When David Moyes somewhat inevitably decided to take the opportunity to decamp down the road to Old Trafford, to try and fill the gap left by Six Alex Ferguson, it was the nightmare scenario for Toffees chairman Bill Kenwright. Few club chairmen seem as sincere and have such devoted love for their clubs as the west end impresario, and since his True Blue grouping secured ownership of Everton in 1999, it has been in caring hands. It was also very typical of the man that when he heard that his manager had been approached by Manchester United, he was prepared to let him pursue the opportunity. Nevertheless, it leaves the Goodison Park outfit light in the managerial stakes to the tune of one.
Big talk was that the obvious successor for the position was Wigan Athletic’s Spanish manager, Roberto Martinez. Having landed the FA Cup for Dave Whelan’s club, although quickly followed by relegation, he seems to be flavour of the month. Kenwright however is not the type of man to be swayed by the fleeting glare of the spotlight. Apart from Martinez, Cardiff’s Malky Mackay and Celtic’s Neil Lennon have also been linked with the post. It’s likely however that a key criterion for the job as far as Kenwright is concerned will be an understanding of the ethos of the club itself, as he understands it. With this in mind, and with an eye to the club’s stretched bank account, another option may be suggesting itself.
If there was an option for an ‘inside’ appointment, this would potentially be an answer. With former club captain Phil Neville about to call an end to his playing days at Goodison Park, he could be the ideal appointment. Talk is that with a coterie of other former Everton stalwarts such as Alan Stubbs and Duncan Ferguson already on the coaching staff, there’s the possibility of assembling a team to run the club steeped in the traditions of Everton.
Appointing an untried manager from within would be a gamble for Everton, but I guess so would giving the job to someone who may not understand the unique requirements of the club. If he could pull it off however, without imperilling the stability of Everton, it would be a perfect solution.
Source: DSG
