Everton supervisor Rafael Benitez insists he’s not focused on pandering to the ego of Lucas Digne and that’s the reason the breakdown of their relationship has led to the defender asking to depart.
The France full-back has not performed for the reason that Merseyside derby defeat at dwelling to Liverpool on 1 December after a fall-out with the Spaniard over techniques and his function within the workforce.
He returned to the squad as an unused substitute for final weekend’s defeat at dwelling to Brighton however he has possible performed his final recreation for the membership.
Benitez urged the participant was extra focused on his personal particular person statistics than he was in doing the job required for the workforce and that was damaging to his long-term plans to make the membership extra aggressive.
“We’re professionals, we’re paid huge cash to do our job and if somebody is comfortable or not comfortable it’s (nonetheless) as much as you to carry out in your job,” he mentioned.
“It’s a must to be obtainable, it’s a must to put your pursuits behind the pursuits of the membership. The query is what the workforce wants or what the workforce wanted after which we didn’t have that.
“If you’re not interested by that the precedence is you and never the workforce. A workforce that completed tenth and somebody is nervous about their stats modifications nothing for me.
“I don’t wish to end tenth, I’d prefer to be in a a lot better place, I’m not silly. I wish to end as excessive as doable. The membership is rising and enhancing and we’re making a profitable mentality for the long run however it’s going to take a while.
“Within the meantime you want gamers who actually wish to be right here. We’ve to contemplate what we wish to do in our future. Will we wish to attempt to enhance or simply handle the egos and go away the workforce behind relying on the egos?”
Benitez’s recognition at Goodison Park has by no means been notably excessive as a former Liverpool supervisor however he got here in for big criticism when Digne sat on the bench for Sunday’s 3-2 dwelling defeat to Brighton and right-back Seamus Coleman was used on the left.
Will we wish to attempt to enhance or simply handle the egos and go away the workforce behind relying on the egos
Everton supervisor Rafael Benitez
That recreation led to former Everton midfielder Peter Reid tweeting: “Main issues at Goodison Park, big issues in regards to the path of the soccer membership.”
Benitez held up Reid, who performed greater than 150 occasions for the membership throughout their profitable interval within the mid-to-late Nineteen Eighties, as a reference level when it got here to his dealing with of the scenario.
Benitez added: “I had a few conversations with him (Digne), he instructed me what he thought. So what do you anticipate to do when a participant is considering to depart?
“I wish to ask a query to each fan or former participant. What would Peter Reid say if a participant says to the supervisor he doesn’t wish to be right here.
“Would he be pleased with this participant? Would he be supportive of this participant? Would the followers be supportive of this participant?”
Chelsea, West Ham and Newcastle have all been linked with Digne however Benitez mentioned no membership had made a proper supply – and that may very well be an issue if nothing materialises earlier than the top of the window.
“We’d like dedication, not enquiries,” mentioned Benitez forward of the FA Cup tie will Hull.
“I’m not in command of negotiations however when somebody is asking they must commit themselves and say ‘I’ll purchase, I’ll pay or I’ll make an obligation or one thing’.
“However folks speak and speak. I might say to you I’d prefer to signal Haaland and Mbappe however I’ve to commit myself.
“I could make an enquiry after which you’ll say ‘Oh they’re ’ and that’s it. We’ve curiosity however nothing concrete.
“If January 31 is right here we now have to take care of a participant who doesn’t wish to be right here.
“However what I can not do is usher in gamers who don’t wish to be right here and provides precedence to gamers who are usually not .”
Kaynak: briturkish.com
