Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson has revealed his surprise that Everton backed Rafa Benitez by selling Lucas Digne, only to sack the Spaniard days later.
Benitez was dismissed on Sunday after a run of one Premier League win in 13 games left the Toffees 16th in the table, just six points clear of the relegation zone.
The 61-year-old’s appointment at Goodison Park wasn’t universally accepted by Blues fans because of his history with Merseyside rivals Liverpool.
However, the Everton hierarchy put their faith in the former Reds boss and severed ties with a number of key figures at the club including director of football Marcel Brands.
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Benitez reportedly fell out with Digne last month and didn’t include the Frenchman in a number of his match-day squads before he was sold to Aston Villa last week.
The decision to sell the 28-year-old has come under scrutiny given Benitez’s departure, and Robinson admitted he was surprised by recent developments surrounding the former Blues left-back.
“I’m amazed at what’s happened this season and especially with Digne," he told Football Insider .
“He is one of the best left-backs in Europe going forward. One of the reasons he left was his relationship with the manager and then days later, the manager is sacked. It’s mind-blowing."
Robinson also suggested that Everton’s problems run far deeper than Benitez and that despite the vast amounts of money owner Farhad Moshiri has invested over the years, they’re still yet to move forward on the pitch.
He added: “The club has got problems at its core. This is a club that has spent half a billion since 2016 and is no better for it.
“They have had [Carlo] Ancelotti, [Ronald] Koeman and Benitez, who are all so-called ‘world-class managers’.
“The money wasted has been nothing short of phenomenal. When you compare the spends of Liverpool and Everton it tells you everything you need to know.
“Benitez was never the right fit. From the start, he was not the right fit. It just did not sit right with anybody.”
