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Following Ronald Koeman’s sacking in October last year, Evertonians and the media alike pondered a host of names to take the Goodison hot-seat.

Some of the names were exciting, if not a little ambitious, while others were familiar names that have been linked with Everton time-and-time again.

Everton eventually decided on Sam Allardyce in an effort to consolidate their Premier League status.

With his future looking increasingly uncertain, here is a look at how the other candidates have fared since the former England boss' appointment.

Marco Silva

Marca Silva has consistently been the bookies favourite to take the Everton job since Ronald Koeman departed the club. That still stands now, Silva is without a club since being sacked from Watford in January.

Silva, 40, had a great start to life at Watford. At the time of Koeman’s sacking, Watford sat sixth in the Premier League and had only lost two games from their opening nine fixtures. An apparent approach from the Everton hierarchy followed and Watford subsequently went on a run of just three wins in 13 games.

Silva was sacked on January 21 and the Hornets made it no secret that they held Everton’s approach accountable for Silva’s downturn in form.

Paulo Fonseca

When Fonseca was linked with the a move to the Everton dugout, his Shakthar Donetsk side were in a commanding position in the Ukrainian Premier League.

Seven months on, nothing has changed.

Shakthar secured their 11th domestic title with a 1-0 win over Veres Rivne at the weekend, completing an impressive double after a 2-0 win over their arch rivals Dynamo Kiev in the Ukrainian Cup final.

They also have the privilege of taking their title-party to Kiev this weekend for the final game of the season.

(Image: GENYA SAVILOV/AFP/Getty Images)

Fonseca’s stock has risen significantly over the recent months with his attacking, midfield-overload style working to great effect for the Donbass side. He is one of the front runners to be the next Everton manager with odds of 9/4.

Given his success has largely been in smaller leagues, Fonseca could be seen as a big gamble. However, if he can get his dominating style of play right in the Premier League, the new ‘golden era’ that Farhad Moshiri promises could take off quicker than a NASA rocket to the moon.

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Sean Dyche

It is rumoured that Everton had a move for Dyche rebuffed before they settled on Sam Allardyce in November. Unlike Marco Silva, this approach has done nothing to slow down Dyche and his Burnley side.

The Clarets were tipped for relegation at the start of the season but Dyche has led them to an incredible seventh-placed finish in the Premier League, the Europa League awaits them next season.

He also signed a new deal at Turf Moor in January, which runs until 2022.

(Image: Dave Thompson/PA Wire)

Eddie Howe

Since Bournemouth’s miraculous promotion to the Premier League, Eddie Howe’s remit has always been survival. On the weekend of Koeman’s final game in charge at Everton, Bournemouth sat in precarious 19th position with just seven points from nine games.

However, the boyhood Blue has yet again delivered the goods. Bournemouth have finished the season in a comfortable 11th place on 44 points. They beat Everton on the South Coast this season, have beaten Arsenal at the Vitality Stadium and have an impressive 3-0 away victory over Chelsea to their name as well.

His name is one that continues to be mentioned on fan forums as a young, exciting manager to inject new life-blood into Everton, and he has admirers in the club hierarchy.

David Unsworth

David Unsworth was appointed as caretaker manager following Koeman’s sacking earlier this season. He was a popular choice, given his success with Everton’s Academy side.

Unfortunately, things did not improve under his care. Everton won just two of their eight games with Unsworth at the helm and some absolute horror shows, namely Atalanta at home and Southampton away, shocked Everton into appointing Sam Allardyce.

Unsworth is back in charge of the Everton Academy side, with his young Blues finishing eighth in the PL2 table, and remains well-loved at the club.

(Image: Adam Pretty/Bongarts/Getty Images)

Carlo Ancelotti

One of the much more ambitious names to be talked up for the Everton role, Carlo Ancelotti still remains without a job following his sacking from Bayern Munich.

Ancelotti is a serial winner and would probably be the biggest statement of intent the club has ever made if they were to pull it off.

However, the 58-year-old Italian is being linked with Chelsea and Arsenal, amongst others.

Diego Simeone

Hands down the most ambitious name that fans were throwing up, and there was thought to be genuine interest in a potential deal.

Diego Simeone’s time at Atletico Madrid has been, and continues to be, revolutionary.

Atletico sit second in the La Liga table and look certain to finish above their rivals Real Madrid. They also look set to add another Europa League title to their cabinet, Los Rojiblancos are strong favorites to beat Marseille in Wednesday night’s showpiece final in Lyon.

Rumours of Simeone’s discontent are fueling speculation of a move for the Argentinian mastermind, although that move would unlikely be Goodison.

There will still be some fans willing to splash out on a 40/1 bet though.