Troy Deeney says Marco Silva did something ‘weird’ at Watford when Everton wanted him as manager

Add as preferred source on Google

Everton are an institution that has torn through managers ever since Farhad Moshiri assumed control of the club.

And whilst at first it was somewhat understandable, given his desperation to see some return on his huge investment, by the end it became farcical.

They were trading head coaches nearly every other season, allowing one to come in and spend untold riches before being dismissed before they were even given a chance to succeed.

At the first bit of contention, the Iranian buckled. And with Marco Silva, that was glaringly the case.

What Troy Deeney said about Marco Silva’s move to Everton

Even the manner in which the Portuguese tactician joined Goodison Park was odd, given Everton had tried to sign him months before they eventually did.

Seeking to pry him directly from Watford, they were steadfast in their position, unwilling to allow him to go. But, the manager’s head had been turned.

Results dipped and they eventually made the decision for him, sacking him and freeing him up for the move to Merseyside that summer.

Now, speaking live on talkSPORT earlier this morning (27/03, 11:28 am), former Hornets captain Troy Deeney has explained how that saga derailed Watford: ‘That killed us man. That killed us when Marco left. This weird thing happened because we were in the top eight when he was around, and he stayed a couple months later but it just went into this weird spell where we knew he didn’t want to be there.

‘The ownership knew Everton were trying to poach him. It just became this circus around Watford, and if I’m saying it’s a circus around Watford you know it’s a bit crazy.

‘It was more of this like… he doesn’t want to be here, we’re all now rubbish, we’re all still trying to win but the ownership are not talking to him they’re talking to us. It just got into this really weird space and that derailed that whole season for us.’

Marco Silva got unlucky with Everton

Whilst his tenure was doomed from the start, Silva certainly got very unlucky during his 19 months with Everton.

After all, that first year saw him lead the Toffees to a solid eighth-placed finish, with his recruitment incredibly shrewd alongside Marcel Brands.

Richarlison, Lucas Digne, Andre Gomes, Yerry Mina and Kurt Zouma mark just a few names who impressed at first, but a tough second campaign saw him swiftly dismissed. 

However, it is largely thought that the failure to replace Idrissa Gana Gueye hurt him more than anything, and that again was hardly his fault.

He needed that midfield workhorse, and in Jean-Philippe Gbamin it looked like they had it. That was, until his injury record emerged.

The Ivorian would play a handful of senior games before leaving on a free, a true waste of money but the kind of misfortune that underpinned Silva’s reign.

His successful spell with Fulham now is indicative of his true qualities as a coach.