Unsworth full of praise for “great” Everton appointment of Brands
Everton Under-23s coach and Academy Director David Unsworth has praised the “great appointment” of the club’s Director of Football Marcel Brands.
The Dutchman replaced Steve Walsh in the DoF role in 2018 after having thrived in a similar position for PSV for the better half of a decade, bringing a number of talented players to the Eindhoven club over the years.
Farhad Moshiri tasked Brands with doing a similar job on Merseyside and Everton have seen strong results, with very few of the signings made under his watch having underwhelmed.
Having been handed the Academy Director position by Brands last September, Unsworth has been full of praise for the Toffees’ director, complimenting his passion for developing young talent.
As reported by the Liverpool Echo, Unsworth said: “Marcel was a great appointment. He is calm, he’s steady, relaxed – and he’s passionate.
“I think I was the first guy to greet him here at USM Finch Farm when he came a couple of years ago. We had a great walk around the facility, we spoke about young players.
“He is very passionate about young players. He is always down in the Academy talking to me, talking to the staff, and he’s at the games. He’s a really, really good guy.
“I’ve got a fabulous relationship with him.”
“He impresses me with his knowledge all the time. He has become a true Evertonian.”
Understated importance
Brands hasn’t been immune from criticism since he replaced Steve Walsh almost three years ago but the Dutchman has certainly been more hit than miss.
Having engineered the signings of Lucas Digne, Andre Gomes (on loan), Moise Kean and Bernard, all of which were especially impressive in their own right, Brands’ record in the transfer market has been exemplary.
Of course, not every player brought to the club by Brands has thrived, but that is par for the course in football. Not every signing works out, but the manner in which signings are made can still stand out.
Carlo Ancelotti and Brands have struck up a strong working partnership and that bodes well for the future as the Toffees continue to grow in strength and stature.
Progress on the pitch will lead to loftier ambitions and Brands is well placed to help the club succeed at meeting those ambitions through his excellent negotiation ability.
Everton are fortunate to have someone of Brands’ calibre at the helm and hopefully he continues to find success on Merseyside.
In other Everton news, this left-footed Toffees ace is on the verge of a major decision as clubs line up to sign him.
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