Whatever the popularity stakes have him at, I have two big concerns:
1. The fact, that with the club staring King Sam II in the face in December 2019 (when we were yet again in the relegation zone way beyond September),
Rafa had the chance to join us eighteen months ago, but clearly though he couldn't rescue us. "Who'd have blamed him?" many may have presumed at the time, but Carlo proved that making big and decisive changes was the way to go
(firing the entire medical and fitness personnel, reconditioning players' physique as far as a Covid-19 shortened pre-season would allow).
Whoever gets/takes the job, the tasks of hanging on to the key players we have
goes hand-in-hand with the need to improve weak areas of the squad in depth, in character, in talent and in other physical attributes.
I'd take him as I see no other all-round manager who, as his own person, has all the necessary attributes.
This isn't necessarily saying in seven/eight years time it would prove to be the best decision the club ever makes. In fact, we may have to go through this process two-or-three times again in consecutive 12-24 month periods, such is the low sponsorship power our club wields against the 6 clubs we're in competition with in this country alone - let alone the growing European and global opposition.
2. Kenwright's failure to either find a suitable buyer of the club for so long, or his terrible misjudgment in greedily over-estimating his shareholding demands has never been more in the spotlight as a potential 60k-70k new stadium on the Kirkby land, together with a dual-purpose built Womens stadium that could be used as a venue for Summer gigs is a clear failure of inaction and vision.
Yes, Steve Rotherham, Andy Burnham and Joe Anderson could - and still can - intervene, in the long-term interests of BOTH clubs' future
by proposing the demolition of Goodison Park for increased bus travel, accommodation for housing in Anfield needing to make way for a vastly in excess of 60k stadium redevelopment, in exchange for the Kirkby land their training facilities could make way for the above. All making the World Heritage Site at BMD no longer an environmental issue.
Would Rafa Benitez's potential hiring make this land-for-land deal an easier or harder sell to everyone who would benefit from it? Whatever the final decisions are, if absolutely all possible scenarios ANY competent directorship board of ANY organisation would be expected to preview and review on a constant basis in the 21st century have yet to be exhausted, we all have every right to feel very concerned that those who should know EXACTLY what they're doing, really do.
Regrettably, we didn't end up where we are overnight, and we're not going to fully emerge out from it stronger than ever without ALL areas of the club performing far better than the slightly-distant past.
The generous start to the Premier League campaign this August helps. Let's hope those in charge make the most of it.