COLUMNIST JIM HOURIGAN

Rhetoric, Allusion and Trust

Emotions are running high, positions are becoming polarised and an awful lot of statements alluding to be facts are being trotted out. Sadly what is missing with most of the views is some concrete evidence to support the views being put forward.

We can all allude to what might happen (and my god aren?t people trying!) ? Bully says our attendances will drop if we stay; others say they will drop if we move to Kirby ? sounds like we?re haemorrhaging supporters and whatever we do we will soon be seeing Everton with no fans.

Some say moving out of the city will see our demise as a club, others say that staying in the city will cause us financial ruin and ultimately destroy the club. Another view postulated as fact is that people will stop supporting Everton from within the city boundary and LFC will have a monopoly; others say supporting Everton is not an issue of postcodes and that the fanbase will increase because of a shiny new stadium in Kirkby.

Then the views about the ?proposed? stadium split along not very similar lines ? the concrete soulless bowl to the Legoland construction from Germany. Neither view apparently accepting that any new stadium is likely to be different unless of course they want a carbon copy of GP ? if so, why build a new stadium? New does mean different if for no other reason than building methods and materials have changed. But again, both views can?t be right.

Then we come to the really juicy bits ? money. Well do we have any or not? "Of course we don?t!" some say, "that?s why we need Tesco" ?and that?s really what it?s all about. "Not true" say others, "the money is there, it?s just badly managed and if used properly will allow us to build our own stadium in the city."

Options; what about options? "Where is Plan B?"
"We don?t have one and it's down to poor management."
"No it's not, it's down to the financial realities of the club."
"Well, what about those people running the club, no vision and no real understanding of what being an Evertonian means..."
"Rubbish" cry others, "they are running it as a business and ensuring the club is more financially stable."

Sadly, both views cannot be right. The only thing that is right is that no one really knows what the impact of moving or staying will be. We can speculate and theorise until the cows come home and until, and if, an independent analysis was done nobody is really sure. However, what has become so evident is that, no matter who says what, and even if it was independent, the other side would rubbish it as nonsense and counter with their own view of things. There are no real answers in this debate only emotions that show how passionate each of us are.

So how does the club move forward? Well, even the wisdom of Solomon would be tested. Damned if you do; damned if you don?t... Saviour or Assassin? Depends which side of the fence you sit on and what your role/voice means.

For me, I know what I want and I know what I believe would be right for Everton, but it?s only my opinion and opinions are cheap. Those charged with the decisions have an unenviable task of deciding and, for the first time in a long while, I have a degree of sympathy with some of our decision makers. Not because I respect their work but because I recognise the impossible decision they will have to take. Not even because I trust them (because I don?t) but I do recognise that their decisions will have an impact upon me for the rest of my life.

Do I trust them to make the right decision? I honestly don?t know but what I would like to believe is that whatever decision is taken is taken with honesty and with all the available facts at the time. Hindsight is a wonderful gift which we all possess, foresight is something many of us aspire to ? have our guardians got enough foresight or will we be left ruing the decisions in hindsight?

Make your decision and stick to it ?cos I?m damned sure everyone else will.

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