YOU MUST SCORE LOTTS MORE, DOM
Carlo tells his goal hero: This is only the start..
HE is top of the Premier League scoring charts, an instant England star and the man behind Everton’s remarkable ascent to the top of the table.
Yet for Carlo Ancelotti, his striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin is only at the start of what he can achieve as the coming man of the English game.
The Italian coach has worked with some of the alltime greats. He turned Filippo Inzaghi into one of the most lethal goalscorers of his generation, gave a platform to Andriy Shevchenko, and even further honed the talents of Zinedine Zidane.
And as the Toffees head to Southampton looking for the win which will all but guarantee they head into November top of the Premier League, he offered an insight into the transformation of Calvert- Lewin, 23, with a wonderful story of trainingground tutoring.
“I was joking with him today, “said Ancelotti. “I said to him, ‘ What is the most important goal that you scored?’ – he was thinking and thinking about what was the most important.
“So I said, ‘ Don’t think about it. The next one is the most important, so be focused there. The most important goal will be the next one – that is what you always have to remember’.
“And that’s it. The last one is the past. That has to be his motivation. He has to be ready to show a little bit more. He’s doing really well, but the fact he has done so well means everyone expects a little bit more. That is the key.”
Calvert-Lewin has already revealed how Ancelotti is constantly working with him in small moments on the training ground, quietly talking about taking up positions in the penalty area, where he can cause the most damage.
It has taken him into Gareth Southgate’s England side and his club manager believes he must always keep in mind Everton’s motto, which states that ‘Only the Best is Good Enough’.
“Everyone here tries to
follow the spirit of this club, which is really well explained in that phrase,” added Ancelotti. “Of course we are trying to follow this, I think it’s a good motivation – that is what we have to do.”
New signing Ben Godfrey will continue to deputise for the injured Seamus Coleman at Southampton, after replacing him in the derby.
Ancelotti also suggested James Rodriguez will be fit to play and insisted he was not point-scoring by suggesting the Colombian forward could miss the game, after being hurt in a challenge with Virgil van Dijk against Liverpool.
Calvert-Lewin has done well.. but he has to show more