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The method in which Sam Allardyce has been appointed Everton’s next permanent manager has been as surreal as the entire process to replace Ronald Koeman. The Dutchman was relieved of his duties over five weeks ago and Toffees quickly discovered that their Board simply had no clue how to go about replacing him in an efficient and low-key manner.
After looking at Allardyce’s credentials once already, Farhad Moshiri and Bill Kenwright proceeded to speak with close to half a dozen managers, being spurned by either the men they spoke with or the clubs that employed them. Meanwhile, the team continued to tank as interim manager David Unsworth was put in an awkward position that will have chilled his Blue blood to the core.
It was widely expected over the last couple of days, especially once Shakhtar Donetsk shut down any approaches for Paulo Fonseca, that Allardyce would take over, as soon as today.
What was somewhat unexpected was the odd and incredulous manner in which the announcement was made public. Reporter Jim White of TalkSport, who has been Moshiri’s unofficial spokesperson and has completely beggared the concept of having a Club PR Department, started the day off with this tweet -
Sam Allardyce is new @Everton manager - contract for remainder of this season and next. Brings Craig Shakespeare and Sammy Lee.
— Jim White (@JimWhite) November 29, 2017
He then went on to tweet further comments from Moshiri, giving Allardyce his support and saying that he would be present at Goodison for the game against West Ham tonight -
"I really want to give him the support he needs. He can go as far as he wants.
"We need a strong leader, he gives us that."
Joining Allardyce will be former Leicester City assistant and interim manager Craig Shakespeare. In addition, former Liverpool manager Sammy Lee will also be in the staff, along with goalkeeping coach Martyn Margetson and fitness coach Ryland Morgan.
The appointment of Lee will be somewhat controversial with him having having played over 300 games for Liverpool in the ‘70s, followed by two stints on the coaching staff at the Blues’ Merseyside rivals from 1992 to 2004, and 2008 to 2011.
Duncan Ferguson is expected to stay on in is current role as assistant coach to the senior side, while David Unsworth will return to the Under-23s that he has so admirably led for years now.