WE’VE GOT MORE THAN LIVERPOOL!
EVERTON
skipper Ratcliffe’s first choice to succeed the sacked Sam Allardyce.
Ratcliffe said: “I love the one doing the rounds that Everton have got more Silva than Liverpool, but it’s going to be no laughing matter for Marco because he’s certainly got his work cut out.
“My choice would have been Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid. But without Champions League football, you’ve got no chance of attracting someone like him.
“I look at Simeone and he’s everything a manager should be. You see how the players react to him. He’s got dynamism and that shines through with the effort you see on the pitch.
“But I’m prepared to give Silva a chance and, as Evertonians, we have all got to get behind him.
“With the club in our current state, we are not in a position to get the best out there – it’s the same handicap when it comes down to signing players.
“Without European football – even the Europa League – Everton won’t be the first choice for most top players.
“I’m afraid these days Everton isn’t looked upon as a big club.
“For Silva, there’s a big job of work to be done. It’s an ageing squad. It’s also top-heavy, given there are no extra games in Europe.”
Alongside Silva will be the club’s new director of football, Marcel Brands, who has replaced former Leicester recruitment guru Steve Walsh.