Since their FA Cup win in 1995, it has been a steady period of decline for Everton Football Club.
David Moyes brought an era of relative success and notoriety in the mid 2000’s but in the main, Everton have transitioned from one of the biggest sides in England and Europe in the 1980’s, to a side with Premier League survival at the forefront of their thinking.
Unlike most sides however, Everton are unable to blame the sheer weight of financial backing for their insufficiencies on the pitch over the past decade or so.
Whilst Chelsea and Manchester City have made use of unwavering riches to propel them to the dizzy heights of Premier League and Champions League glories, Everton have been unable to target their investment sensibly.
Of course, there can be no direct comparison between the amount of money City and Chelsea have spent in comparison to Everton but in an age where Leicester City have won the Premier League, the likes of Wigan Athletic have won the FA Cup and Swansea City have claimed the League Cup – for Everton to be enduring 27 years of trophy exile is seen by their fans as unacceptable.
Over the past two seasons, the arrival of two of the most renowned managers in world football were seen to be the aging of a new dawn at Goodison Park. Italian Carlo Ancelotti was brought in to great acclaim and he looked to be bringing some optimism into the blue side of Merseyside but in the summer of 2021, his former side Real Madrid came calling and the allure was too significant.
His replacement was former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez. A risky appointment due to his status in the city but after a good start, it seemed all was well with the Spaniard at the helm.
However, results and his relationship with the fans started to turn sour quickly and once again the Toffees are left floundering in the Premier League table.
Turning their fortunes around will be front and centre of the plans for whoever comes in next, and the early front runner appears to be Vítor Pereira, with the Portuguese manager having impressed at the likes of Porto, Fenerbache and Olympiakos previously.
At odds 1.57 with the bet 365 offer, Vítor Pereira is the strong favourite to take up the reins at Goodison Park and he will certainly have a point to prove, should he take over on the blue half of Merseyside.
Premier League legend Frank Lampard has been without a job since getting sacked by Chelsea nearly 12 months ago and his return to the top flight feels imminent.
After holding talks with Norwich City at the end of 2021, Lampard decided to wait for another opportunity and many in the game feel he would be the perfect fit for Everton.
Best priced at 7.00, the bookmakers clearly feel that Pereira is better placed to take the job than Lampard but the former England international can never be ruled out of such desirable management roles.
Former Everton starlet Wayne Rooney is also forging a successful managerial career for himself at Derby County.
His current employees have been immersed in administrative difficulties over the past few seasons, but Rooney has kept the group together and impressed with his managerial acumen.
Also available at 7.00, Rooney is an outsider for the job, but he would be welcomed back to Goodison Park with open arms by the blues faithful.
Image from: unsplash.com