Australian youth international Ouzounidis has been an ever-present for the young Blues so far this season. having played every minute of Premier League 2 football for Unsworth’s side.

 

Unsworth plied his trade at left-back and centre-back for Everton during his playing days and now works with the young centre-backs in the Under-23s set up, imparting the knowledge he garnered from a professional football career that spanned two decades.

 

 

Ouzounidis revealed the defensive part of his game has massively grown under Unsworth’s tutelage, with the 21-year-old stressing that his positional sense and one on one defending has improved leaps and bounds since he started sharing the training pitch with the Under-23s boss.

 

Although delighted by the progress he has made so far, Ouzounidis is still banking in on Unsworth’s vast experience of rising through the ranks at Goodison Park to better himself every day and emulate his boss’ success at the top level.

 

 

“The defensive part of my game has improved so much working with Unsy [Unsworth]”, Ouzounidis told Everton’s official site.

 

“With what he has done in his career as a footballer, the knowledge he has is fantastic.

 

 

“I think my one-v-one defending has got a lot better.

 

“Also, my understanding of the game. I am putting myself in better positions, saving myself an extra 20-yard run by knowing where I need to be in certain situations.

 

“That comes with experience, reading the game better and knowing where passes are going to try to intercept them.

 

“Hopefully Unsy can keep improving me because I still have a lot of areas I can develop.”

 

Ouzounidis will hope to kick on his development under Unsworth and possibly catch the eye of Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti, who has looked to the youth ranks at Goodison Park to add depth to the senior squad.