Duncan Castles has suggested that there is ‘a lot of internal dispute’ at Everton, who ‘lack a coherent direction’ over their current managerial search.
Castles made the claim during the most recent episode of The Transfer Window podcast amid their search for a successor to Carlo Ancelotti.
This comes as Castles explained that Nuno Espirito Santo has been told throughout the process that he is their first choice and ‘money is not an issue’, but he still hasn’t received a contract from the Toffees and claims that Bill Kenwright has ‘been pushing for Rafa Benitez’ – something which Castles ‘doesn’t think fans will be happy’ with.
He said: “[Nuno received], phone calls from Everton saying, ‘don’t [join Crystal Palace], you are the man we want to be manager, money’s not an object in terms of your wage demands,’ and yet here we are, almost a week further on from that discussion and the formal contract hasn’t been presented to them.
“You have noises of Rafael Benitez being a strong candidate for the job again. My understanding is Bill Kenwright has been pushing Benitez after David Moyes signed a new contract to West Ham United. I don’t think the Everton fans will be impressed by that move if it transpires.
“Essentially [there is] a lot of internal dispute at Everton and a lack of a coherent direction with Farhad Moshiri, Bill Kenwright pushing in an opposite path, Marcel Brands getting involved, the ultimate owner Alisher Usmanov, who has Farhad Moshiri in place.
“You have Nuno, who wants to become Everton manager, is ready to do it, but doesn’t actually have the contract offer from Everton.”
TIF thoughts on Everton’s managerial situation…
Seems like a bit of a mess over at Everton doesn’t it? The confusion over how long it is taking Everton to get a deal for Nuno over the line when it has appeared done for a while, now makes some kind of sense.
Former Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti’s Toffees exit did seem to come out of the blue but if Castles is right, it seems as though their search for someone to replace the Italian has been a bit of a mess as well.
It seems as if a couple of members of the Everton board are keen to explore other candidates despite seemingly suggesting to Nuno that he is their preferred candidate.
Despite the delay mentioned by Castles, it is assumed that Nuno will be appointed as the new Everton boss imminently, however, if Castles is right and Benitez is a strong candidate many Everton fans may not be happy, with the former Liverpool manager once calling the Toffees a ‘small club‘.