“Truly Happy, never signed for Everton as a coach” World-class’ Premier League manager will now be so relieved after missing out on Everton move

Everton’s journey through managerial changes since Farhad Moshiri’s takeover has been far from smooth. The club’s quest for success saw Ronald Koeman as the first of many managers to take the helm, yet none have surpassed the achievements of Roberto Martinez’s inaugural season, which tantalizingly flirted with Champions League qualification.

The narrative could have taken a different turn had Carlo Ancelotti chosen to weather the storm at Everton rather than return to the helm of Real Madrid—a decision that, in retrospect, many understand and respect.

Adding a layer of intrigue to Everton’s managerial saga, Marcel Brands, the former Director of Football at Everton and now President at PSV, revealed a fascinating near-miss in the club’s search for a head coach. In a candid revelation to SoccerNews, as reported by Sport Witness, Brands disclosed his efforts to secure Mikel Arteta for the managerial role at Everton.

Brands recounted spending an entire evening at Arteta’s residence, convinced that the then-assistant to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City was the perfect fit for Everton. Arteta’s passion for football was palpable, with Brands describing it as emanating from “his mouth, his nose, and his ears.” Despite the promising discussion and Arteta’s evident potential as a top-tier manager, the timing wasn’t right, and Arteta remained with City before eventually taking the reins at Arsenal.

Arteta’s subsequent success at Arsenal, where he has been hailed as a ‘world-class’ manager by figures such as Kieron Dyer, underscores the opportunity Everton missed. However, it’s speculative at best to assume Arteta could have replicated his achievements with the Toffees.

The challenges Arteta would have faced at Everton mirror those he encountered at Arsenal, including the need for a significant squad overhaul. While Arsenal possessed the financial flexibility to make bold moves, such as parting ways with high-profile players like Mesut Ozil, Nicolas Pepe, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Everton’s financial situation was far more precarious.

Under such constraints, even a manager of Arteta’s caliber might have struggled to navigate the financial and sporting turbulence that has marked Sean Dyche’s tenure at Everton. In the end, Arteta’s decision to helm Arsenal over Everton appears to have been a judicious choice, sparing him from the myriad challenges that have beset Everton in recent times.