Unsworth ready to answer call of duty with help from Joe HAND OF ‘GOD’ MARADONA
Former Goodison manager Joe Royle, 68, is one of his right-hand men as Unsworth takes temporary charge of the club he loves.
The caretaker-boss, 44, admits the task today is like an audition as he begins his Premier League scrap to claw Everton away from the bottom three with a trip to Leicester.
But with Royle within earshot, he knows who he can turn to if the going gets tougher.
Unsworth’s burning desire is to be Everton manager. Full stop.
And he wants to make it impossible for Goodison chiefs to find any other replacement for sacked Ronald Koeman by embarking on a successful run.
Burnley’s Sean Dyche, ex-Everton defender Phil Neville and former Borussia Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel have all been linked with the post. But the club currently are not courting any other manager.
Behind the scenes, Everton’s decision-makers have been “very pleased” by the attitude from the players since Unsworth’s temporary appointment.
And the caretaker-boss knows Royle can help him get the job full time. Unsworth said: “It’s absolutely crucial to have him around and I have had that for the last couple of years because we were working hand in hand with the Under-23s.
“He is a wonderful, wonderful man – experienced. He’s been successful and knows this club inside out as well. We are very, very close and to have him by my side is very special for me.
“If I need anything, any advice, Joe is there. He’s been there, seen it and done it. Yes, I want to be a manager – and I want to be Everton manager.
“But at the same time I have a couldn’t. And I have been kicking myself ever since.
“I would have loved to tell him, ‘When I was a kid you were the most amazing player I’d ever seen – and you probably still are’. In reality, I would have probably just babbled something stupid.”
To complete a bizarre 48 hours, Dyche spent Tuesday night at a Metallica concert and got some quizzical looks from his players when he returned to training. Dyche added: “I was away from the club for two days – and that’s a long time. When I came back one or two said, ‘All right, gaffer? Still here then?’ So yes, there was a little bit of banter.”
But away from the joking, Dyche is deadly serious that there has been no contact from Everton and his job is to concentrate on driving Burnley up the Premier League.
He said: “I want to progress but I am progressing. Be careful what you wish for. Where do you progress next? Where do you want to go next? Where do you get something you haven’t got here?
“You could go somewhere else and you go straight in and they are asking, ‘Why aren’t you doing this? Why are you doing that?’ And that trust has to start again.
“There has been no contact and I just keep getting on with it.
“I wanted to coach at the top level and we are. And I’m not looking for finance – I do not need money.” EYES ON PRIZE: Unsworth wants job full time