Everton must regain their confidence and positivity after appointing Frank Lampard, their new manager has asserted.
Lampard has agreed a deal to succeed Rafa Benitez and return to the Premier League just over a year after he was sacked by Chelsea last January.
The 43-year-old impressed Everton majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri in his interview and was offered the job ahead of Vitor Pereira and caretaker manager Duncan Ferguson.
His immediate priority will be to steer Everton to Premier League safety. They are currently 16th in the table, four points above the relegation zone.
He told the club website: “I’ve watched closely from the outside, the first thing as a football club when you’re having tough times, which happens, is that you regain your confidence and get together.
“We have to work harder, we have to focus, but we have to have confidence because it’s a good squad.
“I think when times are tough a lot of criticism gets thrown around, and I’m here to change that, try and make it a positive message for the players to believe in themselves and show that we have more than enough talent to move up the table.”
Lampard’s first match in charge will be the FA Cup fourth-round tie at home to Brentford on Saturday. His first league game is away at Newcastle on February 8.
