With his calm manner and that trademark raise of his eyebrow, Carlo Ancelotti is already making his mark on Everton.
The Italian arrived at Goodison in December and his team has amassed 25 points from his 14 games – a return of 1.78 points per game. If that was extended to the whole season, Everton would be hunting a Champions League finish.
He takes his side to Tottenham on Monday for his first managerial meeting with Jose Mourinho since his Inter side knocked Ancelotti’s Chelsea out of the 2010 Champions League.
In contrast, the Portuguese has picked up 31 points from his 20 games at Spurs – at 1.55 points per game – and he is struggling to stamp a real identity on the team.
That is of no concern Ancelotti, however, as he focuses on turning Everton into serious players with the other North West giants.
“The fact we were out of the relegation zone pretty soon gave the players motivation,” he says.
“Now they feel better, we have more confidence and we are doing better.”
Ancelotti has thrown in 19-year-old Anthony Gordon since football resumed and with Tom Davies one away from 100 Premier League appearances, they represent that vital link between the fans and the team. The 61-year-old understands what homegrown talent can bring to the most successful teams.
“The sense of belonging is really important” he explains. “That a player feels something special when he wears the shirt is very important.
“It’s not always possible to find players from the academy with the right qualities. But if you are able to, it will be important for success.
“So we look to players from the academy, but also to improve the squad with signings we really need.”
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from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/2NZrg16
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