A second successive miserable Premier League campaign for Everton resulted in Roberto Martinez’s sacking and could still see some of the Toffees’ best players leave for pastures new. Despite the two-year rut and speculation about Romelu Lukaku and John Stones moving on, Everton still have plenty to attract a top manager.
Since Martinez’s departure, the mood of Evertonians has flipped. His eventual exit brought a sense of relief to the fanbase. The news it was new majority shareholder, Farhad Moshiri, who pulled the plug, added to it. Then the team’s performance on the final day of the season against already-relegated Norwich City, rounded off the transition from abject misery to new-found optimism – not least because the 3-0 win featured promising displays from three academy graduates in Tom Davies, Kieran Dowell and Jonjoe Kenny.
So far Frank De Boer, Ronald Koeman, Manuel Pellegrini and even José Mourinho, among others, have been linked with the role as Everton boss. Should one of them take the job as Everton boss, what exactly will they be walking into?
Firstly, for all the woes on the field during the 2015/2016 season, Everton finally found a billionaire willing to invest into the club. Farhad Moshiri’s 49% stake in Everton was formally approved by the Premier League in March, and while his arrival did nothing to alter the performances on the pitch, it has finally given Evertonians hope that their ambition can now be matched by the club.
It is thought he has pledged at least £100m for the new manager to spend during the summer. The nine-figure transfer kitty should allow the club to compete for some of the best available players this summer, and in a perfect world, persuade Lukaku and Stones to stay at the club.
The playing staff, both senior and those coming up from the academy, is perhaps Everton’s biggest pull for any manager considering the Goodison Park post.
Not counting the departing Tim Howard, Everton boasts 20 players who have represented their country. The likes of Lukaku, Stones, Ross Barkley and Gerard Deulofeu have been revered as some of Europe’s finest young talents with a ball at their feet. In addition, seasoned professionals such as Gareth Barry (who this season broke the record for the most Premier League starts with 573 to his name), Leighton Baines and club captain, Phil Jagielka, will also be at the club for at least one more year.
Much was made this season of these players underperforming – all of them featured heavily in Martinez’s first season when Everton just missed out on Champions League qualification, before back-to-back bottom half finishes. While last Sunday’s match against Norwich was a dead rubber, it was clear to see the players reacted well to a fresh voice on the training ground.
The team stepped onto the pitch not only smiling, but with zip and determination. Norwich were pressed and harried and succumbed to three well-worked goals. Everton ditched the possession-based, patient build-up play for a high-tempo, direct approach. And it worked.
The atmosphere in Goodison Park was of stark contrast to most of Everton’s recent home matches. Even after a 2-1 win in their penultimate run-out at The Old Lady against Bournemouth some fans stayed behind to hold protests against then-manager, Roberto Martinez.
Everton’s display against Norwich actually showed how well they can play when they want to. Especially encouraging were the performance of Davies and Dowell, making their first Premier League starts, and debutant, Kenny. While the new manager will undoubtedly have funds to play with this summer, he’s also got a ‘goldmine’ of youngsters at his disposal, according to Everton under-21s head coach, and current caretaker manager, David Unsworth.
Speaking after Everton’s 3-0 win over Norwich, he told the Liverpool Echo: “Kieran Dowell showed absolute flashes of genius today. He has been doing that all season.
“As for Tom Davies he was probably man of the match. For me he was everything we want in an Everton central midfielder. All action, good on the ball, spots danger and it was a great midfield performance.
“I think it’s a goldmine, not just one or two, we have got an abundance of top quality. There are seven or eight players who are either ready now or in a year and should play in first team.”
The Blues have not only been making headlines this week because of their hunt for a new manager, but also because of their plans for a new stadium.
Within days of his investment, Moshiri promised to make a decision on the new stadium in the match programme notes of Everton’s FA Cup Quarter-Final against Chelsea. This week, it emerged the new stadium won’t be on Walton Hall Park – the third unsuccessful stadium plan in 13 years.
However, the Liverpool Echo reported that Mayor Joe Anderson is confident Everton’s new stadium will be built within three years.
Roberto Martinez’s third season in charge at Goodison Park may have been a year of dismal performances culminating in his demise as Blues boss, but the few days since his departure have given Evertonians cause to be optimistic again.
The sheer importance of this summer cannot be understated. Everton’s board have a great opportunity to show their ambition through their choice of manager, and given the assets that will be at his disposal, said manager should be of the highest variety.
