Kenny Dalglish: “Rafa Will Always Be Appreciated and Accepted”

In his column for the Sunday Post, Sir Kenny Dalglish had some encouraging words for Rafa Benitez’s gig as the new manager at Everton. He believes that despite the mumbles of dissatisfaction erupting from various corners of the Internet, Rafa will always be respected by Liverpool fans. He wrote:

People are entitled to an opinion, and there has been plenty said and written about it.

From the Red side and the Blue side of the city, some can’t believe that a former Liverpool boss has decided to make the switch to Goodison.

My view is that what he achieved as Liverpool manager, such as the Champions League success in 2005, means he will always be an iconic figure at the club.

Rafa will always be appreciated and accepted.

He has a fine CV, and has managed other top clubs such as Inter Milan, Napoli, Chelsea and Newcastle United.

It’s his decision to now accept the challenge at Everton.

Rafa was announced as the new coach at Everton late last month. This is his first coaching job after his previous role at Dalian Professional in the Chinese Super League. While Liverpool fans have been unaffected by the announcement for the most part, a few Everton fans have lashed out upon hearing about the signing. Some fans even posted threatening messages on a banner near his home, despite which the move went through.

Whether this is a gig for the money, or a challenge he feels passionate about, there’s no doubt that Rafa will encounter some mixed emotions on the job. And it matters that figures like Kenny are backing him publicly, and are echoing what most Liverpool fans feel anyway - that his history with the club will always be remembered fondly.