Duncan Ferguson thought he had a good chance at replacing Rafa Benitez at Everton.
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, the former striker opened up on his interview for the managerial role and how he was left ‘devastated’ when he wasn’t successful.
Ferguson spent much of his coaching career with Everton after he retired at Goodison Park in 2006.
The Scot was named as the Toffees’ caretaker manager following Marco Silva’s departure before he became Carlo Ancelotti’s assistant. He was then appointed interim boss after Benitez’s sacking in January 2022, though failed to secure the job permanently.
Ferguson was hopeful of being named as the Spaniard’s successor, but was left heartbroken when Frank Lampard got the job.
“The chairman called me and told me that I had been unsuccessful in the interview,” He told the ECHO.
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“Obviously, when you get asked to go for an interview, you think maybe you are in with a very good chance.
“I thought I was in a strong position. But when I didn’t get the job, it was a tough one to take because, in my mind, I knew I had to leave. If you don’t get the job, you have got to leave, and that is what I did. I fell on my sword.
“I may have heard words like ‘experience’, but at that time I was not thinking too straight and listening too much; basically, you are devastated.”
Would Duncan Ferguson have kept Everton up?
Duncan Ferguson’s brief spells as Everton’s interim head coach earned mixed reviews. His first stint in the hot seat oversaw a surprise 3-1 win over Chelsea that lifted them out of the relegation zone, while he endured a narrow defeat to Aston Villa prior to Frank Lampard’s arrival.
Many fans were calling for Ferguson’s appointment after Rafa Benitez was sacked, but there were little complaints when Lampard managed to guide them to safety.
Ferguson would have done a very good job at uniting the fans and the club given his past history at Everton, though that would be all he would be relying on.
The 51-year-old failed to keep Forest Green Rovers up last season in his first managerial job, while he had around a similar amount of time as he would have on Merseyside.
It is impossible to know what could have been, however Everton’s position in the Premier League means it doesn’t really matter.