Everton have appointed former Sporting Lisbon and Olympiakos boss Marco Silva as their new manager on a three-year deal.
The 40-year-old replaces Sam Allardyce, who was sacked at the end of the season after six months in charge.
He will be joined by his backroom staff – assistant manager João Pedro, goalkeeping coach Hugo Olivera, technical scout Antonis Lemonakis and fitness coach Pedro Conceição.
Silva revealed his pride at being appointed Everton manager and his resolve to build a winning side with a winning style and a deep connection between the team and Evertonians, the club website said.
The 40-year-old Portuguese is one of Europe’s most talented young managers with trophy-winning spells in charge of Sporting Lisbon and Olympiakos after overseeing the remarkable rise of GD Estoril in his homeland.
Silva introduced himself to English football when he joined Hull City in January 2017 displaying his ambitious and expressive style of football.
READ: Alternativa says traffickers plan to sell Nigerians for sex in Russia
A philosophy he reproduced at Watford after taking over at Vicarage Road last summer.
“I’m really proud to be the new Everton manager,” Silva told evertontv. “I’m excited and I’m really happy to take this big challenge for us as a club and for me as a manager.
“I want to express my thanks to Farhad, to the Chairman, to the Board of Directors and to Marcel as well for the confidence in my work. I know the huge history of Everton as a club and what the fans expect. I’m sure with everybody working together I will be ready for this challenge.
“We have a lot of work to do in this next month and it is important to prepare everything in the right way. But there will be even more important work to do from the start of pre-season into the first Premier League match of next season.
???? | #WelcomeMarco pic.twitter.com/7pfgkNtgBw
— Everton (@Everton) May 31, 2018
“I know what our fans expect – they expect results but not only results. I want our fans to be proud when they see our team on the pitch. I want them to feel that we are committed, that we are working hard and enjoying our football because that is important as well.
“We want to build a great connection between the squad and the fans, and I’m sure that with our attitude and demands of commitment then our style of play will see that, I believe.
“Everton is a really ambitious club and that is what I want. What we are seeing now are good changes at the Club. The Club is changing its approach. But one thing we cannot change and nobody wants to change is the huge history and ambition of the Club.
“Everybody knows Everton’s history. When you are a club like Everton, you only have one solution – to aim to win. In football it is impossible to win every match but we must do everything to show in every game that we have ambition. That is what I want and I’m sure we will show that every single week.”
Silva will work closely with new Director of Football Marcel Brands who insists that their shared vision will be vital in building a strong future.
“Marco is a young coach but also an experienced coach and he’s worked already at the top, while also gaining experience of the Premier League which is also an important factor,” Brands said.
