If you can't understand his adulation, you are either old enough and lucky enough to compare him to other genuine legends, too young to have been around in the 90s, or simply not paying attention when he was here.
He may not have had the best goalscoring record. He may not have played as often as he himself would've liked (which also affected said goals record). He may have let his emotions get the best of him at times and been sent off/suspended. All of this true.
But to people of a certain age, he was also the Ray of hope in a pretty turgid time for the club. He was a catalyst for some of our biggest moments in a dire period of our history.
He was larger than life, an enigma, a wildcard, and on his day was absolutely unplayable. He was actually a much better player than most people give him credit for, and has scored some of the best goals I've ever seen us score. He was a literal thorn in the sides of Liverpool and Man Utd at a time when we could otherwise have got nowhere near either of them. He led the team with a passion and a desire that most people watching could understand and relate to, and that most teams we faced would fear.
His injuries are well documented, but the way people dismiss them as though he decided to be injured so he could take a week off are way off the mark. To the contrary, he probably shortened his career and caused himself more lasting damage than necessary by playing when he shouldn't have, a recurring theme for many Everton players in the 90s.
If he wasn't your cup of tea, then so be it, but to me personally, he is and was my Everton hero, at a time when hero's where in short supply.
I was there when he scored his 1st ever goal for us in my 1st ever Derby with a towering header, bullying them the entire game with his trademark swagger and aggression.
I was there when he scored against Utd and ran right past us in the family enclosure, swinging his shirt above his head.
I was there on the day he showed up £15m Alan Shearer with a dominant man of the match performance, the 1st game in my season Ticket seat which I still have today.
I was there when Howard Kendall made him captain for the 1st time against Bolton and he led the line scoring his 1st hat trick, all headers.
I was there at the other Newcastle game the night he was secretly sold, and the next day, me and my mate left 6th form early to walk to Goodison and see if it was true that he had gone, before walking home, devastated, after finding out it was.
I was there when when he made his 2nd debut against Charlton, scoring twice after coming on as a late substitute.
I was there in 2005 when he pulled out another giant performance and another great goal to beat Man Utd on the way to us finishing 4th.
I was there when he scored his last goal in the last minute of his final game against West Brom.
And I will be there when he leads the team out as manager, just over 25 years since he 1st joined us on loan as we languished at the bottom of the table.
His performance and goal against Liverpool, the 1st game as manager for another famous Everton number 9, was the catalyst for a turn around in attitude and belief in a season that saw us climb the table to safety and win the FA Cup against all odds.
He may not have experience as a manager at the highest level, but nor did Guardiola when he took over at Barcelona, Zidane at Madrid, Mourinho at Benfica, or Brands former protege Philip Cocu at PSV. And more importantly, nor did Howard Kendall.
Experience is great sometimes. Sometimes it counts for nothing.
Everyone had to start somewhere, and sometimes, all you need is a spark.
Like him or loathe him, I genuinely believe Duncan loves the club and only wants what's best for Everton.
So let's just get behind him while he's in charge and try not to burden him with the same toxic atmosphere that has saw off so many before him.
