Ancelotti’s just what Everton needed but he needs time to rebuild famous club ROBBIE FOWLER

EVERTON have got a big-name manager in Carlo Ancelotti – now it’s about time they started acting like a big club.

Landing Ancelotti was a big statement of intent by owner Farhad Moshiri.

The Italian has been in charge of some of Europe’s most elite clubs – and had success wherever he’s been.

A three-time Champions League winner with AC Milan and Real Madrid, Ancelotti has also won titles with Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain.

And he’s lifted the Premier League and FA Cup with Chelsea, so adapting to life in England should not be an issue.

Every managerial appointment is a gamble – but recruiting someone with the experience and expertise of Ancelotti is as much of a sure thing as you can get.

But only if the Toffees give him time and space to resurrect one of football’s famous old clubs.

And the first thing the movers-and-shakers in the Goodison boardroom and the fans in the Gwladys Street end have to do is drop the fixation they have with Liverpool.

Of course, when two clubs share the same city, there is always going to be the usual everyday conflict that comes with such a historic rivalry.

Families and friends thrive on it. But the brutal reality is that the only rivalry Everton and

Liverpool share at the moment is geographical.

Liverpool’s rivals are Flamengo when they play in the World Club Cup. When they play in the Champions League, it’s Barcelona or Real Madrid. In the Premier League, there is Manchester City.

Any club competing for the biggest trophies are the only ones seen as a threat at Anfield.

And, the brutal truth is, Everton aren’t part of the elite – and haven’t been for many years.

Of course, Mr

Moshiri (right) has big plans for his club

– and moving to a spectacular new stadium at BramleyMoore Dock illustrates that he is building for a successful future.

But Everton won’t suddenly start challenging for the Premier League title and Champions League places overnight.

Ancelotti is a great manager, but he is no miracle worker.

It is going to take him a few years to make Everton genuine contenders.

What he doesn’t need is constant comparisons with the team on the opposite side of

Stanley Park. Everton need to look at the bigger picture.

Their first target should be clubs who are challenging for the top eight – Sheffield United, Wolves and Crystal Palace.

Once Ancelotti has achieved that, then he can look at putting pressure on teams who currently expect to finish in the top six – Leicester, Arsenal and Manchester United.

During this period, he should be looking to lift a domestic knockout trophy to bring that winning mentality back to Goodison.

It is 24 years since Everton last landed a piece of proper silverware.

And once that little mountain has been conquered, that’s when they can look towards the summit of English football – occupied by Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham – by qualifying for the Champions League and perhaps challenging for the title.

This isn’t being condescending – or trying to wind up those Evertonians who have always had a soft spot for me!

I would advise them to take a look at how City have developed into one of the game’s top clubs over the past decade.

City had an unhealthy obsession with Manchester United and the gap between the two clubs when I signed for the Blues was huge.

Yes, we beat them in a few derbies – that we played like a Wembley cup final.

And when Sheikh Mansour bought City in 2008, a long-term aim was to surpass the Reds.

But City took it one step at a time. They came 10th at the end of that season under Mark Hughes and finished fifth the following year after bringing in Roberto Mancini.

In 2011, they qualified for the Champions League for the first time and won their first trophy for 35 years by lifting the FA Cup.

It was then that they really started challenging United – and have been the top team in Manchester for seven of the last eight years.

They no longer see their rivals in Red as the benchmark.

Everton must try to make similar strides.

From a personal point of view, it would be great to see the Reds and Blues of Merseyside challenging at the top – like they did when I was a kid.