Why David Unsworth should get the Everton job - Phil Neville

Phil Neville seems like a nice guy, but he's written/dictated some punditry nonsense for the BBC:

I would love to see David Unsworth get the Everton job on a permanent basis and it riles me when I see him described as not having enough experience.

Maybe I've forgotten something so let's just check David Unsworth's job experience as a football Manager:

...Never been a permanent manager at any football club but has managed 10 games as caretaker.

Consider me not riled.

Unsworth has done the hard yards as a coach and has done a fantastic job with the Everton Under-23 side, where he has done everything that was asked of him.

So many years job experience in a different job then?

He won the Premier League 2 title with them last season and has also produced a lot of the young players that are now playing for the Everton first team.
The next step now is for him to go and do that at first-team level in the Premier League

Why is the next step from youth level to go directly to the Premier League. What is it about youth football that could specifically prepare him for the Premier League? The incredibly low attendances and lack of media attention? The sensible recognition that players make mistakes and results are not always everything? All hallmarks of the Premier League for sure.

If it is not at Everton, then Unsworth has to get that chance somewhere else - but where?
From an English coach's perspective, we are not getting opportunities. We are seen as second-class citizens at the moment, and that has got to change.

Wow. Shall we ask 66 of the 92 current Premier League & EFL Managers how to magic up a miracle opportunity to be appointed by a football club?

I did not know this myself until I joined, but Everton is a unique club where as a player or manager, it is vital you understand the fans and the area you are working in. They are the people who make it, and it is not just a football club by name.

This is drivel, but also doesn't make Everton unique compared to most other football clubs.

Unsworth gets Everton Football Club, which is something that maybe the previous manager did not do.

I was thinking that Ronald Koeman struggled tactically to integrate his new signings into a cohesive style of play. I was thinking the transfer business Everton did over the Summer after losing Lukaku and Barry was woefully inadequate anyway to even the most untrained observer.
I'm so glad we have the opinion of someone who played the game to show me the error of my ways.

Koeman didn't get it lads he's foreign, I'll bet he's never even eaten a Scouse pie.

Yes he may have managed 9 different clubs across 4 countries and won 3 league titles, but he's not even been to Aintree for ladies day, let alone won the U23 Premier League.

Like if in some doomsday scenario Everton had managed to appoint Pep Guadiola, old Fizzer would have been "he doesn't know what a Liver bird is", "he's never been to the Cavern Club".

Philip Neville was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.

Sorry Chris, I feel your pain.

Marco Silva's Watford

Paul Merson has his audience. He's a standard proper football man, and is employed for his entertainment value rather than valid opinions. Nevertheless his delusional hatred of Marco Silva requires some comment.

Here's the killer quotes from Sky Sports preview of the season for Watford:

...they will get relegated. To have a manager who has enhanced their reputation by being relegated is remarkable. He had the chance to bring in players and didn't achieve what he was brought in for.

Marco Silva had a good reputation before he joined Hull, and he retained that reputation because he did a good job last season. He took 27 points from 18 games, which would have seen them comfortably survive if he was there for the full season. OK he didn't stop them from being relegated, but if you are brought in when your team is bottom of the league with 3 wins from 20 games then that goal isn't going to be easy to achieve.

They've not really bought anybody with Premier League experience, and that's why I worry about them. They struggled last season and have no momentum so I'm going to place them 18th.

The Premier League, where teams have to play the first 30 minutes using their left feet only, then half time takes place on the moon. Hey Carlos Kick-a-ball, did you bring your compulsory infrared googles which must be worn at all set pieces?

FYI 3 of the last 4 PFA Players of the Year were all players with no Premier League experience when they were bought by the clubs where they won the award.

Also he is asked 6 questions and replies to 3 of them like so:

I always enjoy watching Troy Deeney.
I read that they might not give Troy Deeney the captaincy and for me he's kept the club together. If they left him out they'd really struggle.
If they get sorted in what's left of the transfer window and Troy Deeney has a good season then they can stay up.

Merse who do you think will win the league this season?
PM: Troy Deeney
OK, and what about Brexit. What impact will it have on the economy?
PM: Troy Deeney
Interesting, and the global political climate in the era of Trump?
PM: Troy Deeney

Quick check-up on this. Deeney has started 1 game in the first 8 and scored 1 goal (a penalty).

Watford are 4th in the league.

It's likely unsustainable if you look at xG, but they look a solid mid-table team even after a pounding by Man City (teams who haven't played City will likely suffer a similar dip in xG the way they are smashing all comers).