David Unsworth has warned Everton’s under-23 stars they must improve if they are to earn a Football League loan move before the end of the transfer window.
The reigning Premier League 2 champions started the defence of their title with a goalless draw against Leicester at Southport last week and Unsworth was unhappy with the performance.
The former caretaker manager confirmed last month that Morgan Feeney, Antony Evans and Fraser Hornby could all leave while Callum Connolly and Beni Baningime, who both featured against the Foxes, also have first-team experience.
League One and League Two clubs have until the end of August to complete their transfer business but Unsworth told the ECHO his players must ‘step up’ to earn a move.
“It’s nothing to do with me, I don’t get involved in that,” he replied when asked if senior players like Connolly were disappointed not to earn a Championship loan in the summer.
“The players are there at my disposal and whatever players are left we always pick the strongest team we can.
“If any managers are looking at that performance [against Leicester] there’s not many players who will get a loan.
“They need to step up. Okay, it’s the first game of the season but it’s a bit of a reality check.”
Ellis Simms and Einar Iversen were both in the stands last week and once against missed out as Everton contested their second consecutive goalless draw against Wolves on Sunday with the pair involved in under-19 Otten Cup action in Holland.
The manager admits his team could change again before the end of the month but confirmed Simms is still coming to terms with under-23 football after stepping up from Paul Tait’s under-18s.
“I have no idea what it will be by the end of the Football League window but whatever group we have most players will come into our thinking,” Unsworth added.
“They’ve taken a little bit of time to get up to speed but that’s a work in progress because they’re young players. We’ll see how that develops over the course of the season.”
