The Toffees in the Transfer Tavern are looking forward to a new beginning at the club, following the dismissal of Ronald Koeman on Monday.
Koeman’s future had been called into question for a number of weeks as a consequence of his sides abysmal form both domestically and in Europe. A crushing 5-2 defeat at home to Arsenal this weekend turned out to be the final nail in the coffin for the highly-rated Dutchman. With nobody lined up to immediately succeed Koeman, the Everton board are now on the hunt to find a worthy replacement.
The early favourite to replace Koeman is Burnley’s Sean Dyche, who has done an admirable job considering his limited resources in almost 5 years in charge. After a relatively long stint at Burnley, it would be no surprise to see Dyche jump at the opportunity to embark on a fresh challenge in the Premier League.
Other candidates who are reportedly in the running for the top job include Marco Silva, Thomas Tuchel, David Unsworth and Carlo Ancelotti.
One name who is on the fringes of the rumour mill so far is ex-Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers. The bookmakers have Rodgers marked down as a definite outsider with a price of 25/1 to take the hot seat at Goodison Park.
His generous odds are certainly influenced by the fact that no manager has ever taken charge of both Everton and Liverpool during their career, so his appointment would certainly represent a landmark moment in the history of the Merseyside rivals.
However, there is no doubt that Rodgers has the quality and expertise to transform Everton’s fortunes this season and drag them out of their torrid run of form.
With that being said, here are two reasons why Rodgers would be an excellent appointment for Everton.
Attacking philosophy
Rodgers spell at Anfield was characterised by a fast-paced, dynamic and entertaining style of play – everything that Everton have been missing so far this season.
Under Rodgers leadership, the likes of Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge and even a young Raheem Sterling were able to play with freedom and reach their true potential.
Considering the depth of attacking-talent that Everton boast on their ranks, they have massively underachieved in front of goal so far this season with just 7 league goals to show for their efforts from their opening 9 games.
His preference for a style of possession-based attacking football would install some much-needed flair and excitement back into Everton’s performances.
Rodgers understands the club
There are very few better ways to begin to understand the passion and identity of a football club than by viewing them from the perspective of their closest rivals.
During his time at Liverpool, Rodgers acquired knowledge and experience in relation to the depth of the Merseyside rivalry and what it means to both sets of supporters.
If Rodgers was to undertake the manager’s job at Goodison, he would be well-placed to understand the structure of the club and the expectations of the fans from day one.
If Everton come calling for his signature, Rodgers should seriously consider the opportunity to restart his Premier League career and re-write the history books on Merseyside in the process.
