Sam Allardyce takes first Everton training session before Huddersfield clash and insists he will use Wayne Rooney in a deeper position
- Sam Allardyce has taken his first training session as the new Everton manager
- The former England boss has said he will use Wayne Rooney in midfield
- Allardyce deployed Rooney in the same position in his sole England match
- Rooney hit a hat-trick in Everton's 4-0 win against West Ham from a similar role
Sam Allardyce has taken his first training session as the new Everton manager and insisted that he will deploy Wayne Rooney in a deeper position.
Allardyce, who signed a £6million-per-year contract at Goodison Park on Thursday after watching the Toffees thrash West Ham 4-0 the night before, retained Rooney as captain for his only game as England manager.
During the match against Slovakia he fielded him in central midfield, a controversial decision at the time and one swiftly reversed by new boss Gareth Southgate.
Sam Allardyce has insisted he will use Wayne Rooney in a deeper position in the coming weeks
Allardyce became the club's new manager on Thursday after signing a £6million-per-year deal
Rooney hit a memorable hat-trick in Everton's 4-0 win in midweek, from a similarly withdrawn role, and Allardyce confirmed that is where he would be used.
'There's no problem with him playing deep anymore, he's put that one to bed,' said the 63-year-old.
'You don't need to be a rocket scientist or a manager to know where he's going to be playing.
'It was an outstanding performance and Wayne has set his standard again. It was almost like the old Wayne Rooney, at Manchester United... he controlled the game.'
Allardyce took Everton training for the first time on Friday at the club's Finch Farm base
He could be seen preparing his players for their match against Huddersfield on Saturday
Allardyce begins his Everton tenure against Huddersfield at Goodison Park on Saturday and he shed some light on his decision to take charge of his seventh Premier League club, despite having formally retired after his stint at Crystal Palace.
Having admitted Everton might tempt him back he then appeared to withdraw from contention due to a lack of urgency from the club.
'From my point of view I expected it to be a little bit quicker and it wasn't,' he said.
'Everton was always going to be a temptation to come back out of retirement, to take up the challenge.
'I got offered more jobs when I said I'd retired than I've ever been offered in my life. Finally Everton came along and in the end it was done within 48 hours.'
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