Silva almost out of credit

TONY COTTEE says Marco Silva will be facing serious questions about his future if Everton lose to West Ham on Saturday.

But the former Toffees and Hammers striker believes the Goodison side can still turn their stuttering season around and hopes their manager gets enough time to do so.

Everton have won just two Premier League games this season and a run of four straight defeats has left them in the bottom three on seven points.

They host the Hammers with pressure building on

Silva just 17 months into his reign at Goodison Park after he and director of football Marcel Brands were charged with turning Everton into European contenders.

Cottee (inset top), a British record signing when Everton signed him for £2.2m from West Ham in 1988, admits the demands of modern football may not give Silva the time he needs.

“Everton really pushed the boat out to get him, they identified him as the man they wanted to shape the club over the next four or five years, because that is really how long it takes a manager to build a football club,” said the striker, who spent six years at Goodison.

“But now you don’t get four or five years.

“Sometimes, if you’re lucky, you get four or five months, so whatever way you look at it, Marco needs to start getting results.

“If they lose at home to West Ham, there will be some serious questions asked, there is no doubt about that.”

Silva (inset bottom) has been backed with around £200m over the last three transfer windows.

But is it all down to the manager or is it the players letting him down?

Cottee added: “It’s a great opportunity for Marco – I wish him well and I hope things work out for him.

“But he won’t be judged on what a nice guy he is, or what a good coach he is or how entertaining the football is.

“He will be judged on results and that is the key thing over the next few weeks.”