If Rafa Benitez becomes the new manager of Everton football club then Farhad Moshiri and co should be wary of fan power.
Supporters have already been left dismayed by the club’s pursuit of the Spaniard but the Toffees aren’t pulling away from a deal just yet.
What’s the word?
Everton’s search for a new manager is now into its fourth week but at last, the hierarchy are on the verge of concluding a deal.
Last week it was reported by Jim White that they were incredibly close to announcing Benitez as the new boss but that has since been met with concern from supporters.
Unfortunately, the board appear to be unrelenting in their desire to hire the 61-year-old.
Another backer now includes Alisher Usmanov. The Standard reported on Wednesday that the Uzbek billionaire was a supporter of the controversial move to appoint Benitez.
Usmanov isn’t a shareholder on the board but his companies provide huge sums of money in sponsorship for Everton so his backing should be a worry for fans who are not in favour of Benitez being hired as their club's nee manager.
Fans must be livid
Everton’s hunt for a new manager has been incredibly perplexing.
The Toffees were close to hiring former Wolves boss Nuno Santo but after talks stalled, they made their move for Benitez.
The 61-year-old famously dubbed the Merseyside outfit ‘small’ all the way back in 2007 and as a result, supporters have been keen to display their annoyance at the board for considering him.
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Benitez has won a Champions League and has multiple honours across the domestic scene in Europe so you can understand why he’s being considered from a CV point of view.
However, perhaps Moshiri ought to look towards what Chairman Bill Kenwright is keen on.
He initially had discussions with David Moyes but a move for the Scot is now off the table after he signed a new contract with West Ham United.
Kenwright has also been a fan of Roberto Martinez as they attempt to replace Carlo Ancelotti.
The Belgium manager ended up losing his job in Merseyside during his first spell in charge of Everton but he knows the scenery and clearly still holds an excellent relationship with one of the club’s key board members.
Supporters may have grown tired of his stubborn tactics but at the moment, it feels like anyone would be preferable ahead of Benitez.
The trouble is, with major investors in Everton keen on seeing the former Liverpool manager arrive, Moshiri may not have much choice.
Hiring somebody else and watching them fail could leave to decreased sponsorship; something that could hurt the Toffees immensely from a financial point of view. This feels like a catch 22 situation.