Interim Everton boss Scott Phelan on “a lot of emotion” in Toffees squad after Sorensen departure | OneFootball

DAGENHAM, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 18: Brian Sorensen, Manager of Everton looks on prior to the FA Women’s Super League match between West Ham United and Everton FC at Chigwell Construction Stadium on September 18, 2022 in Dagenham, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Newly appointed interim Everton head coach Scott Phelan met his players for the first time on Thursday.

And the Toffees academy coach told reporters that there has been “a lot of emotion” in the camp over the last two days since the news broke of Brian Sorensen’s departure.

“We had a meeting earlier on this morning and we’ve just recently completed our first training session together,” he said on Thursday afternoon.

“I think the first step in having our conversation early in the morning was important. There’s obviously been a lot of emotion in different ways over the last 24 hours or so, [so it was] important we could be at our first step of getting to know each other, introducing ourselves and then making the players understand what they can expect from us as a coaching staff, but also what we will expect from them moving forward.

“From that point on, the early meeting that we had on the pitch, the players have been really, really good this morning, really positive. The energy and effort that we asked them to bring was so evident from the first ball that rolled. So with one meeting and one session under our belt, it seems like it’s gone positive today.”

Scott Phelan: We want to become a winning team again

Saying that he knew how important the women’s team was at Everton thanks to his long affiliation with the club, and describing his interim appointment as “a brilliant opportunity”, he acknowledged the hard work and support of the coaching staff who are staying on with the squad.

“They’ve been brilliant, their mood has been fine and they’ve been really, really helpful in helping me just get my bearings over the last 24 hours,” he said, adding of the players: “Their approach to training today just told me they’re ready to play some football, energy, enthusiasm. And then off the pitching and around the canteen, there’s been plenty of happy, smiley faces and that is always a good indicator [that] maybe people have enjoyed what’s happened today on the pitch and hopefully we can keep pushing that and continue to develop that.”

Asked what his ambition was for the rest of the season, he replied: “The ambition is simply to win games of football and probably win more than we’ve been able to do so far this season…there’s no clear league position or demand for any placing in the league. We just want to win games of football and become a winning team again.”