BECAUSE HE’S UNSWORTH IT Cottee: Everton must be brave and go British
SKY SPORTS, TODAY, KO 4PM PROBABLE TEAMS
LEICESTER v EVERTON
Unsworth has the manager’s job on a caretaker basis since the sacking of Ronald Koeman last week and will be in charge for this afternoon’s clash with Leicester at the King Power stadium. And Cottee (below) believes he should get the job full-time. The former striker got to know Unsworth during his spell at Goodison Park. “He was a young player coming through,” he recalled. “And he was local, Everton through and through. “The club means everything to him and I believe it is important to have that connection. He played for the club. He knows the club. And he was been working with the Under-23 team. “I can’t think of too many people who are better qualified to do the job. He has played there and been coach there. He is aware of the history and the tradition of Everton.” Cottee also feels that the appointment of Unsworth will give a chance to a British manager in a league where foreign often means good. “Many of the clubs have foreign owners and it seems that their first reaction is to appoint a foreign manager. British ones don’t seem to get a chance. “That is why I would love David Unsworth to get his opportunity. It is the same with young English and British players. The young England teams are doing well at so many age levels – but their chances seem limited. That can’t be right.” Cottee had six years at Everton and says: “I loved my time there. I want them to do well and, under David Unsworth, I believe they can.” It was at Everton that Cottee scored his 100th league goal – against Spurs, the club against who he scored his first as a 17-year-old. But he also played spent three years at the Foxes and said: “I had a good spell at Leicester, a club that is close to the community, a bit like Everton.” But Cottee was disappointed by the departure of Craig Shakespeare last week – and it not overly impressed by his replacement, former Southampton boss Claude Puel. “For me, Craig was very unlucky to be sacked,” said Cottee. “I feel he should have been given more time. They did well in the Champions League with Craig in charge and they stayed up comfortably.”