Rafa Benitez reckons his Liverpool legend status stopped him from taking the tough decisions at Everton.
The Toffees appointed the Spaniard last summer but it was a disastrous move which fans were against from the off. Benitez started well with Everton taking 10 points from their first four Premier League games but their form plummeted soon after.
The former Liverpool manager - who led the Reds to the 2005 European Cup - was sacked in January after just one win in 13 league games. But he regrets not making more changes to the structure at the club. Benitez said: "I thought we could improve everything... in terms of staff, departments, squad, things like that.
"It was a nice time in terms of experience and a shame at the same time. You have to analyse the context. At the time Everton came in with the offer (people said) 'You were with Liverpool it could be a problem' but I have a lot of friends who are Blues and they knew I would give everything to do my best and to improve things. I knew it could be difficult but because I was Red maybe I couldn't make some decisions. It was very clear for us at the beginning.”
However, despite Benitez’s claims that he couldn’t make big changes there were movements. During his short spell at the club the head of the medical department and top figures in the scouting and recruitment changed, while a difference of opinion saw director of football Marcel Brands depart just over a month before Benitez left. Benitez added: "I had a meeting with a head of one of the departments and I asked him 'Do you think everything is fine?' He said 'Yeah, everything is perfect'.
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"I thought '£600m had been spent, it cannot be perfect when the owners aren't happy and the fans are not happy it cannot be perfect'. So I realised we had to change things inside, but I couldn't do it straight away because I was (a former) Red and it could be seen as 'Oh, he's come in to change our club'. In another club, I would have made those decisions. I did it in the past, because you know very clearly that is the way to improve, but at Everton I couldn't do it."
Meanwhile, Everton second-choice stopper Asmir Begovic reckons the Toffees have build a foundation at the back to build on this season. Frank Lampard’s side have the joint second-best defensive record in the top tier so far this season after their 1-0 win over West Ham at the weekend. “If we’re solid defensively and have a good structure, then that gives us a little bit more possession and the chance to win games, because we have quality up the pitch,” said Begovic, who kept a clean sheet on Sunday. Those goals will come more and more – 100 per cent – and if we can keep the back door shut that will give us the chance to win most games.”
