During his ill-fated and predictably short-lived stay at the Santiago Bernabeu, some Real Madrid stars mockingly referred to Rafa Benitez as ‘the number ten’ (Marca).
The implication was that a man who’s playing career peaked in the Spanish lower leagues with AD Parla had very little to teach the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Luka Modric when it came to opening up opposition defences.
Six years on, that ‘number ten’ moniker has taken on a new, and even more ironic, meaning.
Because, at both Real Madrid and Everton, Benitez ousted and outcasted a player who can be genuinely considered one of the few remaining ‘number tens’ in modern European football.
They’re certainly a dying breed.
And Benitez’s treatment of James Rodriguez, at the Bernabeu and at Goodison Park, did nothing to save this increasingly anachronic species from extinction.
Isco, the brilliant, bow-legged, ball-carrying Spanish schemer, found game-time equally hard to come by under Benitez in Madrid.
Oscar, meanwhile, went public with his own frustrations after being omitted by Benitez for Chelsea’s 1-0 defeat to Corinthians in the 2012 Club World Cup final (ESPN).
And during his 19 Premier League games in charge of Everton, the 61-year-old has operated entirely without an orthodox ‘number ten’, relying instead on quicksilver wideman Richarlison, Demarai Gray, Andros Townsend and Anthony Gordon for cutting edge in the final third.
Did we mention that he also stood in the way of Marcel Brands’ attempts to bring Donny Van de Beek – a player who did his best work as a ‘number ten’ at Ajax – to Gwladys Street over the summer?
It’s no surprise, then, that the under-fire coach has reservations about a deal that would see Philippe Coutinho join from Barcelona during the January transfer window.
The £146 million misfit, now the highest earner at a cash-strapped Camp Nou, is heading back to the Premier League and the always-ambitious Farhad Moshiri is hoping to make Goodison Park his next destination.
Benitez and Coutinho, however, hardly feels like a match made in footballing heaven. It’s more Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton; like mixing oil and water.
Should Philippe Coutinho stay away from Everton?
According to former Liverpool director Damien Comolli, it was none other than Benitez himself who convinced the Reds to take a punt on a 20-year-old Coutinho nearly a decade ago, having worked with the fresh-faced Brazilian at Inter Milan.
“We didn’t even know he was that good,” Comolli explained. “It was only when Rafa said he’s going to be world-class.
“When somebody like Rafa says a thing about a player like this, you listen.”
A lot of time has passed since then, however, and just because Benitez thought highly of Coutinho nine years ago doesn’t mean this would be a good fit in 2022.
If ESPN are to be believed, Benitez has already come to such a conclusion.
Coutinho has also been linked with Aston Villa, Liverpool and Leicester City, and all three clubs would provide a reunion with a man who knows and trusts the Brazilian – Steven Gerrard, Jurgen Klopp and Brendan Rodgers – far more than Rafa Benitez does.
Gerrard described Coutinho as a ‘magician‘ during their time together at Anfield. And, throughout his admittedly short managerial career, Gerrard has shown that he is flexible enough to adapt his tactics to suit highly-talented players.
But if Gerrard’s approach is pliable and free-flowing, Benitez’s is suffering from rigor mortis. He’s not going to change for anyone, not even a player as talented as Coutinho.
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