A former Premier League standout, Matthew Etherington, who now manages Colchester United, appeared dramatically different as he assumed his role on Tuesday. Some observant fans humorously noted his resemblance to Luciano Spaletti, the current coach of the Italian national team. Etherington was appointed as Colchester’s interim manager on Monday and oversaw his first match against Grimsby on Tuesday.
One fan quipped, “Matthew Etherington has taken charge of Colchester United. And has also somehow turned into Spaletti.” Despite the initial shock of his new look, Etherington enjoyed a successful start as his team secured a 3-2 victory over Grimsby at Blundell Park.
Colchester faced an unusual setback when they conceded a comical own goal early in the match. Defender Will Greenidge unintentionally directed a bouncing ball toward his own goalkeeper. However, due to the backpass rule, the goalkeeper, Goodman, couldn’t use his hands to catch the ball. In an attempt to control it, Goodman accidentally headed the ball backward and, realizing his mistake, swung wildly but missed the ball, allowing it to trickle into the net.
Matthew Etherington has taken charge of Colchester United. And has also somehow turned into Spaletti pic.twitter.com/ch4fFtlnaq
— COPA90 (@Copa90) October 24, 2023
Despite this early error, Colchester triumphed with a 3-2 win, climbing to 21st place in League Two. Etherington’s debut as a manager for Colchester was a success, having previously managed Crawley in 2022.
After the game, Etherington emphasized the importance of heart and desire in their victory, highlighting the team’s commitment with blocks, tackles, and effort. He defended the goalkeeper, Owen Goodman, regarding the first goal, explaining that it had taken a deflection and had considerable spin on the ball. Goodman redeemed himself with a brilliant save when the score was tied at 2-2, tipping the ball onto the post.
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