ALLARDYCE AND WALSH SACKED

LESS than two years after being appointed as England manager with a view towards building for the 2018 World Cup, Sam Allardyce was sacked as Everton manager on the day his successor announced the squad for this summer’s tournament.

On a day of departures at Goodison Park, Everton also sacked Steve Walsh as director of football.

Having confirmed Allardyce’s departure earlier yesterday

morning, Walsh has also paid the price for his horrific spending spree of last summer when only Jordan Pickford emerged with credit for a vast outlay exceeding £100 million.

As expected, he has been replaced by Marcel Brands, who joins from PSV Eindhoven.

Walsh was headhunted from Leicester City in 2016 having been credited for overseeing their triumphant title season.

Majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri hoped Walsh would be equally intuitive at Goodison Park, but the return on his investment last season was pitiful.

Now the Merseyside club turns to Dutchman Brands, 56, who joined PSV Eindhoven having previously been instrumental in transforming the fortunes of RKC Waalwijk and AZ Alkmaar.

Brands’ first job is to secure the next manager, who is expected to be Marco Silva, the former Watford coach.

New chief executive Denise Barrett-Baxendale said: “I know that Marcel will bring an unsurpassed level of quality and prowess to his work at Everton.

“We will work alongside Marcel on the recruitment of a new manager, which is now our biggest focus.”