It might have made a gripping watch for the neutral fan but Vitor Pereira’s Sky Sports News audition for the managerial vacancy at Goodison Park had many Evertonians scratching their heads in disbelief at the car crash television unfolding before their eyes.
It certainly was an unorthodox approach to going on a charm offensive with your prospective new fans but just where it leaves the Portuguese coach’s chances of replacing Rafa Benitez remains to be seen.
Some wondered whether this was the work of owner Farhad Moshiri – himself no stranger to a cheeky text to Jim White – and Kia Joorabchian, putting their preferred candidate into the spotlight to win over those many, and there are very many, doubters among the supporter base or was this just a last-ditch attempt to curry favour for a job he’s already out of the running for.
EVERY WORD: Vitor Pereira's Sky Sports interview as Everton vision explained
Others simply branded it as “mad” but they’ve been using similar adjectives to describe an increasing number of decisions at the club.
The televised telephone conversation lasted for over 20 minutes and at least displayed the decent command of English the 53-year-old now possesses, something that has also been questioned in the past, even if he does seem to pronounce the name of Everton’s home ground as ‘Godison’ Park.
Pereira certainly talked a good game in the eyes of some, speaking about pressing, possession football and the eight trophies he has won during his career but cynics might fear such honeyed words might have lured Mr Moshiri into making another inappropriate choice for the job rather than listening to the opinions of his own club’s supporters.
He also pointed out that the critics don’t know him but his attempt to explain the relegation from the German second tier with 1860 Munich in 2017 that stains his CV was unconvincing.
Pereira said: “They didn't have money and they were relegated because of the money” but that’s not entirely true.
Their subsequent double drop to the Regionalliga Bayern for 2017/18 was because they were unable to obtain a licence for 3. Liga but they initially went down because they finished third bottom of the table under him and lost a play-off.
You could tell that Sky were trying to milk this golden opportunity of getting a Premier League managerial candidate on the blower for all it was worth and series of follow-up questions, including chancing their arm with ones about when he last spoke to Everton officials and whether he felt he was ultimately going to be the next Blues boss, failed to get a bite.
*Take our latest Everton survey and let us know what you thought of yesterday's TV interview
The circus plummeted to new depths when a phone was heard ringing in the background and Pereira was asked if it was Everton, to which he replied: “No!”
Viewers can make their own minds up and undoubtedly will but for this correspondent, who hasn’t hid his own serious reservations about Pereira’s unsuitability for the job from the start, such maverick actions do not paint either the individual or the club in a good light at a time of deep concern for the Blues both on and off the pitch.
With their Premier League survival at stake, Everton desperately need to get this appointment right and despite what Pereira says about his own approach, this way of doing business does not strike me as “professional” in any way, shape or form.
