2/04/2007

So Everton are a small club are they ? Grow up and act your age Rafa Benitez

After drawing 0-0 at home against Everton, Rafa Benitez has claimed Everton are a small club.

What a pathetic thing to say. As a primary school teacher it is the sort of thing I expect to hear from a child in a playground not a grown man.

I would say to Mr Benitez that "if you know your history", he'd realise that size has nothing to do with recent premiership results, or indeed Champions League wins (after all, Everton were denied the chance to compete in Europe after the Heysel stadium tragedy).

Everton and Liverpool have a friendly and long standing tradition of rivalry, but the number of wins in derby matches shows an almost equal balance of wins between the clubs. In terms of fan base in Merseyside itself, many argue that Everton are better supported than Liverpool, but whatever your colours, the fact is that Everton vs Liverpool is a rivalry of equals, which is what makes the Merseyside derby a special match.

I supported Liverpool in the champions league final when they won, because although I am an Evertonian, I respect Liverpool football club. It is a shame Rafa Benitez cannot show the same level of respect to Everton.

8 comments:

prolix said...

I completely agree. And said as much here.

Will have to keep a look out for your blog, us Evertonian bloggers are few and far between.

Anonymous said...

Everton are a small club, i like the "if you know your history" i find it quite funny, escpecially when they sing it when playing against liverpool or manchester united, "the BIG clubs".

Anonymous said...

Another RS fan showing disrespect. Typical and a far cry from when Everton fans showed such solidarity with Liverpool fans after Hillsborough.

Anonymous said...

I am not being funny, but Everton where once a "Big Club", but not any more, they are by no means a very small club but they are nowhere near "BIG". From what all the Everton fans are saying about history, are all of them trying to honestly tell me that Nottingham Forest (2 times european champions) who are in League 1 are still a big club, but no i don't think so. So face up 2 it that you are nowhere near as big a club you where and think you are.

Unknown said...

Greetings --

Well put entry. I understand the tone of rivalry, but when it comes down to it, to be in the Premiership, your team must be good. Simple. I would like to speak with you about publishing some articles on Everton.

Cheers,
michelle@sportingo.com

Anonymous said...

Your article is very poor in my opinion as it fails to provide any justification as to why Rafael Benitez said what he did and also, why he might actually be correct.

Firstly, Benitez is an educated football man who lives for the sport. In my honest opinion, Benitez' view reflects the representation of Everton from outside of England. You wouldn't expect europeans to call Everton a 'BIG' club - only Liverpool and United can be considered huge clubs on the european continent.

Also, you failed to say that only a few weeks earlier, David Moyes had a post match interview in which he said - and I quote...

'We don't have the money that the big clubs have [...] It's hard to compete with the big 4 when they have the resources available to them that lesser clubs don't'

No to mention the countless times he mentions Liverpool in his post-match interviews - in which he always seems to have a pop at them for being in a stronger position to EFC - baffling !

These words by Moyes indicate that the likes of L'pool, Utd, Arsenal etc are bigger clubs than Everton and as such, places EFC in a position were they can rightly be described as a smaller club than Liverpool.

Yes, I am a Liverpool fan and I do respect EFC, however for the last decade and most notably under Moyes I have become aware of a constant need for EFC to put down Liverpool.

When Moyes 'self-proclaimed' EFC as the ppl's club - even though you can't fill a 38,000 seater (fact) - advertisements on radio)
- you don't hear Liverpool FC reacting with the malice that EFC did.

As an article - it stinks, because your job is to present an arguement with clarity and facts rather than presumptions and blatant bias.

My advice - stop obsessing over Liverpool, its become a weekly occurence with EFC.

I would be most greatful if you would approve my comment because it is valid and worthy.

Nich Starling said...

Joseph, you are under a misapprehension here.

Firstly you state "your job is to present an arguement with clarity and facts rather than presumptions and blatant bias."

WRONG - My job is to teach eight year olds. That is what I am paid to do. My blog is a place to express my thoughts. If you don't like my views and opinions you are welcome to respond, as you did, but don't try and tell me my job.

Secondly most of what you write is opinion. you criticise me for havin gan opinion and then try to criticise me by offering your own opinion. It does not make me wrong and it does not make you correct.

One further point though, if your views are so valid why did it take four months to respond !

Anonymous said...

If you have another read through my comment you will see that I actually said 'as an article [...] your job is to'

I never once referred to your professional job.

You also say that most of what I had written was also opinion, however I must disagree. Here's why,

Firstly,

- Moyes DID self proclaim EFC as the ppl's club.

- Moyes DID refer to Liverpool as a bigger club in a post match interview.

- EFC DO advertise tickets on the radio.

Actually I had to look long and hard for an opinion in my article.

It was probably 90% fact Nich.

The one comment which I suppose was an opinion was Benitez' view reflecting that of all of Europe. But come on Nich, Benitez is a football addict who often opts to watch DVD's of football rather than spend an evening with the wife. This is also fact - it was Mrs Benitez who made this clear.

His view of EFC should have been a wake up call to Everton but instead, fans such as yourself pounced on Rafael with immediate effect without actually considering why he said it.

Lastly, it took me four months to respond because obviously the article has only recently come to my attention.

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