CARLO ANCELOTTI likened his Everton rebuilding job to the project he had at Paris Saint-Germain.
The trophy-laden manager’s move to the troubled Toffees has raised more eyebrows than just his own.
Carlo Ancelotti says Everton offer an exciting project, just as PSG did when he bossed them from 2011-2013
Moving to Bramley Moore Dock will help Everton step up to a new level, new boss Carlo Ancelotti hopes
But Ancelotti explained that Everton’s “ambition” — outlined yesterday with final plans for a new £500million stadium — is the reason he has taken what most see as a step down in his glittering career.
And the Italian quickly compared his task at Goodison Park to when he took charge at the Parc des Princes eight years ago.
Ancelotti is best known for lifting the Champions League trophy twice with AC Milan and again with Real Madrid, as well as winning the league with Chelsea and Bayern Munich.
But in his only full season in France, he led PSG to their first Ligue 1 title in 19 years and reached the quarter-finals of Europe’s elite competition — their best run since 1995.
Ancelotti, 60, said: “The biggest factor is the ambition of the club. It’s true I’ve managed top teams but it’s also true when I was at Paris Saint-Germain, the project was really good there and that attracted me.
“So it was the ambition of the club. I think here is the same. I like a team that has ambition and a clear idea of how to gain success.”
‘NEW STADIUM ATTRACTED ME’
That will be music to the ears of Evertonians. If a boss like Ancelotti can see potential for progress, there is surely hope for all on the blue half of Merseyside.
Of course, at PSG, Ancelotti was bankrolled by Qatari cash and able to attract the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, David Beckham and Thiago Silva.
But Everton’s majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri has shown he is happy to back his boss with weighty war chests.
And Ancelotti says he will look at “fantastic players around the world”. The veteran, though, is also “excited” by the prospect of leading the Toffees out in their new home in 2023.
Everton yesterday submitted a planning application for a 52,000-capacity stadium at Bramley Moore Dock.
Ancelotti, whose 4½-year deal keeps him at the club until 2024, said: “What I know from talking with Farhad is that the club wants to be competitive in the Premier League, so for me that is enough.
Ex-Chelsea, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich chief reckons Everton will provide one of the biggest challenges of his career
“The fact that the club wants to build a new stadium, that means they have a clear idea of how to improve, to have success.
“It means the ambition of the club is really high and I’m excited to be in this project.
“It could be good for me to be here when the new stadium is open. This is what attracted me.
“If in three years the stadium has been built, it could be good as revenue in football now is really important.
“Everton want to improve, they want to improve their revenue and be more competitive with the top teams in the Premier League and Europe.”
Ancelotti will take charge of his first game at Goodison on Boxing Day against Burnley, having watched Saturday’s goalless draw against Arsenal from the stands.
He has unhappy memories from the last time he managed a match there, as Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay sacked him in a corridor inside the ground just after a final-day defeat in May 2011.
‘NO SECRETS IN FOOTBALL’
Ancelotti has worked in France, Spain, Germany and Italy since those two seasons with the Blues in the Premier League.
But he said: “For a manager now, you can see football everywhere in the world.
“The Premier League is the most competitive league, so in Italy you can see every single game. There are no secrets in football.”
Ancelotti also confirmed Duncan Ferguson will work as his assistant following the Everton legend’s successful stint as caretaker manager.
He added: “I met Duncan after the game on Saturday. He will be on my staff as assistant.
“I am used to working with an assistant from the club.
“At PSG I had Claude Makelele, at Madrid I had Zinedine Zidane and at Bayern I had Willy Sagnol.
“It’s important because Duncan knows the characteristics of the players, the atmosphere and training ground. It will be really helpful for me.”
Supremo Moshiri has also hailed the impact of Big Dunc, who enjoyed a win over Chelsea and draws with Manchester United and Arsenal following the sacking of Marco Silva.
Moshiri told talkSPORT: “We have rediscovered Everton over the last two weeks.
“I’ve had my most enjoyable time with Duncan and we are really grateful to him.
“This passion, the celebrations of fans and manager together, this is the club.
“Carlo is a real football man and we hope with Duncan next to him we will keep the passion and build on it. We have a good base now. Duncan has brought back the passion and belief.”
On Ancelotti, Moshiri added: “We’ve had managers from Wigan, Southampton, Watford, and they’ve all had their impact.
“But we’ve invested heavily on a group of players who are all internationals and we think they would benefit from a coach of Carlo Ancelotti’s pedigree.
“Everton is a very difficult job in football. It’s one of the most difficult clubs because you are two home losses from being disowned by fans.
“For young managers, it’s difficult to cope. That’s why we hope an experienced manager can cope and deal with it better.”
New Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti says it is his dream to bring the club to the top of the Premier League
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
