Carlo Ancelotti says turning Everton into Champions League contenders is not ‘mission impossible’
Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti who took over at English Premier League side Everton last Saturday, yesterday claimed during his first press conference that turning the team into Champions League contenders will not be “mission impossible”.
The 60-year-old former Chelsea, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Bayern Munich, Paris SG and Napoli coach has signed a deal to lead the Toffees until 2024.
He takes over an Everton side that is 15th in the Premier League, four points above the relegation zone.
“The Champions League is the long-term goal and objective,” he said. “Nothing is impossible in football.”
Yesterday Everton also revealed final designs for a new 52,000-capacity stadium at Bramley Moore Dock.Ancelotti said: “The attraction is the history and tradition of the club.
Ancelotti has won the Champions League three times as a coach - twice with AC Milan and once with Real Madrid.
He won the won the Premier League and FA Cup Double at Chelsea in 2010 and has also won league titles with Bayern Munich and Paris St-Germain.
Ancelotti was sacked by Napoli earlier this month, despite guiding them into the knockout stages of this season’s Champions League.
He went on to say that the new stadium will enable Everton to improve their revenue and thus make them the club more competitive. He added:
“The fact the club wants to build a stadium means they have a clear idea of how they want success.
Ancelotti added that he intends to sign some players to strtengthen the squad.
“This is a great club with a rich history and a very passionate fan base," Ancelotti said. "There is a clear vision from the owner and the board to deliver success and trophies.
“That is something that appeals to me as a manager and I am thrilled at the prospect of being able to work with everybody at the club to help make that vision a reality.”
It was in the corridors of Goodison Park where Ancelotti was fired by Chelsea an hour after the final game of the 201011 league season, having won the Premier League and FA Cup double with the London club the previous season.
Since then, he has won the French league with PSG, the Spanish league and Champions League with Real Madrid and the German league with Bayern. His previous two Champions League titles came with AC Milan , a team he managed from 2001-09 and successfully rebuilt into the best side in Europe.
In his most recent job, at Napoli, he led the team to a second-place finish behind Juventus in Serie A last season before being fired this month, halfway through his second year in charge.
Ancelotti has won 20 titles in his managerial career.
The Italian mentor also used his first press conference to confirm that Duncan Ferguson, who led Everton as interim boss for four matches following Marco Silva’s sacking, will remain at the club.
Duncan Ferguson took five points from games against Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal during his time as interim manager
"I met Duncan after the (Arsenal) game," said Ancelotti. "He will be on my staff. He will be an assistant.