Brands: The most important thing is to prepare a good squad

The summer transfer window closes in about two months from today, with the World Cup preoccupying the footballing universe for a month or so, but Everton Director of Football Marcel Brands insists the Toffees will have their business done and ready for the new season.

Speaking to evertontv about his first day at work and the subsequent business he has been involved in since Friday of last week, Brands insisted the Blues will be ready for the upcoming season, unlike the chaos that envelope the time last year.

“Because of the time of the year, you have to focus on the transfer window and the most important thing is to prepare a good squad for next season.

“Most of the time will be spent preparing for the 2 July when we start [pre-season training] but also for the beginning of August when the transfer window will close in England. We have a busy job to make a good squad.

“We have a lot of players and some we will have to sell. We have to analyse the squad and find a few targets that we want as new signings.

“We have a lot of good players and a lot of good young talent. We also have a few players coming back from loan periods. So first of all we have to look at our own squad, which players we can decide can go on for next season and some players who don’t have prospects here, maybe we have to offload them. Maybe there will be some interest from other clubs.

“We have to take decisions in that period and that will be one of the most important things.”

The Dutchman is certainly under no illusions about the magnitude of the task ahead of him.

“One of the questions I was asked [at the press conference] was, ‘Can you compare coming from a big club like PSV to Everton?’ I think this Club is bigger.

“It is a huge Club with huge fans and playing in a huge competition. So compared to PSV, I am coming from one big club to another big club.

“I was very impressed in the first few days. I came in Friday morning and met [Chief Executive] Denise [Barrett-Baxendale]. I spent all of Friday meeting very friendly people, and I had a very warm welcome. I have come into a very professional organisation.

“David [Unsworth] showed me around and gave me an impression about USM Finch Farm. I am very impressed. I was back in again on the Saturday and the first impression is very good.”

Brands certainly looks like he is up for the role he is in, but now let’s see if he can indeed turn Everton into a top six squad in just one summer.