Current manager of the Belgium national team, and former boss at Goodison Park, Roberto Martinez has emerged as the shock favourite to succeed fellow Spaniard Rafael Benitez at Everton, according to The Telegraph.
Roberto Martinez Considered Favourite for Everton Job
Everton Poor Despite Pre-Season Hopes
Before the season began, Everton fans would have been fairly hopeful of their side’s prospects over the coming nine months. Their squad included quality players like Lucas Digne and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and they had just appointed a Champions League-winning manager in Rafael Benitez.
There were, however, cracks in the optimism, and they have made themselves abundantly apparent as the season has progressed.
Benitez is famously a Liverpool legend, having guided them to a memorable Champions League trophy in 2005. Many of the Toffees’ fans were unhappy that such a prominent figure in their arch rivals’ history was joining their club.
Further to this, a manager even more decorated than Benitez, Carlo Ancelotti, was unable to guide Everton to glory during his time at Goodison Park, finishing 10th in his only full season there. Another boss with many titles in his past was surely not the answer to the Blues’ problems, and indeed this proved to be the case.
With Everton in 16th place and dangerously close to the relegation battle, Benitez was sacked this Sunday.
Other Candidates Competing With Martinez
The Toffees will be considering all of their options ahead of making this decision, one which could make or break their next few years.
Roberto Martinez is perhaps the most fascinating of all the possibilities, with the Spaniard having managed at Goodison Park almost ten years ago. Everton have not been able to match Martinez’s fifth-place finish in the 2013/14 season since his departure from the North of England, and their reputation as the ‘best of the rest’ in the Premier League has died away in recent years.
Another candidate is Wayne Rooney, who Derbyshire Live claim is ahead of Martinez in the race for the job.
Either way, it is likely that Everton have a good idea of who they want to fill the open position. It was reported on Saturday night that the board were pushing to sack Benitez, but that a viable replacement would be lined up beforehand.
The club will have to act quickly if they want their new man to have an impact on any plans for the January transfer window.
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