Former Newcastle United defender believes it was the 'wrong decision' for Everton to employ Rafa Benitez because of his Liverpool 'connections'

Rafa Benitez’s Everton continues to struggle in the Premier League, something a former Newcastle defender believes may end with the Spaniard getting the sack.
Jose Enrique believes Everton made the wrong decision to hire former Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)Jose Enrique believes Everton made the wrong decision to hire former Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
Jose Enrique believes Everton made the wrong decision to hire former Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

The former Newcastle United boss has struggled at Goodison Park this campaign with his Everton side currently sitting in 14th and staring down the barrel of another injury crisis.

Jose Enrique, who left Tyneside to join the red half of Merseyside in 2011, believes that Benitez at Everton was seemingly doomed to fail and although he is a ‘great manager’, the 61-year-old may be facing an uphill battle to win back any support from the Everton faithful:

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“From the start, it was the wrong appointment for Everton.” Enrique told BeMyBet.

"If they were doing well no one would say anything but you can see as soon as the team started doing badly the fans are not with him, because of his Liverpool connections.

"He’s a great manager, I love him, but it was the wrong decision from him to go to Everton.

"He’s happy in the city and his family live there, but with his past at Liverpool I wouldn’t have made that decision. You knew he would be under pressure every single season at Everton because the fans didn’t want him there from the start. If the team don’t improve he’s definitely going to get the sack. If it’s not this season, it will be the season after.

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"In the end the fans don’t want him there. The only way they will be convinced to have him stay, is if he wins something there, and I don’t see Everton winning anything. It’s going to be very difficult.

"He’s a great manager and he can turn it around. The only thing is whether the owners can handle the pressure from the fans. If they sack Benitez now the fans will be very, very happy - that’s the reality.

"Rafa has won everything as a manager and he knows what to do, so I’m sure he can handle the pressure. If you give him time he can build a team, like he did at Liverpool. But I don’t see that happening at Everton.”

Newcastle United face Liverpool on Thursday before returning to Merseyside on December 30 when they will take on Benitez and Everton at Goodison Park.