Ancelotti deal reportedly imminent

Carlo Ancelotti: "what?"

If true, not too shabby!

Sales Assistant " Can I help you sir?"

Carlo "No, prego. I just I browsing"

The backroom team is said to be:

- Beniamino Fulco - assistant manager

- Davide Ancelotti (son) - coach

- Duncan Ferguson - coach

- Fancesco Mauri - fitness coach (but no mention of his dad Giovanni)

- Manuel Morabito - coach

- Simone Montanaro - chief analyst

no mention of his son-in-law either yet, but I doubt they announce the nutritionist in advance.

This is a manager of 60 years (most managers go on to 70 or even past that).

This is a guy with:

3 Champions League titles.4 League titles in 4 different leagues. And innumerous other titles of varying domestic and international competitions. He's been recognised as the best in his profession also.

This is A-List. Serious demonstration of intent.

And more importantly:

This is not a manager who will want to end such a distinguished career treating 8th place finishes as some sort of success. If he wanted a pay check and an easy life, he'd have gone to China. If we have enticed him here, it must have come with some level of guarantee that we as a club can match his ambitions.

Ancelotti is a manager who will look at the league and think - how can we challenge for the Champions League. How can we challenge for silverware.

He'll see where Leicester are and say "if they can, so can we". He'll see Utd and Arsenal and Chelsea and and Spurs and think "we can overtake them".

This could just be our time.

There are no guarantees. But 2 weeks ago we had Silva as manager, and by the weekend we just may have Ancelotti.

Smile boys. It's Christmas.

Beniamino Fulco is on cones.

Duncan has been promoted to Don Carlo's minder.

Give all the deadwood a pay off and clear them off the books. Use the current squad to get to safety, maybe add a couple in Jan, then a whole overhaul of the squad in the summer with 3-4 top class signings added in key positions. Then have a proper crack next season with no 'transition' bullshit.

20 years of nonsense hopefully coming to an end with BK out of any major decisions and the likes of Moyes can have a free season ticket and no more.

But he might not see them like that and play them on merit.

Nevertheless, I suspect he will do wonders for players like Pickford, Mina and Sidibe. That Milan team he coached were famed for their defenders (despite the 3 goals in Istanbul).

Having him in the dressing room can only help. He's known for players loving him and he can make them believe in the big games.

Under Moyes and Martinez when we got close to trophies, I felt we lacked the poise and belief. I mean we have reached 5 semi finals and one final in a decade or so and won nothing.

By law of averages you'd expect at least one League Cup win or whatever. If we can get ourselves in these positions again, Ancelotti has the experience and personality.

Usmanov & Ancelotti.

Am I the only Evertonian who is scared, any time soon, he's about to wake up?

Anyone have any idea how much that might be under FFP and if the Manager's wages come into the calculation?

Ha ha. Am I the only one getting your 'The Office' joke Kevin?

If this happens I will be absolutely delighted. I always thought Moshiris pursuit of Silva was tunnel vision in extreme, and that there were managers of Ancelotti's ilk we could have at least looked at. This is more like it!

No wonder Big Dunc did not express wanting the Managers job. He has kept in the background working away, giving no opinion and knowing what the real ball game at Everton now is. He also used the Caretaker role to secure his future at the Club. He is one astute cookie. Others futures are not as secure now.

A legit and honest interview process. Let the candidate know exactly what we can spend, who is in charge of what, who we can sell etc, where we are on the stadium, our expectations around performance. Then both parties can decide if it's going to work.

What I DO NOT want for Christmas:

Is a "statement" appointment for the sake of it. I don't want Mosh and Bill conning Carlo into taking the job with false promises, after a tour of the trophy room and a study of Dan Meiss' latest art works. I am tired of statements. I want results. Consequently, I don't care who the manager is as long as he's competent and given an HONEST assessment of our situation financially, his restrictions with transfers, and realistic expectations. That's it.

Kieran #27, The amount available to spend can only be ballpark as this stage and aspirational at best. We have to sell some players. Release others who we can't sell. Hopefully this announcement will boost our commercial income. All this and FFP placing restrictions on wage increases year on year, make any exact figure difficult to estimate. We rank 3rd in nett spend on transfers over past 5 years, so Mr Moshiri has been true to his word. Unfortunately we have made some bad choices with his money.

Well done Everton

So, again, what is Brands job and who, if anyone, is he answerable to in our boardroom? Further, Ancelotti's appointment will be the death knell to the management-speak "three year project" spoken about with such enthusiasm by Moshiri, and a good thing too. Our next manager needs to seriously aspire to top four by the end of next season. Leicester won the bloody league four years ago with no "project" ever being mentioned. They then lost at least four of their very best players but bloody hell, this season they're right at the top again!

It's done with effort, heart, practice, fitness and, yes, a smidge of luck. Leicester have now repeatedly shown that words and money have little to do with it.

We were talking about Moyes & Hughes two weeks ago - ffs, now we're about to sign Ancelotti. Dunc has raised expectations overnight and we won't find his passion in any top manager, he's an Everton supporter and a good coach, but not a world reknown top manager, yet, but he could be with guidance from the best, and Ancelotti is up there.

Part of me is sad that the long-term vision Brands and Silva were trying to implement appears to have been scrapped, and I fear that the likes of Calvert-Lewin, Davies and Holgate will be brushed aside right as they're coming into their own... but such is football. We'll just have to see how things play out.

Like many Evertonians I'm a natural pessimist. I always expect things to turn pear shaped for us but maybe, just maybe, things will turn out differently.

If Ancellotti takes over he needs to get us to the Moyes magical threshold of 40 points ASAP. Then he can start planning for the future.

But we have to grab an opportunity when it arrives, as not many have ever come Everton's way since 1878. If Carlo is landed, chill and try to enjoy it. The media for once will be talking about Everton, our profile will rise, and it needs to!

Cautious optimism, but it's edging to some descision, it would seem in the next few days.

I'd expect the club to issue a statement by Friday tea time, hopefully it will be the massive tonic Evertonians deserve.

Yet there are fans questioning his appointment... On what grounds??? This man has won everything there is to win in the game. Personally, I don't care what his salary is – anybody who has won what he has can name his own price.

I honestly can't imagine Duncan being anywhere else. He is, contrary to my previous nonsense on the subject, Everton to the bone. He must stay.

I can't wait for Ancelloti to see Niasse. It is never dull at our club.

Remember he's inheriting a shambolic set-up and an underperforming team. It'll take a little time.

As for his wages, if true, I bet Moshiri is making up for the two years of wages from Napoli. But who cares if he turns the team around? Money ceased being a moral issue in football decades ago, its a different world so why worry?

If it happens, A bit of first hand exposure to how a proven winner goes about his business could set him up nicely for the big job further down the line.

Let's watch with interest.

An Everton manager capable of singing "Suspicious Minds" to the faithful is all I really want, tbh.

We need a couple of proper centre midfielders and a centre back. We also need a proven experienced striker. let's hope his staff are already approaching Brands to get the players otherwise it will be last minute again.

Got to feel a bit for Silva. He did mention pre season that the team wouldnt be as strong without Gueye and Zouma but the club never replaced them.

Money must be made available by Moshiri, possibly with the help of Usmanov. But the objective is the same as before – to introduce money into the Club, this time by buying a proven manager and give him money to spend.

The previous objective was to buy a under the radar Manager and then step up the transfer budget and give filmstar contracts to entice players to join Everton. This was unsuccessful costing millions. This policy morphed into a three year plan, which now appears not to going to be continued with. The downside of this was the aftertaste of players of reduced transfer value on high wages contracts, that no-one wanted; Deadwood.

I can't see any logical plan at Everton presently. Certainly not a plan to build a top four Club, with regular Champions League participation.

How refreshing to hear an Evertonian on ToffeeWeb have a genuine change of heart, no gripes, no grudge kept against fellow posters, no ifs, buts or maybes.

Well said, Andy, and let's hope Ancelotti continues this very concrete change of mindset at Everton – this is very exciting, promising times isn't it.

I agree. But I wonder how Duncan stuck in there for so long and kept his opinions to himself.

Everyone seems to be overlooking the point that when that was the case - Ancellotti was still fully employed by Napoli.

He only became available last week and then came immediately into the frame.

"I can't see any logical plan at Everton presently."

I'd argue hiring one of the top 2 or 3 managers in the world and backing him to bring in good players a fine strategy.

I will be happy if we get him, rather than taking silly risks with Arteta, Howe, Wilder etc. He's far better than Koeman, Sam or Silva so many positives. Although I get a 'distant Koeman' feeling about him.

Our managerial appointments and player recruitment appear to flip from one extreme to the other, slow possession based recruiting tidy passers then flip to direct forward balls let's get some pacey forwards.

Yet we have failed to land the players we have needed for 3 years or more: A beast at centre-back, a real commanding leader with Pace, awareness and communication. A striker, a proper physical, mobile, hard working striker that can score with his head or feet.

In general we need skill and pace as a basic commodity. With it simple football can bring success. We don't need to outpass, out play or have greater possession. We need to win by playing forward, create chances and to score goals.

So I hope it's not 2 years later, 𧶀 million wasted, another managerial question mark.

Brands is supposed to be looking long term at players and coaches to develop a modern style that stays similar and therefore leads to less churn of players. I don't see any evidence of this yet but early days I suppose.

I'm surprised I have to say, I can only think that our Carlo has been promised some star players will also be on our shopping list. That suits me fine, that can only be a win, win for us poor speckies.

Lets just hope it now doesn't go all pear-shaped.

It's neither.

At the top end of town this money is chicken feed.

And we've seen that our ‘custodians' who love the club are often accused of destroying rather than leading us forward.

This is about a highly decorated winning manager, the likes of which we've seen once or twice in our history, joining up to make us highly competitive over the next few years. While Brands finishes the overhaul of the rest of the football club.

It's going to take more than a big-name manager to achieve a top four finish and Champions League football at Everton.

This is different- and if it happens let's support him and his team.

At Chelsea he had some truly world class players but I'm not sure how he changed or expected them to play compared to previous managers.

Is he just a lucky manager, because I'd be more than happy to have some luck in winning the FA Cup.

Can we all agree that FFP rules may exist but they are poor, inconsistent and currently only something we aspire to be worried about.

Should Ancelotti arrive, he will no doubt quickly take stock of what he has re players/coaches.

One of his players will be Moise Kean who (apart from having 4.5 years left on his contract) cost the club 㿉 mill.

Now if Kean presents himself titty lip-style to Carlo and states "il grande mostro della Scozia deve andarsene se vuoi che rimanga" (ie: fuck the big Scots twat off or I go) that substitution could possibly turn out very expensive for Big Dunc.

We've seen many times in recent years that when it comes to 'power', the players actually now seem to have most of it.

Like I say, just a thought.

I am the same. I know his record, I know his reputation and I know I should be so excited about this but my feeling is one of unease.

If he flops it will cost us a fortune in compo, he is likely to blow a lot of money on players and I do hope he won't go for the older age group and ignore youth.

Yes, we have to show ambition and this is certainly ambitious but I wish it was Arteta or Duncan.

Hopefully my inexplicable unease will quickly evaporate with a few early wins including one at Anfield.

Fellow Yanks. The game tomorrow is on ESPN+. My wife, bless her, told me to cancel ESPN+ because, "You never use it."

True nuff.

Now, ESPN+ wants $50 in the guise of an annual membership, for me to be able to stream.

Does anyone know of a cheaper offering? Maybe a monthly or per-game fee? Or do you HAVE to sign up for the entire year?

Everton need to get above teams like Brighton and Palace as from what I saw yesterday they are both piss-poor. Whatever it takes to secure a manager of the Ancellotti calibre then it must be done. There are precious few with his credentials available at this time of the season so if he is to be lured by big money then go for it.

They are all in it for the money so I don't blame him or any players holding out for the best deal they can get. Wouldn't any of us if we could in any job. On a side not, does everyone agree that the Mickey Mouse cup should be deep-sixed after watching that farce today.

Hardly a player out there who had any real playing time with their first teams except 2 or 3 with Villa and this was a quarter final. Why would you pay full admission to watch 2nd. or 3rd. stringers.

Don@51 - been in agreement with the "bad egg" in there, somewhere thing. When it comes to light the bad egg will be quietly moved on, I expect. Ankle chains please!

Damn rodent.

Good to go on the 'morrow.

A week today it's Xmas.

I'm in a winter wonderland.

Big Dunc just has to be in the mix. Any incoming manager would want the influence that he generates with "The Grand Old Lady" and the players.

I watched Dunc walking round "God's Acre" carrying his kiddie when he was ending his career, fuck, did I have a lump in My throat and a tear in My eye. Some players just connect with us troops, don't they?

He was way behind the rest, he really was letting it all sink in. I wasn't watching the rest. I was watching a man who adores his football club cherishing a powerful moment. Frankly, it was fucking heartbreaking. I damn near cried. I adore Big Dunc. He is Me as an Everton Player. He's brought it all back again, for Me.

There are many other, but, bear with Me please:
Some are grafters (Lee Carsley?)
Some are worldies (Andrei Kanchelskis?)
Some are "just one of us" (Sir Derek of Mountfield)
Some become "one of us", Duncan Ferguson.

So, Mr Ancelotti, KEEP Duncan, DGAF about why, just keep Duncan. He's your special move.

I FUCKIN' LOVE Big Dunc!

Usually take a little clicking but it's free.

Alan Brazil was moaning only 2 weeks ago that Moshiri was not the main man behind Everton. Even though we have always known that Usmanov was in the background I wonder if Brazil has heard he is about to break cover.

Even so if all true then the hard work is only just starting.

We would still have to rebuild to take on the usual suspects plus a re-assurgent money spending Chelsea and Spurs.

This just doesn't happen overnight.

$5/month for ESPN right through to the final.

Get your wallet out boy.

TY for the options.

I tested out the ESPN+ app airplaying from my Ipad to the TV.

Good to go. Wife seems happy dropping $156 a year for the annual Disney thingy, via a get-out-of-jail cancel anytime, $12.99 per month subscription.

As long as the ESPN + comes with it for tomorrow, I don't care! 😜

Ian - I tried the free route for a few years. I just can't do it. Drove me absolutely mad. A bazillion pop-up things with the tiniest of Xs to get rid of them - most of them faux Xs so the virus or bullshit link hits. I don't know how you do it man!

TY both. Let's get to the semi finals. Beat Leicester, draw Villa, to the final. End the silverware drought under Ancelotti and send a statement to the footballing world: the bear has been poked, and woke from his slumber.

Done and dusted! COYB

Very best scenario is that Ancelotti comes in for 2-5 years, wins everything (by magic) and Ferguson through osmosis and the shroud of Carlo goes on to take us to twenty five years of top flight success.

In reality, the direction lurches again in another direction. We spend £20-50m in Jan, close to £150m in summer under Ancelotti, breaching FFP. His priority is getting paid, promoting his son as Assistant while keeping second assistant Dunc at arms length as he loyally gnashes his teeth.

Within three years results start going awry Carlo and co go off to China for a final super pay day while we pay the remainder of what's left on their contracts.

Ferguson/Unsworth/Jeffers/Baines takes over for a handful of games, we start bring back some pride post Ancelotti... we hire Wenger or 'poach' Lampard after things didn't work out at a few places, but he's recently been playing pretty stuff at Coventry.

I think we're going to (once again) regret this, sadly.

Still welcome Carlo Ancelotti, if it's true.

Chad, a smoke of good quality weed might help your depression but the effect won't last long enough for you to find out the result???

I've followed Everton since 1953 and been through really good times but the last 25 years or so have been a nightmare. A good stiff single malt helps, too! Hopefully we'll get it right this time. At least the Mosh seems to be a trier!
It's Wednesday evening here in Adelaide and it's 42 Deg C. There's not a lot one can do when it's this hot (3rd day of this on the trot).
So, here's an alternative to the weed and the single malt. We call it the "Happy Drink", which is suited to this time of year when the limes are ripening in the garden. A margarita! (a proper one. Not the crap one gets in the pub).
That was good. So 3 - 1 win vs Leicester and 2 - 0 win vs Arsenal.
Ancelotti then takes over from Big Dunc!! Results to be announced!

Regardless, I'm sure Dunc will still get the Arsenal game and if Ancelotti is named before the game, the atmosphere will be electric.

Earth shattering events await us as Ibrahimovic, Maartens and Koulibali expected in the January window. Spasibo comrade Usmanov.

Enjoy your drink Bob. It's 2C here. ☹️☹️☹️

Although this sets expectations high, and it should, it is going to take time. Sadly our great club has slid backwards over times. We were under Moyes a top 8 side with top 6 intentions. Martínez came in and we all got excited about the fast, flowing football, we were going to become the Barca of England. After a cracking first season, we regressed. Martínez left us a top 8 side.

In came Koeman, who looked to be building, but, after a very tricky open fixture list, was shown the door. Sam did nothing for us, leaving us a top 8 side. Silva came in and bought some nice players but we have gone backwards under him and we are now a top 10 side at best.

Liverpool, Chelsea, Man City, Man Utd, Arsenal, Leicester City, Wolves, Tottenham and Burnley are all better teams than us. Add in half of the promoted sides, who do well, plus sides like Newcastle, who have potential to be top 10, and you can see the uphill battle ahead of us.

If we think a new manager is going to make us top four overnight, we are mistaken. We need to get back to being a top 8 side pushing top 6 and then top 6 pushing top 4. I would say we are 2 seasons off that at best and we are competing with Man Utd, Arsenal and Tottenham to do it. Throw in Wolves and Burnley into the mix and you can see how difficult a task this is.

Our inability to build anything in the last 6 years has seen others leave us miles behind while others have overtaken us.

This appointment has the potential to take us forward. We as fans need to back him for the next four years. He is a seasoned winner and on paper should take us forward, it's a long road ahead but I am hoping in 3 or 4 years we are talking about how to break into the top 4 again rather than how to break out of the relegation zone.

1. Moyes is the best manager we have had in the Premier League era.

2. If not replaced when they were, Martinez, Koeman and Silva would have seen us in the Championship.

3. Sam did his job: see 2. We owe him.

Big manager yes but not at all the right fit for our current position which is all about rebuilding the core character and playing style of the club. Ancelotti success has been entirely about tinkering with an already strong setup to go that last yard from challengers to champions, he has no recent record of rebuilding or even a sustained presence. He will also be very expensive both in personal wages and transfer.

We need to get some heart and fight and identity back to the club, not another load of fancy new tactics from foreign leagues. Ferguson has offered the owners a total free-hit on a different approach and in just a matter of days it has paid dividends in terms of performance, organisation, fan engagement and of course results. I genuinely don't understand why we wouldn't take advantage of that and at least see where it goes for a few weeks.

I would sooner have a lucky manager than a good one. I'd sooner have a lucky team than a good one. Look across the park; it feels like all the breaks (luck) they get helps! And no, I am not saying they're a bad side. But a little or a lot of luck helps.

When Benitez left Chelsea after winning the Europa League, players had a whip- round and pissed in his petrol tank!!
I know who I would rather have at our club...

Ancelotti is doing his due diligence and that almost certainly will ask why is Kenwright still there. And is it necessary to retain Ferguson?

One day, I'll get my Everton back... but I'm not holding my breath.

Loving the speculation about Usmanov above with absolutely no back-up Yes, there's always one and I don't mind if it's me.

Sure, he did a very good job in stabilising the club and giving it a platform upon which Martinez briefly built a far superior side winning SEVEN more points than Moyes, winning more games than Moyes, and winning games Moyes didn't even try to win.

Since then Moyes's career has fallen apart, because he is not good enough. He is not the man you remember. His hair is grey now, he looks tired, his tactics are tired, and everyone has his number. His win percentage at his last three clubs is relegation standard.

Leave Moyes in the past.

And Ferguson, as much as I like the fact he is manager as he was a hero in a very bleak time, his tactics are akin to watching an Allardyce team but we afford him this because of his cult status and that he's one of us; a few losses in a longer stint and people will be on his back.

Not to mention he's already said he doesn't want the job full time because he's not ready, which he showed by ignoring Moise Kean when he took him off on Sunday.

The concern is not whether Ancelotti still has it. He still does. It's that this Everton side need coaching, it's a project whereby you need to make players better than they are over a number of years and to build a side slowly. It's not something Ancelotti has done for a very long time, and the question is does he have the desire to put in the hard work that's needed.

Of course, he can circumvent this, and he can utilise other good coaches, with his son in amongst them, and they can do the heavy lifting, Ancelotti should have no problem attracting good young coaches, with fresh ideas, and a willingness to work with him, to learn from him.

What no one disputes is that Ancelotti is a tactical mastermind. Italian coaches are schooled in tactics from a very young age. The Italian game is famous for its slow pace, and tactical moves from the sidelines. Italians therefore need to be masters of tactics to reach the top and Ancelotti is king amongst them.

What sets him apart from his peers is his longevity, and this is due to his willingness to change. What formation will he play? No one can be sure because he does not have a set formation, he will change depending on players and the opposition. He embraces tactical shifts within the game and so is not left behind. What's his identity? Again no one can be sure.

For example, he came in to Bayern, and he tried to imitate Guardiola and he kept Bayern ticking over to win the double, making more minor tweaks than seismic ones. He did the same at Napoli, shifting slightly from Sarri-ball but retaining the fundamentals. The biggest shift was to lose the 4-3-3 and go 4-4-2 as he tried to cope with the loss of Jorginho, around whom Sarri had built his side.

At Real Madrid, he hardly changed anything, and just allowed the team to carry on as before, bringing out the best in Cristiano Ronaldo Aveiro. The result being that he ended the Real Madrid hoodoo and landed the "Decima" for them playing their traditional 4-3-3.

I'm reading we're about to sign Zlatan as well!

Isn't the Internet wonderful?

If what most people say about Ancelotti is correct, he's not doing it for the money, so it begs the question, why does he want to manage Everton? Something must be attractive to him, to make him want to live in the North-West of England, besides the weather.

I can only see the advantages of having one of the top five managers in Europe come to manage to my club. Nothing is guaranteed in life, but having Ancelotti on board certainly increase our chances of success.

Show me the roubles.

Please don't big Ancellotti up too much. Remember what happened to the last fella you were a fan of :-)

I have said time and again, I watch English football and Portuguese football. I have a casual interest in Serie A due to the soap operas that surround the teams, which is far more interesting than what happens on the pitch.

Phil, I think he could find an easier job on better money. China for example. As for what's so hard, nothing. But most of the older managers get fed up of the grind of day-to-day training. Sir Alex Ferguson could go 4 days without standing on the sidelines at training in his final seasons. Don't forget though, these days you can video it all. Everton use drones, as most teams do, to give a top down view of training so players' movement can be viewed back.

Don't forget, they all wear those black sports bras which contain the heart rate monitor and GPS trackers. Ancelotti could watch the lot from the warmth of his office that overlooks the training pitch on a variety of screens.

Also, out of curiosity, all those who don't want Ancelotti – who would you get in instead?

Or would you like to carry on with Ferguson and his Neanderthal tactics which, to be fair, have given the club a life over the past week... but it's not something I would like to see every week.

I actually find it quite helpful to read your posts, I was only taking the piss gently, mate. :)

In fairness, James, how do most of us get our information on all things football? We read ToffeeWeb. We read the papers. We listen to the pearls of wisdom from Carragher (well, you know what I mean). We google - and google - and google. We read books and articles. We're second- or third-hand purveyors of knowledge (or just information).

Most of us have posted an opinion on various managers on here but probably most is based on second- or third-hand information. It's what you do with the information.

I think Ferguson would evolve the play eventually, try not to forget that we had FIVE central midfielders out ill or injured at Old Trafford.

Ancelotti has a fantastic record but he's worked at clubs where the world class players (and I do mean genuinely world class) were already set in place.

I don't honestly think anyone can turn a sow's ear into a silk purse and I'd be amazed if the football under Ancelotti was that much better than we've witnessed in this past turbulent four years.

At the end of the day, it's about winning and results and whatever manager we have. If they perfect that art then fans will love him.

Ancelotti seems to be good at turning "nearly" teams into winners, but we are nowhere near being a nearly team. I will, of course, get behind him if he takes the job. I just hope it is a Brands pick and not Moshiri dreaming of silverware and about to lose his shirt again.

But, if this Ancelotti thing comes off – well, that will be special... and if it works, it will be super special.

If it doesn't, you won't be able to move for 'I really wanted Ferguson' claimants. Well, I really did. But jeez, you can't look this gift horse in the mouth, can you?

For ages, people on here have been saying that we need a winner. Well, it looks like we now have one. Let's see if it's as simple as that.

Ancelotti has a history of coming into clubs and assimilating the coaching staff that is already there. This is mainly because he uses them so he can hit the ground running. An example of this is Hermann Gerland and Paul Clement at Chelsea, who he then took to Real Madrid. Even more significant was the fact that it was Carlo Ancelotti who got Zidane front and centre at Real Madrid.

Hopefully, Ferguson will now be utilised fully by Ancelotti. And if so, he can learn from one of the best. Particularly as he won't merely be watching Marco Silva or Roberto Martinez take the lead. He won't be stood watching on with Koeman as Erwin Koeman takes the lead. Carlo Ancelotti should have him running the sessions whilst he watches on.

So, Duncan has a very big opportunity here. Let's hope it works out for him too, and like Real Madrid, when Ancelotti leaves, our assistant manager (or coach) can step into the breach.

There is no kudos in managing teams in China and learning Chinese, would make the job hard. I don't know what his salary will be if he does come to Everton, but I think it'll be commensurate with what Arsenal will be offering him.

Maybe Phil, but we weren't talking Kudos, we were talking him getting an easy job on big money. If Carlo Ancelotti does come here, I do not believe he is coming purely for the money. He is coming to do a job. I also believe he will have done his homework, he will have discussed things with his son in particular and will have a plan about how they can get Everton to the top. I would doubt Carlo has come here merely to take Everton to 6th, I would bet he thinks he can win things.

Also, it occurred to me that perhaps he wants to leave a legacy. Perhaps that legacy is that Davide Ancelotti succeeds him and lands the Everton job after him. That would be impossible somewhere else, of the size of club he usually manages, but say he takes us to 4th, he may step down, and take an advisory role and let his son take control. That could be an attraction for him at Everton?

With Carlo, surely it will be a case of acquiring players who are ready to go rather than ones who are younger but maybe with potential for improvement with good coaching?

I've been beating the drum for years that Everton needs to modernise, and stop relying on the past (our 'istory) to make ourselves appear relevant. As Moshiri said, Everton is a museum, a relic of a byegone age, and this appointment to me, feels like a step in the right direction at last.

Evertonians are an admirable group of people, but they are stuck in the past.

Not that much money in the grand scheme of things, when you look at transfer costs for players these days.

I don't read the contract as a nod to a ‘project'. I've always said it's about the here and now. A manager who can deal with the club fans expectations etc. and win.

I believe Ancelotti is just that.

There's big risk over both Arteta and with Ancelotti, but it seems the much greater risk is with Arteta and Arsenal could see themselves in trouble for some time if this does not pay off.

It's great to be on the verge of hiring a manager the rest of football seems to think we have no right to hire. Meantime, looks like Moyes is off to West Ham!

We don't have the players for that. I would suggest Ancelotti is more suited to Everton in that regard.

Steve, I agree with you entirely on that part about exposure - Everton is a stuffy old club covered in the dust of history. We need a shake-up, and need to reinvent ourselves as a modern day big time club if we ever want to achieve anything. A large part of that is hiring top-class management, coaching and playing staff.

Enough of this loser mentality, or lower league scouting for players and managers. Let's face it, Arteta is a novice and therefore a small-time thought in my view.

And since just about every pundit is an ex-red and sports editor a red shite supporter, let's screen out their propaganda and thank god we might be about to hire one of the greatest coaches of the modern era.

Fran #10, surely the prerequisite is that he shows he can match OUR ambitions?

Vardy scares the bajeezuz out of me. He's such a fantastic player to watch, only when he's not playing against you. We need to play deep. Give them the ball, hit them on the counter, same as previous two games.

If this is Duncan's last game as caretaker, I want him going out having never lost. The man deserves it.

Bear pit tonight. Nailed on bear pit. Can the fans raise this dilapidated team playing on short rest?

You bet they can.

There is absolutely no comparison between Arteta and Ancelotti, one has won everything as a manager, the other has absolutely no experience of managing a football club. The difference between being an assistant to managing is massive, there is more to managing than just coaching the players that go on the field every week.

Arteta has had no tough decisions to make, as a coach that's all he does. He hasn't had to deal with disgruntled agents moaning about their player not being happy, or worse wanting a move. Players on a good run wanting to increase their salary years before the current one expires. Players wives or children can't settle or wan't to move away.

Will his motivation wane over time?

Can he work with what he has, or are we going to need to spend Monopoly money to get him the players he wants?

Still, he's one hell of a manager and a massive name. I'm all-in with him. As if I have any choice or say in the matter.

Yes. He'll start I'll bet. If he doesn't, his attitude clearly stinks and Carlo needs to come in and sort the boy out, Italian-style.

I'm assuming you're speaking about Moise Kean? 😉

If you mean the MIGHTY Tom Davies, he's a shoe-in.

I currently have two simultaneous man-crushes going on.

For me tonight:

Pickford
Seamus Mina Keane Baines
Richarlison Davies Holgate Bernard
Calvert-Lewinn Kean

I would be very happy for Big Dunc till the end of the season, but just take a look at this fella's CV – he knows how to win trophies as a player and coach to serial proportions. Sometimes you just cannot argue against facts, pedigree and class.

I just think Everton have had so many false dawns, it's almost a reflex to find faults. A winner in charge will bring winners in, and I hardly think he will worry about the current predicament either, one can only imagine the pressures involved at AC Milan, Madrid, or Bayern where the expectation is to win all the time!

Let's see, but first Dunc will knock Leicester out later.

Of course I want to be there, but the passion you show for the blues, will do for me every single time!

Imagine him and Dunc getting into a face off! One an arrogant 6ft 3 black belt. the other one Dunc!

"We can't hire that manager, he's been far too successful to be able to be successful at Everton."

When did we last have a "Winner"? Someone who knows how to plan it, knows how to execute it, knows what it feels like to achieve it.

Let's say we finish top 8 at the end of this season, the summer transfer window will be transformed for us. If you're an emerging player with some reputation (but not quite stellar enough for the Champions League teams), wouldn't you want to play for the upward trend, sleeping giant being awoken by a winner?

I would sign for Carlo finishing 8th far quicker than Arteta finishing 6th.

Jamie, of course I meant Moyes, as you're president of his fan club. Although you do hold a torch for Skater Boi too.

Robin, did you miss the part where I said we need to get on board? I never said don't hire him as the cost of failure is too great, I think you need to read it more carefully.

Carlo is a top manager. His record speaks for itself. Of course it is a gamble. Every new manager is. But I'd rather gamble on a thoroughbred than on a donkey, no matter how many donkey derbies he has won.

If our players can't listen to or learn from Ancelotti then they should retire.

We're all probably getting ahead of ourselves but hopefully there's good times ahead.

UTFT.

I can tell they're worried though. Worried we'll have a manager who knows how to beat them. Worried we will be spending big again, but with a manager who knows what he's doing. Worried our stadium is looking like a goer with planning being submitted next week.

I don't listen to or read or watch anything red nose related, including anything with a link to a former red, be that the author or the talker. It makes life easier to live with. They're generally full of shite anyway.

However, if we appoint Ancelotti, I will allow a couple of days of soaking in the red nose's worried reactions! Then back to the important business of getting behind the new gaffer...

We wanted ambition; if Ancelotti comes, we're getting ambition.

Link

Courtesy of Steve Ferns I think?

TY mate! Appreciate it. Five boys home for the holidays means no overseas trip.

We were going to make the journey, then the Mrs said she wanted a new kitchen. Ergo, the England trip bucket was kicked down the road.

The Burnley fan and I will be watching on the big screen on Boxing Day.

Full credit to you for that great link from another thread.

"Well it was quite a surprise that he had to leave Napoli," Wenger said.

"Everton are looking for a manager as well. So overall he will be a tremendous catch for Everton”

https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/news/arsene-wenger-mikel-arteta-ancelotti-17439981

Hope it happens.

Same as dozens of them fans would tell me how good a manager Moyes was, I'd ask them if they'd like him to manage Liverpool, no takers there, except for one unfortunate fella, who has gone completely round the bend since.

Legend. Cannot wait to get on this ride. Off to the City to get tipsy 🥴.

He's still contracted to Napoli until the end of the season, despite not being their manager anymore. He's in Naples today speaking to the Napoli president about ending the contract, and working out the pay-off etc.

Once all that is sorted he'll come back to the UK and sign for Everton. Clear? Good.

Carlo sign soon.

Better? ;)

It does seem a little strange that Arsenal go for Arteta, never would have thought that would happen.
If Ancelotti does come he must have had some large assurances that he will have a standard of player he is used to managing.
Arteta is 1/33 to be Arsenals next manager, while there's no betting on who will be ours.

It does all still point to Mr Carlo Ancelotti esq. heading our way.

God, Everton drag their feet with everything! 😂

Read, sarcasm, just in case you couldn't figure that out.

My personal preference will always be for consistent, long term planning and younger, hungry coaches playing modern football but that approach has not worked for us over the last 5 years so I'm very curious to see what a man who has won almost everything can do.

The power dynamics, culture and ways of working should be very different as this is a man who expects success.

It's got a lot that can go wrong and go sideways quickly, however if he gets the back room staff and some early transfer targets then I'd expect results quickly too.

This guy isn't a long haul merchant. Its go big or go home time for Moshiri.

**Moyes appointed the day after this post**

I've always said before (when people were touting the likes of Mourinho) that appointing someone whose won alot at big clubs will not necessarily translate to success in mid-table battles. Someone like Pellegrini (whose successes are nothing compared to Ancelotti) might illustrate this with his struggles at West Ham.

But i'm very curious and a little excited. Presuming it happens!

He'll get Moise Kean fired up and be able to attract players to Everton that otherwise would be out of reach for us. *enter stage left, Zlatan*

If he wins, they can throw whatever darts they want and they won't stick.

Probably don't want to detract from the focus on today's game. I expect it will be tomorrow or Friday when it is fully confirmed.

Which bit is that far fetched? I think it's all realistic... but I'm not saying it's all true.

As for Usmanov, why sponsor a training ground? He is in the steel business; we are building a stadium. And Zlatan would be at no cost (apart from wages).

He'll be very lonely then, Colin.

We play Arsenal on Saturday at 12.30pm.

That's my positive outlook on it, anyway.

Why should we ?

What's the humidity like?

Next, we can do with all the arrogance we can get if we're ever to turn into a team of winners.
We have very, very few now who seem to have much faith in their own ability.

Do you reckon Zlatan will go to Anfield or anywhere else and be happy to play for a draw? Like fck he will.

Do you reckon Zlatan will give a thumps up (Digne) or clap (Bernard) when Pickford launches another long kick into the stands?
Do you reckon Zlatan will accept no crosses at all from Iwobi and Bernard, or 5 crap corners from Digne and Sigurdsson.

Do you reckon Zlatan will not embarrass Keane and Mina so much in training every single day that they might want to start learning how to actually be a central defender?

I'd have him. Yes.

I would absolutely LOVE Zlatan at Everton. Arrogant and lazy? No. Arrogant and supremely talented? Yes.

He would bring prestige, and beautiful skill to our shitty team of average players and demand the best out of each & every one of them.

I can't get my head round why Evertonians don't want to see superstar players at Everton. It just beggars belief. You can say he's too old, too arrogant, too lazy, but you're wrong on every level. Ibrahimovich could be our 'Robinho moment' ala Man City.

He's exactly what we need. A thoroughbred, superstar, A-list footballer. Or would you prefer we look to the lower leagues or buy some shithouse who's just been relegated? Think big man! Shoot for the fucking stars for once. I'm sick to death of supporting plucky little small-time Everton with our shitty attitude and reliance on being good in the 80's/60's/30's. You can keep your bullshit 'istory. I want the future.

Why are there no jokes about Zlatan?

Because Zlatan is no joke.

(this is my favourite Zlatan joke).

I will also admit to be a bit of a fanboy where he's concerned. I've always enjoyed your Zlatan, Cantona type characters in football. I don't get all the moaning about arrogance & so on. I WANT arrogance in players.

Our stuck in the mud owners won't know what has hit them when real pro's take over. Amateur hour is over.

So still no Zlatan jokes, James?! Sorry, just joking (is that a joke?).

I'd love to see Zlatan at Goodison with Ancelotti as manager. An over-the-hill Zlatan is still better than most of the players we ever sign.

On reflection I think that might be a direct Zlatan quote, which just makes me love him a bit more!

Van Gaal always gave youth a chance throughout his career. I don't think Carlo has a similar record, however, hopefully it might be the case that he will adopt a different approach to this longer term project and that he will see it as a chance to leave a real legacy and in so doing bring in signings with greater long term potential.

One of the after match articles this morning was "So Everton", it would be just "So Everton" if we let Carlo slip through our fingers at this stage.

Until its signed sealed and delivered may anxiety levels will continue to rise.

Ancelotti is apparently signing a contract till 2023, what more do you want?

All this stuff about legacy, or buying players that love the club - it's not the 1970's anymore, give it up or you're just going to be perpetually disappointed. Nobody cares about the shirt anymore, nobody loves the club, nobody cares if Everton won a few dusty old trophies 50 years ago, nobody cares about standing on the Gwladys Street when they were 13 on the piss-soaked terraces when we were half decent, nobody cares about 'our istory' apart from us. It's all a myth, gone forever.

You might get one footballer in a 100 who gives a shit about all that stuff, but it's completely meaningless in modern football.

Sky in Italy are reporting Ancelotti is set to meet Napoli representatives to sign documents that will conclude his contract.

Sky Sports News understands that his official appointment at Goodison Park may not take place until Saturday before their home match against Arsenal.

So we will see how football evolves.
The NFL, don't have promotion relegation yet its the most successull sports lrague in the world.
Finish bottom, you get the best draft picks for next season.

But I would like to see more committment, loyalty to the clubs that pay wages,less international football, more fairness to clubs,the club from players,managers.
Seriously look at relegation, promotion.
Not on one season, but 3 or 5.
An average system, if your in the bottom three, five for a number of years.Off you go,Promote a club who has consistenly proved to good for the championship.

Time to stop sacking managers on the merry go round.No panick, three year promotion, relegation average points thing.

However, I still think the gunners could hijack this.

"Whaaaa, Jenny, they won't let me bring our love child, the lovely David, back to manage our great club"

Right now were handing Ancelotti a brown Ford Escort with a green door and expecting him to come on the podium at Le-Mans.

I still think this is the right man but at the wrong time. Just not sure for the money what Carlo Ancelotti is going to actually achieve with us in 3.5 years? A top 6-9 finish? Well Allardyce achieved that.

With short term managerial appointments, the role of Director of Football is more important. This guy needs to make sure the short term goals of the manager help the club deliver it's long term goals. So, Brands is important with Ancelotti that he does not allow the club to be flooded with has-beens, such as Daniele De Rossi (36 and out in Argentina as no longer good enough for serie A) who can do a job for the season at high cost.

Of course there are, and people will always raise exceptions to ever rule, but they are exactly that, the exception. I will contradict myself and say I think Everton need some longer/medium term stability, but again, this is unlikely in the modern game.

The landscape demands immediate results, and both managers, players and owners are up against exactly that - in an increasingly throwaway society, football is definitely not immune to the same diseases us humans are all party to.

With Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Spurs all in some level of transition themselves - new managers or managers under pressure - it's a decent enough time to gamble. Man City and Liverpool are settled and have excellent squads. Leicester are a very good side - but replacing Vardy long-term will be a very big ask. Bringing in a Sean Dyche (or similar) might see us consolidate for three years, but who knows what the rest of the league will look like then; we could be even further off the pace then.

The complaints are unfounded.

Get on board.

Don't get wrong I'm delighted, just not sure what he's going to achieve with our current squad. We all thought Koeman and his reputation would attract big players and it never happened.

He either is or isn't going to be our next manager.

I've got an uneasy feeling about this now, surely they will have had an answer from him by now.

I do find it interesting that, other than the curt announcement by the club on Monday (that several candidates are under consideration, that none have withdrawn their interest, that no contract has yet been offered), since Silva was dismissed there has been a news blackout on the manager situation on the club site.

Today, the club site for the first time in their 'What the Papers Say' page refer to stories that 'Everton have agreed a deal with Carlo Ancelotti.'

Link

Just saying, like.

Is it true that a delegation of senior Arsenal players met with the Arsenal board yesterday to express their concern that the club were set to appoint Arteta, rather than Ancelotti?

Why is there no update on the Ancellotti situation from an Everton point of view? Could he still end up at Arsenal?

Link

Conspiracy theory popped..?

That's why it's taking a while.

If they want it done quickly, they could offer the job to me. I won't hang about and I'd be cheaper!

With Ancelotti and the club their probable kicking the minor details back and forth, I do hope so, I wouldn't want it to go belly - up now. He probably knows we are very keen to hire him and he's screwing us for improved this and that!

Then we sign Zlatan.

End.

I know it will seem crazy but I feel Arsenal and us should be swapping our preferred candidates. Ancelotti is a great man manager, excellent at organising defences and can get the best out of egos to the best effect of the team. That's why I feel he would be brilliant for the gunners as he would be an instant fix there.

I've already stated why I think Arteta would be perfect for us so I won't go over the same old ground but I will point out a few worries I have over Ancelotti.

1- Not sure Ancelotti is the motivational character we need who can impact the Goodison crowd as Duncan has done and Arteta as a player.

2-I always seen Ancelotti as a man whose successes were getting great players to perform cohesively when other managers couldn't. For me he wasn't a manager who made players greater than they were before i.e. Klopp, Guardiola,Fergie. I think we need a manager to improve our players individually if we want to strive for better than eighth.

3-Ancelotti has a remarkable CV but I have often felt he was a better cup manager and most of the titles he won were with teams who couldn't fail to win the title and those at PSG and Munich were just scraping over the line. Will he bring consistency to our team?

4-Are we approaching him at the wrong time? As stated previously I feel we need someone who can overachieve. In Carlos last few jobs I would suggest he radically underachieved with the resources he had available to him. Of course this could be a blessing in that he can now be a serious option for us but is he yesterday's man?

5-Steve you raised the point about Brands. Ancelotti will not be coming to put up with the nonsense Silva had in the summer. In addition Marcel policy of investing in youth will be scrapped as Ancelotti normally likes experience. Ancelotti once told Parma not to sign Baggio when the deal was in the offing as he couldn't find a place for him. I think he will demand the players he wants so raising problems with Marcels role.

In summary I'm not opposed to the signing of Ancelotti as he has been one of the greats and I'll be intrigued as anyone if we pull off this coup. My big worry though is that this is another one of Moshiris incoherent appointments that seems to once again deviate from the direction the club has been fostering. I just hope it's not another Koemanesque scenario. No one can deny his pedigree it's just his suitability that I would question.

AFC have some seriously overpaid underperformers with "Princess attitudes", and hefty wage bills

EFC have some serious injury problems.

We could be a relatively straightforward fix by seasons end. Comparatively we don't have a toxic dressing room full of prima donna's with "I'm better than this" attitudes.

Mikkel Arteta was My fave player in decades, the more so once he listened to the GP faithful and stopped the unnecessary playacting. I do wonder at his wisdom in taking on the Arsenal job, it's a HUGE ask for a first appointment.

TBH, I've begun to think that the Guardiola Express at City is going to derail. Maybe MA thinks that moving on is avoiding that particular traincrash ?

However, all that is Arsenal's concern and next up We should have the Duncan effect on Saturday, possibly boosted by the Ancellotti factor.

We don't need pretty for now, We just need diehard.

Arsenal imo have one of the best squads in the PL with a few deficiencies that the last 3 managers have failed to address. These have been further magnified by poor coaching from Emery and Ljunberg which has made them look like a joke of a team.

It's my opinion that Ancelotti would have been perfect as he is a master at finding the best system to prevent his teams from being exposed and getting the best out of those egos. He would also not be afraid to drop big names for the good of the team. Don't forget at the start of the season Arsenal fans were declaring this as their best squad in years and there is a lot of quality if coached to their maximum.

Alexander I agree with you in regards to Mikel. I think he's crazy to go there as he's on a hiding to nothing and I don't feel he is the man to solve their problems. In addition the City job will be available in a few years so he could blow that out of the water also.

I've now added the appointment of Ancelotti to BMD on my wish list of things I hope to see before the final curtain!

Ancelotti WAS in London this week but not to speak to Everton. His wife is in fact a huge Equestrian fan and they were both spotted in the VIP section at London Olympia Horse Show looking at potential new horses to buy for their stables.

Blue Bill just happened to be at Olympia as he thought there would be a panto on and this is where the rumours started.

Ancelotti IS coming to Merseyside next week but again not to talk to Everton, but to attend Liverpool international Horse Show at the former O2 arena on the docks.

My same sources tell me that the deal for our new manager has already been done, but he doesn't want to take up the job until this difficult run of fixtures we have is over as he knows he hasn't a hope of beating any of them. David Moyes will take the Everton hot seat on Jan 11th at home to Brighton. This gives him the remainder of the January transfer window to find the next Per Koldrup, James Beattie, or Simon Davies.

So you heard it here first folks.

Ancelotti WAS in London this week but not to speak to Everton. His wife is in fact a huge Equestrian fan and they were both spotted in the VIP section at London Olympia Horse Show looking at potential new horses to buy for their stables.

Blue Bill just happened to be at Olympia as he thought there would be a panto on and this is where the rumours started.

Ancelotti IS coming to Merseyside next week but again not to talk to Everton, but to attend Liverpool international Horse Show at the former O2 arena on the docks.

My same sources tell me that the deal for our new manager has already been done, but he doesn't want to take up the job until this difficult run of fixtures we have is over as he knows he hasn't a hope of beating any of them. David Moyes will take the Everton hot seat on Jan 11th at home to Brighton. This gives him the remainder of the January transfer window to find the next Per Koldrup, James Beattie, or Simon Davies.

So you heard it here first folks.

Of course, if he doesn't sign then certain other conclusions can be drawn.

This is going to be revealing of the Moshiri credentials.

I asked the barman what type of champers Carlo and Aggie (Mrs, Ancelotti) we're drinking, he said nice glasses of a 1945 champagne.

I said “Oh that's nice.1945 was a nice vintage”

Jeff (the barman) said “Dave 1945 is not the year, it's 㾿.45p per glass.” “Fuck that” I said, “Give them two halves of bitter.”

But they seemed to enjoy it, well it was Tetley's best bitter. They left just after that, never got me a bevy back, pair of brass hinges.

The answer is trust what made us Everton: pride, passion and total commitment. Give Dunc at least to the end of the season, and stop the mercenary merry go round before it's too late...

As it is, he and his gofer face throwing a fortune down a big hole at Bramley-Moore Dock, in addition to funding the big names that their latest manager will wish them to fund to come here. They gave the game away when they allowed a leak that Ancelotti was to trouser a bonus of ٠.5M just to keep us in the Premier League and now the mind boggles at what he would receive to get us 'top half' – although I suppose Premier League prizemoney would look after that.

Virtually everything that has happened here echoes the Lerner experience at Aston Villa although it looks as if our brand of monied fool has both more money and is more foolish than the Yank. He baled out at the 𧷤M mark of wasted expenditure – a figure which is merely the starting point for 'Billy's Angels'.

Of course, the recruitment of the Italian Family to do the job poor old Brands was hired for is finally an admission that Moshiri, too, has failed his master and it's time to bring in an expert (and who cares at the cost?)

From now on, it appears money will be no object and for so many this is what they've dreamed of. But for me, I'd rather have Big Dunc, Arteta or even Cahill at the helm -- that would be OUR Everton. The new-look club belongs to somebody else from foreign fields who doesn`t even need us.

"Ancelotti is a mercenary because we're rumoured to be paying him a lot."

- Well how else do you attract a world class manager to a basket case of a club?

"we should've got him when he was younger"

- when exactly? Just after he did the double with Chelsea, or after doing the German domestic double? I can really imagine BPB seducing him with a promise of £0 transfer kitty.

"we should appoint one of our own"

- yep because relying on the old boys club has rewarded us so well over the last 25 years.

"Ancelotti is a better cup manager, than a title winning manager"

- he was won nearly twice as many cups in his 25 years of management, as EFC has in its 140 years. IDGAF, I just want us to win something.

Dunc, on the other hand, has got us properly pumped up for three games, one of which we even won. And he's "Everton".

It's a no-brainer...

Apparently at 56 he was young; the media don't like it when Everton unsettle the status quo.

From my point of view I see the problems holding back our club as much more than the managerial appointments and more to do with the direction of the club and a clear coherent vision for achieving success.

In most of the jobs Ancelotti has had he is dealing with the best squads in the league and is being asked to perform to their level. This is a totally new ball game with us where our fans want top six with a squad which is so far off those placings.

I don't want to discredit his achievements especially those in the Champions League which are remarkable and unparalleled but his four league titles have all been won with clubs which he should have. Would you say Souness or Smith should be candidates for us as they too are league winners. The man has to be fit for purpose, to make a mediocre squad much better.

I mentioned his cup form because I worry that his teams have not always performed up to their ability consistently in the league. He managed Real to finish outside of the top two which is unthinkable and also underperformed badly with Napoli. Imo we need a Brendan Rodgers type who can vastly overachieve with his squad. You could argue Ancelotti has only done this at Parma.

I think it is not unreasonable for us who are sceptical to raise concerns as just because a manager has had a lot of success doesn't mean it will translate especially if the appointment is totally at odds with what the club has said is the template for future progression.

Martinez had little money yet overachieved in his first league campaign, in Europe and in getting to two cup semis and only for a poor decision in the City game we most likely would have won the Carling Cup but his inability to be consistent in the league cost him his job.

If Ancelotti is appointed I will give him my full support and best wishes as like everyone else I will be hoping he will lead us to the promised land but I don't think it is unreasonable to question Moshiris judgement given his past failings and hiring a supremo that seems totally at odds with his vision under Brands.

Btw Ireland appointed an Italian manager with a similar pedigree to Ancelotti and we surprisingly didn't win the World Cup.

I can't argue that Ancelotti finished 3rd with R Madrid, but I take issue that he struggled at Napoli. He finished 2nd. Same as where Sarri had them. So that's not struggling. Furthermore, they'd lost Jorginho the man Sarri built his team around and so it was a team with a big hole in it.

Ancelotti struggled this season, maybe, but he still got them to the knock-outs in the Champions League and they were high in the league until the president decided to press the self-destruct button and go to war with the players. What happened next was down to the President and not Ancelotti. Even so, he was sacked in 7th not 17th.

@Conor - I get the point about him being used to managing good teams. But by the same logic, he will know exactly what a good team is. He knows exactly what level his team needs to be at to win trophies.

He's our transitional manager who will hopefully propel us to Champions League and a trophy or two. That is success.

I was hoping for Eddie Howe (young, dynamic, with something to prove) or give big Dunc some more time till the end of the season, then weigh up all our options

But taking all into account, I cannot complain if we appoint a manager of this calibre and I also feel (unlike the other candidates) his presence and the guarantees he will require, will force the board to start "acting" like a Top 4/6 club. Like when your main target for transfer window is Zaha, well, you don't come home with fuckin' Iwobi!!!

We talked about a "statement" signing, then waited til Palace sold their right back for 㿞mil, then offer a derisory 㿏mil plus Cenk Tosun? No wonder they slammed down the phone and we get Iwobi?? Not the behaviour of a club with ambition. He will now go to Chelsea this January and do really well.

Ideally I hope Carlo will get us organized and be given the money to get some top draw players in so that, when we move to Bramley-Moore Dock, we are competing in Europe.

I am going on the record, for what it is worth, and saying I think Arsenal are making a mistake by appointing Arteta.

Steve, my mate watches Napoli regularly and says Ancelotti did nowhere near the job of Sarri. Last season they finished second but finished 12 points worse off. The decline continued this season and are now 7th which is their poorest campaign for ten years. He often levelled the same accusations at Ancelotti as our fans did of Silva as lacking motivation and being lifeless on the touch line.

Phil, I so hope you are right... all I want is continual progression – not miracles.

The owner has had enough of mediocrity. Managers who could, should but haven't delivered. He has gone big! In experience and success. Praise the owner big time.

Are we bored with watching us aim small watching clubs around us succeed? Let's have a crack at the big time. Ancelotti can put his medals on the table along with the top managers around the world. That will demand respect.

Yes, we will spend again but who knows champions league two years time. Any takers? I don't want to just stay in the league or quarter finals be the bench mark. We have some real top players whom with more top players coming in will only improve us.

I respect the concern of cost but the manager, Ancelotti will put Everton football club on the map again. His presence and mentality is to win. The owner wants better for our club. Let's make our history now not then.

Now that Ancelotti has emerged as the front-runner... well – we would be crazy not to offer him the job. This guy is elite. He will command respect. He will entice top quality players to our club (as well as enhancing our PR). And if anyone can bring success to this godforsaken club – he's our best shot.

If we appoint Moyes or someone of his ilk, then I expect the tide to turn against Moshiri and his regime. I'm sure he is fully aware of this.

My worries and thoughts on the matter summed up brilliantly by both of you. It feels wrong. It's yet more folly from this bell-tit of an owner. It's the ultimate vainglorious appointment from Moshiri's point of view, but, it's completely the wrong style of manager we need right now.

It is ‘laughably optimistic' to think he will succeed with us, to quote a line from an article I read today. In terms of trying to improve our standing in the table, our owner is going to fork out a helluva lot of money for finishing 6th at best. He's being played for a fool.

On the other hand, this crazy "throw money at everything" strategy might just work, so I really hope I'm proved wrong.

Other positives: he loves cup competitions more than leagues, ‘I prefer Cups' is a direct quote. We need a trophy.

He's shown he knows how to beat them, this season with Napoli. If he can deliver the FA Cup, mine will be a large serving humblini pie.

They are both football managers, aren't they? So why would they not be in the same post about football management? Did you even read it? They are not in the same sentence either and we're playing Arsenal on Saturday??

I was going to say it is just an opinion I am expessing and no need to be an arrogant git but then I read your other posts and you probably can't help what comes naturally. ;)

You rate Ancelotti... we get it. He is going to make us world beaters... we get it. Now let other people have their say too. TW belongs to ALL Everton supporters, whether they chose to spend their lives on here or not!!

Could Eddie achieve what Carlo did? Most likely not. Could Carlo take a side in 91st spot in English Football League, in administration, with a 17-point deduction and transfer embargo, up through the Football League and into the Premier League? That is just as unlikely.

I hope you are right on Ancelotti as it looks like we are getting him but that hardly makes you clever or inventive or ahead of the curve to suggest such a name (I was calling for him 2 appointments ago) and you may also be bang wrong. So, instead of spitting out your teeth at the suggestion of any other managers, let us wait and see...

I wondered what that smell was?

In this context, the Ancelotti pursuit is a last throw of the dice to get Everton in with some chance of making the cut as a big enough club for inclusion in any new set-up. The challenge is immense as is the money that Moshiri (and his backers) will have to spend to reach that goal.

We've gone down the road of up-and-coming managers from football hotspots like Wigan, Southampton and Watford. Let's give the A-list manager a go and see what happens.

Love him or hate him, Martin Samuel has written a great piece in the Daily Mail:

Ancelotti would no doubt be a statement but it is a risk and a very expensive one. However, I would be happy to see him here. I think our next permanent manager will be the last time Moshiri rolls the dice. I hope he gets lucky.

Not touchy at all, lad, I just can't abide your agreement with A Lard @285 in his first come elitism post regards people who don't post often being in the "intellectual minority" and felt important to point out you are backing a known winner here so doesn't make you clever or inventive but his post itself was purely arrogant.

It may surprise you and Lard that there are people who read TW regularly, some time for years as patrons also of the site, without posting – me being one. And let the empty vessels make ALL the noise, should they chose to take to the keyboards because of their feelings over Carlo, rightly or wrongly, their opinions are just as valid and should be welcomed.

If you think what Eddie achieved at Bournemouth with shite players does not warrant him being mentioned in the same post as Carlo who has had no end of riches at his disposal, that's fine – make the point... but at least read the post before you dismiss it. I am actually agreeing with you regards Carlo. So I will have a cuppa, thanks, and invite you to do the same. ;)

Cheers

Andy @306,

Yes, thanks, they have achieved totally different "types" of success; both valid, both should be credited. I am a firm believer somebody will appoint Eddie and he will prove himself... if not us, so be it. If he had similar success in the business world, he would have been snapped up by now.

And I for one agree with you on Carlo but would prefer not be lumped in with your "intellectual majority" if you don't mind. I am probably not worthy of such an honour

Nite now ;)

I hope Burnley's copy of the script for Kenwrights latest boxing day extravaganza has not got held up in the Christmas Post... Dyche would like nothing more than to come and star as the evil villain and spoil our party (oh no he wouldn't)

On a lighter note: When it was just Ferguson vs Moyes and every other unproven / has been no-mark - I was with Team Ferguson. (Deep down, I still am...)

I am... like many Evertonians, well versed in the art of Double Think and the teary Boys Pen Bill side of me (I wrote a 'tired and emotional' piece right after Chelsea, which MK in his wisdom, probably correctly, sat on... though it might, depending on circumstance, stand an airing after Arsenal)... Anywho, I was quite prepared to go 'all-in' and let him run with it.

Then Ancelotti suddenly appeared like the genie from the lamp, well, it was just too good to be true.

But as per the Surname and 60 years of experience – I have my doubts, not least, he isn't even officially here yet.

Is this another Moshiri vanity signing? Where's Brands in all this? Is this Zlatan thing more evidence? (more double-think, but wouldn't mind him to be honest) is the only thing worse than being talked about, not being talked about?

But it's Christmas, ffs, the most magical time of the year, It's Jimmy Stewart, It's A Wonderful Life, God bless us all said Tiny Tim, etc, etc.

Yet.

You know what they say about - if it all seems too good to be true...

Ancelotti? Me, I'm having an each way bet on 'Bar Humbug' (form; flatters to deceive, has shown recent improvement, lacks proven staying power, doesn't like heavy going) in the 12:30 at Goodison.

Wonderful people though, the best bunch I met all over Aus, remind me of Scousers, but can't talk proper like what we does.

I've lived most of my life in the tropics since leaving Liverpool so anything below 30C is too cold for me, 18C would have me in a parka, indoors.

I would prefer Ancelotti style success if you don't mind, rather than Eddie Howe "success". That's great for Bournemouth and Eddie, it really is, but not for Everton.

You say Eddie would be snapped up in the business world; this is the football world. The only currency is trophies or European positions.

We are investing in someone who has done it all; you and I can't predict the future, we can only throw our weight behind the best bet (or the latest gamble). Ancelotti is that man now.

We are awaiting the introduction of our new manager and his team, the sun is shining on a cold winter's day, the siren has just died down, then the speakers go full blast with Pavarotti's Nessun Dorma, then the intro, then we all sing That's Amore, though I would leave all the presentation to Bill – remember “He aint Heavy”? He is good at something...

Just my imagination, folks, but, seriously, I would like to give the Italians a warm Merseyside welcome, it will be a wonderful day. COYB

If the squad had continued with their abject performances after Silva left, surely the proposition would have been considerably less than mouthwatering and CA might not have been tempted. We may have even more to thank Duncan for than we actually give him credit for.

The imminent announcement of Carlo Ancelotti to Everton seems almost surreal. Wake me up someone.

The arguement that he can only manage with loads of cash is flawed. The best managers will always end up at the best clubs, they don't get there by chance. Think of the analogy that the best drivers always end up in the best cars in Formula 1, the best jockeys end up on the best horses.

If he was not a top manager, then he wouldn't have managed (and been successful) at a number of the best clubs in the world.

Ancelloti is a major coup for Everton and hopefully a sign of good times ahead. Eddie Howe... ha ha, get Martinez or Silva back then!!!

They are constantly looking for validation and to make TW an echo chamber and anybody with different views is shot down (they know who they are btw)

Is funny though when you pull them up on it they vanish into thin air ? Is assumed by some that spouting out concensus opinions and grabbing a bunch of stats from transfermrktcom or wiki makes an "expert"

In saying that there are also a lot of very insightful reasoned types on TW and some who are willing to discuss issues and take on and debate differing views and also some great humour

The diversity of opinions is what gives a forum its strength, keep on postin :) I am glad we are getting Carlo as opposed to some of the names being touted but like i have my doubts also

David #321, I use that little wheel thingie on my mouse to scroll right past the 12-paragraph epics and the temper tantrums (not to mention specific authors). Adds immensely to the enjoyment of TW. Give it a try.

Hopefully, Ancellotti can be the football guru Moshiri has always wanted/needed to turn this club around. Amateur hour is over, let's the professionals take over.

Sometimes less is more.

And do you reserve your approval for those who rarely come on here but have posted their approval for CA?

If Ancelotti has agreed to take the role, I hope he is there today because if not and it then transpires he was on his hols it just sends out the wrong message. The money this guy will be on - he needs to not be half arsed al la Koeman.

Steve, I hope the media perceptions are used by the club to further motivate and drive the club forward. Duncan would be aware of such patronising nonsense and it would fire him up more. Let's hope Carlo sees it the same way

After all the vitriol, terrible performances of the last 18 months, Theo Walcott, cenk tosun, schneiderlin, Kenwrights grid on the screen, losing to Norwich etc etc etc the final straw for some is attempting to secure the services of one of the most successful managers of all time. A little odd.

My approval is neither here nor there, it's just an opinion like.

Duncan's farewell game. Carlo's coronation. The place will be ROCKING!

Let's have a performance on the pitch to match it.