Quartet of staff exit Everton with Benitez
Harley previously worked for Newcastle United for 11 years
Written by Training Ground Guru — January 17, 2022
FOUR members of Everton backroom staff have lost their jobs following the sacking of manager Rafa Benitez yesterday.
The quarter are:
- Francisco de Miguel Moreno (Assistant Manager): Worked with Benitez at Liverpool, Inter Milan, Chelsea, Napoli, Real Madrid, Newcastle United and Dalian in China. Arrived at Goodison with the manager in July.
- Antonio Gomez (First-Team Coach and Senior Analyst): Also a long-time associate of the Spaniard, having been alongside him at Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle and Dalian.
- Jamie Harley (Head of Sports Science): Arrived a couple of weeks after Benitez. Worked with the Spaniard during his 11 years at Newcastle United. Had turned down an overseas offer to join the Toffees.
- Cristian Fernandez (First-Team Rehabilitation Fitness Coach): Appointed in October, having previously worked at Newcastle for five years.
When Harley was appointed, he said: “This is a great challenge at a really exciting time for the club. Everton, with the size of the club and the scale of backing and fanbase, are clearly very ambitious.
“They want to be in that top tier of the Premier League and everything I have seen so far is set up to do that. That is what makes it so exciting.”
However, Benitez was sacked after just six months following Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Norwich, which left Everton 16th in the Premier League. His dismissal means owner Farhad Moshiri is now looking for his sixth permanent manager in six years.
There has also been a huge churn in staff during that time. When Carlo Ancelotti left for Real Madrid at the end of last season, for example, six staff went with him.
Subsequently, Ferguson was appointed caretaker manager "for the club’s upcoming games", with Head of Academy Coaching/ Under-23s boss John Ebbrell, Professional Development Phase Coach Leighton Baines and Goalkeeping Coach Alan Kelly as his assistants.
Everton added that: "An announcement on a permanent managerial appointment will be made in due course."
FIRST-TEAM STAFF EXITS SINCE END OF 2017/18
Directors of Football: Steve Walsh, Marcel Brands.
Managers: Sam Allardyce, Marco Silva, Carlo Ancelotti, Rafa Benitez.
Coaching: Sammy Lee, Craig Shakespeare, Martyn Margetson, Davide Ancelotti, Goncalo Pedro, Luis Boa Morte, João Pedro Sousa, Hugo Oliveira, Francisco de Miguel Moreno, Antonio Gomez.
Analysis: Antonis Lemonakis, Luca Guerra.
Medical: Cristian Fernandez, Danny Donachie, Mino Fulco, Simeone Montanaro, Matt Taberner, Dr Aboul Shaheir, Matt Connery.
Performance: Jamie Harley, Francesco Mauri, Manuel Morabito, Bruno Mendes, Ryland Morgans.
Recruitment/ scouting: Gretar Steinsson, Dan Purdy.
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