Former Everton boss Howard Kendall has praised the club’s current manager Roberto Martinez, giving his seal of approval to the new regime at Goodison Park.
He was speaking during ‘An Evening with Howard
Kendall’ at the Epstein Theatre, having visited Martinez at the club’s Finch Farm training ground earlier in the day.
The Everton legend, who won three league championships with the club during his time as a player and then manager, spoke about the direction Martinez has taken the club in.
He said: “The changes he’s made for the club have been good, and the fans have taken to him well. He did good business selling him [Marouane Fellaini to Manchester United]. David Moyes still doesn’t know where to play him!”
Kendall, who also led Everton to success in the European Cup Winner’s Cup, applauded the way the Toffees continue to perform strongly in the Premier League. He said: “Nowadays, we’ve been left behind with the money that the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City have. It’s to the full credit of the club that they’ve maintained their current standard.”
As expected, the segments that were of greatest interest to the predominantly Evertonian audience at the Epstein Theatre surrounded the success of Kendall’s sides in the mid-to-late 1980s.
His recollections of time spent managing abroad were also fascinating, particularly the “absolute nightmare” he endured while he was boss of Greek side Skoda Xanthi FC, and his time managing in Spain, where he first encountered Martinez as a player.
The event, which was hosted by Sean Styles, was promoting Kendall’s new book, ‘Love Affairs and Marriage: My Life in Football’.