I’D LOVE THIS JOB
Caretaker boss Unsworth starts four-game audition — and wants Barkley back too
DAVID UNSWORTH has stated his ambition to be Everton’s next manager and says he has been presented with an ‘amazing’ opportunity.
Everton’s board will not rush a decision about who will succeed Ronald Koeman but Unsworth, the Under 23s coach, is in a position to present a persuasive case in the coming weeks.
After discussions with chairman Bill Kenwright on Monday, Unsworth takes charge of the next four games — starting at Chelsea in the Carabao Cup tonight — and he has made clear his desire to take the job permanently.
Unsworth has been caretaker boss before. In May 2016, he took the final game of the season — a 3-0 win over Norwich at Goodison. Ultimately, though, majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri wanted Koeman in charge.
He was ‘disappointed’ to miss out 18 months ago and the club stalwart accepts he could be overlooked again. If that proves to be the case — Sean Dyche, Marco Silva and Thomas Tuchel are all being considered — it will not be for the lack of trying.
‘I don’t want to put any pressure on myself,’ said Unsworth. ‘What I want to do is help the players. I want to play the way I think we should. I want to help the players and give them as much information and confidence as possible.’
The best example of Unsworth’s passion for the club centred on Ross Barkley. The England international, who is out with a hamstring injury, will be a free agent at the end of the season, but Unsworth spoke about him in a far more positive way than Koeman ever managed.
‘I would absolutely love him to stay,’ said Unsworth. ‘He is a top talent, Everton have done great for him and he’s done great for Everton, but he could be one of the all-time greats here. I would love him to be persuaded by myself, the chairman and Farhad to stay and sign a contract.
‘We shouldn’t be losing players of his quality. I feel very strongly we shouldn’t be losing our own players. I know he loves Everton. I want everyone to come together and hopefully we can thrash something out with Ross.
‘I’m going to enjoy it. I’m very thankful for the opportunity I have now. How long will that be? I don’t know. I’m not going to sit here and tell you any lies. Results will dictate. But moving forward I’m keen to take on board a managerial position.
‘I want what’s best for Everton. I love this club and I’ll always want what’s best for it. I’d love this job. But whoever gets the honour of being manager, we will shake hands, back them and want them to win.’ The circumstances in which Unsworth has stepped forward are far from ideal, with Everton having won two of their last 13 games, but the mood was lifted in training yesterday.
Unsworth, who will be assisted tonight by John Ebbrell and Joe Royle, put on a lively session and is expected to make a number of changes. He will certainly alter the team who were demolished 5-2 by Arsenal on Sunday, with James McCarthy expected to start in midfield for the first time this season. And, significantly, he will demand that Everton play with a higher intensity.
‘I’d like to see a greater tempo, a pressing game,’ he said. ‘I’d like to see a game where we create opportunities, we cross the ball and we have attempts on goal and we keep clean sheets. We need to get up for the games and give the fans something to cheer. It’s what they demand.’
Unsworth, a former captain who made 350 appearances, understands the club in a way Koeman never did, and it was refreshing to hear an Everton manager speak with passion.
Unsworth sounded like an Everton boss as he delivered those words. Tonight his audition starts for the full-time role.