Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson has commended Everton’s recruitment of Carlo Ancelotti, labelling it a “clever appointment”.
The Italian joined Everton in December after Marco Silva was sacked earlier that month, following a crushing 5-2 defeat against bitter rivals Liverpool.
With the 60-year old having been sacked himself that month, being replaced by Gennaro Gattuso at Napoli, the Toffees moved quickly to appoint the three-time Champions League winner to the Goodison Park dugout.
Speaking ahead of Palace’s Premier League fixture against the Toffees this weekend, Hodgson has praised the manager who he regards as a “friend”, while also hailing Everton’s desire in appointing the former Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Milan coach. As reported by the Liverpool Echo, Hodgson said:
Carlo has done very well since he came into the club, players are full of confidence that good results bring with it. It’s always a difficult game at Goodison Park but we’re ready for that.
I regard him as a friend and I know him from the days of working in the national team. It was a clever appointment, someone with his experience and talent will succeed wherever he goes.
They have been rewarded with that by the way the players have responded to him.
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While Ancelotti’s previous success, records and trophy haul speaks for themselves, Everton have also benefited greatly from appointing the Italian in the way that many others now perceive the club and the their ambitions.
Everton have rightly been praised for appointing a manager who has been described as one of the “all-time greats” of football management, and Farhad Moshiri is the focus of much of that praise, having convinced Ancelotti that Everton were the right club for him.
Since Everton sacked Silva, the club have won 19 points from their last ten games in the Premier League, accumulating the second-most amount of points of all Premier League sides in that period, behind their rivals Liverpool.
Some of that success must be credited to Duncan Ferguson, who won five points against Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal, instilling belief back into the club.
However Ancelotti has been able to steady the ship, and when he is able to get a full transfer window of spending under his belt, he’ll hopefully have an even firmer grip on Everton’s domestic form.
Hodgson’s side will hope to beat Everton this weekend, but as Ancelotti targets Europa League qualification, the Italian will hope that his side are ready to battle the struggling Eagles.
