Arriving
at Boundary Park on a three-year contract, the 48-year-old joins Latics having
spent eight years at Everton, where his work in charge of the under-23 team has
seen him establish a magnificent pedigree as a highly-respected, modern coach.
The
former defender, who enjoyed a distinguished playing career at Goodison Park
spanning more than a decade, also stepped in to manage the Everton first team
on an interim basis in 2016 and 2017.
The
arrival of Unsworth is a tremendously exciting appointment for Latics,
heralding the next stage of a new era at Boundary Park as he looks to implement
a dynamic coaching philosophy to shape the future direction of the club.
Following
his appointment, Unsworth told https://www.oldhamathletic.co.uk: “This is the
perfect job for me and I’m hugely excited to be joining the club at this time.
“I’ve
had opportunities to become a first-team manager at a number of clubs over the
past three of four years, but they haven’t felt quite right.
“This
is the right club, the right fit, with the right owners and Board of Directors.
“The
fanbase has also been a very important factor in my decision to join. I’ve seen
the support they have given the team this season and I’m sure they’ll continue
to get right behind the team.
“I
genuinely think this club is a sleeping giant, one that can climb up not just
one league, but two or three, in a short space of time.
“I’m
very pleased to be here and I can’t wait to meet the players and get started in
the job.”
Unsworth
spent the vast majority of his playing career at Everton, winning the FA Cup in
1995 under Latics and Goodison Park great Joe Royle, as well as the Community
Shield the following August.
Following
that cup win, he received international recognition with England, establishing
himself as one of the most reliable performers in the top division during the
first decade of the Premier League.
In
total, Unsworth spent 11 years at Everton across two spells, making over 300
appearances and also earning a reputation for his dependability with set-pieces
and penalties.
After
leaving in 2004, he went on to play for a number of other clubs in the top
division, including Portsmouth, Sheffield United and Wigan Athletic, before
retiring in 2009.
He
began coaching at Bramall Lane before joining the staff at Preston North End,
where he also managed the first team in an interim capacity in December 2010 and
2011.
A
return to Everton was next, becoming assistant manager of the under-23s, before
making the step up to manager in 2014.
Over
the next eight years, 25 academy players would be given first-team debuts.
Following
the departure of Roberto Martínez as Everton manager in 2016, Unsworth,
alongside Joe Royle, took charge of the final game of the season, beating
Norwich City 3-0.
Just
over a year later, he stepped into the Goodison Park hot-seat once again,
overseeing eight matches after the departure of Ronald Koeman, before returning
to the under-23s following the appointment of Sam Allardyce.
On
the appointment of Unsworth, Latics CEO Darren Royle said: “On behalf of the
Board of Directors, staff and supporters, we would like to welcome David to
Boundary Park.
“To
have secured a manager of David’s standing in the game is a hugely exciting
step forward for our club. He is a coach who is held in great esteem and has a
marvellous track record for developing young players, which is crucial to our
future strategy.
“David
brings with him a real winning mentality. He will be key to developing our
players and that will ultimately help us win more football matches, aligning
with our Purpose and what we stand for as a club”.
|