RAFA BENITEZ TO BECOME EVERTON MANAGER

Former manager Carlo Ancelotti departed Merseyside to return to Real Madrid

It has been rumoured for weeks and today reportedly will finally be the day that former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez will be confirmed as the new manager of the Red’s city rivals Everton.

It has split both sets of fans on whether managing both clubs should be a problem or not. It is a question that hasn’t been put to either set of fans before as both Everton and Liverpool have had quite hardline managers on which side of the city they supported.

Benitez was announced as Liverpool manager in 2004 and within a year he had guided them to a historic Champions League win in Istanbul, one that Benitez himself said was a night he would never forget. He spent six years at Anfield leading Liverpool to a title challenge in the 2008-09 season, just a year before he departed in 2010.

Benitez’s stay at Liverpool remains his longest spell at one club across his managerial career. He has previously managed teams such as Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Valencia and Napoli and more recently returned to England to manage Newcastle United before escaping to China for 2 years.

The opinion’s of fans will be very significant in this appointment. Will the Everton fans warm to Benitez and will Liverpool fans feel like they have been betrayed by Rafa due to his appointment to a rival club.

Let’s remember why Everton are appointing the former Liverpool manager. Former manager Carlo Ancelotti announced, at the end of May, that he will not lead Everton into the new Premier League season and will instead return to Real Madrid in Spain. It was a fairly surprising decision for the Italian with many fans in shock and disbelief.

So what position will the Merseyside Blues be in by the start of the new season? Will they be ready for a European battle or will they continue their recent plight and only have the guts to finish 10th?