Everton announced they had appointed a new Director of Football on Friday evening, as the tweet below shows. Kevin Thelwell has taken on the role which was vacant since Marcel Brands left the Goodison Park club in December last year.
https://twitter.com/Everton/status/1497262623125127176?s=20&t=dP1pMz9JPmh1VqgGeR4ypw
Thelwell’s most recent position was the Sporting Director role at New York Red Bulls where he has been since the summer of 2020.
Most of his back of house experience has come at Wolverhampton Wanderers where he spent 12 years, initially in the youth development ranks before becoming Head of Youth Development. He then went on to be Head of Recruitment before his final role as Sporting Director.
During Thelwell’s time at Wolves they went from being perennial Championship promotion hopefuls to Premier League regulars and in his final season at the club they played in the Europa League.
Thelwell is credited with identifying a number of key Wolves players over these successful years for the West Midlands club. While Jorge Mendes has played a big role in the Portuguese invasion at Wolves over the last few years, Thelwell has also brought many key pieces of the Wolves puzzle that has seen the club have their most successful league standing since the 1970’s.
He identified Conor Coady as a key leader and central defensive lynchpin in his early recruitment days at Wolves. Also a deal for the key attacking addition Raul Jimenez was overseen and put over the line by Thelwell and his team.
While Mendes would have financed many deals for Wolves, Thelwell and his team would have ensured it was exactly what the managers would have required.
The age of the players Wolves have purchased over the years has been mainly under 25 years of age, although enticing experienced players like Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves was key.
This would seem to fit the remit of Frank Lampard and his Everton ideal squad going forward. Lampard at Derby and Chelsea, while working under a transfer ban, was always keen to blood youth and Thelwell’s appointment would seem to go along with that way of thinking.
Even in his last role at New York Red Bulls, Thelwell orchestrated another play off place with the youngest squad they have ever had.
This appointment feels a good fit for all concerned and brings in an experienced back of house football expert who will relish a big challenge.
Rumours are that ex Everton legend Tim Cahill had a big part to play and Everton approached Thelwell rather than the other way around. Of course Cahill knows the New York club well after having played for them also so it is no surprise he was instructed to seek out Thelwell.
The timing of Thelwell coming into the club is crucial and gives him time to settle in before the real hard work starts for the summer transfer window. Everton will have some breathing space financially as significant wages come off the bill with both Fabian Delph and Cenk Tosun’s contracts expiring in the summer.
Of course the key for Everton and Lampard will be to secure safety for next season in the Premier League first. Until this is done you cannot make concrete plans for the summer transfer window.
However the appointment of Thelwell seems to be another step in the right direction towards a younger and more creative playing squad at Goodison Park. The earlier they know which division they will be playing in, the sooner these plans can be instigated and acted upon.