During a recent YouTube video, The Athletic’s Derby County reporter Ryan Conway spent some time talking about potential replacements for Phillip Cocu after the Dutchman was sacked by the Rams on Saturday and he discussed the possibility that Rafael Benitez, who previously managed in England at Liverpool, Chelsea and Newcastle United, could take over at Pride Park.
It has been claimed that Derby’s next manager will be appointed after the impending takeover by Sheikh Khaled bin Zayed Al Nehayan of the Abu Dhabi royal family is completed.
Benitez, who is currently managing Chinese Super League club Dalian Professional, has been linked with the Rams and it has been claimed that he ‘would be interested in a return to Europe’ but during this recent YouTube video, Conway cast some doubt on the likelihood that Benitez would want to come to Derby, saying:
“I get this argument that Benitez is available and the new owners have money, but there is still a third party in this and that is Rafa Benitez himself.
“Does he want to come to Derby? Does he want to still manage at all? Does he want to manage at a higher level?
“Derby is a big club, but in its current state, you’d sort of go: they’re bottom of the Championship – does Rafa Benitez want to put himself in a position where he’s managing [at the] bottom of the Championship?”
Do you think Derby could sign Benitez?
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TIF Thoughts on what Conway had to say about the likelihood of Benitez taking over at Derby…
Benitez previously managed in the Championship with Newcastle United, guiding them to the league title in the 2016/17 campaign, so perhaps it’s not completely out of the question that he would take the Derby job.
However, given that the Spaniard did spend just one season managing in England’s second tier and knowing that Derby’s chances of earning promotion to the top flight this term don’t look great, with the club currently sitting at the bottom of the Championship 11 games into the 2020/21 season, maybe Conway is right in suggesting that it may be difficult to convince the 2004/05 UEFA Champions League winner to move to Pride Park and perhaps, at least for this season, other potential managerial appointments are more likely.
Given that Benitez has shared some frustration over “the understanding of the game” in China compared to Europe though, maybe the 60-year-old, who has got just over a year remaining on his contract with Dalian Professional, is looking for a route back to European football and if Derby can offer him that, then perhaps it’s a proposition that he would consider, so it will be interesting to see if the Rams do see Benitez as a realistic target.