With Frank Lampard closing in on becoming the next Everton manager inevitably thoughts are turning to who might form his backroom staff - and whether that might include Duncan Ferguson.
Ferguson took charge of Everton’s 1-0 home defeat to Aston Villa eight days ago in what was his second stint as caretaker boss having previously held the fort for four matches during December 2019.
The Scot – who ironically defeated Lampard’s Chelsea side 3-1 at Goodison Park in his first game in charge of his initial spell at the helm – served as assistant to Rafa Benitez and predecessor Carlo Ancelotti having also been part of the Blues first team coaching staff under Roberto Martinez, Ronald Koeman, Sam Allardyce and Marco Silva.
Ferguson admitted in his pre-match press conference ahead of the Aston Villa game that despite now being 50 (the same age as Walter Smith when he was appointed Blues boss and one year younger than Howard Kendall third time around) he still lacks the experience to be considered for the role on a long-term basis even though it's a position he covets.
So could this be the time that he makes a clean break and seeks a more senior position elsewhere?
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At both Derby County and Chelsea, Lampard employed his former Stamford Bridge team-mate Jody Morris – a two-time FA Youth Cup-winning coach with the west London outfit – as his assistant manager.
However, it was reported at the end of last season that the pair were set to part ways ahead of their anticipated returns to football.
Although Lampard and Morris, both 43, are understood to be open to accepting positions independent of each other, they were not definitively closing the door on combining again under the right circumstances.
However, there has been no mention of Hammersmith-born Morris moving north on this occasion but rather Steve Holland’s name has been brought up during talks.
Holland, 51, is assistant manager to Gareth Southgate with the England national team and previously worked alongside Lampard at Chelsea where he was assistant manager between 2011-17, having been in charge of their reserve team for two years previously.
An England Under-21s assistant from 2013-17, also serving under Southgate, Holland, originally from Stockport, had worked his way up at Crewe Alexandra under Dario Gradi who he ultimately replaced as first team coach, a post he held for 18 months between 2007-08.
There are also a couple of staff still at Chelsea from Lampard’s time there who he might attempt to bring with him.
Scouser Anthony Barry, who Lampard brought to the club in 2020 having previously assisted Paul Cook at Wigan Athletic, is a former Everton Academy player.
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While Thomas Tuchel may be reluctant to let the highly-rated 35-year-old go, reports emerging on Saturday night suggested Chelsea would not stand in Barry's way if he wished to join Everton.
In addition there is Joe Edwards, also 35, a former Chelsea schoolboy player who has been part of their coaching staff since 2004 and was promoted to the first team by Lampard in 2019.
Chris Jones served as Chelsea’s fitness coach for nine years between 2009-18 before teaming up with Lampard again at Derby County and then following him back to Stamford Bridge the following season.
The 45-year-old has been out of work since Lampard’s dismissal in west London a year ago.
Lampard kept his former Chelsea team-mate Hilario as goalkeeping coach at Stamford Bridge and the former Portuguese international remains in the role under Tuchel.
Alan Kelly currently fulfils the role at Everton.
