Rafa Benitez has claimed that the 'excessively brilliant start of the championship' he enjoyed at Everton 'deluded the environment' of the Goodison Park club.
Following the surprise departure of Carlo Ancelotti as the Italian returned to Real Madrid, the Blues turned to the former Liverpool boss in a controversial move. Benitez had previously managed Dalian Professional in China before taking the reins at Goodison.
After starting the campaign well, results quickly fell away and the Spaniard was sacked in January in the wake of a latest dismal defeat away to bottom-of-the-table Norwich City. Everton had one win in their last 13 Premier League matches ahead of Benitez's sacking, losing nine games in that same spell.
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But now in a fresh interview with Italian publication Corriere dello Sport - via Sport Witness - Benitez has again opened up on his time at Goodison, claiming that wins over Southampton, Brighton, Burnley and Norwich City quickly changed the expectations of those at the club. The claims came after Benitez was asked whether the Everton hierarchy had made a 'mistake' in choosing to sack him when they did.
He said: “An ambitious project was proposed to me, in a city where I live happily with my family. I was confident and optimistic. Perhaps the excessively brilliant start of the championship deluded the environment a bit.
“With me the team has always been with a margin of at least six points from the relegation zone and with two fewer games played.”
Frank Lampard took over the role a few weeks later and eventually helped to bring supporters together in crucial fashion towards the end of the season, with incredible scenes regularly outside Goodison and Finch Farm to secure a dramatic survival in the penultimate match of the term.
“When I left, five reinforcements arrived, and luckily Everton was saved,” Benitez added. “And today, with the additional nine signings this summer, the team is totally different from the one I coached.”
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