Royle: I’d love to wipe smile off Jur face...
JOE ROYLE is hoping that Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp will be drowning his sorrows after the Merseyside derby today.
Royle’s goal as a raw 18-year-old helped his Everton side win at Anfield on the way to the 1970 First Division title and quickly propelled the England striker into Blues folklore.
Later, as an Everton manager, he followed that up by remaining unbeaten in Merseyside derbies which included another victory in front of the disbelieving Kop.
Royle is back in football working for his exec executive chairman son Darren at Ch Championship club Wigan.
The 69-year-old (left) has been installed as a director helping manager Paul Cook recruit players.
Cook is a rabid Liverpool fan an and with another Everton titlewinner, i Peter Reid, on the Wigan staff it has proved an interesting week.
Royle said: “I know that Cookie will be crowing if the wrong result happens and Liverpool win.
“Believe me, Reidy and I will give it to him if it goes the other way.
Smashing
And if Everton do pull off their first win at Anfield since 1999, he admits he would love to bump into Klopp (below), who along with Royle is a resident of upmarket Formby, near Southport.
He added: “Jurgen Klopp has done a smashing job. Every time I see him I smile. I hear from friends in Formby that the local community have really taken to him. He is often spotted having a pint and a chat.”
If only Everton boss Marco Silva could enjoy some of the stardust that Royle sprinkled on Merseyside derbies of the past.
“We won at Anfield in 1995-96 6 when I was manager and Andrei Kanchelskis scored. I was actually unbeaten in derby games as a manager. I always remind Roy Evans, who was in charge of Liverpool at the time, about that,” he grinned.
“My first game as manager was against Liverpool and big Duncan Ferguson scored – the night after he had been breathalysed!
“We were bottom of the table and they were second from the top and we beat them 2-0.
“We drew later that season at Anfield and won there the following season.
“I won at Anfield as an Everton player as well. I scored in front of the Kop and stood there afterwards with my arms wide open. I’ve never seen so many unhappy people!
“We were on the way to winning the First Division championship. I don’t think the game means quite the same for today’s players.
“Also it’s not the physical game it was.”