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Michael Appleton meets his mentor
Wednesday 21st September 2011, 3:00PM BST.
West Brom assistant boss Michael Appleton wants to upset one of his mentors when the club resume their Carling Cup campaign against Everton.
The Hawthorns coach will go head to head with his former manager David Moyes when the Baggies take on Everton in this evening’s third round tie at Goodison Park.
But, regardless of the high esteem in which he holds the Toffees boss, Appleton is determined to leave Moyes disappointed by helping Roy Hodgson mastermind a passage to the last 16.
Moyes helped Appleton launch his first-team career when he left Manchester United to join an exciting young Preston side in 1997.
And the 35-year-old former midfielder, who is now Hodgson’s right-hand man at the Hawthorns, is a huge fan of the Everton boss.
Appleton said: “I’ve got a lot of respect for him. When I left Manchester United, I went out into the big wide world to try to learn the game.
“David took charge five or six months after me going there and he did a fantastic job. He had a group of young players who were all willing to learn and willing to put a shift in and were successful.
“It got him the opportunity to manage in the Premier League and, after Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger, he is the longest-serving Premier League manager. He has done a fantastic job at Everton.
“He’s a winner first and foremost, his teams are always very organised and they have got a never-say-die attitude, but he brings a calmness.
“Everton have been through tough times while he’s been there, but he’s made sure he’s come through those periods with flying colours and a lot of the time done it without the budget that some of the big boys have had.
“He’s brought a steadiness at times to the Euphoria that goes with the Premier League.”
West Brom, who are without Shane Long because of an illness that has also made Roman Bednar a doubt, are expected to make changes as they did for the second round win at Bournemouth.
But Appleton also ruled out Zoltan Gera because of an ongoing ankle problem.
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