Rafa Benitez happy for Everton to appoint new director of football after Marcel Brands exit
Everton manager Rafa Benitez says he does not mind the club appointing a new director of football following the departure of Marcel Brands.
The Dutchman stepped down from his role last Sunday (5 December), amid reports of a power struggle with Benitez [The Athletic].
In the short-term, the Spaniard will take control of transfers in the January transfer window but the Toffees will be looking for a replacement for Brands.
“I have been in football so many years,” Benitez said yesterday (10 December) [Liverpool Echo]. “Normally in Spain and Italy you have a director of football, so I don’t have any issue with a director of football.
“It’s just to make sure we choose the right one for Everton, and then hopefully we can be successful with that.
“My main job is to concentrate on the games, that is very clear but at the same time, the club is trying to manage the new structure.
“Obviously you keep an eye on that, but my priority is just the games.
“We have conversations all the time, it’s one thing we’re doing regularly. We’re talking about ideas and after the owner and the board will decide which way they want to go.”
Vital appointment
A director of football is a key part of a club’s strategy on and off the pitch, particularly with regards to player recruitment, so Everton should look to find a replacement for Brands quickly.
Of course as proven by Brands’s tenure, that strategy has to be the right one and the Dutchman ultimately struggled because his approach was disjointed and failed to take the club forward.
Benitez might be fine for a replacement to be found, but it is also true that he likes to have a big say in transfers, so the new man will also have to be content with that dynamic.
One thing is clear though: Everton must get the appointment right if they are to progress and challenge for European football, which is what a club of their size should be doing.
In other Everton news, Mark Lawrenson has predicted the outcome of Sunday’s game against Crystal Palace.
Be sure to follow Goodison News on Facebook and Twitter for 24/7 updates on Everton and more exclusive interviews with Kevin Campbell.