The Mail Bag
Alan Smith
Comments (66)
It looks increasingly more likely that Alan Smith will be joining us for a cut price (anything between £1.5M - £3M) as papers would report! Just wondering that although Smith is traditionally a striker, recently he has been used in the defensive role in midfield. So... is this a Carsley replacement or a Johnson replacement, or dare I say it an economical replacement to cover both absentees if and when needed!!??
Adam Williams, Posted 07/08/2008 at 11:59:45
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
The speculation surrounding Alan Smiths seems to have been met with mostly dissapointment. I think it could wee be another shrewd Moyes signing. You have to remember his record as a Leeds player - when he moved to Man Utd they were the best team in the land and still are so he was a level behind there.
At Newcastle he has not done anything but no one at Newcastle ever does (There is only injury prone Michael Owen) who would prob get close to Evertons starting line up at the moment), But Smith is versatile how Moyes likes them and only 27. I don't see why he cant adopt a role like Cahill's until he is fit (same stature same work rate) and then he will be a useful squad player. And for £1.5 to £2.0m there is no gamble at all. Any Suggestions????
Alan Smith is one of those players that you hate when he plays for another club. He?s mouthy, aggressive and come across as a bit of a gobshite really.
However, I feel that he does always give 100% and would be a useful addition to the squad.
I just hope that if we do sign him the club don?t try to make more of it than it actually is. He would be a useful addition but certainly not a major signing.
However, I feel that he does always give 100% and would be a useful addition to the squad.
I just hope that if we do sign him the club don?t try to make more of it than it actually is. He would be a useful addition but certainly not a major signing.
I work for the Chron and the sources are merely the Liverpool Echo website. We are part of the same paper group,
Far from a done deal yet...
Far from a done deal yet...
I also think that smith would be a good squad player providing we dont pay more than 2 million for him. he is no way good enough for our starting 11 with everyone fit, but he works his socks off when he does play, and play in behind the yak, or in midfield. Looking at the size of our squad, i think this could be a super bit of business by moyes.......providing the price is no more than 2 million.
No offer made yet. Keegan said last night he isnt going. We won't get him on a cut price cause the manager doesn't wish to sell him. £4 million if any. Personally I don't think we will see him play for us.
Who’s Arnold Trescott?
Please please please let it be true, as a Toon fan I cannot wait for the club to offload this waster, he should be done for impersonating a footballer and we pay him about 60k per week as well.
SHOCKING!
SHOCKING!
Right back!
(cough)
(cough)
This one I am a bit confused about.
Where have the rumours come from?
Does Moyes want a player who has done nothing really special for his previous 2 clubs?
Do Necastle, a club with very few players, want to sell him?
Does Alan Smith, a player on a ridiculous wage, want to take a pay cut?
I am also confused as to whether I would want him. I think a deal at £2-£4million would be great business if his wages were right, but then again, where would he play.
I don’t think he is half the player Carsley was, I don’t think he can rival the Yak for goals (In fact I know he can’t and I don’t think Moyes will play a 4-4-2.
I see him as a decent squad player but not a regular first team starter compared to what we have but I suppose we need numbers in case of injury and suspension.
Yeah, get him signed if we can, he won’t do us any harm!!!!
Where have the rumours come from?
Does Moyes want a player who has done nothing really special for his previous 2 clubs?
Do Necastle, a club with very few players, want to sell him?
Does Alan Smith, a player on a ridiculous wage, want to take a pay cut?
I am also confused as to whether I would want him. I think a deal at £2-£4million would be great business if his wages were right, but then again, where would he play.
I don’t think he is half the player Carsley was, I don’t think he can rival the Yak for goals (In fact I know he can’t and I don’t think Moyes will play a 4-4-2.
I see him as a decent squad player but not a regular first team starter compared to what we have but I suppose we need numbers in case of injury and suspension.
Yeah, get him signed if we can, he won’t do us any harm!!!!
There’s no way we’d pay him anywhere near that! No more than 25k a week, he won’t want to take such a pay cut so we won’t get him!
If we did sign him it would be like having a new signing...
Personally I’d be over the moon to get him at £1.5-£3m. Banged in goals at Leeds and also at the start of his Man Utd career before injury and Rooney came along. Trouble is, he’s being regarded as useless because of goals per appearances but how many games did he start in midfield? or start in attack only to be told to drop back?
27 yrs old, all that experience, versatility (albeit in limited ability in midfield) and for that price can’t be bad IMO.
27 yrs old, all that experience, versatility (albeit in limited ability in midfield) and for that price can’t be bad IMO.
Think would be good signing but as a cover striker definitley not as a replacement for Carsley he’s shit in midfield. Lets hope we see a few arrivals in the next week.
His confidence wasnt great before that injury at Liverpool, but Alex Ferguson trying to make him ’the new Roy Keane’ in midfield wouldnt have done him much good either (basically sayin he is a crap striker) I think he is a good 2nd striker playing just off the main guy, bit like Cahill.
No, no, no, no, no... please god no.
This must be a nightmare. Someone wake me up and tell me we’re not signing this injury-prone, washed-up, ill-tempered, under-achieving, has-been.
He was the twin England strike partner of Francis Jeffers in his youth and has followed the same career path ever since: consistently downwards.
Not an Everton player in any sense. I pray we don’t buy him.
This must be a nightmare. Someone wake me up and tell me we’re not signing this injury-prone, washed-up, ill-tempered, under-achieving, has-been.
He was the twin England strike partner of Francis Jeffers in his youth and has followed the same career path ever since: consistently downwards.
Not an Everton player in any sense. I pray we don’t buy him.
I agree with Robbie Kirkham - he should revert to striker, not midfield. He’s more effective when battling with centre halves than running around in midfield. Anything between 2 and 4 million would be good business. It’s a gamble because he hasn’t done much at NU after that terrible injury he had at United, but before that he was a valued member of the United squad. If he could get back to some of the form he showed at Leeds we’d have a bargain.
p.s. I also think he’s a gobby little so and so, but he’s the type of player fans love to see at their own club . I have no doubt the fans would take to him when they saw him running around giving his all in a blue shirt...
p.s. I also think he’s a gobby little so and so, but he’s the type of player fans love to see at their own club . I have no doubt the fans would take to him when they saw him running around giving his all in a blue shirt...
Picture the scene, guys....Alan Smith signs for us for a nominal amount and cuts his wages by 50% - what an achievement for EFC. He plays in the Derby and gets his revenge for that broken leg, that all the Liverpool supporters cheered about when he was stretchered off the field, by getting a crucial winning goal for EFC in both Derby games. Now.....that’s what I would like to see.
I see the OS is closed for maintenence!
Could this mean they could have brekaing news to be loaded on ??
I am not the best when it comes to computers so I may be getting my hopes well & truly up !
Could this mean they could have brekaing news to be loaded on ??
I am not the best when it comes to computers so I may be getting my hopes well & truly up !
Patty, thiers no chance of him getting any goals he palyed 37 games andd scored fuck all last season, its an absoulte disgarce if we sign him, AJ was twice a player that he is and even he could’nt get us up another level, we want to go forward not back.
Terry, I’m afraid you dont need to take a website down to upload any updates so I’d imagine its just routine maintenance as it states - either that or its been hijacked by Wyness and he’s holding it to ransom.
He’d be an alright signing if he got shut of that silly dyed hair do.
I think its good bit of thinking by Moyes a player who can fill a couple of positions for the price of 1, he likes his versitle players. I really liked Smith at Leeds especially in his final season there when i thought he was spectacular in such a poor side. He and Viduka were like a 2 man team. He doesnt score enough goals for me as a forward but is always a handfull. I just dont think hes the same player he was since he broke his ankle at Man U, but if Moyes can get the Smith of Leeds then he could be an excelent signing.
I think if we’d of already signed 3 or 4 quality players who’ll improve the team/squad this news wouldn’t be so bad, as we’d know it’d simply be to bolster the squad with a fairly cheap signing.
But because it may be our first signing of the summer with only 9 days before the season starts there’s a possibility that he’ll be one of our MAIN signings!
But because it may be our first signing of the summer with only 9 days before the season starts there’s a possibility that he’ll be one of our MAIN signings!
According to some bloke on Sky Sports News, Brian Swanson i think is name was, despite what Kevin Keegan said last night after Newcastle’s game vs. PSV, Alan Smith could and probably will sign for Everton within the next couple of days, news coming out of Merseyside is that Smith as travelled down for talks and to tie up the deal before the weekend or over the weekend at latest! as a squad player and for £2m as were lead to belive then he would be a decent signing but he’s not the big exciting 1st signing i was hoping for (Moutinho)!!, hopefully after this one the rest will follow, i wonder if Moyesy has brought Smith in to start the season in the Carsley role until he brings in a proper replacement before the deadline passes?!
OS Maintenance.
Suspence is killing..
Ok, bit of sarcasm.
Triple whammy announcement?
Fernandes / Moutinho & Smith?
Ok, dreaming a lil too much.
Back to negative talk. Cue you guys ;)
Suspence is killing..
Ok, bit of sarcasm.
Triple whammy announcement?
Fernandes / Moutinho & Smith?
Ok, dreaming a lil too much.
Back to negative talk. Cue you guys ;)
I think the website has been sold to balance the books. ;)
Seriously though, I think Alan Smith for a few million is good business.
I’d hope Moyes would play him up front as a foil for the Yak, and although he probably aint gonna get 20 goals per season I think he would do better than his last few seasons have suggested. His workrate is similar to Johnsons and he has a much greater physical presence so I think he might be more effective.
To those who criticise him, hes been played largely out of position, so he’ll never have been able to play to the best of his ability. Think about jags; how many of us would’ve sold him for a million quid on the basis of his performances in midfield? Superb defender though.
Same with AJ and thierry henry when they were both wingers at birmingham and Juventus respectively. When moved to a different role they both were like different animals.
Seriously though, I think Alan Smith for a few million is good business.
I’d hope Moyes would play him up front as a foil for the Yak, and although he probably aint gonna get 20 goals per season I think he would do better than his last few seasons have suggested. His workrate is similar to Johnsons and he has a much greater physical presence so I think he might be more effective.
To those who criticise him, hes been played largely out of position, so he’ll never have been able to play to the best of his ability. Think about jags; how many of us would’ve sold him for a million quid on the basis of his performances in midfield? Superb defender though.
Same with AJ and thierry henry when they were both wingers at birmingham and Juventus respectively. When moved to a different role they both were like different animals.
Watch this space !!!
It’ll be like like a new signing !!!
I still want 5-6 players!
Its official Smith has had a medical at Everton today. THANKYOU Everton :D
Well I say official thats just me getting my hopes up, but a lot of the media seem to think he has been in for a medical.
I think a good guide to how good a signing he will be for Everton is to look at the reaction of the Newcastle fans, we are all chuffed to bits, I do not know 1 fan that is sad to see him go..
Well I say official thats just me getting my hopes up, but a lot of the media seem to think he has been in for a medical.
I think a good guide to how good a signing he will be for Everton is to look at the reaction of the Newcastle fans, we are all chuffed to bits, I do not know 1 fan that is sad to see him go..
I wonder if Alan would like to come & play Go Karting with me !!!
i can see it now - Our central midfield partnership v Blackburn = Neville & Smith!
i can’t wait for all those cultured thru-balls, thats if they can control the ball in the first place!
i can’t wait for all those cultured thru-balls, thats if they can control the ball in the first place!
With Smudger able to play in 2 or 3 positions,Davey only needs one more signing-the man’s a bloody genius!
Skirge Toon - Go back to your own site eh fella & hallucinate about being a BIG club with that nutter Keegan, We’re trying to hold a wake on here.
Oh and put your bloody shirt on !
Oh and put your bloody shirt on !
Skirge, obviously you see a lot more of him than us, but I get the impression when I’ve seen him on tele, that he just wants to start kicking off, he always seems to be looking for trouble, what do you think?
alan smith has passed his medical and will be unvailed tomorrow, i work as a barber in town and have just cut the doctors hair that done his medical for him
Cant see what some people are complaining about. He’s a good player, we have a small squad, what seems little a small transfer budget and we’re getting him at a good price. I dont think he’s being bought to replace Caersley or Johnson, just to bulk up our squad.
Would be happy to see him at Goodison for that price.
Would be happy to see him at Goodison for that price.
A good buy for the money in my opinion.He’s tenacious, a good finnisher and can be a right bastard to the opposition.Just what we need to go alongside the class of Arteta.
For 3 mil or so, it will be a very good buy I think.
For 3 mil or so, it will be a very good buy I think.
I’m out of work & going to be free most Saturdays, any chance of a trial as I really wanted to be a footballer.
Lets let bygones be bygones eh, Please fella’s I’m skint !
Lets let bygones be bygones eh, Please fella’s I’m skint !
Brian Waring - Yeah seen lots of him and he is a disgrace of a footballer, his temper may not be as bad as it used to be but forget about that just his ability as a player is very very poor. To call him a striker is an insult to strikers, he is NOT a goal scorer at all. He may work hard okay but there are thousands of lads that would run their butts off for their club without being any good at football...I am not here on a wind up, this is very good news for us and I really hope he does leave, who knows he may find some form at Everton sometimes a change of club is all a player needs.
Whenever we buy a player, there’s always some supporters that try and make out we’re doing them a favour. The Boro supporters were doing that last year with the Yak, now who’s laughing?!
I think Smith still has something to offer, this kind of deal is a Moyes specialty, a player that was once good, lost form and needs a fresh start to prove people wrong. We’ve seen it before with Arteta, Pienaar and Howard, who were all on the scrapheap before we picked them up.
I think Smith still has something to offer, this kind of deal is a Moyes specialty, a player that was once good, lost form and needs a fresh start to prove people wrong. We’ve seen it before with Arteta, Pienaar and Howard, who were all on the scrapheap before we picked them up.
I am a really mild mannered person,but playing in the shite underachieving team that is the barcodes may try my temper to.No disrespect to the supporters,you deserve more.I would like to see Smith play for us personally.
Why are people settling for a signing like Smith ??? If he costs £3 mil..it will be £3 mil off the money we would have for a top signing like Moutinho. Smith is sliding down the clubs..he peaked at Leeds and had a few good games for UTD then Newcastle where he has done nothing..Its like Beattie for Gods sake..he was on the bench at SOUTHAMPTON when we paid a lot of money for him..we are getting the ’Yozzer Hughes’s’ of the league and thats why we are a laughing stock...why dont we buy Savage and maybe bring Unsworth back...we need to go forward not backwards..I would only accept Smith if he was one of five players coming to the club...including one big signing like Moutinho. Surely he isn’t one of the QUALITY players DM was talking about..the whole thing smacks of desperation and Im not going along with anything positive anbout it...its retrograde and a further shameful move by this bloody management we have. Some clown even put Gazza in his best ever EFC team...the mind absolutely boggles..how can anyone call Benitez for being a stupid Spanish waiter after all this...we are running a transport cafe by comparison. If the BK brigade dont come up with decent signings then Im not going to watch them until they do...no wonder we cant attract top players.
Oh Shit, knowing Moyes I’ve got competition for my position.
How do you think I feel Tony, anyway he will be like a new signing, I promise you me and him will be brilliant in Centre Midfield (Cue the Dread)
I don?t want to enter into stadium debate, Kenwright debate, no signings debate, David Moyes going debate because they are all completely fatuous. I would just like to say I am really sorry to hear that Andrew Johnson has left the club. To me he is a true Everton player nil satis etc. His effort, character, commitment and personality have been exemplary. What more than he has given could you want from an Everton player?
AJ I doubt you will read this but know that at least one bluenose will miss you mightily.
AJ I doubt you will read this but know that at least one bluenose will miss you mightily.
So what happened to only going for players who can add to the quality in the squad? I don’t think Moyes was telling porkies when he makes such statements, I just feel for him - he’s clearly having to downscale. Oh, I suppose he could be having a ’Simon Davies’ moment and not realising how poor the player in question actually is...
Either way, not good
Either way, not good
Andy Morden - He was just using the Orwellian ’ Doublespeak’ ( saying the opposite of what is true ) that we all do at goodison.
Do you remember me saying ’ The club has ambition and that if it didn’t I’d be the first to leave ’.
Well it has none ( whoops ) but I’ve still signed a four year deal.
Best of all I’ll now get to play in 5-6 new positions.
Do you remember me saying ’ The club has ambition and that if it didn’t I’d be the first to leave ’.
Well it has none ( whoops ) but I’ve still signed a four year deal.
Best of all I’ll now get to play in 5-6 new positions.
Anyone with the name Alan is fine with me. I would one day like to see an Everton team full of Alans.
I also heard Alan Smith is a big fan of Girls Aloud especially the blonde one from Stockport.
I also heard Alan Smith is a big fan of Girls Aloud especially the blonde one from Stockport.
I have been reading your comments the last couple of weeks, great laugh! Just tell me 2 things how much money does Everton have for transfers and who the hell are we getting in!!!!!
Just had a sneaky peek at Moutinho’s Wikipedia and it had this on it - "In summer 2008 Moutinho made public his desire to leave Sporting as the club turned down a ?15m bid from English Premier League side Everton.. This was reiterated by Everton chairman Bill Kenwright who claimed the young midfielder was still one of the club’s principal targets. On the 7th August it was then said that the club (Everton) had upped their bid. It was then said that he will sign on the 10th August 2008 for £16M On a five year deal worth over £65,000 per week." i wonder if someone’s being a little bit mischievous and added this on his wikipedia page trying to get us Evertonians hopes up or is there more to it, the bit about the wages makes me a bit suspicious but i’d love it to be true though?!!
At this rate we could see the return of Duncan Ferguson for 1 last season!!!
All this talk of Smith being a good squad player...we need to sign him just to get 11 on the pitch.
Seriously, though, doesn’t the number of available substitutes increase to 5 the upcoming season? (another nod to the Sky 4 and their hordes of players)...I don’t know if we can fill the teamsheet with players of legal drinking age, and that is with no injuries.
Seriously, though, doesn’t the number of available substitutes increase to 5 the upcoming season? (another nod to the Sky 4 and their hordes of players)...I don’t know if we can fill the teamsheet with players of legal drinking age, and that is with no injuries.
Smith is being bought for the squad, he’s not going to get in the team unless he does the business for us, apart from the odd game here and there. It’s a win-win situation. If Moyesie can curb his gobby side, and remember we didn’t get a single booking for dissent last year, then we potentially have a very good squad player who played for England last year...
As Smith can play in 3 or 4 positions maybe he’ll be the 3 or 4 signings that we were promised.
I think Smithy would be a great buy if its around the 2m mark.
We all know that Newcastle are a shambles of a club and that with Moyes and his team its a totally different story. Alex Ferguson, the greatest manager of our generation, thought he was a very good player at Man Utd so I can’t see why people think 2m is a bad deal for a player with his talent. Nugent was bought for 6m, Johnson has just gone for 12.5 and Jo has signed for City for 18m so 2M for an England international is a great buy.
If he turns out to be shite then I am sure we can sell him to one of the promoted teams next season for around 2m but let?s give the lad a chance...if he actually signs that is!!
We all know that Newcastle are a shambles of a club and that with Moyes and his team its a totally different story. Alex Ferguson, the greatest manager of our generation, thought he was a very good player at Man Utd so I can’t see why people think 2m is a bad deal for a player with his talent. Nugent was bought for 6m, Johnson has just gone for 12.5 and Jo has signed for City for 18m so 2M for an England international is a great buy.
If he turns out to be shite then I am sure we can sell him to one of the promoted teams next season for around 2m but let?s give the lad a chance...if he actually signs that is!!
Duncan Ferguson Mk II
Should we need steel up front or in the middle we can put him on. Lost count of how many times our midfield got run over by the big boys last season. I’m not a violent person myself but sometimes we need to flash some studs around. Fucking pussying around in midfield this lot. Got run over at Anfield. Where’s the pride? No wonder Peter Reid’s all grey now.
Should we need steel up front or in the middle we can put him on. Lost count of how many times our midfield got run over by the big boys last season. I’m not a violent person myself but sometimes we need to flash some studs around. Fucking pussying around in midfield this lot. Got run over at Anfield. Where’s the pride? No wonder Peter Reid’s all grey now.
If ?? Moyes can get him, injury free, fit and playing as a striker, you will all be hailing Moysie as a genius in the transfer market.Admittedly Smith has lost his way, but dont forget as a younger player at Leeds he was a right handful, the type defenders hate playing against and he is totally commited, Utd dont buy bad players so Sir Alex must have seen something in him.
I think an absolute steal and could be the buy of the season
I think an absolute steal and could be the buy of the season
Martin
If utd dont buy bad players , shall we throw a bid in for djemba djemba and kleberson they both play in midfield
I’l accept smith because moyes thinks he’s a good player not because alex ferguson says so. IMO our manager is second only to wenger in terms of transfer dealing
If utd dont buy bad players , shall we throw a bid in for djemba djemba and kleberson they both play in midfield
I’l accept smith because moyes thinks he’s a good player not because alex ferguson says so. IMO our manager is second only to wenger in terms of transfer dealing
A cant remember how many times last season i or someone near me wished for a bit of a hard man up front to rumble up the opposition defenders. Smith wont get knocked off the ball and if him and Cahill were in the same side i think those sort of lads can lift the team and put some Dogs of War spirit back in the team. Im not talking about playing that style again, just some fucking fight!!
He’ll be orite as back up, but the thing is we need a striker with ace to replace Johnson, we still need a good defensive centre mid and a classy midfielder (Moutinho or Fernandes). Ideally we need a good right back and another wide player, but I can’t see that happening, Arteta will have to be used outwide again and if he gets injured Osman will be moved there, we could do with a natural winger, but the only one we’ve got is VDM. Also, I was interested to hear that Matteo Ferrari is out of contract and available on a free, we’re probably orite for centre backs at the moment but he wasn’t a bad player, he could provide quality cover at centre back for Jags, Yobo and Lescott and would probably do a better job at right back than Neville. Just a thought, I can’t see Moyes going in for him, but it’d be interesting to see where he goes.
pace
If Smithy can recapture anything like his old form for Leeds and Eary Man United days it could be a good piece of buisness, especially as were low on numbers up front, If anyone can get the best out of him Moyes can. COYB
What a load of crap...
?If he recaptures his best form for Leeds...??!?
WTF!
He was average then and has been on a downward spiral since...
I for one am sick of these fucking Man U rejects filling there boots at EFC (ok, besides Tim Howard), I will be fucking ashamed to be a blue if we sign this prize yorkshire-haired twat ((c) M. O?Brien)
Let him die, let him die, let him die... but not at Goodison PLEASE!
?If he recaptures his best form for Leeds...??!?
WTF!
He was average then and has been on a downward spiral since...
I for one am sick of these fucking Man U rejects filling there boots at EFC (ok, besides Tim Howard), I will be fucking ashamed to be a blue if we sign this prize yorkshire-haired twat ((c) M. O?Brien)
Let him die, let him die, let him die... but not at Goodison PLEASE!
I have been reading with interest over the last few weeks peoples opinions on this site, especially where transfers are concerned. Given the lack of them, except for the outgoings, and our ever decreasing numbers. The will we, won't we sign anyone.... be it Moutino or whomever.
I think that since AJ has now gone to Fulham, we will sign a player, and one as a direct replacement. That is Smith, just as long as we can get him to agree to a pay cut to at most what AJ was on. Any other signings I do not see happening. Much as i would like to see 3-4 guys paraded on the website like we did when we signed Nige, McFadden et al. I just can't see it happening.
© ToffeeWeb
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
1 Posted 07/08/2008 at 14:32:11
Report abuse