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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Ben Parsons

Alan Shearer says "bizarre" Rafa Benitez sacking "sums up way Everton is being run"

Alan Shearer believes the 'bizarre' sacking of Rafa Benitez epitomises the chaotic ownership at Everton.

Benitez was fired on Sunday after six-and-a-half months in charge at Goodison Park.

The Spaniard oversaw just one win since September in a dismal run and was dismissed after a humbling 2-1 defeat to Norwich at Carrow Road.

Benitez's return to Merseyside looked doomed from the outset due to his Liverpool connection and things quickly unraveled for the Toffees.

Everton now sit in 16th place in the Premier League table, just six points off the relegation zone.

Belgium boss Roberto Martinez has been identified as Benitez's potential replacement, five years after being sacked by the club.

HAVE YOUR SAY! Who should replace Rafael Benitez at Everton? Comment below

Alan Shearer believes Benitez's sacking sums up Everton's problems (BBC Sport)

The patience Everton had for Benitez eroded quickly, but there is an acknowledgement on Merseyside that the club's problems are deeper routed than the maligned manager.

Farhad Moshiri, Everton's majority owner, has overseen six managerial appointments, while large sums have been spent with a distinct lack of vision or planning.

Shearer, the Premier League's all-time top goalscorer, has no sympathy for Benitez, despite him spending just 200 days in charge.

“You can’t argue with that. If you go into management, then you know you can’t be on a run of form like Everton have had,” the former Newcastle United forward told Premier League Productions.

“No matter how good you have been. No matter how experienced you are. You are going to lose your job. But that doesn’t solve all the problems at Everton."

But Shearer has identified the most salient issue in the club's hierarchy, suggesting Benitez's sacking was symptomatic of a club without a clear direction.

“When you look at what has happened over the previous six years and now they are looking for their seventh manager in six years?" he added.

“Over half a billion pounds has been spent. That tells you the manager is an issue, but not all of the issues.

“They spend another £30 or 40 odd million in the last two weeks.

"They let one of their best players go during the past week, I presume because the manager didn’t want and [couldn't] get on with him.

“It’s just bizarre and it sums up the way Everton are being run, at this moment in time.”

Everton's next managerial appointment is crucial after another failure with a relegation battle not beyond question.

The Toffees face Steven Gerrard's Aston Villa at Goodison on Saturday and it remains unclear if a new manager will be in the dugout on Merseyside.

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