Phillips goes wild for Everton deal
When Carlo Ancelotti was appointed as new Everton manager last month it was seen as an absolutely massive coup for the club.
The Italian comes with a laundry list of achievements and a trophy cabinet the envy of any current manager not named Pep Guardiola or Jose Mourinho.
He certainly seems on paper to be the right man to get the Toffees back on track. That’s very much the view of former Premier League striker Kevin Phillips, that’s for sure.
“I said it when he went in, what a coup, unbelievable,” he told Football Insider. “To get a man of his calibre and the trophies he’s won, it’s just quite remarkable.
“He’s gone in and got results and it’ll take a while to get his style over but this year’s just about staying in the Premier League.
“It’s about him assessing his squad, watching him now, whether he adds anything this window, and watching them progress over the rest of the season, then watching who he brings in in the summer is going to be really intriguing.
“But blimey, I know Paul Clement really well and him having worked with him regularly he talked of him like the Messiah, he’s an unbelievable coach, manager, so, unbelievable.”
Can Ancelotti make Everton a force?
He’s certainly capable of it. His track record is phenomenal and his tactical acumen is elite. However, he’s going to need much better recruitment than the Toffees have managed in recent years.
If he’s given the funds and the freedom to mould the squad into what he wants then he should be able to launch them up towards the top six.
The problem is that the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Leicester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, Arsenal and even maybe Wolverhampton Wanderers are all looking to be in that area of the table as well.
In other Everton news, the club have reportedly made contact with a European giant over a former Liverpool man.