IT’S PLAN B
Rafa has right vision, says Tim
RAFA BENITEZ will have a longterm plan for Everton, says club legend Tim Cahill.
The Spaniard, 61, was a controversial appointment at Goodison Park given his six-year stint managing Liverpool from 2004 to 2010.
And just five months into his tenure with the Toffees, his job looks far from secure.
Everton have no wins in their last six Premier League matches and were battered 3-0 by Manchester City at The Etihad last week.
Benitez, though, has proven pedigree throughout his managerial career.
He bagged two La Liga titles at Valencia, the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005 and the Europa League with Chelsea in 2013.
And Toffees great Cahill, 41, expects the “deep thinker” to have a strategy in place for his current outfit.
“Because I know him personally, I understand his methodology and the way he thinks about football – so that helps a lot,” he said. “Now being retired and having finished my pro license I appreciate the way that he goes about his business in the preparation, he is very detailed. He is a deep thinker and his plan will be for the future.
“The most difficult thing for him is being a Red, but that’s understandable and I think it’s something that he’ll embrace.”
Benitez’s squad has been ravaged by injuries since the summer. And Everton have slipped into the bottom half of the Premier League table as they struggle to find their groove. Dominic CalvertLewin,
who scored 21 goals in all competitions last season, has been out since August with a thigh injury.
The England international will once again be missing for today’s clash with Brentford, along with Yerry Mina and Tom Davies.
Benitez has also had to be thrifty in the transfer market with funds severely limited.
But with the January window coming up, Cahill – who made 278 appearances for Everton – reckons the experienced chief’s trump card will be his ability to wheel and deal.
“With the squad he’s inherited as well, you’ve got to look into that,” he added.
“He made two really good signings with Andros Townsend and Demarai Gray.
“That shows he knows the market and how to work within that budget.
“And we also know he can work with a bigger budget when he gets some real money to spend.”