Ferguson ‘incredibly proud’ ahead of Everton debut

LONDON: Duncan Ferguson said it will be an “incredibly proud moment” for him when he takes charge of Everton for their Premier League clash with Chelsea on Saturday (today).

The 47-year-old Scot has been appointed caretaker manager after Marco Silva was sacked on Thursday following eight defeats in their last 11 games, including Wednesday’s humiliating 5-2 thrashing by Liverpool in the Merseyside derby.

Ferguson, who has been on the club’s first-team coaching staff for five years, takes Everton to Stamford Bridge with them languishing in the relegation zone and seeking their fifth full-time manager since 2016.

“It’ll be an incredibly proud moment for me to manage the team tomorrow,” said former striker Ferguson, who enjoyed two spells as an Everton player, at his pre-match press conference.

“I’m nervous, excited, emotional. Everyone knows what the club means to me. It’s a difficult task because there’s such a short window (between his appointment and the match). But we will lift the players and make sure they know what it means to play for this club.”

Ferguson, who revealed regulars Fabian Delph and Seamus Coleman were still not ready to return, said he had ambitions to become a manager on a permanent basis but now was not the time to address that issue.

“Of course, it’s a dream of mine to be a manager—but I’m a coach at the moment,” he said. “I’m realistic and I’m not thinking about it (full-time). I’m a loyal guy and I’d love to stay here to work with the new manager.”