For all of Bill Kenwright’s acting, it appears the Everton hierarchy have been genuinely caught offside by Moyes’s decision to move to Man Utd. Kenwright has publicly stated he needs to take time on the decision — and he’s correct: the right man has to come in. But, given he has know for a good few months Moyes may leave, he surely must have drawn up a shortlist in that time.
One thing that does stick out are the lack of genuine good managers that we could choose from. The betting form also represents the genuine confusion about who does and doesn’t want the Everton hot seat.
So let’s look at the contenders:
Phil Neville In my eyes, he has to be the favourite, a brown-noser who will happily do the job and the role of being Kenwright’s best buddy. He’s cheap, can work with the current backroom staff, and knows the players. He’s an obvious Kenwright shoe-in. The problem is we need to build on Moyes’s foundations, not let someone find their feet for 3 years and hopefully move up the table. This may have been acceptable 11 years ago when Walter Smith’s reign came tumbling down. But Everton FC are a very different animal now. As a man, he’s honest and he’s obviously been trying to school himself well. To top it all off, he must surely be Moyes’s top pick as well. But, yet again, here we have a new young manager with one eye on the future Man Utd job...
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer He’s gone about his management career in the correct fashion: he went to a smaller club to learn and ply his trade. He has been successful and is one for the future. Arguably he is now ready to make the step up to a bigger league and club. Universally praised by senior footballing figures within Man Utd as being a good coach and genuinely nice guy, a model pro.
Michael Laudrup He’s only here (in the Premier League) to raise his profile. The League Cup win aside, his team has been in freefall and he inherited a lot of good work from Brendan Rodgers. Next season will surely be his acid test. If he was given the Everton job, he would be here 3 years tops, before venturing off to Serie A or La Liga.
Roberto Martinez People keep banging on about a foreign manager but forget Martinez wasn’t exactly born in Yorkshire. Worthy of a shot at a "BIG" club (sorry, Dave Whelan), but his maverick and blinkered attack-at-all-costs principles could be a risk. His CV is now tarnished with the Wigan relegation. How ambitious is he? He always puts his toe in the water but never dives in, suggesting he may not really be up to the task — or does he doubt himself? He enjoyed a good relationship with Whelan and no doubt Kenwright would be looking for similar loyalty. But his Wigan team have never ever moved forward and reached mid-table stability, surely the first interview question should be: Why?!
Martin Jol Mr Grumpy... unfairly ditched at Tottenham as he was just building his foundations. But he’s hardly the man to get the pulses racing. He prefers the stick to the carrot and his tough man-management skills have at times been OTT though. A good manager but surely a sideways step.
David Weir, Alan Stubbs, Duncan Ferguson No way: untried, untested and with zero managerial experience. Everton FC is not a work experience placement. If they genuinely covert the top job then they need to show ambition and move. Not just hang behind the scenes as rent-a-function club ambassadors, and leave the Moyes-built jobs for the old boys backroom.
Slaven Bilic A disgrace in an Everton shirt, bled the club dry and offered nothing except injuries and a bad attitude. A football mercenary who wouldn’t be here for more than 2 or 3 years tops.
Roberto di Matteo He was hit and miss at WBA and, outside of a few outlandish results in the Champions League, always looked a bit out of his depth at Chelsea. Still too much of an unknown and he has not stayed at a club as manager for than 2 years.
Steve McClarenGenuine football experience at Man Utd, the national team and experience of European league football with Wolfsburg and FC TWente. Despite this, his stock has fallen and he wouldn’t be a popular choice, but he has won a League Championship with FC Twente. Despite his attempt to reinvent himself, there is always the Wally with the Brolly and his hilarious Dutch-English interview in the background.
Malky McKay Okay... Chris Houghton, Brian McDermott — all managers who have won the Championship and gained promotion to the Premier League with Newcastle and Reading. Now, do you want them managing Everton FC? Promoted managers are often touted as the next big thing: Aidy Boothroyd was once touted as a future England manager 4 years ago. He’s now managing in League 1.
Dougie Freedman So... does a good run in a lower league suddenly make you right for the Everton FC job? I think not. A gamble when we don’t have to gamble surely.
Neil Lennon Niggly, arrogant, prickly and mouthy. Not the type of person you want as an Everton manager. Currently winning the lot in a one-team league. He will put fire in our bellies... but is that what we need? A hard fought win over the Barcelona B team shouldn’t disguise the fact that he’s nowhere near good enough for us.
Rafa Benitez He has an ego the size of Saturn, and would never come to us: a club as small as ours would never even register on his radar. Despite this, he is a winner and tactically brilliant. A good manager without a doubt... but it will never, ever, ever happen.
Gus Poyet A bit me-me and a little bit of Di Canio about him. His "get me out of here" attitude when Brighton missed promotion was interesting, though... and maybe showed his true character.
Mark Hughes Fallen from grace. He reminds me of John Gregory and David O’Leary remember them anyone. Hughes has this massive football management reputation somehow forged on winning and doing nothing.
Glenn Hoddle A managerial enigma, brilliant footballing brain, and somewhere in there is a world class manager; but he’s strange, rather aloof and lacking the day-to-day people skills to successfully manage a squad of players for more than 2 years.
Jurgen Klinsmann Der Bomber as he was known. Working in the USA for what seems like an eternity. Is he ready and prepared for the rough and tumble of Premier League combat? Again, if he is good enough and available, is he a viable long-term option? Or would he just see us a stepping stone to a top Bundesliga job maybe?
Vitor Pereira NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN! A foreign coach with no knowledge of the Premier League – do you really think Kenwright even knows who this guy is? Never mind ring him up, interview him, and give him the keys to the castle.
Marcelo Bielsa Again, does Kenwright even know who is, never mind what league he works in?
For me, it has to be Roberto Martinez; he would be here long term and would work well with Kenwright. He’s still a risk though and the pressure would ramp at expectant Everton rather than happy-to-be-here Wigan.
I’m afraid, though, that Phil Neville will be slotted in within the next two weeks; it’s an obvious solution and I’m very afraid it’s going to happen. Just imagine the Kenwright soundbite now: "The best young manager in the world" and tea bags response "Thanks to Bill for the opportunity".... puke!
Either way, the clock is ticking... preseason is approaching... and we still are no nearer to finding Moyes successor.
Kenwright: over to you.... god help us!
Reader Comments (16)
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Mark Tanton
2 Posted 26/05/2013 at 07:43:52
2 Posted 26/05/2013 at 07:43:52
Kenwright said he would take his time and he is doing - it's hard to know what's going on and we've been let down so often in many ways, but perhaps the club is going about it a professional and rigorous manner. I have a feeling we'll get this right; it can't go any worse than the new badge can it?
Paul English
3 Posted 26/05/2013 at 07:40:24
3 Posted 26/05/2013 at 07:40:24
Chris, I felt depressed until I read your last paragraph. I'll take the Martinez-Neville combo. That gets my tick!
Gavin Ramejkis
5 Posted 26/05/2013 at 08:58:26
5 Posted 26/05/2013 at 08:58:26
Chris you spoiled a reasonable response by having a dig at anyone who says an ill word about BK. The decision is a very important one having had no change in the role for 11 years and that is down solely to BK, if he gets it right then great guns and he will deserve lauding for it. Unfortunately as these pages and history will testify he has a track record of failure when it comes to important decisions and that's why a lot of fans are a tad more than concerned. Likewise if he does get it wrong these pages will also testify to the bizarre logic that it is the fans fault, you really couldn't make it up reading how some people here think it was a collective criticism of Moyes that led him to leave.
Jon Withey
7 Posted 26/05/2013 at 15:48:51
7 Posted 26/05/2013 at 15:48:51
Martinez and Neville would do me - working together though, Neville doesn't have enough experience right now but I'd like to see him kept around. Still, maybe Moyes will want to take him to United in some capacity.
Ross Edwards
8 Posted 26/05/2013 at 16:19:08
8 Posted 26/05/2013 at 16:19:08
We're going to be disappointed, they've already totally disregarded our opinion with this abomination of a crest, now they'll deflate us even more by putting Weir in charge.
I've come to expect the board doing the total opposite of our opinions.
Clowns the lot of them.
I've come to expect the board doing the total opposite of our opinions.
Clowns the lot of them.
Mark Frere
9 Posted 26/05/2013 at 18:16:24
9 Posted 26/05/2013 at 18:16:24
Wouldn't it be so typical of the board to drag their heels all summer having sold Baines and Fellaini, then in the end appoint someone like Stubbs just before the transfer window closes. I wouldn't put anything past these scubags!
All would almost be forgiven on my part , if the board could show some vision and appoint Bielsa
Ross Edwards
10 Posted 26/05/2013 at 18:30:24
10 Posted 26/05/2013 at 18:30:24
If Bielsa saw the morons running this club he would sprint to China Mark. At least they can do PR.
Harold Matthews
11 Posted 26/05/2013 at 18:31:19
11 Posted 26/05/2013 at 18:31:19
Yes Ross. Some say it's Weir if Martinez doesn't come. What a farce.
Football pundits are suggesting that Roberto would be better off going to Stoke with its new stadium and ambitious plans for the future. Maybe they're right. Our fans will not settle for anything less than the top 6 or 7 and that won't be easy.
Ian Glassey
12 Posted 26/05/2013 at 19:04:49
12 Posted 26/05/2013 at 19:04:49
I think Martinez will give Wigan one more season to see if he can get them back up.
Dont think there was ever any interest in the Porto guy, so Boys Pen Billy will give us
Stubbs or Pip.
The club is a joke..
Robert Collins
13 Posted 26/05/2013 at 20:57:48
13 Posted 26/05/2013 at 20:57:48
Good article Daniel, you've mentioned a few unfashionable names that most don't want to mention (wolly with a brolly etc), your right to consider them.
Although there's one name you've left out, he plays some decent attacking football and can defend - Steve Clarke?
He seems to be slipping under our (the fans) radar (who the fuck knows what Billy Bunter thinkings?), Some might say his personality is a bit dour, just like someone we used to know, but if he gets them playing and has a good go, I don't care. He might stand up to BK though and so I doubt BK will consider him.
I also feel your fears about Neville. You could deal BK two Aces in a game of poker and he probably would still not go all in with his cash. Neville in his cautious "Being in the prem is our champions league" mindset will see him choose a yes man.
I'd go for Martinez myself, he's tasted relegation and will not want to do it again, Wigan suffer the misery and we the get a wiser man because of it, but with none of the misery.
Gavin Wadeson
14 Posted 26/05/2013 at 22:50:59
14 Posted 26/05/2013 at 22:50:59
I'm glad that Kenwright is taking his time. The situation regarding available managers is changing on a daily basis. For example, I heard on the radio, today, that Laudrup has fell out with the Swansea board because they lied to him about how much he would have to spend this summer. Understandably, top quality managers (like Pereira) are probably waiting to see whether they are offered jobs at Champions League clubs (like PSG, Napoli etc) before they commit their future to us. Likewise, I would rather Kenwright waited patiently for someone like Pereira, rather than snapping up the first manager that becomes available (e,g, Martinez, Poyet etc). I'd be worried if Man City, Stoke, Chelsea, Napoli, Real Madrid (and all the other managerless European teams) had all signed a manager straight away, and we were the odd ones out. As it is, our situation looks pretty normal - for the time being, anyway!
Another reason I'm glad Bill is taking his time is because most Evertonians that I've spoken to have changed their mind (at least once) about who they want to be the next manager. For this reason, I'm glad he hasn't made a snap decision. Having said that, I strongly agree that Kenwright should have drawn up a shortlist months ago.
Calum Templeton
15 Posted 26/05/2013 at 23:34:12
15 Posted 26/05/2013 at 23:34:12
i don't want lennon to get the job but to be fair to him and celtic it was hardly a barca B team
Clive Lewis
16 Posted 26/05/2013 at 23:46:12
16 Posted 26/05/2013 at 23:46:12
I would agree with most things not sure Swansea are completely on the slide 9th place finish, the last game 3-0 loss , was a one off, Swansea totally outplayed them.
Not the only teamed they have outplayed this season and the signings Michu and a few others were of Laudrup creation. I would prefer him to Martinez. I have to say although I aggree with your assessment of the Chamiponship managers, however where did Moyes come from?.
Not the only teamed they have outplayed this season and the signings Michu and a few others were of Laudrup creation. I would prefer him to Martinez. I have to say although I aggree with your assessment of the Chamiponship managers, however where did Moyes come from?.
Clive Lewis
17 Posted 27/05/2013 at 00:01:09
17 Posted 27/05/2013 at 00:01:09
Just heard also that Martinez may cost 5 millions so that rules him out. You had better redesign your list to show all the managers that would cost nothing. Actually don't bother because Phil Neville is going to get the job anyhow.
That part I 100% agree with in your article!. Unfortunately when this happens we are going to suffer a very miserable season.
That part I 100% agree with in your article!. Unfortunately when this happens we are going to suffer a very miserable season.
Shane Corcoran
18 Posted 27/05/2013 at 08:47:09
18 Posted 27/05/2013 at 08:47:09
01 Valdes
02 Alves
15 Bartra (Pique - 71' )
18 Alba Booked
06 Xavi
08 Iniesta
10 Messi
14 Mascherano
25 Song Booked (Fabregas - 71' )
09 Sanchez (Villa - 67' )
17 Pedro
02 Alves
15 Bartra (Pique - 71' )
18 Alba Booked
06 Xavi
08 Iniesta
10 Messi
14 Mascherano
25 Song Booked (Fabregas - 71' )
09 Sanchez (Villa - 67' )
17 Pedro
That's some B Team. If you don't like Lennon then fair enough. But your argument fails if you talk shite.
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1 Posted 26/05/2013 at 07:24:24
TIme-wise, I'll give you one tick, but to be honest, pre-season doesn't start till late June/early July. Right now the players and most managers are all on their jollies. Chelsea, City and Stoke remain managerless currently and I'd imagine other clubs will be making changes (Jol is likely off, Pards under pressure, etc).
From what we can reasonably deduce and has been officially announced, the club has spoken to a number of people, drawn up a shortlist and is likely in negotiations with the favoured candidate(s) now. If it is Martinez, there's wages to be negotiated and potential compensation too.
One 'out there' suggestion that I read elsewhere is a Neville-Phelan combination. With some of back-room staff likely following Moyes to Utd (and to be fair, Neville himself could yet join the bandwagon), Neville would need a decent number 2 and someone with the winning experience of Phelan would surely add some real weight to the team.
Likewise, I wouldn't be gutted with a Martinez-Neville combination (new attacking ideas balanced by someone who understands the club and successful approach and can help smooth the transition).