Everton finally unveil new boss Marco Silva

No pressure, but if he turns out to be a dud, I'm starting a petition to remove Steve Ferns from ToffeeWeb.

No one is a sure bet but I feel he could be an excellent fit. There is serious work for him to do and top 4 is currently miles off but I expect more points, better football, a clear philosophy, young talent given opportunity and genuine belief around Goodison Park.

A lot of work to do but right now it feels good to be an Evertonian again.

Here's hoping to a fresh, vibrant approach to recruitment and playing style with both Silva and Brands leading things. Just hand over the money Mr. Moshiri and get this show back on the road!!!

Now give the man time to breathe. And let's see what we can achieve.

He has a chance to become a hero. He's going to bring energy to the place and onto the pitch. The stodge of the last 18 months will be gone I'm sure

I hope all fans show some patience it's not going to be a straight line into the top 4 there will be set backs. I hope we can now get rid of a load of players and bring in 4 world class signing. Can't wait for pre season now

As much as I have stated such facts on here I was still disgusted to see the BBC do that, surely that's the RS media machine kicking in again or am I just paranoid now.

Hes here now so Good Luck, I just want a team that competes and wins some football matches. We need to see progression and get some hope back that trophies are in the offering.

Downside was his thanking the Chairman and Duncan staying again which has Kenwright written all over it. Although I have nothing against Duncan I find it a bit strange that all these different managers keep him on?

I like what he is saying in general, it is premeditated and thought through. He has been assimilating Everton's requirements for some time by the sound of it.

In Silva's first statement it is “Us”, “We”, “Our” – he is bringing the club together. Owners, staff, players and fans. These are the first steps of unity.

The Premier League better watch out, we are going to be a force to be reckoned with.

We are Everton; we support the manager!

Let us get Everton to where it belongs. Hard work, 100% commitment and as Sam Hoare said.

But I do again now!

It's the hope that will doom us all!

So don't let us down, I wish I could say, you have a hard act to follow, but that is so obviously not the case, more of a basket case, which needs some life-saving surgery.

I hope you can prove us doubters wrong, that you were not our ideal choice, but will gladly hold my hands up, should you do so.

Now, Mr Silva, welcome and let's do something special at our beloved club.

Young, ambitious, a track record of constant improvement, experience/success in Europe, a good working knowledge of the (so-called) Premier League including notable progress at one struggling and one mediocre team, and now at a club with the ambition, expectation and the financial backing to enable him to really prove himself.

The most exciting management appointment since Howard Kendall for me.

One thing's for sure, we'll see some proper football at last from the new season onwards.

Welcome to Everton Marco!

Now let's get this great club of ours back where it belongs.

Just Bill Kenwright and his acceptance of sentiment-driven mediocrity to remove, and welcome to a brand new Everton for the future.

An Everton free from a self-imposed inferiority complex. An Everton that will no longer be happy to settle for second best. An Everton that makes others fear us instead of vice-versa. An Everton that is proud of its history.

An Everton that wants to win things.

COYB!

Here comes our Lone Ranger.

He's riding on down

... to rescue me.

We need to be patient, but I am confident that progress will be made. Silva is a smart guy and if we do the right kind of business (out and in), he will improve the team and the fans' morale.

Not expecting any miracles nor am I expecting a top 4/5 for the upcoming season, however this is what I do expect:

Attractive Football, 100% from players and coach, finish season in 6/7 position, good cup runs at least semi-finals, batter the shite's.

I'm not asking for much, but yeah I do expect the above no less and no pressure Silva.

They would never put up a pic of Jurgen Klopp with 0% cup success next to it.

There would be 500k names on a petition to get the chairman of the BBC sacked.

Good luck - go for gold not Silva, and make your mark(o) with a trophy please.

Glad that's out the system!

COYB.

Welcome to Everton Marco Silva, go and become a legend!

Give him a decent go and then pass judgement I think.

It's gonna be bumpy road, but where have we been the last four years, you'd like to think, times at Goodison Park will get better.

Welcome, Marco Silva, to the Everton Family.

I have to pull you up on your unfortunate description of Evertonians as 'fickle'. If you'd seen the support we had home and away in the dreadful 70s when our neighbours won everything in sight and we were the pits, you wouldn't say that.

Even now, after not winning anything for 23 years, we still sell out our ground almost every game and our away fans are the most dedicated anywhere in football.

So please, think again before denigrating us long-suffering martyrs... it's bad enough from that lot across the park.

I hope you will be a great success.

And referring to “us” and “we” before he's quaffed his first pint of Chang – cheeky bugger.

I wish him luck. And so I look forward to another season with renewed hope – new coach, new DoF, new CEO.... New players?

But how on earth does Duncan Ferguson survive? How can that possibly work? Is it true?

Welcome, Sir, and we wish you well.

Looking forward to next season, already.

Some good attacking football and, above all, let's take the game to some of the top 6/7 instead of shitting our pants before we've even kicked off. Do this and the Premier League & world football will see just how massive our great club is. Good luck to you.

Every true blue please get behind our new man. No-one makes it without the full support of the fans. With Mr Moshiri and his backers, I have a good feeling we might just have the right guys in place to do well. It's way overdue... COYB

The first big job will be clearing out those who are either past it or were never up to it in the first place. Making sure we have a squad of players who are genuinely committed to the club rather than a fat wage packet. I believe our younger players will be very encouraged by Brands's strategy.

The most difficult task is for supporters. To be patient, get behind the team and give any of our youngsters positive encouragement rather than bemoan every misplaced pass, tackle or missed chance. Looking forward to seeing some decent football next season and signs of real progress, not instant success. Good luck to M&Ms – Marcel and Marco.

I am sure he won't just have Ferguson along for the ride if he contributes very little I can see Silva and Brands putting him in charge of the cones for the Ladies team. Onwards and Upwards, Marco.

I have a good feeling about Marco, certainly something I have not had about the last couple of managers.

Welcome to the fresh air. Great stuff. Busy times ahead.

Just watched his full interview, no bollocks about our 'history' so it looks like he hasn't sat down for a hot-pot in the Finch Farm canteen just yet. Says he will pick players on merit, regardless of age. Good. I am confident that Silva & Brands can improve us, but fucking hell, Ron Manager would improve us. Firstly, they have to produce a team who can entertain us. Bring some joy back to Goodison, please. You cannot go and spend £250m to put on the football we've all had to witness. Whoever was involved in those transfers should be shot by a firing squad wearing Liverpool trackies.

Let's see what a motivated young coach and experienced DoF can bring to the table. They will be both earning the best salary of their lives, with a decent transfer kitty. There are no excuses. They should be given time, but we should see results on the first day of the season. If we start with two defensive midfielders next August, look out for someone with two pencils up his nose and a pair of undies on his head, climbing into the Directors Box.

Praying Silva delivers silver.

By the way, what's the problem with keeping Big Dunc, as a striker's coach, he's a true blue, full of passion for the club?

I noticed certain things while Marco was with Hull and Watford that I thought were quite impressive. This is Everton and maybe the fans and Silva can combine to push us forward!!!

Silva has been given a shot at glory with Everton Football Club. We are a sleeping giant – not the minnows he has worked for previously. So forget Marco's previous track record and win ratio as it counts for nothing. Silva is an up-and-coming contender – not a bottom feeder. I hope Silva's Brazilian connections can be tempted here.

Pochettino evolved from Southampton to Spurs and transformed the Londoners into what they are now. Let's hope Marco Silva can do something similar here. At least we will have a go at teams now.

I wish him all the luck in the world...

I am still a little concerned about his erratic record in the Premier League. Started well at Hull won 8 of the first 9 games, then couldn't get a win. Similar at Watford with the poor run that led to his dismissal. Let's hope he keeps his focus for the entire season.

On the massive plus side — No Allardyce.

Look we all know this isn't a quick fix, this will take time. He inherits an ageing squad and a not very good ageing squad. But this is the club he wanted and refused all offers from other clubs. He already understands what Evertonians want, a club to be proud of and he has said he intends to make us proud. We want our club back in the hands of a manager who cares, not one thinking it was a stepping stone to greater things, or one who thought he was doing us a massive favour taking over.

I like many have gone to Goodison over the last few seasons out of a 60-year habit, bit like a heroin addict knows it's not doing him any good but can't stop.

Marco, you are a very lucky boy, you get to send your team out every week in front of the best fans in football.

Best of luck Mr Silva, I hope you are here for the long-term and richly rewarded on merit and not for mediocrity.

Jesus wept.

Wish list – please sell; Rooney, McCarthy, Besic, Williams, Niasse, Bolasie and Klaassen.

Please sign – a decent left-footed centre-back with pace, a top quality left-back (Baines can't play all games), a creative left midfielder, a quality striker with pace.

Pretty please!!!

We were fortunate to finish 8th as lots of other teams were worse than the humiliation we served up. In any other season we'd have finished a lot lower than that.

Welcome aboard Silva! I'm looking forward to the new season with our new manager, DoF and board members. Hopefully, there'll be a new look to the team too.

I think he and Brands will work well together. They understand the European structure of working and that will help them gel together.

I don't have any asks on the player front. People ask for this or that player to go... but I think they all need a chance. Everyone, bar maybe Pickford, Coleman, Jagielka, Baines and Tosun, can hang their head this season. But something was off from the start. Lets see what this man can get from them.

My only ask... is that you bring back a little joy in watching my beloved Everton. A bit of style, a bit of attack mindedness. Make us a joy to watch rather than frustration taking over before the ball is kicked!!

I think Brand will be a busy man, I think Silva will be deciding who are the good ones and who are the duds.. about 50 - 50 at the moment.

Welcome and may good fortune follow you!

Seamus Coleman sends serious message to Everton team-mates after Marco Silva appointment

Winners get gold. Silver is for those who come second.,"Praying Silva delivers silver."

Winners get gold. Silver is for those who come second.,,,1,17:21:08,,82.0.158.174,ok,13017,05/31/2018 17:21:08,crewe49@blueyonder.co.uk,reader,, 922810,36736,toffeeweb,31/05/2018,Kelvin Leung,ckl.kelv@gmail.com,"I like it. Saying all the right things, shows that he wants to be here, and at the very least addressing the importance of respecting the club's history and the connection between the team and its supporters.

With that Portuguese accent (and hopefully some progress and good results), could we have our own Jose??

Just waiting for Phil Walling to bring us all back down to earth with some annoyingly accurate pessimism?

Only joking.

Not my pick but he interviewed well. Said the word 'important' an awful lot.

At least he's young, and modern in his approach/thinking. I do wish the Everton people would stop whining on about our 'istory.

I think most of us would take 2nd next seaons!!!

First target ensure we stay ahead of West Ham, Newcastle, Burnley, Leicester and Southampton.

Second target finish top 5 at least.

Third target compete with the top 3.

Anything that reunites the club and staff is a good thing so lets all be patient and not wait for the first poor result or dubious player signing to carp and moan.

It can't be much worse than the last 4 years so give the new regime a chance to gel and restructure.

'In football it is impossible to win every match but we must do everything to show in every game that we have ambition'

The lack of ambition to succeed was all too evident last season which is why fans were so unhappy so if he only fixes that it will be a major improvement. If he and Brands make us attractive to watch and hard to beat we stand a chance of winning things which is what we all want.

Couple of hours into the role and you criticise him when you cherry-picked a fragment of what he actually said.

Jesus wept.

BTW – Which manager should we have gone for whose teams win all their games?

He's only been in the job officially for a couple of hours and

Really pleased, and aside from placing a £5 I'm us to win the league, I am not expected everything to fall into place immediately :)

No, I think he's the right sort if risk, and let's face it a tired Zidane without Premier League experience would still be a risk. It's been said before but with WC and shortened transfer window, it's a very tough summer to work with our current players and work out who's going and who's staying plus get in some new players.

Let's hope we don't have a horrific run of fixtures like last year.

I expect we may see a very different Everton word is some existing players thinking of breaking into a trot and passing forwards!

Cannot wait for new season now.

The Doomwatch brigade on here won't let you have five minutes of pleasure before they begin with their no-hope scenarios. And it wouldn't be a show without Mr "I've never been to a match" Buckley throwing his two penneth in. Jesus wept.

Yes sir; showing some ambition away at the top 6 would be a good start.

Yes sir; showing some ambition away at the top 6 would be a good start.

,,michael.kenrick@gmail.com ,1,18:02:36,,213.233.150.121,ok,1008,05/31/2018 18:02:36,liamreilly@hotmail.com,reader,, 922836,36736,toffeeweb,31/05/2018,Brian Williams,brianwilliams_uk@yahoo.co.uk,And who the fuck in his right mind thinks it's realistically possible to win every game in a season?

Give the man a break and stop picking holes in "parts" of what he's said.

Time to get onside and support him and the club and try for fuck's sake to believe that something good might happen.

ps: Read Seamie's comments in the red Echo!

Don't mess around with selection in the cups and don't put square pegs in round holes just to give someone a game. Get shut of the deadwood ASAP. Anyone not happy? Bin them.

On the one hand, you can see that he wants the players to play without fear and take chances as necessary. On the other, words like that show that he's not used to the pressure of being at a big club, or perhaps he knows what is coming and is trying to negate some of the pressure. Good luck with that!

Reading the Guardian bit on him, he certainly sounds different from the last few managers. Obviously, I'll be giving my whole-hearted support and all that. I wasn't in favour of Allardyce, but for the most part I kept my mouth shut. That being said he did a job of sorts, and now he's gone it's probably best to forget last season.

As for Silva, I hope two things. Firstly, that he's a lucky manager, particularly at the start as if you attack a lot and still get beat it can be disheartening. Secondly, that he and Brands are on the same page, because if that doesn't work, then probably neither of them will be here long.

COYB

Geez, the guy looks younger than half our starting backline.

Agree with Gerry... first order of business is an armband for Seamus.

Sam isn't, wasn't, they don't and he didn't, respectively.

Very pleased and excited to have him here, onwards and upwards Blues.

Link

The Premier League, as we all should know by now, is unforgiving and cares little for previous reputations. As Koeman found out to his detriment and dismay.

There's positives and negatives in all managers so let's focus on the positives and get behind the new man! Things behind the scenes are falling into place and there seems to be much more professionalism in what we're doing.

Not in a cup final.,"I think most of us would take 2nd next year!!!"

Not in a cup final.,,,1,18:24:57,,82.0.158.174,ok,13017,05/31/2018 18:24:57,crewe49@blueyonder.co.uk,reader,, 922848,36736,toffeeweb,31/05/2018,Sandra Williams,williamssj123@aol.com,"If I were Silva I'd give the armband to Coleman. He's proved he's committed to the Blue shirt and the Club by coming back from such a horrific injury and putting more effort in, when he did come back, than many of his teammates!

And I sense from his comments today that he knows many of the players need a proverbial kick up the backside! It's up to Silva and his team to start that process asap!

I'm curious about how he handles the pressure of a big English club with demanding fans and how he handles a few reverses and the accompanying flack.

I'm really interested in what he does with, in my view, the seventh best squad in the league, particularly with some of the players bought last year, who I'm convinced we've not seen at their best.

If the team shows energy and commitment, he'll get the patience he will undoubtedly need.

Other than that, it's handsome is as handsome does for me. Let's enjoy the ride!

He's got my 100% support and a slice of patience thrown in!!

If things don't go as we nearly all hope, there are plenty of dark months over winter to be fed up.

Today surely the sun has popped out a little bit more from behind what has been a big big cloud.

Now, some thought out signings and departures, and we could even have some sunny spells.

I think I agree with piece in Guardian this could be fun!

He didn't begin with thanking Bill Kenwright. That, to my simple mind, is new and significant.

It must really stick in his craw that he was kicked to the curb and the red carpet was immediately rolled out for Silva. Frankly, I can't stop smiling.

And that will hopefully be the last time Sam Allardyce ever crosses my mind. Onwards and upwards!

I'm expecting Baxendale to follow suit and Everton to ‘be' professional rather than the farcical pretense of being so we've all endured.

As for Silva I expect attacking aggressive football, regularly separating my arse from is seat. Results must come too, a minimum of 7th and European football.

The new structure is there to insulate Everton against a failed coaching appointment. If he can't cut it then I have no problem with cutting him loose.

The individual improvement is something I want to see, and hopefully this is what Silva, from the missives flying about, is all about.

Easy to say it feels different, and it does but mostly because the structure is different and Everton seem committed to the model unlike under Walsh.

Everton announce on my Birthday, I'll take it as a portent of future success! 😜

Target what is achievable first... and then it begins!

I'm done.

At least I am not putting new pressure on the new man, as I have been here before.

I can't/won't buy some of the nonsense spouted on here about the guy. I'll leave that to the gullible and the easily lead.

I'd rather give the guy a chance, keep my expectations realistic. I just want him to revive the clubs dying soul. Introduce a little quality. Back himself to be smarter than his opponent. Bring the passion back to the old lady. Make going the match something to look forward to again... That's all really.

I have to smile at those who demand that Ferguson be shown the door. I am not one of the Dunc worshippers but how do those posters know that he does not deserve to keep his job? He obviously has to do what the manager tells him and cannot usurp the manager's authority by taking charge so exactly what is it that he has done to deserve the sack? I am genuinely intrigued to know what it is that he has done wrong.

I agree that Seamus should be skipper – he may well be the only one apart from Pickford who is guaranteed his place!

I'm sitting on the fence for this one. Let's see how the board back him. Ten games in, we will know where we are?

Marco Silva has finally arrived. There are times when clarity is preferable to an optimal decision, whatever that may have been. His teams play football, as opposed to 'hoofball', or 'possession football' of the sideways-and-back-passing type.

Having left Hull City and Olympiacos in a somewhat abrupt manner, and having been sacked unceremoniously by Watford and Sporting Lisbon (hilariously, too, in the latter case), Mr Silva has a question mark over his staying power. So, too, has the club he has now embraced, which, after having gone 18 years with three managers, now seems to have joined 'modernity', as far as managerial rotation is concerned.

I am pretty sure Farhad Moshiri is well fed up with the turmoil he unwittingly helped create at Goodison Park. Marco Silva is, hopefully, looking to settle down and do his career and reputation some good. It may not be a marriage made in heaven, but it is far from being one made in hell, as was the previous one.

Welcome, Mr Silva, and all the best to you.

I'm not 100% sure about this appointment. Silva's not my first choice but given the restructuring with us now having a proper DoF rather than a glorified scout and us looking for a young coach, instead of an old school manager like Wenger or Benitez, I think we could have done worse.

I hope our resident doom merchants give him longer than a couple of games before they stick the knives in.

Now lets focus on what we expect from the team, and hope that the wait was worth it.

Omwards and Upwards.

I believe the new set up on the playing side will show what they believe the ambition of the club will be, by who they buy, and who they sell.

The club with the changes in the board and the coaching staff, appear to start to become more professional in the running of Everton FC and may this reflect on the standard of play that we as supporters want to see on match days.

The risk of giving Silva the job has been well documented and discussed.

After the rip-offs over the length of the contracts we gave Martinez, Koeman and Allardyce, we give this guy a 3-year deal! Crazy.

What would make this a perfect week is to wake up tomorrow morning and see the headline ‘Silva's Clearout at Goodison' with the following gone:

Stekelenburg
Robles
Keane
Funes Mori
Jagielka – unfortunate; a great servant
Baines – unfortunate; a great servant
Martina
Garbutt
Galloway
Williams
Mirallas
Klaassen
Bolasie
Besic
McCarthy
Schneiderlin
Rooney – come back as a coach
Ramirez
Niasse

Some shite there... fuck me – what a waste of cash!

Bring Back Lookman!!!

Dermot @120, I hope it's as telling as it may appear.

Would love to know what hold Duncan has over Bill, must be something to remain with so many different managers!

Big Dunc's supposed strength as a coach is to make strikers hungry and aggressive as lions. I've never seen any of that in Lukaku who could've been moulded into the next Drogba. Same with the young lad Clavert-Lewin – too timid...

So please tell us exactly what he brings to the table? Yet another emotional call from Bill to save a cash-strapped limited hero...

It's their job to ensure that the team is able to compete and ultimately it's their job to get as many positive results as they can during the season. It's our job to get behind the management and the team as much as possible and hopefully this time next year we will once again be proud of all of those who wear our famous shirt.

As a first decision, Silva could do a lot worse than appoint Seamus as the Everton Captain, he is the one player already at the club who represents the fans on the pitch. That's no disrespect to Jags but a change is required in that area and I can't think of anyone else who could do the job without it affecting his own game.

Is he going to work for Everton from Holland? I suppose it doesn't matter, if your scouting around Europe most weeks. Just thinking out loud.

Not enthused; I would love to be proven wrong.

Fingers crossed – and welcome to Everton, Mr Silva.

Some bells on this thread sticking the boot in already.

Whoppers.

I don't think that Brands or Silva are mercenary types; they will try their best, . Koeman and Allardyce were a disaster and Walsh was unfortunate in who he had to work with. His big mistakes were not standing up to Koeman and recommending Big Sam.

Hopefully Everton are heading in the right direction with a 5-year plan and a well-directed overhaul of the Club. Brands will, I hope, attract better players and Silva will be able to organise and coach them better than Moyes who won nothing and never was going to.

Finally, let's hope that they are tough enough to sort out a dressing room and a backroom staff that has been a drag on Everton's performance for years. . . and that they can regenerate the youth policy.

I feel better now about the future than when Martinez and Koeman where appointed.

I agree with most on your list, but personally, I'd like to keep Niasse and Martina – I think they are both useful squad players if played in their correct positions. Sadly, I can only see most on your list being at EFC next season. Also, remember, someone has to buy them too.

Now go win something for these long-suffering Evertonians!

And for the American red-headed stepchild just play something remotely attractive FFS!

None of the other players backed Wayne up. Jags asked Wayne if he had a problem with him being captain; Rooney said he didn't but he picked Seamus because he would play for Everton for nothing because he loved the club and loved playing for them.

I never heard this from the horse's mouth but someone who is close to the horse. Wayne said quite a few other things which were close to the truth and would please most Evertonians.

Let's be honest: here's what we are up against. Manchester City are close on spending 𧴜M on two players. Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea will go big with signings.

Changing the style of football may bring improved results? It's not going to be easy but let's give him a chance. He was the owner's one and only choice.

Unless some of us want to pin responsibility for our recent shitty season on him...

I suspect you speak for many, Darren (#126). If Marco's lauded attention to detail leads him to read any of this, I hope he reads your post.

Certainly Jags has been worthy of the armband as well – nobody has ever questioned Phil's commitment to Everton or passion on the pitch, although like Bainesy he tends toward the quiet type. And I actually think it's a good thing that nobody backed the change at that time, because Jags is well deserving of that kind of loyalty.

But I do believe the new Everton will be led by a new captain, and the lad from County Donegal is the only possible choice in my opinion.

Two choices:

One VERY, VERY large box for Seamus Coleman

One tiny, tiny box for "other"...

Equally, I think he would make his views known higher up the chain, he is the sort of guy people listen to, not a hint of bullshit about him.

I am not expecting top six in the Premier League next season, but am confident of one or two good cup runs.

I hope his honeymoon period is a long one.

He would run through a brick wall for the club, and sometimes does, bombing down the right flank.

There is only one contender for captain. Seamus sets the tone and example of what is expected as an Everton player.

This guy is a bad egg.

Personally I'm still more intrigued by Brands. Presumably he's the one who will lead the way when it comes to deciding what we're about. What sort of style will we play, what type of player will we sign? Very telling that this appointment waited until Brands was on board to give his views on why we chose him.

Another interesting summer ahead. The appointments so far represent a big shift. Presumably that gets backed with some significant change in the playing staff.

They have made a fuss about trying to get this guy so let's hope he can deliver a product that is worthy of our great club.

He won't do it overnight but it is hoped that signs of improvement will be evident from the getgo.

I think there's been a void with our club captain since Phil Neville retired. I never rated Neville the player, nor the man that much to be honest. But he was a leader on the pitch. That's been missing for a while.

Jagielka isn't the most vocal and seems very laid back. Seamus Coleman is a throwback to another era and the embodiment of what a captain should be.

We've had luck lately with the shite failures so let's hope for more of that luck, eh?

On another note, I keep reading that the squad needs a major clear-out, so here are my thoughts on the fantasy Football Manager-style clear-out needed, seems the most appropriate place to put it. Done it in squad number order!

1. Pickford – first-team starter.
2. Schneiderlin – first-team starter (if he has sorted his fucking head out; last-chance saloon though).
3. Baines – back-up left-back.
4. Keane – squad player (won't get much if we sell him).
5 – Williams: Sell.
6. Jagielka – squad player.
7. Bolasie – Sell.
9. Sandro – Sell or loan.
10. Rooney – Sell.
11. Walcott – first-team starter.
13. Mangala – Return to Man City.
14.Tosun – squad player (We need another first-choice striker, I think).
15. Martina – squad player (much-maligned but did well in a difficult time and position and never shied away; useful back-up).
16. McCarthy – squad player.
17. Gueye – first-team starter.
18. Sigurdsson – first-team starter.
19. Niasse – Sell
20. Klaassen – squad player (see if he comes good, one more season).
21. Besic – back-up / squad player (impressive at Boro; a Boro mate of mine adores him).
22. Stekelenburg – Sell.
23. Coleman – first-team starter and Captain.
25. Funes Mori – squad player.
27. Vlasic – squad player.
28. Dowell – squad player.
29. Calvert-Lewin – squad player.
30. Holgate – squad player.
31. Lookman – squad player.
32. Galloway – back-up.
33. Robles – Sell.
36. Garbutt – Sell.
38. Pennington – Sell.
43. Kenny – squad player, back up to Coleman.
49. Robinson – back-up to Baines or 3rd choice behind Baines and a new left-back.
54. Baningime – back-up / squad player.
Mirallas – Sell.
Onyekuru – probably won't get a Work Permit so will need to be a loan.
Tarashaj – Sell.
Browning – Sell.

Shelf life on managers is short, let's hope no-one's forgetting that.Hopefully the structure is better and he will take us forward to the "next level" whatever that might be.

It is a future full of potentially massive changes, I would not necessarily expect him to deliver our wildest dreams! but the right style of play, >31% win ratio and real opportunities for the younger players, coupled with a refresh of the squad and a handful of top-quality signings. He can start right away.

Good luck to him.

I fully agree but what surprised me even more was the comment section on the BBC website when we announced Silva as our new manager. The vitriol from many along with posters dismissing us as a lesser club than we think we are, was quite astonishing.

Some RS posters actually defended us - but I was amazed at how the rest of the football world sees EFC these days.

They seem to want us to stay in the group with clubs like Southampton, Leicester, Newcastle and Burnley as if it gives them some kind of validation. They forget the fact that the top six (excluding Man City) and us are the only ever-present clubs in the Premier League era. How anybody could think Everton are on a par with Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and Brighton is beyond me.

So, looking forward to seeing better football with Seamus as captain and 2 or 3 new faces.

Above all, we need to get behind Marco Silva and give him every chance of success.

Why I want Silva so badly is that I believe he has the potential to bridge the gap to the top 6 by coaching the players he has and follows a path carved by Pochettino. Arsenal are there for the taking next season. They are the club in transition, more so than us, and I think we can get 6th.

There's no need to be patient with Silva, if he is going to be a success, we will know it by Christmas. His impact is always more or less instantaneous. He will transfer that energy he has to the players immediately and we will see from the first minute of the first game if they have bought into it or not.

I expect 7th next season, closing on the top 6 to the level of Koeman's first season, but I do think 6th is very possible, especially without the burden of European football (which will kill Burnley off), meantime Leicester will be the other team to worry about, but they will be in trouble with the loss of Mahrez at least. Which may even mean it's Wolves who are the next team up behind us.

Good! Now let's crack on! I'm not concerned it is World Cup year and how that may impact on our transfer business or pre-season training.

Why? Because Silva has had nowt to do since January since offloaded by Watford. Everton's interest in him was probably maintained, even with Sam at the helm.

I would hope he has done a 'George Graham'. To explain: after Graham was sacked in disgrace from Arsenal for a bung scandal, I recall how he once explained in interview that whilst out of management he would attend a game and study the first half as 'manager' of one team, then in the second half as 'manager' of the opposition. This helped him keep his management and coaching skills sharp, whilst also opening his mind more to other tactics.

It would have been too much for Silva to attend Everton games live, but I would hope he has been meticulous behind the scenes to study the club, closely analyse our games, the current playing staff, and already have a reasonable idea of who he wants to retain and what we need to recruit.

Brands can have his summer break (watching at the World Cup in Russia..?). Silva doesn't need one. He can already be laying the groundwork for how he wants to proceed at Finch Farm so the players hit the ground running on return from their summer break.

No appointment, as I've previously said, comes with gilt-edged guarantees that it will be successful. But with the shake-up at board level, plus the appointments of Brands and Silva, at least Everton are giving it a go.

Go on Marco. And Brands. Wow us!

It would look like this with the current players that we have:

Pickford;
Keane, Jagielka, Funes Mori:
Coleman, Gana, Davies, Baines;
Walcott, Tosun, Sigurdsson.
(Maybe Baningime for Davies)

Or:

Pickford;
Coleman,Jagsielka, Funes Mori, Baines;
Davies, Gana, Baningime;
Walcott, Tosun, Sigurdsson.

I'd like to see the last one, with Gana between young Davies and Baningime, see how it goes, if they are comfortable on the ball. Either way, the formation will be new and I can't wait to see that in action! Welcome to Everton, Marco Silva, looking forward to your games. COYB.

There's a lot he could have been getting on with covertly, and he hinted about this by mentioning his "homework".

For Silva to get the majority of supporters on board, he's going to have to give us some kind of cup run. He'll tick the boxes for matching Koeman and Allardyce in league finish with the money he'll have to improve the squad this summer but there has to be some tangible improvement. Playing better football and a cup run should do that in his first season.

If it all does go south fast, at least Moshiri won't have the kind of payouts he's had to fork out for Martinez. Koeman and Allardyce. Silva's on the relatively modest ٠m a year.

With Moshiri an evident admirer, it could well be the case that he was given 'covert' access to Everton's own database and game analytical tools.

But it would have needed to be super discreet with:

1) Everton having a sitting manager in Sam Allardyce;

2) the ongoing fallout between Everton and Watford in our pursuit of Silva.

The brown stuff would truly have hit the fan if true and if it had become public knowledge at anytime in the 2nd half of the season.

I would expect this side, going without signings:

Pickford
Coleman Jagielka Holgate Baines
Gueye Schneiderlin
Walcott Sigurdsson Lookman
Tosun

He plays a high defensive line to enable a pressing game, which means the defence needs speed. I thought he might go with Keane as he is better on the ball, but forget who it was (sorry) quite rightly mentioned Keane's lack of pace, and so I think Holgate might persuade Silva to take a chance on him. Jagielka can then play the leader's role alongside him, providing he keeps his pace (which is going to go soon). Baines does not fit in with his lack of pace and stamina so will need to be replaced.

Schneiderlin needs one hell of a pre-season to prove he can rediscover his best form and play the Gareth Barry role, otherwise Carvalho (or similar style of defensive mid with the ability to drive the team forwards with quick long passes taking only a couple of touches to do so, ergo the most important player in the side by initiating the trademark Silva counter attacks).

Gylfi will be pushed right up top, where he prefers, and play just off the striker, looking to benefit from the long passes by getting on the end of them or getting the ball inside from the flanks and looking to pull the strings by creating goal scoring opportunities (or shooting himself from the edge of the box). The wide forwards play narrowly inside in the channels to create room for the fullbacks to bomb into. So Gylfi will be relied on to switch the play quickly from one side to another, as is tactic often employed by Silva.

What I'm getting at here, is imagine we're hitting the opposition with Coleman / Walcott 1-2 combinations down the right, Walcott can lay it off inside, and Gylfi would be over supporting on that side, he would instantly turn and hit a cross-field pass to the left winger, Lookman, who is expecting the pass as this is rehearsed and he'd be in acres of space with the opposition having been pulled across the pitch trying to stop Coleman and Walcott. This is something Cleverley did a lot for Ricarlison at Watford.

The striker needs to work hard rather than be prolific. Goals are shared around the front four (Glyfi, Walcott, Tosun, and Lookman). I wouldn't be surprised if Silva thinks Calvert-Lewin offers more than Tosun and gives him the nod to lead the line. I really think Lookman will play as Silva wants the right-footed left-winger bringing the opposition right back inside and creating space for the left-footed overlapping left back to do damage, or being able to cut inside and shoot himself.

I think we will sign Carvalho, a left back, a backup keeper (unless Stekelenburg is fit and able and willing to stay). I look forward to seeing what Silva does with Davies, with Calvert-Lewin, and with Holgate. This is a coach who will tell them where he wants to be in every moment of the game, with the ball in every position on the pitch, and where to run, when to tackle, when to press, when to stand off. He will micro-manage them. This is what former players said he did with them. Those three need this. Holgate and Calvert-Lewin need to learn their actual positions having been confused by being too versatile, and Davies needs to be less of a headless chicken.

Would you tell him he's sacked?

Other commenters alluded to Wayne Rooney's comments on Seamus becoming captain... if Wayne had the same moral compass as our captain-in-waiting, who knows what could've been?

As it is, fuck off, Wayne. As much as I'd like to love you, I don't, as you went to the dark side and love the dollar more than Everton.

I missed out the West Ham win in there as well. So he won a fair chunk of his games playing the back 3 with only a couple of bad results.

His preferred formation is clearly the 4-2-3-1. But this does show his flexibility and willingness to adapt (he's not going to be accused of having no Plan B).

Koeman was poor, Walsh was a total joke and they've probably cost Moshiri at least 𧴜 million. I met Walsh and was staggered by his persona, so far out of his depth it was palpable no wonder the rugby-loving CEO jumped before he was exposed/pushed.

Silva has got a massive job on his hands and it doesn't help that everyone thinks that we're an easy mark and will massively overpay for bang average.

I'm not happy that Ferguson stays either, there should have been a complete clear-out. He hasn't done one thing that we can cling to, as a positive... see Steve Bould at Arsenal, but as soon as Wenger went, he was turfed too. Why do we persist with this small-time "jobs for the boys" mentality?!

Marco Silva's appointment will need to be viewed as a long-term plan so another large slice of patience is going to be needed from us because there are going to be a few bumps along the way.

Not everybody is going to be happy with this appointment but he has a good philosophy on how to play the game and, along with Brands, then hopefully they can create a new Everton that will be recognised by all.

Good Luck.

Really and truly, does placing his left hand on his right bicep and flexing it, after he has let his teammates down, once again, by being sent off, make him a legend? Ball, Labone, Dean and many others are legends. Not him.

What input has he had in coaching? Because, by God, there was not one iota of passion, grit or backbone in the team he coached last season. It seems to me that he is another tearful Kenwright charity case. I guess there will be the usual would you say it to "Big Dunc's" face thoughts. I have never posted a thing that I wouldn't say to anyone's face.

His continued employment is jaw-dropping.

Phil (#178), a "tell" is something a bad poker player does to accidentally reveal his cards. Like when a poster you've never seen before on TW pops up to say something strange and provocative – that's how you "tell" it's a troll.

Andy (#202), generally agree, not a Dunc fan either and surprised he's still here, but it's a bit harsh to blame him for the lack of "passion, grit or backbone" in the team. I'd say there were a whole lot of reasons for that, and most of 'em wore game jerseys, except for the giant bridge troll in the black coat and badly knotted tie.

It's in your Heart, and in Your Soul, and so the rest of that song goes... What's Our Name?

People will tell us we're not a big club anymore – and let's face it, if they didn't think it already, then us appointing Allardyce made it really easy to form that view.

But football has never had permanent elite. The 'Big whatever number' have been broken either in the short or long term plenty of times.

So it will happen. And if you were going to pick one club from outside the top 6 to do it, it would be Everton, wouldn't it? And if you were picking one club that could do it and sustain it... it would be Everton, wouldn't it?

Oh and on a separate note, did anyone see Lineker's greatest starting 11? from the players he has played with of course. Not one Everton player. Unbelievable and typical.

Judging by this clip with Marcel Brands, Marco Silva's appointment was nailed on way before Thursday's announcement.

Link

This is clearly cut from the broadcast video with Brands of a couple of weeks ago - same clothes, same office (in PSV's stadium), same interviewer.

He (was) evidently in the know that Marco Silva would be our next manager, so in the interim period either the club put up a smokescreen that Brands was involved in the selection process and considering other candidates, or the media made up their own speculation. (They wouldn't do that would they, surely..?).

A further sign that Everton really did a lot of ground work and planning to synchronise everything as they have over the last month.

Well done to them!

The Beeb reports their new stadium build has been put on indefinite hold because "Abramovich is unwilling to invest in a major project in a country where he is not allowed work."

Link

Chelsea's rich sugar daddy having a wobble...Arsenal in transformation with the end of the Wegner dynasty. That's two of the top six taken care of before a ball has been kicked!

If only it was that easy. But then, what's life without hope?

Generally last season's signings were really poor and vastly overpriced. We cannot afford to do the same thing during the next few months. A dynamic plan requires outstanding players. While new signings should improve the Blues, I really hope that our new manager can get more out of the players that he already has.

One more time, "Thank God and Morishi that Allardyce has gone", and hopefully the rubbish football that we were served up last season.

Silva has had plenty of time to take a long hard look at us; he is replacing some of the old guard with his own people... and yet he still wants Ferguson to stay?

This'll be the fifth manager to retain the services of The big fella. He must be doing something to impress them.

Maybe Ferguson is a crap coach. I don't know either, but those pointing the finger at him have no idea what they are talking about and need to stop pretending they do.

This foolish "jobs for the boys" claim against Evertonians who have been re-employed by the club in a different capacity is only made by people who don't know where the real blame lies for our miserable failure in recent years.

Clue: There are two little men sitting front and centre of the Directors Box whenever you glance over there. They have acquired a habit of choosing the most unsuitable captains to steer our ship... Stop blaiming the crew.

If the edited video was an attempt to possibly minimize trouble til the Watford thing was resolved or cooled a little, they didn't bury it so well.

As to Silva – here we go with the latest dose of renewed hope. At least, I hope so...

No former players seem to say anything about him one way or another. Surely one of them can give an opinion? Maybe they're all too scared?

I think his salary would tell you how high he is rated at the club... I haven't got a clue about that either.

There is a reason we have not won anything for ages, and the fans are a big part of it. The facts are we have got rid of a proven Premier League manager who was starting to build a decent team for a Premier League failure who was sacked by his last Premier League club for not being good enough. And some Everton fans think this is progress?!

And why did we did this? Because most Everton fans had a pre-meditated view on Sam Allardyce that was there before a ball was kicked. Most of it nothing to do with football either... And now, all those same people insist we give Silva the luxuries of time and support that they would not do with Allardyce.

Some Everton fans need to look up what the word 'hypocrite' means. They also need to remember that style of play means nothing without winning games. Losing 4-3 but seeing lots of goals soon gets boring after a while.

Maybe add Spurs to that. Will Levy crack his wage scale to keep his top players?

He could and should simply have ignored the anti-Allardyce chants but he chose not to. Do we want that "connect" or not?

Nail. On. Head.

The time for sentiment is over. All this 'jobs for the boys' stuff needs to end. We need the best coaches in all departments. Jeffers and Ferguson teaching our strikers to score goals? The Yak would be a better bloody choice.

If Duncan is leading sessions on his own, and say taking strikers off and drilling them on movement and shooting and doing things that affect the actual play on the pitch, then this is a different story. Nethertheless, Duncan has a number of badges, not sure if he's now got all of his badges or not, but in doing so he's demonstrated competency to pass the exams needed to complete the badges. The level 5 (UEFA Pro Coach) badge is supposedly particularly tough and requires the coach to demonstrate his ability to devise particular sessions as well as running them and to demonstrate some coaching theory.

Nearly all the coaches at Premier League clubs are former players. If we hire non-Everton former players as coaches, how is that any better than hiring our own former players. I understand that the academy helps a variety of former players go through the badges by letting them coach sessions. This is demonstrated by the infamous Mirallas and Schneiderlin incident where they caused an issue when Unsworth had some young coaches warming the first team players up and taking them through some basic drills. Some of these former players are not really former players but academy drop outs and people who never made it due to injury. I have no problem whatsoever with the coach doing this.

I would like to think that the club is not insular and does look to recruit the best coaches they can. This should be done by Brands as Director of Football. But Unsworth as head of coaching should have considerable input. Elite coaches have to go on courses throughout the year, every year. Unsworth will tick these courses off by actually being the lead instructor for a number of them, and will work as part of a team which includes similar coaches from similar clubs. Therefore, the coaches all get to know each other (they will anyway from their playing days) and they will be able to see who is a decent coach from these sessions. There's no reason why Unsworth cannot recommend certain coaches to Brands to hire for Everton.

Some of these seminars, particularly the UEFA elite ones are on youtube and you can see world class coaches like Marcelo Bielsa leading the session and a number of top level managers in the audience taking notes.

Football is the best, for me, and the easiest game in the world to play and understand. If you know and understand football, you can teach it. A lot of coaches have fucked the game up by their over-complicating a great and simple game, especially the defensive ones and the ones terrified of losing a game.

As far as football being simple or complicated, I think it is both. The key to a great coach is one who cuts through the complications and simplifies the game for his players. I believe it was Clough who said you should give players no more than two instructions otherwise they will get confused or forget them.

I believe Mourinho gives his players one sheet of A4 before games, which simple clear points for them to digest. Others give a pen drive with a short amount of video footage on their direct opponents and whatever else they need to know.

Indications are that Silva is someone who can do this, giving players simple concise instructions, whilst doing the meticulous planning.

Marketing team, get moving folks. Set agendas with well-written news stories, not just reaction. Excite the journos.

Hate to say it, learn from LFC in this and stop talking about the "family" and "history" and point out things like our huge away support etc. Big it up!

Jesus, I left journalism years ago but even I recall the basics.

Mind you, Silva will have to go a long way to prove he's worthy of filling Lardiola's shoes if you believe what Pat Nevin was spouting this morning on R5! Followed the BBC line good and proper. Nice to know Mr Allardyce it's just going to be a short while until will have his choice of the flounderers – hang on Pat, isn't that the point! His forte is ‘rescuing' teams from the drop, not grabbing on to the coat tails of the elite.

Gordon, having a pop at no-ones favourite ex-Everton player obviously hasn't seen Mr Lineker opining that the best team he ever played in was the Everton one he was lucky enough to be a part of. Best players don't always equate to best team though, so I would be interested to see who his favourite team mates were if none of that Everton team made it.

I understand where you're coming from but I don't think that Everton FC can do much about the media coverage that they receive or don't as the case may be. Every outlet has its own agenda and simply put it comes down to the number of readers/viewers/listeners it may attract, allied to the revenue that is produced via advertising. Until Everton are backed by global companies or qualify for the Champions League each and every season our media profile will remain as it is.

I understand the need of the commercial companies to push certain clubs but I remain at a loss as to why the BBC seem to want to pedal the same agenda as they are funded publicly. It seems the Beeb want to concentrate their efforts on attracting overseas viewer/listerners by promoting LFC and others at every opportunity.

Earlier this week Salah's encounter with a reporter in an Airport was deemed newsworthy enough to show on Breakfast TV, but this morning no mention that Everton had appointed a new manager. Similarly the Echo had no mention of the appointment on its news section but various stories about the neighbours were scattered across the site - unless you were a local fan who knew how to navigate to the Everton FC pages you would be unaware of any news regarding the Blues.

Man City don't appear to get the same coverage in the national media as our neighbours do, despite becoming the Champions with some wonderful football. I won't hold my breath waiting for Everton FC to get the same coverage as our neighbours because for whatever the reason, they will always hog the headlines regardless of what happens on the pitch or how hard our Public Relations office works.

So long as Everton are winning football matches and with some style I am happy for the media to ignore us even though it does grate at times.

Maybe we should have a section on TW with all press contact addresses!

http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/05/31/do-report-everton-offer-davy-klaassen-to-besiktas-in-oguzhan-ozy/

Or Klaassen at about thirty bob!

Weeeell... come to think of it, there could be something in it after all :-))

Don't get me wrong, he looks great on YouTube. Decent creative player. Good range of passing, really looks like he can make a team tick. But he'd need to be a hard running, energetic, all-round midfielder with good tackling to come into the side in one of the 2 deeper positions.

Now, are you actually suggesting that Koeman, Allardyce, Shakespeare, little Sam have advocated this anti-football while Duncan" the legend", Ferguson has been secretly installing a backbone in the team and fighting for good football.

Might you not concede that big Dunc knows what side his bread is buttered on. That he insulted the away supporters with his defence of Sam because he, perhaps,suspected that Sam might see his deal out and in the utterly self serving way he has done throughout his Everton career tbought he should ingratiate himself with the boss.

Darren, I have enough respect for your desire for an Everton we can enjoy to accept that you are defending an Evertonian you admire. Surely, you know that it's time for change all round.

I think he's more a No 8 than a No 10.

You and others calling for the removal of Duncan Ferguson have not seen him at work. In other words, you are demonstrating very strong feelings on something you know absolutely nothing about.

I have no allegiance to Ferguson, He frustrated me as a player, but you have no clue as to whether he is a good coach or not. I'm all for big changes, they are clearly necessary, but I'm not in favour of throwing the baby out with the bath water.

If this guy wasn't a former famous player, you would have no opinion on him. You are not just letting your opinion of him as a player cloud your judgement – you are letting it dictate it. This is a new regime; if Ferguson isn't up to the job, he will be shown the door soon enough.

I'm just waiting for the post calling for the tea lady to be sacked because she "gets" Everton and only got the job because she's a lifelong Blue.

Let's hope he acts as the catarrh-lyst to a trophy winning spree.

Brent, that made me spit my tea out. Next thing you will be saying you are looking forward to seeing the team show some fluid movement.

Opinions of many (including me) on Ferguson have, as pointed out repeatedly, been influenced by his angry gestures toward away fans. Silva talks of a "connect" between Club and fans – many fans felt such a "connect" with Ferguson but his actions negated it.

Allardyce simply does not coach. Neither did Ronald Koeman. The pair of them stand on the sidelines and let others get on with it. Now there's nothing wrong with this at all. Sir Alex Ferguson won many league titles after effectively "retiring" from doing the actual coaching. He also used a variety of lead coaches that he worked with to keep things fresh for the players, ie Archie Knox, Brian Kidd, Carlos Quieroz, and Mike Phelan.

Allardyce relied on Craig Shakespeare. Sammy Lee was heavily involved in coaching, but the sessions were ran and devised by Shakespeare. Koeman relied on Erwin Koeman. Ronald is a good tactician and his brother is a good coach, they thought they could combine their strengths and make it to the top that way.

Martinez is an excellent technical and attacking coach and this was seen by the improvements his sides made in those areas. Clearly he neglected the defence, and supposedly he never had sessions on set pieces, not one drill on corners or throw ins or the like. Had he recognised that to get to the very top he needed to be more pragmatic and worked with someone more defensively minded and tried to blend their styles into a more dynamic set of tactics, I think Roberto could have gone to the very top. He's got one of the best sides at the World Cup, he could get to the final easily, then what job will he get next? So he might just still get to the top, I hope he's learnt his lesson.

Duncan Ferguson can't really be assessed as anyone who's observed the Everton training sessions at the open days, or on video, will see that he's not the lead coach. He's working to instruction. How good he is can surely be answered by a former player. Sadly, no one has asked those questions anywhere I can find it.

As I said, I felt a "connect" with Ferguson until he allied himself with Allardyce by his angry gesturing towards me and fellow away supporters – that "connect" which Silva is hoping to foster on a wider basis has now gone.

I feel that anybody who contributed towards EFC spending 㿞+ million on Gylfi Sigurdsson should be sacked. Walsh must have played a big part in this.

It was a suicidal piece of business in itself. Then, add to this to the collective disasters of Klaassen, Rooney, Sandro and to some extent Keane and you see the issue. I don't think we need to be fully versed in the detail to make the assessment that anybody involved in bringing all of this about is no good for our club.

Ferguson; Who else has he coached? Who else wanted him? Who would want him if he left us?

If anyone is interested, the above is an example of world class coaching from one of the greatest coaches of all time (Guardiola's words not mine!). Bear in mind Sam Allardyce said that he "leaves it up to the players" in the final third. He didn't think any coaching needed to be done on this.

People talk about spontaneity of movement and so on, well if you watch the training video (and sorry but it's overdubbed so it's a bit annoying) you can see Bielsa show examples in a match of how his Marseille side were playing to his coaching and then he shows the drills he ran to make this happen.

How many times in the last 2 years have Everton had the ball and there's no movement? This is a deficiency of coaching. Sure, the team can lose confidence or it can have a collective bad game or the opposition can just overwhelm, but really it shows a flaw in the coaching.

Drills make players run instinctively. The players move without thinking. The drills make it second nature. We get the ball deep the wingers run in set ways and hit a marker (a visual sign of where to be) stop, turn and receive the ball, meantime the striker has run his own set path and is now in position free of his man to receive a pass and be free to shoot on goal. This stuff isn't rocket science. But you do need to freshen it up as clubs will get wise to runs made.

We agree on that, then. Hopefully, Silva can be single-minded enough to be a success here. I hope he doesn't allow sentiment to rule when making a decision on Niasse.

As for the coaching setup, I am all for a club that creates coaching pathways for successful players who have played for their clubs.

Frankly, our club is full of staff who played terribly for us in our darkest spell of recent times. Ferguson typifies everything that was wrong with EFC in 1994-2002 and here we are giving him a coaching role. Some fans even wanted him as a future manager.

Joe Royle in his autobiography explains that Ferguson simply couldn't turn up for the run-of-the-mill 34 games in the Premier League and only fancied it when we played Liverpool or Manchester United.

Or if he takes the strikers off for shooting practice, it's not the simple drills that 10 year olds do, straight shots from the edge of the box, or pass into feet to Duncan, who lays it back and then shoot past the keeper.

Does he really need to be all that to do this stuff? Does anyone actually think he was part of the inner circle of any of the previous managers' staff? If he was why isn't he now at Belgium, or Holland?

The mystery is just why the Dunc was promoted to the first team coaching staff under Martinez in the first place and just why he has remained in that position, no matter who the Everton manager is.

If he is just an 'auxiliary' – setting out the cones, handing out the bibs – then why is he an ever-present sat alongside the manager for every first-team game?

With the frame he had and the god given talents, he should have been three times the player he was, He was not my favourite player by a long way. But the fact remains, nobody has a scooby what his role was/is.

All the above names were captains of the ship, Ferguson is strictly crew.

I didn't see Fergusons "gestures" towards away supporters. I've never even heard of it until this thread.

He may have coaching qualities that we don't know about – much like Arteta and Kidd and when novices like Lampard and Gerrard can land plum positions without any experience – then why criticize Ferguson's job?

Silva may have the calming influence but Ferguson can whip the players into shape.

Whip them into shape? The guy can hardly string a coherent sentence together.

Darren @271,

I didn't need Royle to point this out. I sat and watched many a game in which he had little effect. The point being, it is unusual for someone within EFC to acknowledge this fact, Royle did so. Kenwright, Kendall and Moyes never have.

Don't forget that Joe wanted to sign the far superior Tore Andre Flo and was prevented from doing so. It's likely that Joe wanted Flo in and Ferguson out. Someone at the club who probably remains there to this day probably prevented that from happening,

I stopped going to away games when Koeman was serving up Zombie football. Strangely enough, Allardyce didn't entice me back.

For decades before that, I rarely missed one, so I got know a lot of people, many of whom still travel. My lads went to them all last season and not one single person has ever mentioned this to me. I also log on here and other sites nearly every day, but I haven't seen a thread about it.

Being a complete anorak, I recorded every game we played last season... so, if you can tell me which game this happened at, I will check it out and give an opinion but, until I have seen it, I can't.

I think it's been mentioned on a couple of threads. This post from John Hoggarth suggests it occurred at a couple of away matches.

Now we're coming up on 25 years since Agent Johnson, have people revised their opinions on the guy? Being a teenager at the time, I never had any understanding (at the time) of the problems at board level so he was never quite public enemy number one for me.

Knowing what I know now, it does seem things were exaggerated against him but there was merit to the complaints.

I note the comments that Ferguson could not turn up for 34 games. He has clearly improved that ratio in his so-called coaching career. His players failed to turn up for at least 38 this season.

Like others have said, he encapsulates the issues at Everton and should be binned.

Ferguson played when it suited him and tried when it suited him. He wasa bully, look over his career; and he has stolen a living off our club for years.

I don' t, as you rightly say, know what he is like as a coach. However, here's a bit of conjecture. Under Koeman and Allardyce we played, particularly under Allardyce, the worst football I have ever seen as an Evertonian. Now, Duncan "the legend" Ferguson might have had nothing to do with that. He might, as Steve has suggested, just been putting the cones out or (not Steve's suggestion) ironing the first team's jockstraps. He is either part of the problem that has seen many dismissed or a charity case who will be employed forever.

Darren, I don' t know what "the legend" is like as a coach. He may, indeed, be the new Guardiola. I ask you, Gavin, why should he survive? You have, rightly, ridiculed zombie football. Are you suggesting that "the legend" is devoid of any responsibility? He attacked the away fans because he is getting a living out of our club.

It is sad that we have been so poor for so long that thuggery equals legendary. I know you like a debate, Darren, but you know as well as me that this is a Kenwright sob story.

By the way, there are tea ladies who must go!!!

It's an interesting point you make. In 1995, we bid ٦.5m for Stan Collymore. Johnson confirmed this in an interview featured before the 1995 Cup final. < He was selling hampers.

Thankfully that deal never went through and neither did the deal for Ravanelli 12 months later. Both would have been suicide and we would probably have folded as a club.

Joe obviously saw a reasonable opportunity that made both business (he did this for a decade at Oldham) and football sense. Unfortunately ,he wasn't backed and lost his job and we brought in a legend and gentleman but a functioning alcoholic as his replacement.

I'm not defending anybody. I haven't even call Ferguson a good player let alone a Legend.

By your own admission you have no clue as to how good, bad, or indifferent The guy is as a coach, neither does anybody else by the looks of the responses. That makes these overzealous demands for his removal sound incredibly hollow.

Silva will be in total charge of the training ground, but the fact that he has kept him as part of his team would suggest he is the fifth manager to see something in him. We did not play zombie football due to Ferguson's coaching. We played it because we had two miserable twat coaches who actually set their teams up to spoil games

There is anger in your post when you speak about Ferguson. You clearly dislike him. You have even escalated his purported lack of respect toward the away fans into an "attack". You or anybody saying uncomplimentary things about Ferguson the man is not enough for me to agree with you and say he should be sacked.

Tell me, Andy: What constituted this "attack" and who were we playing?

Regarding Joe Royle trying to sign Torre Andre Flo, the story I remember, it was Flo's brother, a centre-back, who Joe wanted to sign, not the striker, and that is why the signing was rejected by Johnson.

With regards to Peter Johnson, did anyone ever taste DJ Spuddles?

It's strange that he's staying onif it's with the first team squad, simply because a new manager brings in his own team, because the old one has been sacked.

It's obvious Duncan loves Everton but I bet you in the whole of football, that a first team coach has never been retained three times after his three previous bosses, have all been given the sack. Surely if Duncan, was that valuable to the cause, then he should have been offered the managers job by now?

I've nothing against the big man, but I bet you a few of the players will be mumbling under there breath, "Are you still fucking here?" — unless, all of a sudden, footballers have suddenly changed.

"1997 he was not permitted to sign the Norwegians (Tore André Flo and Claus Eftevaag) by chairman Peter Johnson, which led to his resignation."

I must be honest and say that I can't remember Flo's brother or Eftevaag.

I can only speak for the games I attended but he most certainly gestured at our fans at both Burnley and Huddersfield – in fact at the latter I got into a heated debate about the rights and wrongs of it with another fan.

I did not go to Swansea but have heard from others who did that he was "at it" there as well. You can, of course, review your recordings but, unless the camera's caught him in the act, you will have to accept my, and other eye witnesses' word or remain in denial.

I think Darren's absolutely right. People are surmising that Ferguson is a poor coach when they have no evidence to say one way or another.

Some posters have made some correlation between Ferguson and our results and style of play. Surely that has more to do with the incumbent in the manager's seat?!

Royle speaks to BBC [Link fixed]

Link

Aside from filling column inches, interesting how many of us apparently want Coleman.

Seems a no-brainer to me.

I once admired Ferguson, he offered something when we had nothing. I know younger Evertonians who idolize him. I suspect it is partly a macho thing but, more importantly, he appeared to gain us some sort of respect when the custodians of our club ensured we did not offer it through our football or our trophies.

You and I are of a generation that have witnessed greatness. It just seems to me that there is now a generation who have seen nothing like it and it saddens me that Duncan Ferguson, a very limited footballer, in my view, should become a hero because of thuggery.

Now that doesn't address his ability as a coach, but I will give it a go. I think Martin has addressed the matter of his disrespect for away fans so I will address his relationship with Allardyce. His admiration for Sam is on record. He has described him in sycophantic and, to me, job-preserving, self-serving terms. Also, he has said, and this may be not word for word accurate but is pretty much verbatim:

"Sam has given me leeway and responsibility for coaching the first team." Now that doesn't sound to me like a man who puts the cones out. It sounds to me like a man who is as culpable as Sam, Walsh, Shakespeare and little Sam. It sounds to me like a man who has been rescued from financial ruin by a tearful blue Bill and who will take money from Everton as long as Bill has any say.

I don't what Ferguson is like as a coach, I agree. The only evidence we have is the performance of the teams he has coached for years. It has been lamentable.

That could apply to anyone at the club, including "What a manager", Unsy, Sharpy and all.

I would consider it poor if the employees of any organization went round rubbishing the current management.

I was 16 when Duncan came alive at Everton. I'm one of the generation who idolized him. I was part of the massive crowd that welcomed him out of prison in the Newcastle reserve match. I think we had 28k that day, I certainly remember the pipers. It was like he'd come back from war, not got out of prison.

I fell out of love early with Duncan. I was aware of the stories and I can't stand it when these players on massive amounts of money go out boozing when “injured”; everyone knows alcohol slows recovery from injury. If I didn't do it as an amateur then a millionaire footballer can be teetotal the summer.

There was too much off the field with Duncan and very little on it. How many other club legends (any club) have scored so few goals in so many seasons? I find his “legend” status at Everton embarrassing really. It's unwarranted and undeserved.

He knows he's not the finished article and is still learning the game.

My guess is when he feels he's ready, he will go to Scotland, lower league and ply his trade there.

Keep Vlasic, Lookman... and Klaassen! I just think he's worth more this season with an intelligent management team.

Ferguson was a very talented footballer who never reached the pinnacle of his ability due to his injuries. Give me a Number 9 with aggression all day long.

If he's working for his badges, to become a proper coach, then I really don't mind him being around as there hasn't been any other people he's kept out, as none of the "coaching teams" coming in reportedly had attacking coaches? Everton could easily afford two attacking couches, I'd think? Well, we should have had 4-5 of them, it seems. And snipers aiming for those making back-passes... ;D