The former striker has been caretaker manager at Goodison Park before, but this time is in the frame for the permanent role
![Duncan Ferguson steps up to plate at Everton with Ancelotti’s backing](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/89883f88904c3bcfd6078978f92082780af20158/0_186_5568_3341/master/5568.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctZGVmYXVsdC5wbmc&enable=upscale&s=0c804e03e066b85bbe09358af2b6b302)
The demands of three knockout ties in eight days, including a Spanish Super Cup final in
Saudi Arabia, sparked a rare outburst this week from Carlo Ancelotti but amid anger over the “absolute nonsense” of Real Madrid’s schedule he made time for a gratefully received phone call. The recipient was Duncan Ferguson.
“Carlo phoned me when he heard the news and said to me: ‘Be yourself. You’re ready.’ That gave me a bit of confidence,” admitted Ferguson, who has been tasked with lifting Everton spirits and relegation fears as caretaker manager once again. “I worked with Carlo for a couple of seasons and he told me to go for it, to be myself: ‘You know what you’re doing and you’ve got the experience on the training ground.’ He said: ‘You’re ready.’ That gave me a bit of a boost, to be honest, hearing it from a guy like that who has done it all.”