Paulo Fonseca has been linked with Everton for several months now, and on several occasions the reports from both Portugal and Ukraine have been pretty strong and believable.
Before Everton took on Sam Allardyce, and after they’ve started to give up on Marco Silva, it was Fonseca who seemed to be the man the fans wanted. But with unfinished business at Shakhtar Donetsk, and a good relationship he didn’t want to ruin, Fonseca was was happy to stay put.
With Allardyce not exactly endearing himself to the Goodison Park faithful, the idea of a new Everton manager arriving this summer seems reasonable and so the Fonseca links have started again.
It’s understandably creating waves in the Ukraine, because Shakhtar would dearly love to keep their manager.
Ukraine website Football Transfer have got some quotes from midfielder Taras Stepanenko, who made it clear that whilst he’d like his manager to stay, he’ll understand if he takes up an offer, with England pinpointed as the destination.
“I love stability. You always get used to a person, his ideas get into you. Of course, I would like Paulo to stay. I am very impressed by this coach: young, ambitious, with good and correct life principles.
“I like how he behaves in training, and in life, the way he sees football. No wonder they are interested in Europe. But the choice is his.
“Each person has his own dream, and not everyone wants to stay long in one place and in one championship. I’m sure that the club will do everything possible to keep it, but as Paulo decides, only he knows.”
That’s the general feeling all over the Ukraine media, with there being no snide comments about Everton not being a big enough club to justify Fonseca leaving Shakhtar.
Well, not yet anyway.
