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| Ferguson (right), Everton's caretaker manager, is in the frame along with Lampard and Pereira. (Photo by= Getty Images) |
[Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] Everton owner Farhad Moshiri will hold a final round of talks on Friday before deciding on a managerial successor to sacked Rafael Benitez. BBC Sports said that Moshiri pulled back from appointing favored choice Vitor Pereira, who remains a serious contender, after an angry reaction from supporters.
That left Frank Lampard to re-emerge as a serious candidate following an initial round of talks. Caretaker manager Duncan Ferguson is the other name on Moshiri's list. Pereira was in pole position after impressing Moshiri in his interview, but a toxic reaction from Everton fans to the 53-year-old's proposed appointment appeared to lead to a pause, although he remains very much in Moshiri's thinking. In a limited field Lampard, who finished fourth and reached the FA Cup final in his one full season at Chelsea before being sacked in January 2021, appears the choice who would at least unite an increasingly disgruntled fanbase, but he must also await Moshiri's final decision .
Everton's attempts to find a successor to Benitez have appeared dysfunctional from the moment an ill-fated attempt to appoint Belgium coach and former manager Roberto Martinez - the first of five Goodison bosses sacked by Moshiri in May 2016 after fan protests - was blocked by the country's Football Association, who would not sanction such a move in a World Cup year.
