Gabby Agbonlahor warns Everton over Vitor Pereira problem amid protests
Everton owner Farhad Moshiri is at risk of repeating the mistakes of the Rafael Benitez era with his pursuit of Vitor Pereira, says Gabby Agbonlahor.
Amid furious fan protests outside Goodison Park last night following the Portguese manager’s surprise interview on Sky Sports, the pundit sees the negativity that surrounded the previous boss repeating itself if the club gives the job to the former Porto boss.
Graffiti sprayed on a wall during the protests last night read: “Pereira Out Lampard In” apparently indicating the preference of the fans (Daily Mail).
Speaking live on talkSPORT on Thursday (January 27, 08.10am) the ex-Aston Villa forward said: “If they don’t listen to the fans now and give Pereira the job, and he loses his first two [or] three games, it’s going to be the same as it was at the end with Benitez.
“It’s going to be a toxic atmosphere.
“So you either go and get a Lampard or someone that the fans prefer, or you keep Duncan Ferguson in there.”
Fans ignored
You would think that having been burned by his experiences over the first half of the season, the Toffees owner would be hoping to keep the fans onside with his next appointment.
With the mess that the club are in now it seems that doing that by bringing in a renowned figure like Carlo Ancelotti will be impossible.
Fan-favourite Everton names like Ferguson and Wayne Rooney would of course have backing at least until the end of the season.
But the random selection of candidates, with managerial records that suggest fortunes could go either way, is surely not the way to go,
What seems to be developing is a battle of wills between the man at the top and the supporters, with both sides steadfast in their rejection of the other’s views.
At this point though it seems like Moshiri is trying to wind up the fans, as ex-Fenerbahce boss Pereira is reported by BBC Sport’s Phil McNulty as always being in the frame every time the job comes up, and not for the right reasons.
So while fans rage at against the machine, the owner is again proving he doesn’t care.
In other Everton news, this international star will wait for the summer to decide on a move, amid Toffees interest.