PHIL YOUR BOOTS
Big Sam reveals the secret of Everton’s transformation.. Phillip Schofield on The Cube
SAM ALLARDYCE has revealed that veteran TV presenter Phillip Schofield has helped transform Everton’s season.
The new Blues boss has produced something of a Christmas miracle – turning a side in freefall into one whose form is now second only to Manchester City.
Big Sam’s message to his players has been to keep things more simple... just like Schofield offers in his popular show, The Cube.
Everton had looked relegation fodder but have now won five and drawn two – against Liverpool and Chelsea – since Allardyce arrived.
Ashley Williams and Michael Keane – who was man of the match in the goalless draw with Chelsea at the weekend – have gone from villains to heroes.
“It’s a Phil Schofield isn’t it? You have watched The Cube haven’t you? Simplify. It is as simple as that,” explained Allardyce.
“I say why risk doing that if it might fail? Play safe and play the right ball at the right time, do the right thing at the right time and think what you are doing.
“Can I play it in midfield, play it to the front two or play it behind? Give yourself more time. Take longer to make the right decision. It makes all the difference in the game.’’ Keane actually walked behind the media huddle with an armful of man-of-the-match Champagne bottles as Allardyce was talking, and the new chief had a big grin as he talked about what had happened at Goodison since he arrived. Everton now have just a point less after 19 games than they did last season when they were seventh at Christmas and eventually finished seventh to secure a Europa League spot. Asked about that, Allardyce said: “Do us a favour will you, don’t build up too much expectation yet. “I would like to see the injured players back. I would like Bainesy, Ross, Yannick and Seamus. That would lift this squad even more to better things.”
But Everton really are in a position to return to Europe next season, and Allardyce admits a change of faces is behind it.
“New faces, new ideas. It lifts players when you arrive at a club as generally they are not doing as well as you’d like,” he added.
“You use your experience and that of your staff to lift the atmosphere. You implement your ideas and get the players to come in with a smile on their face and enjoy their work.
‘‘Then you set out the tactics to work out what suits these players. What suited us was to stop shipping in four or five goals. Then that belief starts flooding back.”