

After his retirement as a player in 1997, Brands has gone on to enjoy significant success in technical roles at Dutch sides RKC Waalwijk, AZ Alkmaar – where he won the title in 2008/09 – and, most recently, PSV, whom he joined in 2010.



After an eight-year spell at the Dutch club, Brands’ final season ended in Eredivisie glory, PSV securing their third title triumph in four seasons with a team half comprised of academy graduates.



With a view to the support of Evertonians, which to this point he has witnessed from afar, Brands emphasised the importance of Eindhoven’s fans in driving the side over the line last season and he insists that the significance of creating a bond between players and fans cannot be underestimated.



His focus now will be on that relationship at Goodison, with supporters having a key role to play as always in making the Grand Old Lady a fortress.



“That is very important,” he emphasised. “At PSV we had this year the championship game against Ajax on April 15 and when you came into the stadium that day and you saw the atmosphere you thought, ‘Okay, today PSV cannot lose.’ That is so important, that feeling.



“There is such an important interaction between the players on the pitch and the supporters and at Goodison this is made even more so because the fans are close to the pitch.



“That gives us something extra and if we can create that atmosphere every week then it will be vital. Everton has a good reputation, a good record with home games and that will continue to be something we strive even to make stronger still.”

Marcel Brands believes that settling in quickly on Merseyside will help him hit the ground running in his new role as Director of Football.The 56-year-old will officially join Everton from PSV Eindhoven on Friday and revealed that he and his wife, Kim, have already secured a house in the area.He praised the Club for assisting them in finding a new home – and says it is crucial to promptly lay down roots in the city.Brands insists he is determined to get stuck into work straight away at USM Finch Farm.“With the pressure on my time and in my job [at PSV] it was difficult to look for houses by myself, so my wife travelled twice to Merseyside and the Club was very helpful with Kim which was really great,” Brands told evertontv. “We have found a house, a perfect house, 20 minutes from Finch Farm and hopefully I can move in directly on June 1.“I think it is important for me to be in the area immediately because there is a lot of work to do, so then it is good to live in the area. My wife was shown around and she was very impressed with what the area has to offer and, for me, it’s really important to live there as soon as possible, in order to be close to work.”