"They know now, put it that way."
That answer was enough to put a collective smile on the faces of Evertonians. Maybe some even gave it a customary fist-pump or a "Yes, Dunc!".
For those on the Zoom call, Duncan Ferguson's answer after being asked if the Blues squad knew what it meant to play for this great club made you sit up and take notice at the other end of the camera.
It almost as if you were being told off by the manager in some way. His tone was hidden under the surface of his facial expression, but there was no mistaking his intention all the same.
The caretaker manager had been blunt and to-the-point throughout his press conference, but no more than in that moment.
READ MORE: Farhad Moshiri writes open Everton letter with new manager plan and Rafa Benitez admission
READ MORE: Farhad Moshiri set for improved stake in Everton as £100m plan confirmed
There was no mincing of words from the Everton caretaker manager. He knew what he wanted to say, and more importantly he knew what Evertonians wanted to hear.
Sometimes, saying those sound-bites that might seem like an easy way to connect to supporters - and you might think that would win any lingering doubters over to one side.
But that's not the feeling you get with Ferguson.
He says these things because he means them. He understands what the Evertonians want because he is one himself.
In many respects, this press conference performance was just as impressive as any of the managerial displays the Scot oversaw during his first stint as caretaker.
Not only did he manage to say all the right things in terms of what he wants from the players and the importance of fans, as would have certainly been expected from him, but he maintained the usual level of decorum as well.
When asked about what he believed were the causes of problems throughout the campaign so far, he kept a level of respect of the man who held the permanent position before him.
It might have been easy to criticise Rafa Benitez's methods in that moment. No doubt that would have endeared him even further to a section of watching Evertonians at the very least.
But he instead side-stepped that possibility and chose to focus on the future, rather than dwelling on the past in any way.
And that's exactly what the Blues should be doing, of course.
The past has happened and can't be changed. Everton should learn from the many mistakes they have made this season, of course, but this should be seen as the turning of a new leaf.
It's widely accepted that this is a quality squad of players, certainly too good to be sitting in the position they are in the Premier League table.
A certain sense of unity is what is needed right now, both on and off the pitch.
Things have been in disarray over the course of much of the campaign so far, and fans will know that one managerial change doesn't solve the club's issues.
But Ferguson knows that he needs to get his players up for this match as much as he possibly can. Get them playing aggressively from the first whistle, and the fans will respond in kind.
In what has certainly been a difficult campaign, this press conference was a breath of fresh air for something supporters finally feel they will be able to connect to.
It was to-the-point, it was blunt, it didn't hide behind false promises or platitudes.
It was exactly what Everton need.
