Lose to Chelsea? Not on my watch
Dunc times a debut dugout win to perfection at Everton
DUNCAN FERGUSON carefully pulled on the sleeve of his sharp, deep blue suit to reveal an Armani watch.
A classic design, perhaps from the 70s or 80s, the hands were fixed at 8.15.
Holding his wrist up briefly, his voice softened. “Actually, I will tell you a wee story if you want.”
It was well past 3.30pm on Saturday and Everton’s latest boss – however temporary – was speaking after a seismic victory over Chelsea.
“I need a lie down after that,” he said of an afternoon the Scot suggested was the greatest football moment of his life.
Nodding to the watch he continued: “It’s Howard Kendall’s. (His wife) Lily came down and gave it to me to put on my wrist.
“Lily gave it to my wife this morning. She said she wanted me to wear it on the bench for Howard. I loved him.
“It was very emotional. The watch doesnae actually work. But there you go, it’s nice.
“It’s an amazing feeling really. To get the result and you could just feel it in the stadium couldn’t you? Everyone was so happy.”
Romantic maybe but talking about Kendall, Everton’s great manager, in such an emotional way was no stunt from Ferguson. It was said with genuine emotion.
The club is in Big Dunc’s blood and the hurt at what has happened this season was evident with every word he uttered on Saturday. He had spoken to the owner Farhad Moshiri and chairman Bill Kenwright afterwards.
Ferguson said: “They both said congratulations, unbelievable for giving a bit of pride back to the club. They were in tears to be honest with you. It was a massive three points as you can imagine.”
Suddenly we saw the real Everton and the real Goodison.
Fight, passion and belief even, despite the confidence-destroyed performances of recent weeks.
Ferguson did that. It’s easy to dismiss it as a new manager bounce, a natural reaction.
But this victory, with two goals and fine centre-forward’s performance from Dominic Calvert-Lewin, was pure Big
Dunc. It was not difficult to see how he did it either, when he spoke about what losing his first game in charge would have done.
“It would have been devastating,” he said. “I would have had to live with it forever.
“But for the fans as well. We were in the bottom three.
“It’s their club and heaven forbid if anything went wrong. That is what goes through your mind. It was for everyone else.”
Everton will need this fight if they are stay out of the relegation zone and Ferguson will be in charge to take that passion to Old Trafford on Sunday.
He believes in Everton. It is not just a job. Listen to him on how this win compared to a goal on his debut against Liverpool.
“It’s more,” he said. “The atmosphere is great when you score the goal and you get the adrenaline rush – but this? It’s 90 minutes. You are kicking every ball and feel you are responsible.”