David Unsworth’s chances of the Everton job went with Thursday’s 5-1 defeat to Atalanta.
Another name surely dropped out of contention for the Everton manager’s job on Thursday – David Unsworth.
Over a month on from Ronald Koeman’s sacking, the caretaker boss took charge of his sixth game at the helm and oversaw a humiliating 5-1 home defeat to Atalanta in the Europa League.
It was the third and heaviest loss of Unsworth’s tenure, the manner of which almost certainly rules him out of the running for a vacancy that won’t be going to Marco Silva or Sam Allardyce either, according to Sky Sports.
After the match, Unsworth reverted to a familiar excuse, telling BT Sport TV: “Okay we made loads of changes tonight but it doesn’t matter. When you pull on the Everton shirt, you’ve got to play with pride and you’ve got to play with commitment, and you’ve got to play with 100% effort. That’s the big disappointment.”
It is easy for Unsworth, an Everton loyalist who spent a total of 11 years as a defender at Goodison Park before joining the coaching staff, to pin the blame on the players for a lack of commitment and effort.
But running around like headless chickens does not win football matches. Players need direction and Unsworth’s continued questioning of their desire has masked his own managerial shortcomings.
The Toffees have actually regressed defensively under Unsworth, conceding 14 goals in six games, and against Atalanta they were missing basic set-piece organisation, conceding two simple goals from corners.
Unsworth has also switched formations and lineups so frequently, often midway through games, that it is clear that he has no preferred method of play, or no firm idea about which players he can trust or not. If there are some in the squad who lack commitment, it is up to him to root them about before he puts them on the field of play.
It has been a disastrous audition for the 44-year-old and one which cannot continue beyond the weekend.
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