ToffeeWeb - Season 2008-09

The Mail Bag

Loan signings will hold the key

With cashflow a major problem at Goodison these days, I suspect that David Moyes will have little more than the AJ money to actually use as down payments on players in this window. That should be just about enough to make one `major`signing and a couple of `Alan Smiths`whilst he, of course, knows as well as any of us that he desperately needs at least another four bodies to make up the sqad. For this reason I feel he will have no alternative but to go heavy on loan signings in the next few days, perhaps in the hope that some of these can be made permanent in time to come.

With money so tight, wages may be as big a problem as the upfront money for transfers but as with Gravesen, Gardner and others in the past, the advantage of loan players is that only a part of the player`s salary may fall on Everton. So, to me, whether or not we can continue to make an impact in league, Europe and cups will depend very much on how persuasive Davey is getting players to throw in their lot with Everton for a season and how prepared their clubs are to carry much of their wages.

Talk about living by the seat of your pants? But I think that will be `the Everton way` for the coming season!
Harry Medd, Malpas Posted 11/08/2008 at 08:04:53

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Andy Maher
1 Posted 11/08/2008 at 14:59:00

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How do you know David Moyes will have little more than the AJ money to actually use as down payments on players in this window? This is just negative speculation again- what this website seems to do best.

On another forum someone who claimed to be an ex-evertonians son said Moyes has £35 million to spend.

Michael Hunt
2 Posted 11/08/2008 at 15:01:04

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It is all conjecture and speculation, none of us know the truth, but all will unfold within the weeks ahead. Hopefully, if the press get it right for a change, we’ll get some quality signed up this week rather than nail biting right up to the deadline for news of completed signings.
Anyway, first game is upon us soon.....COYB!

Mark Wynne
3 Posted 11/08/2008 at 13:47:04

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I see that Nuno Valente is the latest squad member to say he's 'pleased with the quality of players Everton has been linked with'. Surely this line, even by OS standards, is getting very tired. Besides the point, surely they must be running out of squad players to roll out in front of 'reporters'. Still, the transfer window will be closed in 20 days.

Of course it's one thing to be linked with 'players of the quality of [insert your favourite FM face here]', but it's another thing signing them. Our lack of transfer activity has not only mobilised our own fans, hungry for success, but also the national media. You have to wonder then, why Bill thinks platitudes and supposed flattery from the rumour pages of the red tops is going to appease those worried about what happens from next weekend.

The truth is, there's no point bigging up being linked a Portuguese wonderkind, if you're only going to be able to produce Tommy Gravesen circa 2008 for a year's loan. Why is that though? I for one am becoming greatly concerned at the number of deals being suggested on a loan basis. I always thought the sticking point in our transfer policy was wage demands.

Whatever the vagaries of our club's financing, we obviously don't have the readies to make the 'quality of players we're linked with' actual Everton players. To go out and buy Alan Smith and bring in a couple of guys on loan should not let Bill off the hook. He should not be allowed to put his smiling face in front of cameras and claim that he's delivered.

There is something going on at Everton that I fear the EGM won't provide answers to. Our squad is thinning out year on year quicker than Bobby Charlton's barnet and we seem to be the only club this side of League One that doesn't seem to be attracting potential investors. If we are in as good a shape as the club have telling us, then suitors should be around the club like flies around the honeypot - DK or no DK. Of course, we are told that there are people interested in investing. Then again, we only have Bill's word for it. As sure as eggs are eggs, if Davey produces another five-card trick this season, Bill will be sure to take his share of the credit.

James Marshall
4 Posted 11/08/2008 at 15:33:11

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Mark, one reason we’re not appealing to investors is that our revenue streams are shit - we’re not a fashionable club and our fanbase is largely local - I live in London and I know very few Evertonians from down here; the vast majority are either Liverpool born and moved south, or they’re very much outside the norm, a quirk if you will. Outside of the 1980’s we’ve been very much in the shadow of the RS and you ask players and fans around Europe about us and they’ll say Everton who??

We dont get much exposure in the media, nor do we get alot of airtime on TV, investors want clubs that are cool, sexy, inviting for people - we as the self styled ’Peoples Club’ exude nothing more than ’ a pie & a pint’ and a knees up in the boozer.

If I was a foreign investor I’d be looking elsewhere too - Everton need to get into the 21st Century and forget ’Yer ’istory’ because its exactly that which is holding our clbu back. We have a small town mentality as a club, and thats largely bred by us, the fans.

Richard Clark
5 Posted 11/08/2008 at 16:13:58

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I think Moyes?s close relationship with the Ribena berry-headed Manchester United manager might prove in our favour once again. Don?t be surprised if we loan at least of their youngsters.

Wayne Smyth
6 Posted 11/08/2008 at 17:30:14

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Whats the problem with loan deals? Most of Moyes loan signings make good sense.

If he ends up with us, Vagner Love on loan is a good deal so we can check him out to see if he fits in and no doubt we will have an agreed first option at a fixed fee if things work out.

I prefer that method rather than have us go the route of most other clubs and just purchase someone outright who may end up being a complete flop and get sold at a massive loss 12 months on.