Ancelotti envisions managing Everton at Bramley-Moore Dock

I really hope that Carlo becomes our Sir Alex. Bramley-Moore Dock, here we come... let's give the Grand Old Lady a trophy or two before we get there.

UTFT!

On Sky Sports just now, Carlo also said this about us qualifying for Europe:

"For us it will be really important to play in Europe next season, and it means a step forward for the players, a step forward for the club. We have to work hard, because it will not be easy, because a lot of teams are involved there, but I think we can compete until the end."

It's great to see the unfortunate incident he had at home has not diminished his love for the Blues.

Like so many others, I was so angry when I read about his house being broken into. I think we would all understand if he moved out of there, but you get the feeling nobody is pushing him and his family out of their home.

Even if you don't like his footy, you have to doff your cap to the way he conducts himself. Always with dignity.

The dinosaur is staying?

Yeeeeeeeehah.
Get in!

How much were we worth when he came and how much are we worth now?

Firstly, HELLO!

Secondly, if Carlo is here into his 80s, and is like Sir Alex? Fine. I'll take half of those titles and that stability, thank you very much!

This is outstanding news. Carlo is, despite some TW naysayers (not a negative word, 'naysayer', in my opinion) absolute class. He manages around the players, he's a great man-manager, he knows how to extract the most from his team as possible.

I love the guy. This is simply outstanding news.

I'd not fire him if he finishes mid-table, for fuck's sake... Name me one other manager who could do better.

Once Everton has touched you.

Untold wealth now. Hard to put a figure on the way he has transformed a football club in just over a year. He has put smiles on every fan's face (well... not every fan).

Players would run through a brick wall for him. Mr Usmanov has bought into the vision. Ancelotti, Moshiri and Co will go down in Everton history as the people who took a club without a trophy for 26 years and transformed them, restored the club to former glory.

Can we wait until he's won something?

He knows quite a bit about football, he's seen one or two things, played with and managed some pretty good footballers, wasn't bad himself. And he's a nice guy, he represents our club well. He has taken us forwards, but progress is not an ever-rising line, there are peaks and troughs.

So when things go awry, we play poorly, or he makes what we think are mistakes, let's pause a while before being negative. I'm all for freedom of expression, but it's time we changed the mindset, stop going for the easy, critical opinion and look for the positive.

He knows more than us.

It does sound crass to break things down to a monetary level, but we were in such a pickle when he got here, spending vast amounts on teams of players.

If you had looked at our books when he took over, hovering over relegation, with Keane, Mina, Pickford, Iwobi, all big buys who looked a total waste of money. He's rescued the value on all of them, and the three kids you like to mention. At a conservative estimate, I'd say he's added about £100M to their transfer value.

This is important cos we were teetering on the brink. He's then brought in Allan, Godfrey, James, Doucouré et al for about £65M, again remarkable business. He's rescued the finances of the club. The extra £5M he gets a year was the best investment Moshiri has ever made.

Darren @ 8, did they ever catch the suspected RS gobshites who broke into Carlo's home? I'm being serious for once. Like all news stories, once they have made a massive impact, there is rarely a follow-up.

Feel free... Knock yourself out.

We are at a high point but, yes, the style and personnel with which we took Castle Greyskull at the weekend was unimaginable a year ago.

He is instilling a winning mentality into the squad, slowly but surely. The ones that don't buy in will be moved on.

Best thing to happen to this club for a long time.

He needs to have us in the top six, minimum, every season – and hopefully top four.

I will be delighted if Carlo is here for a long time, as that will mean we have started to win trophies. I have more faith in him winning trophies than I have had in any manager since Howard Kendall Mk 1.

He's won loads. (Just not with Everton... Yet!)

For me, the biggest positive relating to Carlo feeling settled is the stability it brings. We haven't had that for some time which, I know, is largely due to each of the last 3 managers not being suitable. I think it is also due to the club lacking direction and identity. However, the direction appears to be finally there now and we are rediscovering our identify. That is not solely down to Carlo of course although he is a major factor.

Carlo seems so level headed and assured that it must be a pleasure working with and learning from him. He isn't afraid to stick his head above the pulpit and say what he wants and expects. Comes across as an exceptional leader to me.

Of course, a win at Mordor is only a start and needs to become the norm. Until we actually win something we need to stay grounded but that doesn't mean to say that we shouldn't have belief. Consistency is the key, that is the next challenge for Carlo. Conquer that one and the hopes and dreams will move a step closet to reality.

I've said for a while now, if Carlo can't get us to paradise then no-one can. I'm taking the rest of the season one game at a time.

Didn't really celebrate any of those other wins other than the 2007 Champions League, obviously...

I personally didn't think or still don't that we will see him here in 3 years time. By then I believe he will have done his job and established us for both him and us to move on.

But to hear him speak in this way shows his commitment and respect for the club.

He was a classy player. He is a class act as a manager, but more importantly as an individual. As Darren says, he always conducts himself with dignity.

My views on Ancelotti and his style of football are no secret around this parish. But a few weeks ago, I felt compelled to come on here and retract one of the claims I had repeatedly made against him – that he was here for one last payday.

I was bowled over by the way he spoke about his love for this place. He spoke with a sincerity I don't believe you can fake. He spoke about Crosby and the people as if he had been beamed up into paradise.

When I heard about the break-in, I felt sick to my stomach. Here was a guy embracing and reaching out to the people of this City and some cunts kicked him in the bollocks.

I read somewhere that you have more chance of being struck by lightning than the twat who has burgled your house being caught once he's scarpered. We are all hypocrites in one form or another but, for me, breaking into someone's home is a complete No-No.

I just hope somewhere down the line these home destroyers get what's coming to them.

You keep coming up with this stuff about Evertonians needing to 'unite' – and somehow that is going to change everything??? I've read it once too often now and sorry but I'm going to call it out...

First off, we are united – in our undying love and support of Everton FC and all that sail in her. That's just a given. That's what brings us here every day.

But we don't all think the same... and perhaps that's what you are thinking about when you're spouting this 'unite' thing? Well, sorry to disappoint (as is my lot in life) but it ain't neva gonna happen.

We will always be a diverse spectrum of views and opinions, and long may it be so. As them Frogs would say, Vive la difference!

Very good post.

The media scoffed – "How the heck is the manager of Raul, Kaka, Pirlo and Co going to manage a club like Everton? It will never work" they scowled. "He's a manager of world class players and his methods won't work."

Everton need a Sean Dyche, or an Eddie Howe. They should know their place. Ancelotti. Never gonna work.

To the great surprise of the media and others, to be a manager of world class players, you need to be a world class manager with players of all levels.

He's managing what he's got, and I think brilliantly. The goals we score, in the vast majority of cases, are quality. They are a result of excellent work on the training pitch. We are not doing what some claim: Keep it tight and knick one. If we were, we'd be scoring mainly scrappy goals, deflections from corners, penalties etc. But most of our goals are a result of beautiful interplay.

But we don't have the ability yet to control games. So yes, play it tight. Nothing too expansive.

But look back to his time at Chelsea, broke records for goals scored when he won the title. And players like Kaka and Shevchenko were never the same without him managing them.

So yes, I'm a big fan of what he's doing here. It would be a wonderful end to his career. After managing the best clubs in Europe, to come a rebuild a sleeping giant into a new era.

Stability. Possibly the most underrated, albeit nebulous, factor in sports.

We need it. We've not had it. Hell, under Moyes we were finishing higher up the table. Consistency of ownership and management for any sports organization is massively underrated.

I hope Carlo is here for another 5-6 years minimum.

Pete says:

He knows more than us.

Couldn't agree more. Won't stop me from spouting shite on TW, but it's still spot on.

This one, however, will return us to “situation normal”. It was good while it lasted...

Possibly he's been a bit too open about where he lives and now he'll ramp up his security. So pleased it hasn't put him off but, to be fair, it's safer in Crosby than Napoli!

I'm loving this but I'm so nervous it'll go wrong!! Surely we deserve this??!!

There you go

Link

Yerry & James

All in Spanish for their Colombian audience, but with English sub-titles. Very joyous.

Also worth reading this news item on the club site, too. Given the criticism of Everton's poor efforts to promote and commercialise the club, look what they did at the weekend:

Another First & World Record For Everton

The club presented a FOUR-HOUR live watch-along in Spanish for Saturday's Derby, becoming the first football club in the world to use TikTok's live geo-stream focused on one territory. Latin America.

Everton's Colombian followers on TikTok increased by 9% as a result, generating 7.3 million video views.

When James signed for us, traffic to the club site increased by a whopping 433%.

Further evidence that the club is coming together on many different fronts, IMO.

As they say around your parts

Deus ajuda quem cedo madruga 😂

Wow! Is this really little Everton we are seeing coming of age? Great information that Jay and as you say, looks like we are finally acting like a big club again.

He's another sauerkraut, yep I know he's Austrian, ( not all krauts are saucer), I've a few good German mates, but not these two who manage the RS and Soton.

Although tbf Google translate hadn't been invented 😉

And congrats to our old friends Klaassen and Stekelenburg for leading Ajax through.

I didn't watch tonight's game, but have been keeping tabs on Cebolinha. I'm afraid his season is mirroring that of Benfica's manager, Jorge Jesus, who of course the club took back from Flamengo following his all-conquering year in Brazil.

Benfica and Cebolinha started the Portuguese season on fire. He got 3 goals and 4 assists in his first 10 games in Europe and Benfica were winning games with plenty to spare, as defending champions.

The poor lad was also laid up with CV-19 in January.

But the wheels have come off and Jesus is now under severe pressure. They are FOURTH in what is usually a 3-horse race in the Portuguese league with city rivals Sporting and Porto.

Sporting are unbeaten after 20 games on an impressive 54 points. Porto 2nd ten points behind, Braga 3rd another point behind and Benfica a very sorry 15 points adrift of Sporting on 39 points.

I'm a Sporting fan so me and my fellow green and white Tuga mates are loving Jorge Jesus' fall from grace. Lots of funny memes and GIFs doing the rounds.

He was not a popular choice when he jumped ships from Benfica to Sporting for a couple of miserable seasons before arriving in Brazil, so to see his return to Benfica turn so sour brings great mirth!

Not an easy year for Cebolinha to move to and play his first club football outside of Brazil.

So, perhaps the ambition to turn EFC into winners rather than perennial under-achievers is what is driving the man.

Let's be honest - winning silverware with EFC after our barren 25 years (the worst period in our entire history) would be right up there with his achievements elsewhere.

He appears to have a realistic initial goal (Europe) as a stepping stone.
I'm sure he has an eye on the FA Cup as well.

After this week's series of nice surprises (I'm containing myself as I may have upset the neighbours with last Saturday's shouting and cheering) let's give the man our full support. To me, this feels like the 83-84 season when we showed clear signs of the waking giant.

(That said, anything less than a win against Southampton would be very Everton and feel like a pin inserted into our blue ballon. We need to move on from whatever contributed to defeats against Newcastle, West Ham, Fulham et al.)

Good luck Carlo.

Here's a great response on Richy's Twitter account in reply to some RS-baiting. Just scroll down the page a tad to see it.

Richy Heartbreaker

Either Richy's English is much better than believed, or someone is managing his social media accounts!

Unrelated, but talking about a young gun out on loan, read this glowing report about Anthony Gordon's MoTM performance for Preston in their 0-0 draw with QPR last night.

Anthony Gordon's 'Star Display'

Good for him. Good for us.

Jay (BRZ); thanks for that. Really enjoyed watching the James & Yerry show. I love how the South American boys genuinely seem to buy into the club. Mentioned this before, but there's a great YouTube post of Mina and Richarlison at a Liverpool school doing a dance routine with the kids. They get very competitive with each other and the kids buy in!! Backing music is Spirit of the Blues, just search that with their names.

Panita - without looking up, Spanish or South American Spanish for "mate"??

Yerry-Richy dance-off

when it was released at the time. Again, so much joy.

And yes, 'panita' is broadly used in Spanish-speaking Latin America as 'little friend' - or 'mate'!

I wonder how many would have said had we lost the Derby, here we go, ground news after a defeat.

It has been an unbelievable week for Evertonians, let us enjoy it while we can.

Davide said that Carlo, like himself, found coming to Merseyside beyond his expectations , not knowing what to expect and said that he wanted to stay and built the Club to be one of the Top Clubs in Premiership or words to that effect. Carlo wants to a achieve a lot with Everton, so he needs to be here for a while, beyond the building of the new stadium.

He reminds me of Brian Clough who took over at Nottingham Forest. They where a good footballing side and he was able to build. I think that Ancelotti has had his eyes on Everton for a while and seen that the fundamentals where coming together and with his expertise and skill he could build.

If he is able to build Everton to the real potential of the Club, with a traditional, not poser , fan base, it will be his biggest and very rewarding achievement. Even achieving legendary status. I also thought he was here for the money, but I have realised that achievement in Football means more to him.

Ancelotti may be adept in dealing with the media, trying to boost players, but basically he tells the truth. He has never tried to bullshit the fans.

But he has earned that CV because of his desire and passion as a gifted player. Because of his work ethic as a coach and manager. Because he is a winner. He may not be a race up and down the touchline Klopp like character. He may not be as egotistic as Mourinho. But he is a calm and calculated winner; both as player and manager.

Like anyone who has worked their way up through the ranks to reach the top, he gets the just rewards. But that is not his driving factor and it never replaces the desire to win a football match.

You get what you pay for. For too long Everton were paying way too much for imposters; mongrels with no pedigree.

Let's now see how the games goes against Southampton. At home after a big win has not been a great combination for us this season!

Arnold Schwarzenegger self-financed his election as Governor of California, owns this estate:

Arnold Schwarzenegger's House
Los Angeles, California (CA), US

...and lost his wife. a Kennedy, and about $200 million because he had a son with the maid. So take his comments with a BIG grain of salt. ;-)

Hope the 'family' atmosphere that so many people involved in the club talk about has surrounded him and he envisages a long-term stay at the club, like many people before him and hopefully those who are yet to come. Provided, that is, they can score goals at will, tackle anything that moves in an opposition shirt, pass a ball to someone in a blue shirt over any distance, and also ensure a trophy-filled future. Not much to ask...

"I don't want to sound like I'm making excuses, but there's also the point that – and this is for any club – the restrictions because of Covid protocols, a lot of the boys are split between changing rooms on a daily basis. It means that, for a team like Motherwell, who have got a lot of new signings coming in, they're not mixing with each other, not getting to know each other as quickly. They didn't have a pre-season trip away this year, where you'd usually have a week in a hotel together.

“Say, for example, Tony Watt is in one dressing room and Nathan McGinn is in another, they might not speak to each other. On a friendship level, just getting to know each other level, they only know each other on the training pitch."

Didn't realise either that was Jorge Jesus's second spell with Benfica, as you know I have advocated on here many times that I believe, whether it be a player or manager, it never works out going back to an old stomping ground.

How many times we have seen that happen? Yet it still goes on, and I suspect will continue to do so. When it all goes pear-shaped at Benfica and there is unrest, we could still offer Cebolinha a 'Get Out of Jail Free' card because I still believe with his undoubted talent, he could be a 'Jewel in Our Crown' with better players around him, and a happy camp!

His S.I.L told me they did not know what to expect when they first moved to the club, but were blown away by the size and the history of the club. It really was massive compared to what they expected.

The whole Ancelotti family love living in Liverpool, but in totally different parts it seems. Carlo is in Crosby while his daughter and S.I.L live in Gateacre. Not sure where his son Davide lives? As many have said, the break in to Carlo's house seems to have not deterred them in anyway whatsoever.

You can't deny he is a class act, a decent man and honourable.

So long as we can keep improving were lucky to have him and his calming presence over us.

Sit back and enjoy the journey over the next 3 years!

I think Ancelotti has already proved himself by the supreme litmus test of beating "Them". Made even better by the fact that it was on their own ground. I think given the right resources, along with patience from the fans, he could take Everton back to glory days. Consistency is needed if we are to make it up a few levels and we can not afford to have many days like Fulham and Newcastle. The fact that he seems to be content to be living in the Liverpool Area is a factor that should not be overlooked.

Having said all the above, the Southampton game is another opportunity to show that we can still beat teams who are not doing well. COYB.

A thought has just struck me though, Marco Silva was sacked after the 5-2 mauling at Mordor. Now just imagine for a moment, had we got any kind of result in that match, would Silva still have been sacked? Would the board have persevered with Silva for a few more weeks or so, or would he have been sacked even with a very narrow defeat at Mordor?

We will never know, but was that 5-2 derby mauling the best result we didn't want? Ancelotti had just been sacked by Napoli and was free, and maybe Arsenal would have stepped in and got him instead of Arteta.

Was relying on memory. Yes it was your post. Glad you are able correct my post and to give the exact details. Thank you for sharing the original post. It gives a valuable incite of the authentic facts behind the headlines. Thank you again.

I know that Andy Rankin came in for some stick, but I've recently seen some footage and I don't think it was fully deserved. I suppose that like Jordan Pickford the goalie is easy to blame; in the main, he has nobody to come to his rescue. A team can lose 1-0 and his mistake is highlighted; it seems that no-one takes into account the number of chances that the strikers squander.

All being well with Carlo still in charge of the team.

https://video.gazzetta.it/video-incredibili-prete-celebra-vittoria-everton-inno-sciarpa/32be2e72-753e-11eb-a357-b1221e680749

Dont be surprised if they put a bid in for the priest

Had a pop at Everton when we bought Richarlison, saying we ruined the transfer market, even though other players went for more money in that window, before we even signed him.

Now saying absolutely no chance will Everton finish in the top 4 this season, but then backs an out of form Red shite team, saying they will finish in the top 4 for sure.

I would take it with a pinch of salt, Andy Townsend and Alan Smith are another two who seem to have a grudge with us.

Thank god we have at least Ian Wright, who seems to have a little soft spot for us.

Never seen that trait in any of your posts to be honest.

Merson? The intentionally unintentional name mistakes are the worse for me. See-through is Mr Merson.

Like most, I've had my moments on here, so I guess I was just airing a bit of paranoia!

Very interesting.

Some is down to his physical and mental maturing, and a lot also down to a top manager getting the best out of him. Just like DCL who many here rubbished when he was being played out of position but now is turning into one of the best centre forwards in the country, if not the best.

Ancelotti's Doucoure comment highlights relationship with Brands

“When we started to talk about the transfer window, Doucoure was on the list of the club. He was not on my list, but we talked together and we both agreed to sign him. I think it was, after 6 months, a really fantastic signing because Doucouré is playing really well.”

I will be there at least in spirit and hope, when that great opening day arrives, some thought is given to those battlers of days past.