Ferguson rewarded with assistant role under Ancelotti

Lyndon Lloyd Monday, 23 December, 2019 17comments | Jump to most recent

Duncan Fergusons successful stint as caretaker manager has earned him a place on Carlo Ancelotti's staff at Everton.

The Scot will become assistant manager alongside the Italian's son, Davide, which represents a step up from his previous coaching role and an acknowledgement from the club of the work he did in steadying the team following Marco Silva's dismissal earlier this month.

Ferguson oversaw for matches which included a stirring victory over Chelsea and draws against Manchester United, Arsenal and Leicester, and while the cup tie against the Foxes ended in defeat in a penalty shootout, The results in the Premier league lifted Everton out of the bottom threeï¿¼.

Ancelotti will bring in fitness coach Francesco Mauri with whom he worked at Napoli, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid and could also hire video analyst Simeone Montanaro.

Alan Kelly will retain his post as goalkeeping coach.

"I met Duncan just after the [Arsenal] game," Ancelotti explained in his press conference at Goodison Park this morning. "He will be on my staff as my assitant.

"I think that is really important for me. I am used to working with an assistant from the club. I had Makelele at Paris Saint-Germain, I had Zidane at Real Madrid, I had Sagnol at Bayern and I think that it's important because they know very well the characteristics of the players, the atmosphere at the training ground so it will be very helpful for me."

Reader Comments (17)

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Paul Hewitt
2 Posted 23/12/2019 at 18:02:06

Excellent News.

Christy Ring
3 Posted 23/12/2019 at 18:37:28

Thoroughly deserved, and Ancelotti can see the passion and how well he done as interim boss.

Russ Quinlan
5 Posted 23/12/2019 at 19:46:26

A fantastic reward for Duncs efforts and also great for him to learn from Carlo while he runs the team for the next 4 years or so, looks like a great stepping stone for Dunc to manage us again in the future.

Steve Ferns
6 Posted 23/12/2019 at 20:18:16

Lyndon, I don't think Duncan is assistant manager in the British sense. I think you'll find that he is an assistant coach. That's not a coach's assistant, it's a coach who assists the manager.

I expect it will all be come clearer in due course. The back room staff is very incomplete. We have Davide Ancelotti and Ferugson as coaches. There will also be as unnamed "assistant coach". I think this will be Manuel Morabito.

The Fitness coach is Francesco Mauri. He is the son of Giovanni Mauri, Carlo's long-time fitness coach. Giovanni worked with Carlo at every club up to and including Bayern. When Carlo was sacked from Bayern and his fitness methods questioned, Giovanni decided to call it a day and retire. His son had been working under him on Carlo's staff for a while, and Carlo gave him his dad's job at Napoli, his first ever appointment without Giovanni by his side. I believer that Carlo is also Francesco's godfather. (Think some of you might like that!)

Simeone Montanaro has also worked with Carlo for some time. So no surprise there. I am surprised that Alan Kelly has stepped up as Luca Guerra usually fulfils this role and appears to be available.

It was also interesting to see Carlo Ancelotti hands on in training. I haven't seen him in the role of lead coach for a long time. Whether he intends to be this hands on for the foreseeable remains to be seen. This is surely a good sign, as a man as experienced as him can surely coach with the best of them. Maybe at elite clubs he has not needed to get his hands dirty, but Everton in need of proper coaching, requires him to do just that.

There will also be a job for Mino Fulco as head of nutrition. He is Carlo's daughter's husband, his son-in-law.

Giovanni Mauri - Link

Andy Crooks
7 Posted 23/12/2019 at 20:30:16

Steve, I have always considered the role of assistant manager to be a bit like Vice President. Doing the stuff the boss hates. A bit of scouting, link between players and coach. Speech here and there. The role is dead and certainly not for Duncan. Peter Taylor epitomized it.

Steve Ferns
8 Posted 23/12/2019 at 20:33:03

Andy, I don't think Ancelotti had an assistant manager at Napoli or Bayern. He just had a coaching team. His son was also referred to as "my assistant" which is why I am not as sure as Lyndon is that Duncan Ferguson will be classed as Assistant Manager. If so, I think it'll be for the fans only, and not mean much in effect.

Watch Carlo Ancelotti and Duncan Ferguson take training here: Link

Neil Wood
9 Posted 23/12/2019 at 21:51:17

January will be very very interesting

Paul Birmingham
10 Posted 23/12/2019 at 21:59:41

Very good news. A fresh vein of hope is now around Everton.

Happy Days soon hopefully but it will take time, but this journey, looks like for the first time in decades, has been planned by the board..

Now to see whose available to face Burnley.

James O'Connell
11 Posted 23/12/2019 at 22:30:41

Ancelotti the brain, Big D the heart. Works for me. COYB
Merry Xmas to all Evertonians

Jerome Shields
13 Posted 24/12/2019 at 12:02:41

Ancelotti has acted quickly in giving reassurance to both Ferguson and Brands. He is trying to build a team around him from the start. It will be interesting to see his approach to Finch Farm and the Academy.

He does feel the need at Everton to be hands-on, no wonder after the game at Goodison, where basic tactical and technical errors were all too evident.

I would say he has had an eye on Everton for a while, knowing that it was a Big Club, under the radar, and not performing for years, with the support to rival any of the Big Clubs he has managed.

Ancelotti does not look like a guy that is looking at the Everton setup for the first time.

Ajay Gopal
14 Posted 24/12/2019 at 14:38:00

While I wholeheartedly welcome Carlo as our new manager, I have a mild feeling of disquiet seeing all these â€˜family' connections in the coaching team. I would prefer that the manager and his staff should have be professionals and be among the best in their field. I think it helps create a competitive and healthy atmosphere around the training ground. Hopefully, my fears are unfounded, and everyone has clear roles and knows what they are doing.

Jay Harris
15 Posted 24/12/2019 at 16:18:32

I am hoping for a reaction against Burnley but feel we need to be patient and let the man fine-tune the club over the coming months.

Happy Xmas to all fellow Blues.

Terry McLavey
16 Posted 24/12/2019 at 17:19:53

Excellent news, the last few weeks have made me very ashamed of slagging off Duncan frequently by criticising questioning what does he does...

Now my question has been answered and maybe a New Year's resolution for me should be "Don't comment on something when you know fuck-all about the situation"!

I'm really sorry, Duncan.

Bobby Mallon
17 Posted 24/12/2019 at 22:04:53

I think you will see the birth of Cenk Tosun and Moise Kean.

Mike Gaynes
18 Posted 24/12/2019 at 22:08:22

Bobby, I don't think we'll ever see Cenk Tosun again.

Drew O'Neall
19 Posted 24/12/2019 at 22:25:10

You're trying to read something which isn't there.

Ancelotti is simply setting out the terms upon which he has been hired.

I agree with Steve F though that Ancelotti simply confirmed Ferguson was â€˜his assistant' and not THE assistant manager.

Alex Kociuba
20 Posted 25/12/2019 at 20:14:40

For those who know who Dwight Schrute is, I think Duncan will have a similar title.

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