Everton fans will swoon as Duncan Ferguson waxes lyrical over Toffees greats inspiring new Scotland job

Everton legend Duncan Ferguson hopes to channel Toffees heroes Walter Smith and Howard Kendell to help get new Scottish Championship side Inverness Caledonian Thistle back into the Premiership.

The former striker was appointed manager of the side this week after a spell at Forest Green Rovers last term, which culminated in the side's relegation from League One.

Ferguson has worked under some of the sport's managerial greats, both as a physical striker and charismatic coach and has opened up about what he has learnt over the years that will help him over the border.

The manager played under the late Walter Smith at both Rangers and Everton during his career and the Scottish legend's name was the first to roll off Ferguson's tongue when citing influences. He told the Daily Record: “Right away, you think Scotland and the great man himself, Walter Smith, God bless him. What a fantastic guy. Everybody loved him and he was idolised.

"I still get emotional talking about him because he was a great fella. He was a great manager who did wonderful things for Rangers. He was a wee bit unlucky at Everton. He was a great manager and everybody loved him. He was certainly one who sticks right out in my mind.”

During his years coaching at Goodison Park, Ferguson worked with respected Premier League managers Roberto Martinez, Rafa Benitez and Ronald Koeman but it was the revered Howard Kendall who left the biggest lasting impact on the physical talisman. The former Toffees boss won two league titles, a European Cup Winners’ Cup and FA Cup while on Merseyside, also giving Ferguson the captain's armband.

Ferguson said: “Howard Kendall was basically my mentor. He made me captain of Everton which was a big thing and we just avoided relegation. "Those two (Kendall and Smith) definitely stick in my mind as man-managers and people, while also being top tacticians. They were good people, you’d run through a brick wall and die for them.”

Ferguson will carry forth the lessons learnt from the game's greats but is also determined to leave his own legacy at the Caledonian Stadium. The side sit rock bottom of the Championship with five losses and a draw this season having managed a mid-table sixth-place season last time out.

The former Everton star will oversee his first fixture on Saturday when the side travel to Arbroath.