Silva promises attacking style as he becomes Everton manager
Marco Silva stressed his commitment to attacking football after being appointed the new manager of Everton.
The Portuguese former Hull and Watford boss succeeds Sam Allardyce, who left Goodison Park earlier this month after an unpopular five-anda-half-month spell.
Everton tried to secure Silva’s services following the sacking of Ronald Koeman last October but Watford rebuffed their advances only to axe the 40-year-old two months later, citing the Toffees’ approach as the reason for a slump in form.
After spells with Estoril and Sporting in his homeland then Olympiacos in Greece, Silva moved to England in 2017 with Hull and, though unable to prevent their relegation from the Premier League, his impact and style of play earned him another chance in the top flight at Vicarage Road and is likely to have played a big part in Everton’s interest after fans’ criticism of the football under Allardyce.
He said: “I’m really proud to be the new Everton manager. I’m excited and I’m really happy to take this big challenge. I know the huge history of Everton as a club and what the fans expect. I’m sure with everybody working together I will be ready for this challenge.
“I want our fans to be proud when they see our team on the pitch. I want them to feel that we are committed, that we are working hard and enjoying our football, because that is important as well.
“We want to build a great connection between the squad and the fans, and I’m sure that with our attitude and demands of commitment then our style of play will see that. Everton is a really ambitious club and that is what I want.”
Meanwhile, Frank Lampard says his desire to return to the sharp end of football lay behind his decision to take the “fantastic opportunity” of managing Derby. The 39-year-old former England and Chelsea midfielder, left, was unveiled yesterday and is charged with taking the club back to the Premier League in his first managerial position.
He has signed a three-year contract to become the club’s seventh manager in three years, replacing Gary Rowett, who joined Stoke this month.
“It feels great, it’s a fantastic opportunity,” he said. “I’m well aware of the tradition here, I’ve walked the hallways… it’s coming off the walls.”
Asked why he wanted to coach when an easier career surely lay in front on him in broadcasting, he replied: “I was a player and I took stick for 20 years, it’s part of the territory. You can’t take away the love that we have for wanting to succeed.
“I’ve had 18 months away, but I still had the desire to manage, to work at the cut-throat end, which has been there since I can remember. I missed that.”