‘End in tears’: BBC pundit says Everton should’ve appointed 46-year-old instead of Benitez

Follow us on Google Discover

Don Hutchison has told BBC Radio 5 Live Sport that Everton should have appointed Brighton boss, Graham Potter, instead of Rafa Benitez.

The former Everton man thinks it will ‘end in tears; for the Liverpool legend at Goodison Park.

Well, at the start of the summer, Everton fans were taken by surprise when Real Madrid came knocking for Carlo Ancelotti’s services.

But their jaws would have hit the floor when Benitez was touted to replace the trophy-laden Italian and then many weeks later they saw him holding aloft the Everton scarf.

Hutchison, who represented both Liverpool and Everton during his playing days, explains why the 46-year-old, Potter, was the man for the Toffees.

“I hope I am massively wrong,” said Hutchison. “I think it will end in tears and not just because Rafa managed Liverpool. And not just because he said Everton were a ‘small club’.

“The guys I feel sorry for are Farhad Moshiri, Marcel Brands and Bill Kenwright. In the summer, when they lost Carlo Ancelotti, I could imagine the conversation in the boardroom ‘we need another big name’ – I thought Ancelotti was going to be sensational.

“In my opinion, I think they made a mistake. I think they should have gone for Graham Potter. I think that would have been more of a bedding-in process.

“I could imagine Graham Potter playing cracking football at Everton. Brighton have been really, really good to watch. They are taking games to the likes of Man City. And playing teams off the park. I could imagine him succeeding and taking the club forward slowly.”

The first thing Benitez needs to get right is to recruit well because this Everton squad needs fixing.

And straight off the bat, he has made the right call to bring in the services of Andros Townsend and Demarai Gray.

Both are cheap additions, plus they add some much-needed pace, direct play and great ability to put the ball into the box from out wide.

Benitez still has to be backed more in the market, but at the end of the day, it’s all about the results and if they don’t come his way then it’s going to be a long season for him.