After the myth of Marco Silva, Eddie Howe is a perfect fit for Everton
The Toffees' boss is under-fire with his side teetering above the relegation zone, while Howe has done a remarkable job at Bournemouth and could turn Everton's fortunes around
By
Stan Collymore
Marco Silva was thought to be the answer to all
Everton’s problems when he arrived at Goodison Park 18 months ago - but he’s been more Myth than Messiah.
A sharp-suited young manager with a touch of the mystique that a lot of foreign bosses exude when they smooth-talk gullible Premier League owners and chairmen into handing them the reigns.
It smacks of football snobbery but it’s harming the well-being of clubs like Everton who have a proud history and a loyal fan-base.
Jose Mourinho came to English football on the back of some real success at FC Porto but in the years that have followed he’s dragged with him a number of Portuguese and Spanish managers that just haven’t been fit for purpose.
Andre Villas-Boas was one and I’m afraid Silva is another.
There have been plenty of others over the border into Spain who have come to the English game who have been average at best, taken away a load of money in a pay off and left clubs worse than they found them.
I defy anyone to tell me other than a little spurt initially at Hull and the same at Watford what has Silva done to earn a chance at a club like Everton? He’s a mirage.
He came to England from Olympiakos in Greece but, with respect, that’s hardly a ringing endorsement.
Only three clubs have fought for the Greek Super League the past five years and Olympiakos are one of them so he hadn’t performed miracles before he arrived at Hull.
It drives me mad that some of our Premier League clubs continually ignore the talents of English managers who like Eddie Howe, Sean Dyche and Chris Wilder instead pinning their hopes and dreams on coaches who flatter to deceive.
There are notable exceptions outside the top tier of clubs, of course, like Nuno Espirito Santo at Wolves.
But for every success there are plenty more that don’t live up.
And in my book Silva is one of them. He’s lost almost as many games as he’s won at Everton - 24 wins to 22 defeats – and doesn’t seem to be taking a decent enough squad forward.
And if they lose heavily at Leicester today - entirely possible after winning only once away in the League all season - Silva will probably be history despite a vote of confidence from director of football Marcel Brands.
That’ll mean majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri and chairman Bill Kenwright looking for a new manager.
It seems there’s a shout for David Moyes to return but for the life of me I can’t see how that will help kick Everton on.
I’ve seen and heard nothing coming from Moyes in the last four or five years to convince me he’s a progressive manager.
He’s got a habit of signing experienced players on big wages but that shouts lazy management to me and it would be a disaster if they went back.
Everton need to be looking at progressive young managers who have got a decent record of operating in the Premier League.
Managers who can operate on a budget, can spot bargain basement players and with a modern approach.
For me that manager would be Eddie Howe who has done an excellent job at Bournemouth and would fit the bill perfectly - but Dyche and Wilder would be good options too.
Howe has progressively understood you can’t just go out and play open, attacking football otherwise you’ll get three, four, five put past you every other week and you won’t stay in the league long.
So he’s tweaked his approach and while still playing attractive attacking football he’s also gone out and made some wise buys in Philip Billing and Jefferson Lerma in midfield.
Not big names agreed – but it shows an appreciation of what was needed.
And Everton could do with that kind of thinking.
I can see sense in it being a good move for Howe, very much a step up from Bournemouth in terms of scale etc and a good stepping stone/learning experience en route to a bigger job.
But...
... I cant help feeling there is a real rot at that club, one that could be the undoing of most managers, and Im not sure Howe would be the one to sort it out. Could be the sort of "next step in your career" move that really backfires.