Guillem Balague: Everton fans will realise Rafa Benitez is part of city
Guillem Balague has stated that Everton managerial favourite Rafa Benitez has a personal connection with the city and will be a good fit.
News of the former Liverpool manager closing in on the Everton job has not been taken too well by the Goodison Park faithful for obvious reasons.
The Spaniard has achieved success with their cross-town rivals and has also guided them to a Champions League title.
Due to which there have been protests around the stadium and Everton fans have expressed their displeasure at the board for hiring one of the heroes of their rivals.
However, Balague believes that he is a great choice for the club, and the fans will soon welcome the idea of him being their manager.
The BBC pundit said, via his personal Twitter account, "I would say the personal connection right now is bigger with the city (with both Evertonians and Liverpoolians) than with Liverpool Football Club itself.
"And I am sure in time Everton fans will realise that, as strange as it might sound right now, Rafa Benitez is and will be one of them
"I genuinely think Everton fans are the same people that outside Goodison Park look after their own and after those that come from outside. Rafa is a great choice for a club that aims to keep growing."
Give him time
Being hostile to a new manager will help nobody as even if it does get him sacked eventually, we'll have set this project back by a year or even more than that.
For the board to support him unconditionally and for him to get the players onside, it's important that the fans cheer him on along with cheering the team on the pitch.
He may have managed our rivals and said some things about us in the past, but what matters is the present and future, and there's no denying that he's a better manager than most of the names we were linked with.
He helped a side like Newcastle punch above their weight and enjoyed trophy-winning campaigns at big clubs like Chelsea and Real Madrid.
All we're asking is to treat him like we would treat any new manager and let the results decide our emotions.
In other Everton news, Former Liverpool & Everton striker offers six-word response on major Benitez update