Everton legend picks ideal next boss; Martinez return ‘devastating’

Lewis Oldham
Ex-Everton manager Martinez

Everton legend Neville Southall has called for his former club to appoint Duncan Ferguson until the end of the 2021/22 season.

The Toffees are on the lookout for a new manager as Rafael Benitez departed the club on Sunday. This came after they were beaten by Norwich.

The Spaniard replaced Carlo Ancelotti ahead of the 2021/22 campaign after he left to take over at Real Madrid.


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Everton made a promising start to this campaign but a poor run of results has seen them drop down to 16th in the Premier League.

They are currently just six points clear of the relegation zone. Belgium boss Martinez has been linked with a surprising return to the club in recent days.

Ferguson is leading the team until Everton’s hierarchy appoint Benitez’s replacement. He was previously their interim boss in 2019.

Southall has told the Liverpool Echo that Ferguson should be appointed until the summer:

“Duncan is the only one I’d look at for the manager’s job.

“There are two reasons. One, he knows the club inside out and he knows what’s going on in there and he’ll have seen that.

“He worked under a few Champions League winners now so something must have rubbed off on him from them.

“Duncan will be sat in his house thinking ‘I do a good job every time but they never give me a chance’ so if they turn him down this time I think there are questions for Duncan to ask himself in terms of whether he’s actually wanted at the club and whether he’s always going to be the bridesmaid, never the bride.

“I’d give it him until the end of the season and if he does well then keep him there.”

Southall went onto suggest that Martinez did nothing for Everton during his time at the club between 2013 and 2016:

“I’d be devastated if Roberto Martinez came back. What did he do for us?

“Did he win us the league? Did he win us the cup? No.

“He played good football until the lads had enough of it then they jacked it in.”