players definitely yield results on and off the pitch.
The Blues have lost once in five Premier League games this term, winning thrice and drawing the other, and his impressive start to life on his return to Merseyside has surprised some of the fans.
Benitez does not agree that he is distant with his players, and those at Everton feel the same way.
He will be targeting guiding his side to Europe, and his relationship with the Goodison Park stars will definitely play a massive role in the side’s chances of finishing in the top-seven this term.
The initial signs are encouraging.
In other Everton news, Benitez details transfer conversation he had about summer signing before Everton arrival.
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