New Everton boss it’s…Marco Silva!
So in the least unexpected managerial appointment in recent Premier League history, Marco Silva has today been finally announced as the new Everton manager.
Well at least now the seemingly endless saga has been concluded and Everton fans know for sure who their new coach is.
The 40-year-old Portuguese has signed a 3 year contract, dare I say let’s hope he sees out that contract unlike his two predecessors!
Silva, as you would expect has been making all the right noises in his first comments following the announcement.
He is quoted on BBC Sport saying how much he is looking forward to taking Everton into a new era.
In his remarks he said how important the style of play is as well as the results:
"“I know what our fans expect – they expect results but not only results,” Silva explained“I want our fans to be proud when they see our team on the pitch.”"
Silva was particularly keen to address the importance of making sure his regime re-connects with the Everton fans, something that was so badly missing at the end of last season.
He goes onto say:
"“We want to build a great connection between the squad and the fans, and I’m sure that with our attitude and demands of commitment then our style of play will see that, I believe.”"
Silva stressed how important a sense of ambition is for the club moving forward. He said this several times in his remarks and that is a welcome sign.
New Director of Football Marcel Brands also emphasised this commitment to attacking football as well. It’s good to see two key people at the club singing from the same hymn sheet.
I think that last season Everton got exactly what you always do get with a Sam Allardyce regime and at least for a few weeks it got results.
The problem was that often there was such a lack of ambition and urgency in the team’s play that Everton often ended up struggling badly to take points that would have been easier to come by with more positive intent.
The game away to Burnley in March is a perfect case in point. Everton started badly, (as they so often did), but grabbed a first half lead against the run of play.
Then having got in front the Blues just fell away in the second half and allowed Burnley to come back into the game. All the while Allardyce was taking off forwards and conceding the initiative to Sean Dyche’s team!
So from a winning position Everton went down 2-1.
The Newcastle game at Goodison in April is another example. Everton were sluggish, predictable and uninspired and only just managed to beat a very defensive, dour Magpies team.
That was a match that Everton should have taken hold of and dominated and where the ambition should have been to score three or four goals.
It has to be said though that not all the problems last season were down to Allardyce of course. A lot of players need to take an honest, hard look at themselves and ask if they could have delivered more. The answer is yes.
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And it’s certain not all of them will be at Goodison Park come the start of next season in August.
Returning to Silva’s appointment, one thing that was also announced is that although he’s bringing his people in, Duncan Ferguson will be staying on as a first-team coach.
That is I think a shrewd decision as it retains a link with the Blues past and gives the new managerial team a real connection with the club’s history in the form of a legendary former player.
Next: Players for new boss Silva to look at?
These are, I hope, going to be exciting times at Everton and we now await what players the new man will look to bring in and who will be leaving..?