A report from the Daily Mail has revealed why Rafa Benitez turned down the Bournemouth job amid recent Celtic speculation.
The Hoops are currently on the hunt for a new permanent manager to replace Neil Lennon. However, even before the former boss left, Benitez had been linked with the now-vacant Parkhead hot seat. The Daily Mirror reported back in January that Benitez was set to be the new Hoops boss after leaving China for family reasons.
And since then, the speculation hasn’t really gone away. It’s one that has long since captured the imagination of supporters. However, the Mail reported over the weekend that the Spaniard had already been offered a job in England.
The newspaper stated that Benitez had been approached by Championship side Bournemouth before they appointed Jonathan Woodgate last week. The former Newcastle manager had already proven his credentials in England’s second-tier by promoting the Magpies to the Premier League back in 2017.
However, the Mail reports that Benitez turned the opportunity to join the Cherries down. The reason for doing so? Once again it came down to family reasons.
Rafa Benitez reportedly turned down Bournemouth for family reasons; where would that leave Celtic?
Interestingly, in-the-know Spanish journalist Guilleme Balague tweeted in January that Benitez was ready to take a break from football. This was apparently after offers from Germany and a national team.
What that shows is that the experienced tactician will be in-demand when he does return. But putting two and two together, it appears that could be the main reason for his Bournemouth rejection. That he believed it was time for a rest from managing.
What’s hazy about all of this is the timescale. Does Benitez feel he needs a long-term absence from the game? He could certainly afford it. Or is he eyeing up a new role at the end of the season? A period that best suits any new managerial appointment and would certainly suit Celtic.
Benitez has indeed already touched on his long-term future. Unsurprisingly, he stated that he wanted to stay in Europe and be competitive at a high level [Daily Record]. We’re not oblivious however, he can likely walk into a much more attractive job than Celtic at the moment.
It also remains to be seen the extent to which the Hoops downsize this summer. A lack of Champions League money combined with a lack of fans in the door opens up real question marks about this summer’s investment budget. And that includes how much we can throw at a new manager and his team too.
For now, there are plenty of variables that need to be determined. But at the end of the day, that’s all part of the fun when it comes to new-manager speculation.
In other news, Olivier Ntcham appears to have suffered a dismal start to his Marseille career.
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