Faddy: Was he really given a fair crack?

Having looked at his stats I feel they are a bit misleading. The media have him as making 139 appearances for Everton netting only 18 goals. Now for a striker this isn?t a good record at all; however, of these, Faddy started only 79 games. Of those he started, he actually only finished 21 league games thereby further decreasing his playing time. With these 79 starts, he netted 18 goals for us with only I think that cracker vs Charlton Athletic coming from the substitutes bench. This equates to just under a goal every four games. Take into account the amount of times he?s been played out on the wing also (and many of them bizarrely the right wing) I don?t think that?s a bad tally at all.

My main gripe is that he?s never really been given a decent run of games. When he signed in August 2003 he was only 19 so perhaps a big run of games wouldn?t have been too beneficial for him at that tender age and so bringing him in gently may not have been a bad move anyway. That said, the team did so badly that year it was perhaps no surprise he seemed to lose his way a little bit then. Anyway, that season his consecutive appearances record amounted to just four games, none of which he finished, and no goals scored, although he wasn?t given a crack up front until late in the season when I recall he excelled against Spurs.

The 2004-05 season saw him have an even lower run of consecutive games although the team did so fantastically well that year it was easy to see why. I reckon his confidence was pretty damaged that year as well though. I remember early on in the campaign he was through on goal against Middlesbrough from the half way line. He ran into the box and tried to round Mark Schwarzer, only for the Aussie to jump on the ball at his feet. I remember the groans from the crowd and the image of Faddy with his hand over his mouth now. He never seemed to get going again that season, although with nasty rumours circulating about his private life and the crowd resultingly getting on his back it was easy to see why. Still at 20/21 years old you could still see a bright future for the boy.

His biggest run of games came at the tail end of the 2005-06 season when, with safety more than secured and any chances of silverware long since frittered away, Everton had their then traditional end-of-season slump. Faddy nabbed himself a run of games, starting 11 in total, 6 of which he finished, netting four goals ? not a bad return of more than 1 in 3. This included some crackers too, notably a 30-yard screamer against Fulham, a 20-yard snap shot against Villa and a very clever lob away at Middlesborough. This was a better return than anyone else in these games but at the start of the next season he again found himself starting from the substitutes bench?and that has been the way since.

He signed a new contract that summer, I think on the premise that he was to primarily be used as a striker as Moyes played him up there a lot more often since. It always seemed to be the same old story for Faddy however, particularly over the last 18 months. He?d come in and do well, but then still be dropped next game. He?d come on and do well, but then still not start the next game. Sometimes when he scored, he?d play again the next game but it almost seemed the case of that if he didn?t score again next game, he?d get dropped again. Almost as if he was on a hiding to nothing no matter what. Sections of the crowd have never taken to him either which hasn?t helped.

I think his mind was made up this season. I remember him scoring a neat goal at home to Blackburn Rovers only to be benched for the next game at Bolton to accommodate new signing Yakubu. Shortly after he was away with Scotland attaining hero status, only to come back and be benched again. Even this season he had a run of four games, scoring 3 goals (OK, two against then bottom of the Championship Sheff Wed but one hugely important one against Metalist Kharkiv) and he?s dropped again.

Also, all this without a settled strike partner. You may point out that we often play one up front but he never really got the opportunity to do that with us either; I don?t see why not ? it seems to work with Scotland.

I?m just a bit disappointed that someone I believe could have been quite special has been allowed to leave without really being given a fair crack of the whip, and I feel that with better management, this really could have been the case. This isn?t a big dig at Moyes ? I love Moyes as much as anyone. I just feel this is one which could have been handled a bit better.

Best of luck Faddy. I hope things work out well.

Reader Comments

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer