Ancelotti Underlines Importance Of Brands Relationship

Carlo Ancelotti says he meets with Marcel Brands every day as the pair bid to fulfil Everton’s long-term aim of competing for major honours – and the former AC Milan and Real Madrid manager insists it is a “pleasure” to work with the Club's Director of Football.

Italian Ancelotti was appointed Everton boss in December, linking up with Brands 18 months after the Dutchman's arrival from PSV Eindhoven.

Brands has been instrumental in changing the face of Everton’s squad since June 2018, players of the calibre of Richarlison, Andre Gomes, Yerry Mina, Lucas Digne and Moise Kean joining on the 57-year-old’s watch.

He had tremendous success in his homeland after switching from a commercial director post to work in a sporting position with RKC Waalwijk, before silverware-laden roles with AZ Alkmaar and PSV.

And Ancelotti was one of a number of renowned figures to voice his admiration for Brands on a feature documentary produced by the Premier League in conjunction with Everton.

“My first impression of Marcel was good, he has a lot of knowledge about football and about players, so he is a pleasure to work with,” said Ancelotti.

“We meet each other every day, every day we are here, together, to try to work and to try to improve the squad.

“I think it is important for the Club to have a good technical director and everyone uses their personal character to have a relationship with other people.”


Brands was appointed to Everton’s Board in January 2019 and his sprawling remit includes the implementation of a long-term football strategy for the Club.

He has a significant say, too, on areas including the Academy pathway and loan destinations for the Club’s emerging players.

Additionally, Brands was among the Everton delegation who landed the services of one of the world’s finest managers in Ancelotti.

That duo are now striving to form a squad capable of delivering on the Club’s stated ambition to challenge at the elite end of domestic and European football.

The Premier League World programme on Brands details his progress from playing football for a living, through a business career, to becoming one of the continent’s most respected technical directors.

Louis van Gaal, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Everton players Gomes, Richarlison and Mina all detail their admiration for Brands, whose work was integral to PSV claiming three Dutch titles in the four seasons before he came to Goodson Park.

Furthermore, Brands and Van Gaal engineered AZ Alkmaar’s improbable 2008/09 championship winning season.

And Ancelotti pinpointed Brands’ comprehensive profiling of players as one of the major reasons for his success.

“The fact he wants to know everything about the players, I think is good because everyone can see the technical ability of a player but it is difficult to know the real character of the player,” added Ancelotti.

“This is one of the most important parts when you recruit a player. The fact Marcel has this kind of ability is important for the Club.”

The documentary will air across the Sky Sports network throughout the next week. Supporters outside the UK should check their national sports networks to find out when Premier League World is available.