Season 2011-12
The Mail Bag
July 2011 Archive
Want to have your say?
This season
With no new faces coming in as of yet and most of the supporters getting fed-up... surely at some point this will affect the players as well.
How long will it be (if it hasn't happened already) before the players start to think, "Fuck it, what's the point?" A poor start to the season and I think you'll soon see heads start to drop.
This could be a very interesting season for Everton... for the wrong reasons!
Terry Downes Posted 30/07/2011 at 16:22:38 
Comments (86)
The best ever...
We often hear that we have assembled the best squad for some time and I think there is some truth in that. If you had to name the five best Everton players you have ever seen, would any of the current crop make the list? I know a lot depends on one's age but in 45 years of supporting Everton the following are, for me, as good as it gets:
? Southall, the best goalkeeper I have ever seen.
? Ball, vision, skill and the ability,and how we could do with it now, to find a killer pass.
? Lineker, the best finisher I have seen.
? Ratcliffe, at his peak, the quickest and best defender in the world.
? Duncan Mckenzie. the player, after Ball, that I most looked forward to seeing.
Look at those names. We ARE a big club with a big history and a big tradition.
Not a very relevant post but it I've been watching the Milk Cup on TV and Everton have a magnificent tradition in it. There's more to come.
Andy Crooks Posted 29/07/2011 at 20:17:24 Comments (42)
Euro Super League... and EFC
It has suddenly struck me that a Euro Super-League is now inevitable. Throughout Europe there is a massive divide between the haves and have-nots (money). Money totally talks. Fifa's and Blatter's problems (I can't think of a suitable way of describing them without being obscene) actually gives an opportunity for Uefa (thinly disguised as the big clubs) to force changes in the power base.
KH Ruminniger has started the campaign, which I believe ultimatey will end up with the all powerfull superleague with money driving everything. Sky et al would certainly follow with all the best players. Where does that leave EFC?
At the moment there is no way we would be included and there is no realistic way this will change. So what will be left is a weakened domestic league which we could do quite well in.
Is this a proposition a good or bad thing?
Tim O'Connell Posted 28/07/2011 at 20:53:13 Comments (47)
Jagielka ? Will we get it right?
It seems Arsenal are not giving up just yet on their pursuit of Phil Jagielka. My own opinion is that he will sign for Arsenal towards the end of August, he may even appear this season first.
I thought that Everton really messed up the Lescott deal; and both Moyes and Kenwright made errors. Firstly, he started against Arsenal on the first day of the season, which gave the whole game an unsavoury subcontext. The season started under a cloud. This was pure "nose off, face spited" behaviour from Moyes.
Secondly, it became an rather unseemly affair with Moyes digging those famously stubborn heels in. Moyes should have done business briskly and got the player out and the money in before a ball was ever kicked. Instead, a war of words commenced and Lescott played when he should not have.
And going back earlier, Rooney was allowed to leave, but only at the end of August, and the club could not reinvest that money in a timely and appropriate fashion for the beginning of that season. Kenwright was insistent that that he got the best deal; but I always think the best deals are done cleanly and early. Everton drag the thing out until it affects the players, the stands and everything else.
We know the club is completely inept (or many of us think that, not all) at bringing in players; I also however, think we are not particularly smart at doing business the other way.
If Jagielka goes, can we trust Everton to do the business, or will he hang around until late August, creating yet another difficult season start?
Mark Tanton Posted 28/07/2011 at 16:39:19 Comments (99)
N'Zogbia stalling for us?
Villa have announced that they hope to have the deal to sign Charles N'Zogbia from Wigan for £9.5M tied up next week but he is having a medical Friday so surely, if that is fine, he could sign Friday.
Or is he stalling, ie saying he wants to meet the manager personally before putting pen to paper as he knows Villa are away in Hong Kong or something like that?
I am clutching at as many straws as I can find hoping this is the case and if so he clearly wants to come and play for us.
Do not fail us, Kenwright.
Nick Parker Posted 28/07/2011 at 13:25:04 Comments (58)
Presenting their case...
I am not a fan of Mr Kenwright and his fellow board members for reasons that are very obvious to a lot of people who pay attention to what is currently going on, and what has been going on for a number of years now with this great club of ours.
There are many more eloquent and more informed people than me who have written extensively about this matter for a long time now. However, I?ve noticed that a few pro-Kenwright and pro-board people have popped their heads above the parapet recently and have been telling everyone what a great job Mr Kenwright and his fellow board members are doing, and how lucky we are to have them.
I was just wondering if the recent increase in the number of individuals, groups, websites & journalists who are now asking questions about Everton and the current state of the finances and board behaviour, are starting to scare Mr Kenwright and Co and that is causing them to call in favours here and there.
I am hoping that all these pro-Kenwright and pro-board people will now reply to this post with all the relevant facts and figures, including links to valid sources, to prove that they are right and people like me are wrong.
Anyone know how long I might be waiting?
Steven Flavin Posted 28/07/2011 at 10:26:06 Comments (26)
The silent majority
Mr Dodd speaks for the silent majority of Evertonians. That's why there has never been any protest or protest group with more than a few hundred fans. Even the wildest claims would amount to no more than 1 or 2 thousand. Why is this?
Maybe it's because we all don't buy into the Murdoch thesis. You know the one, we must have a foreign owner/investment group. Even better with a foreign manager and no English players. They say it's modern football but please tell that to Barcelona, Real Madrid, Inter, AC Milan, Bayern Munich, Porto etc.
Thank god for Bill Kenwright who, like the great clubs mentioned, fights tooth and nail to keep this special club's history, culture & heritage intact to pass on to my son and his son. If I was just interested in money, I'd be a red not a blue. Keep up the good work, Mr Dodd, and, like all good Evertonians, let's hope for a good start to the season.
Onward Evertonians
Gary Rimmer Posted 27/07/2011 at 23:01:13 Comments (132)
Time to show some balls
The Bill Kenwright aologists have a point about the lack of protest... So:
When the ref blows the whistle for our first league game at Goodison Park, every man who is against the current regime should leave their seat for the first five minutes and go downstairs.
The lack of a meaningful protest, in the face of the shambolic way in which we are being run, is a disgrace.
Anyone got any better ideas?
Andrew Earlam Posted 27/07/2011 at 19:42:05 Comments (47)
Flag for Bremen
I'm off to Germany Monday to watch our friendly against Werder Bremen. I'm going as I'm not sure when we will play European football again as the the way our club is run baffles me.
I don't want to post another entry about Kenwright etc as I'm unsure as to what is the best way forward for our club. I always have a go at BK and get fed up of no new players, merchandising, lack of communication with fans etc but then I look at other clubs which have been taken over and have nearly been ruined because if it... Portsmouth, Birmingham, Leeds etc, so I suppose I'm on the fence.
What I want to do is get a banner made for Germany which isn't a direct attack on Kenwright but more of "We want answers" kind of message which will hopefully get seen by BK and hopefully the media. Something a bit witty with a strong message.
Any suggestion???
Alan Ferguson Posted 27/07/2011 at 06:57:44 Comments (84)
Blues go Bump...
Looks like Birmingham City have tonight gone bust.
This will only bring Kenwright out of his bunker; he may now say that Yeung tried to buy us!
Blah blah, better the devil you know etc...
But, who else tried to buy us, Bill?
How much are we up for sale for?
Who owns BCR Sports?
Who owns Everton?
Robert Daniels Posted 26/07/2011 at 23:44:40 Comments (20)
My Kingdom For An Everton Mug
Can anyone tell me what's going on at the club regarding its shambolic marketing of merchandise?
OK, so I don't attend the match as regularly as I used to (mainly due to work commitments), but I am still a loyal and very proud supporter and get to the games when I can. So the other day I thought I'd nip out and buy a mug to take into work (gotta keep the flag flying, no matter how small). Could I find one anywhere, or a flag, or book or even a bloody pennant???
In fact I could find absolutely nothing regarding our club. When I asked various shop staff, you could hear the wind whistling and the see the tumbleweed drifting by. For god's sake, we are the fourth most successful team in the English league. I did find plenty of gear for Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Newcastle and both Manchester clubs.
Now if I lived in Dubai or some other exotic far flung corner of the world I could understand this. The truth is I now live in Stockport a whooping 42 miles away from Goodison Park. Where I live, you can still spot someone wearing the famous Royal Blue shirt every now and then and this has got me to think: How can Everton ever compete as a global brand if they are missing out on opportunities on their doorstep?
I know about the Kitbag deal, so I won't mention club strips, but did this deal include everything connected to Everton FC?
Paul Matthews Posted 26/07/2011 at 15:04:26 Comments (34)
Midsummer Madness?
Since the end of last season, we have seen a trend in mailings to TW which is reflected on other websites too. Initial optimism was based on the Club?s promises to ?do our business early? and make ?quality? signings. Whether it be our Chairman, Moyes or the players making these utterances.
Then it all went quiet.
Thus began the second trend, an increasing dissatisfaction with not just a lack of activity, but the fact that Everton seemed to disappear off even the rumour mills. Dismissed by all and silence from the Club, whilst the likes of Stoke, Sunderland et al were spending and (arguably) strengthening.
Understandably, this anger began to coalesce and focus its attention on the on-going and well documented failings of the Everton Board of Directors. Our inability to sign new players is a direct result of the Board?s associated inability to find a buyer or investor; two words which are liberally and frequently used within the same sentence by the Club as though they mean the same thing (eg, Ian Ross on TalkSport).
The great thing was that this anger gained a real momentum, with fans groups actually getting some of the national media to at least cover the concerns. The now infamous Prentice article in the Echo added fuel to the flames and the management at Everton were suddenly on the backfoot and getting defensive, with the aforementioned Ross and also Elstone spouting forth with the party line, but with an underlying sense of panic there for all to read.
What?s happening now? I worry that the momentum and initiative has been lost. The fans groups that seemed to be mobilising so well have grown silent and the fans and the Club (including Billy BS himself) are now following the mantra of justifying the current squad as ?good enough?; that we have great young players coming through; that we finished well last season and those same players can carry that on into 2011-12... (boy, does that one sound familiar). ?Hey, it?s not that bad really,? seems to be the new order of the day.
I appreciate the reality of our current financial situation, but I am clear as to who is responsible (in my mind) for that situation and I no longer accept that it has to be that way, just because Billy BS and his gang say so. I had high hopes for the collective anger that seemingly underlies the current mood amongst many fans, including myself, as I felt that maintaining public pressure on the Board could and would lead to change. So I also hope that I?m wrong when I say that it seems like it?s fizzled out.
Billy and the rest have ridden out the Summer squall and can go back to chiselling away at the very fabric of the Club we all love, until we find ourselves imploding on the pitch and off it and falling into the Championship, or worse.
Steve Guy Posted 26/07/2011 at 09:57:23 Comments (31)
Michael Ball
I was surprised/pleased to read on the BBC website that Michael Ball, once of this parish, is likely to be offered a contract at Leicester City by his erstwhile boss Sven:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14206877.stm
I thought that Michael had retired after being released by City (2 years ago) so I wish him well.
Rob Sawyer Posted 26/07/2011 at 00:25:13 Comments (12)
Plenty to be excited about!
After having read Paul's depressing ?nothing to get excited about? it had me thinking of the future, hoping there is something to get excited about.
I've been pondering life for Everton with nothing changing at board level but being able to hold onto players. For some reason, I believe our *Golden* age (about 5 years from now) might look a little like this:
? GK: Howard (37) ? still going strong;
? LB: Baines (31) ? years of excellence ahead of him as England's number 1 LB;
? LCH: Rodwell (25) ? I'm feeling he might slip back into defence, as Moyes stated;
? RCH: Jagielka (33) ? Everton Captain reaching the end of his career;
? RB: Coleman (28)? taken over his rightful position at RB with a bit of Daniel Alves in his game;
? LM: Gueye (26) ? The French international with a killer left boot;
? CDM: Fellaini (28) ? the highest earner in Everton history at his peak;
? CM: Barkley (22) ? box-to-box player an Everton regular at 22 ? breaking into the England side;
? RM: Baxter (24) ? technically good winger who scores goals;
? CAM: Bilyaletdinov (31) ? now playing in his rightful spot, scores 0loads of goals around the box;
? CF: Vellios (24) ? good at holding up play and contributes his fair share.
Subs:
? Dier (22) ? highly regarded youngster about to take over from Jags;
? Garbutt (23) ? pushing Baines for the LB position, slots in at LM on occasion;
? Lundstram (22) ? gets plenty of games with injuries and as a sub;
? Anichebe (28) ? now an elder statesman, Moyes?s go-to guy (mostly cos no one wanted him);
? Hammar (22) ? Swedish CB a talented reserve;
? ??? ? Some kid I remember reading about that would be only a teenager but was already watched by all the clubs but is an Everton fan?? Anybody remember his name??
I actually feel Rodwell moving back now makes sense. Although I still carry some hope he is our Gerrard (without being a cunt), it does allow for Fellaini and Barkley to play together. Looking at it is exciting if we can hold onto a few. There are question marks over Bily, but our esteemed editor is spot on in his player analysis of Bily that it is about being played in the right spot. Who knows if Baxter and Vellios will make it, although I still have hope for Baxter but know nothing about Vellios. I have no doubt over the long term potential of Rodwell and Barkley.
There is some serious talent in that side, and looking at the ages in 5 years makes me realize how much we expect from these kids now. The fact that people are willing to throw away Rodwell (a son of the club!) after one bad season when he is only 20 is shameful. At 18 he was peerless in his age group ? class is permanent. Some have fallen by the wayside. Of the team Paul watched ? only Baxter is in my starting 11.
We have got very exciting YOUNG players over in the USA. Plenty to be excited about.
David Chait Posted 25/07/2011 at 18:47:00 Comments (65)
What's the difference?
Something got me thinking the other day on one of the threads.
Jags' name came up, and one of the lads posted in regards to Jags: "His primary objective is to defend and clear any danger."
That got me thinking about Hibbert, and how this also applies to him, and who I think defensively is just as good as Jags.
When Jags makes mistakes, and there have been a fair few, he hardly gets any grief, but when Hibbert does it, he is absolutely slaughtered.
Two good defenders, one gets slaughtered, the other doesn't. Why?
Brian Waring Posted 25/07/2011 at 18:10:45 Comments (34)
Time to make a move?
I'm sure that I won't be representing the masses with this viewpoint, but personally I think we should take Arsenal's money for Jags (provided we can edge it up to c £15M).
The only proviso being that the majority (well at least 2/3rds) is made available for transfers, or rather one transfer ? the arrival of N'Zogbia (or failing that, Donovan).
Most of the glaring issues with our current side/squad are at the attacking end of the pitch and the lack of a decent winger has been a widely recognised omission for the last 2-3 years (made more glaring by Pienaar's departure). Hence, if we really want to improve our fortunes this year, we need to add some quality in this space and for me N'Zogbia (or Donovan) tick all the boxes AND are available NOW at a not ridiculous price.
Whilst I'd obviously prefer that we cleared out the Yak, Yobo, Bily and potentially even one of Fellaini/Rodwell, the reality is that we haven't had sizeable bids for those players. So far, the only useful bids (ie, £10M plus) have been for Baines and Jagielka. Letting the former go would clearly be madness as he contributes at both ends, so, with regret, I think it's time we suck it up and move Jags on.
Whilst I do love Jags and wouldn't argue he's one of our best defenders, I think we'd all agree he's not perfect (distribution isn't his strong suit) and I'd also argue that he's far from irreplaceable.
In fact, with Johnny Heitinga we have a World Cup Finalist centre back who's desperate to start (and can actually pass the ball), readymade to come in and sit alongside Distin as the first choice pairing. Behind him we have the returning Yobo (okay, not Moyes's first choice but if we can't sell him, he'll be cover), Rodwell (who I'm frequently told is a centre-back by trade) and even Phil Neville as cover, plus the youth options (Garbutt, Dier and Mustafi).
I'd further argue that Moyes has proved time and again able to source defensive gems from the lower leagues and hone them into stars, so it's highly likely he'll be able to do it again.
Ultimately, as our strategy (ie, 4-5-1, hard-working, running our bollocks off to close down) is naturally more focused on defence, it's clear we need to balance this with some real quality and mercurial touch up front. With N'Zogbia, Gueye and Saha/Beckford bombing forward plus Baines and Coleman on the overlap plus Arteta/Osman/Bily threading balls from the midfield, I feel we could have a really fearsome counter-attacking force on our hands.
Chris James Posted 25/07/2011 at 10:32:44 Comments (60)
If I could invest in Everton....
I'm a bit of a dreamer, I imagine myself winning the lottery, as we all do, and thinking, what would I do with £161M...
This article is aimed at considering what I would do, if I had £50M to invest in Everton. A very modest sum given the wealth of the owners in the Premier League. This is simply how I would do it, and I imagine that an awful lot of fans would do things quite differently. But still, it's my imaginary fortune and so it's my choice.
Everton are valued at £100M by the board. No doubt they would not accept my £50M to purchase the club and, to be honest, I wouldn't want to purchase the club ? I'd just be inheriting the same mess without the power to fix it. In fact, I could possibly make the situation a whole lot worse!
So, I ring up Bill and say, "I have £50M. I'd quite like to invest in Everton. I am willing to put my £50M in, and I want the club to issue shares to the extent that my £50M would give me 40% of the total share value... ie, I value the club at £75M, and my investment would mean the club is worth £125M."
I think that'd be my assessment and I'm sure many would say that I'm probably over-/under-valuing the club and that, in any event, Bill wouldn't agree to it. You're all probably right.
Anyway, I decide to give BK some objectives before I wish to invest. "After all, it's £50m," I say.
Here's where I lose more people. I wish for the current board to stay, although I wish for the members of the board to change.
I would make David Moyes a Director as well as manager, with the rest of the board being: myself; Kenwright to remain as Chairman, although with only the same voting as the rest of us; Elstone; and then the academy manager... resulting in a five-man board: Chairman, Manager, Investor, Chief Executive and Academy Manager. I would ask that each member of the board updates the fans twice a month on their role and how things are progressing, perhaps via the programme on matchdays.
I would also ask that my £50M be invested in the following ways: I want £30M to go against the debt of the club and that the club will not in the next 10 years exceed debt of 20% of the value of the club, ie, It will never go above £25M. The remaining £20M is to be spent on player purchases for the manager. I would like him to choose them (a position Moyes seems to already enjoy ? being able to choose the players he buys).
I would state also, that our aims would be to reduce the debt to nil in the next 10 years. BK would remain as Chairman. I think also, my final thing would be to introduce somebody as a Consultant to sort out the Marketing at the club. Although we have improved somewhat over the past five years, we need to be so much better.
I realise that one big thing has not changed here: the ground. However, I'm investing £50M, not £400M. My idea would simply be to bring further stability to the club and perhaps make us a more attractive proposition to a future buyer.
It's my opinion that the current board probably do have this aim, as they say, but not the means to do it. Everton need a push, an extra few good players and a debt reduction. The idea being that we don't gamble on Champions League but we do actually try to get there.
I know many of you will have different views and probably slate some of my ideas but that's your opinion. I'd quite like to read some of your own views, given a similar budget and how you would lead the club forward.
Stuart Downey Posted 24/07/2011 at 13:11:16 Comments (25)
Why is Moyes still at Everton?
There has to be a good reason...
Kevin Ratcliffe pointed this out the other day and personally I think it was through sheer frustration at the Kenwright regime that made him speak out. Ratcliffe's uttering on TalkSport is thought-provoking and I doubt if it was just an off-the-cuff remark. Here I have come up with three possibilities why Moyes is still at Everton. It would be worth bearing in mind when reading, that when Moyes took over, Everton were relegation fodder, broke, and a Premier League basket case. Though still broke, we are no longer facing relegation every season and have hopes of European football most seasons.
1) No other suitable club
The twelve clubs who finished below Everton last season are either: in the same financial boat as Everton, marginally better off... or in most cases a damn site worse off. So, given that Moyes has always stated his ambition, this alone would rule out the twelve clubs who finished below Everton as being either a sideways move or a worse option.
Of the six who finished above Everton, Man Utd and Arsenal currently have steady managers, Liverpool have just got their messiah back, Chelsea and Man City owners want instant success for their money and, as we know Moyes does not offer that. So this leaves either a move abroad or stay at Everton for the time being for Moyes.
2) He has been given the Man Utd nod:
Every time some lazy, bored journo needs a story, the 'Who will replace SAF?' merry-go-round starts, and Moyes is always their favourite punt. Is there any truth in this?
Possibly: Man Utd's two great eras have both been under Scottish managers and SAF is aknown admirer of Moyes. Whoever replaces SAF, one thing is for sure, Sir Alex will have a part in their appointment. Moyes will have to have won a trophy or two by then and had some more European experience, but the smart money would be on Moyes going there if he can pull it off.
3) The groundwork has been done:
Despite the frustrations of slow starts to the last few seasons, the basis of a good squad of players is still intact. There are signs that his youth players are starting to come through. We have all heard of Barkely and Gueye and hopefully they bring future promise, but there is also Wallace, Vellios, Baxter and McAleny and of course Rodwell is still only 20. It's far too early to even think of a golden generation... but it is not beyond the realm of possibility.
These youngsters could replace players such as Arteta, Cahill, Neville and Distin as they end their careers or move on. Backed up by quality older players like Baines, Jagielka and Fellaini and the odd old hand to help out, like Osman and Hibbert. This of course would mean that the club has a plan or, in other words, Moyes has a plan ? and Kenwright has had nothing to do with it.
In conclusion, I would guess that Moyes is at Everton because there is really no place better for him to go until he has proven himself capable of winning trophies. Moyes is, if nothing else, pragmatic; he may well see his chances of managing a bigger club as a future event and also realise it would be dependent upon him proving himself.
For Everton supporters, we are in a paradoxical situation: we want Moyes to succeed and win trophies but, if he does, it may possibly lead to the end of Moyes's tenure at Everton. If his groundwork has been done well and his youth system is now starting to show signs of fruition, this may give him encouragement to stay on and build the club, become the Everton Matt Busby or Bill Shankly or Alex Ferguson ? all exceptional club builders and also fellow Glaswegians.
Jake Temuera Posted 24/07/2011 at 09:13:22 Comments (44)
The lack of good football at Goodison Park.
I have seen some excellent football played under David Moyes. Not often... but sometimes. It seems I have been unfortunate in the games I have attended because they have been, in the main, utterly appalling. The main exponent of thumping the ball aimlessly up the pitch is not Jagielka, clueless as he is, but Tim Howard.
Back pass to Howard and a fucking useless punt to no-one. Andy Johnson was destroyed by this shite. Surely this is down to Moyes?
I actually don't entirely blame Neville, Hibbert, Howard and Jagielka for what appears to be their inability to find a pass. Our problem is the lack of movement in midfield. Hoofball is the result.
When we have played scintillating football under Moyes ? and we have ? it occurs when confidence is high and the midfielders are screaming for the ball. When confidence is low, they don't want to know and Neville and Co have no option but the aimless hoof.
Money has no influence on this ? it is entirely down to the coach. If he is calling for them to play it short and they ignore him, then get them out of the side.
If Arsenal increase their offer for Jagielka it would be insanity not to accept it. He is a journeyman who has been shown up at international level.
The mentality of our coach is safety first. Kenwright is not the only problem at the club.
Andy Crooks Posted 23/07/2011 at 16:03:52 Comments (34)
No Business Idea
12 days ago, I was going to go to the store to buy two infant kits, but I thought, why pay for parking, traffic etc, so I bought from the website.
How stupid was I? Still no goods, ring customer services and they say it can take 14 days to deliver... to Morecambe. Well, my business is e.commerce and I work with Amazon.co.uk: if this type of service was on offer, I would be out of business.
I can sell 2,000-plus items a day and they all leave first class post in the evening ? why can't our club do the same? Does nobody in the ivory (blue) towers care or watch over the day-to-day operations?
So much must go missing... but we all know that anyway. Rant over.
Mike Hargreaves Posted 22/07/2011 at 12:06:31 Comments (39)
Fan vs Customer
As a reasonably active member on this site, I've definitely noticed a swing in mood towards our board and ownership. As someone who has questioned (and posted those questions here) the commitment and ambitions of various board members for over 5 years now, I feel quite strongly about this topic. But being realistic ? what can one man do against a Board of millionaires, who hold all the cards?
Well, the only thing I can do is stop buying tickets and merchandising. And with a heavy heart that is what I've done. My season ticket was not renewed and, after receiving another plea from EFC "not to miss out on an exciting season ahead", I feel I've made the right choice. My annual parting of £42 for a new shirt has also been postponed.
Bottom line is ? until I know exactly where my money is going ? I don't want them to have it. It sure as hell isn't going on new players or stadium redevelopment or in fact anything boosting the long term future of EFC.
I absolutely still feel passionately about the club (and always will). And I know some will say 'how can you turn your back?' or 'get behind the players and stop whingeing'.
But, as one man who's totally fed up with the whole thing, I think I'm better off out.
I look forward to the day when our owners (whoever that maybe) present a sound and viable business plan tackling all the pertinent issues surrounding EFC. But until then, it's hypocritical of me to rant and rave, then hand over £100s of my hard earned cash.
As a fan of 30 years (and 3rd generation Blue), I'll be a lifetime supporter until the day I die. But as a customer, I reserve the right to take my money elsewhere.
Phil Martin Posted 22/07/2011 at 11:45:48 Comments (51)
How not to succeed in business without really trying
OK, so we lost the game in Philly. The boys are getting back to fitness. It's just a runout. No problem. Eighteen thousand and change filled the stadium to capacity, with two to three thousand Evertonians in attendance.
I noted a group from Boston, MA; seven or eight hours away by road. A group of youngsters, maybe fifty strong, decked out in the pink strip behind the goal. Ex-pat scousers like me, some American fans all dressed in blue, just looking for an excuse to get behind the team.
Now I am lucky; I get to go back to England quite often to attend the match. For others, this is one of the few times the team has been on one of these trips to the East Coast. Note To Someone at the Club... where there is a large concentration of the population ? Not like Denver and Columbus.... tiny by comparison.
So there's a bunch of blues at the game, for whom this is a real special occasion. What does the club do... let's bring the team bus in the back door like this is Rupert Murdoch meeting at Number 10. Public relations... who needs that? We don't need any more stinking money.
Are we going to recognise the fans in any organised fashion? No, let's bugger off the pitch at the end of the game, leaving Seamus Coleman and one or two others making a fist of at least attempting a bit of fan interaction, while the big names scarpared.
If it's just about training and the club could give a toss about its US fanbase, do me a favor and stop covering it.
I am a bluenose through and through, but this was in my opinion a case where the club took its own fans completely for granted. I have a sneaking suspicion that this extended to tonight's opposition also!
Paul McGinty Posted 21/07/2011 at 05:54:49 Comments (56)
Le Coq Sportif - What next?
I thought I'd write about something other than the absence of fresh signings or new "investment" in EFC.
I wrote an article last year regarding the history of Le Coq Sportif (LCS) and its links to Everton in the 1980s and present day.
Our current deal with LCS commenced in 2009 for "up to 5 years" so it's unclear when it will end. At the same time, Kitbag were announced as our retail partner.
I do feel that this year's home kit offering (the third so far) is the strongest yet by LCS ? it is just ironic that we ditched Umbro as they launched their excellent range of "tailored" kits.
To recap on my previous article: LCS in the 1980s was a semi-independent branch of Adidas. Nowadays, LCS are a signficiant French sport/leisure company but LCS-branded products in the UK are licensed/supplied by Focus Brands Ltd..
Interestingly, Focus were invested in to the tune of 49% by JD Sports group in 2007 and now they share the same company address (in Bury, Lancs). It does make you wonder why Everton products are not stocked in JD Sports outlets in addition to Everton 1 & 2 and the website (presumably exclusivity with Kitbag?).
I did read in late 2010 that the "main" LCS are to bring the UK back under their control so it will be interesting to see how this pans out.
Personally, if we do change kit supplier again, I would be comfortable with Umbro or Adidas. But if you want to do something completely different, how about becoming the first football club to have a tie up with Fred Perry? This would create a real fashion-sport crossover (not just in the UK but in the likes of Japan) with financial benefits.
Rob Sawyer Posted 20/07/2011 at 23:52:00 Comments (18)
Silence is Golden
So Tiger Tim isn't concerned about our lack of signings... Capn Fantastic Neville thinks the future is bright... Whilst our manager, dour defensive Dave says... er, nothing actually.
Why is it our senior players and manager fail to voice concerns about the present regime and the lack of finance?
Why after over 9 years of sifting through the bins of other Premier League clubs, does Moyes remain silent? Sure, it's not Moyes's style to bad-mouth his employers in public but he needs to start to say something ? and soon ? as the current situation is pretty dire. Surely by sitting on his hands and saying nothing, he's just accepting his plight and contributing to the decline of Everton FC.
Are you telling me all the senior players are hunky dory about the pile of shite we find ourselves buried under. Why won't someone from inside the squad/coaching staff just speak out and actually SAY SOMETHING?
I for one need to know they are hurting as much as I am at the moment.
Daniel Johnson Posted 19/07/2011 at 21:29:53 Comments (65)
Shirt Names Missing!?!
Why has Rodwell's name been removed from the squad for names on shirts?
If you take a look at the online Everton Shop and go to try and order mens home strip tops. The drop down box of names to put on shirts includes ALL first team squad players BUT Rodwell, Yak and Yobo's names are missing???
Interesting or just an error?
Paul Hughes Posted 19/07/2011 at 16:42:02 Comments (19)
Who's got the Blues?
We are clearly not going to revamp our squad with two or three quality impact signings and, let's face it, we're all used to it by now, whether we like it or not. I am trying to be realistic and as optimistic as possible. If we look at the positives from last season, and the room for improvement, I am not as worried as some about our prospects for this year.
Positives:
Tim Howard ? No worries here.
Sylain Distin ? Has his doubters but our best centre back last season.
Phil Jagielka ? Didn't quite match the high standards he had set himself last season but still solid and best blue centre back of my generation (I'm 24).
Leighton Baines ? Best left back in the league last year with ability to build/support attacks, and to deliver lethal crosses, that is outstanding. Free-kicks aren't bad either!
Leon Osman ? Great form towards the end of the season, confident on the ball and making things happen (how's Pienaar getting on, anyone?).
Seamus Coleman ?- Played his way into the team and his direct style of wing play is something we've been crying out for for years!
Jermaine Beckford ? Even when he struggled early season, he was always getting goal scoring chances. If he continues to improve conversion rate (which is why we signed him), he will get more goals for sure.
Room for improvement:
Mikel Arteta ? Best little Spaniard we know! If he can recapture the form of seasons past, it will be like signing a new £15m playmaker.
Marouane Fellaini ? Unlucky with injuries (mostly knocks rather than recurring injuries). Extended run of games will bring out the best in the big man. When Mo plays well, the team plays well.
Tim Cahill ? Dynamite start to last season and was carrying the team with his goals. Asian Cup and injuries wrecked his season; otherwise, he could easily have got 15-20 goals.
Louis Saha ? Usual story. Amazing ability with ridiculous injury record! Injury free (at least til Xmas) and we could see another goal rush. (See my optimism!!!)
Jack Rodwell ? Forget last season. He is still young and has shown his ability. Expect a lot more this year.
I know poor starts to the campaign and the terrible luck with injuries have cost us dear in past campaigns but the poor start to the season has yet to happen and there are more boys in pre-season training than are in the treatment room so look on the bright side! If we can stump up for one quality signing (N'Zogbia not likely to happen), and add two loan players (Canales with either Wellbeck or Sturridge) then it could be a great season!
At least we didn't fork out £85M for Carroll, Henderson, Downing and Adam! Are these players better than Saha, Rodwell, Baines and Arteta? NO!
NSNO
Neil McCloskey Posted 19/07/2011 at 14:35:46 Comments (20)
You Don't Know What You're Doing
I'm not convinced David Moyes really knows what he's doing. Let me explain:
We needed forwards last season and we sent the Yak on loan after he had looked the fittest he'd ever been after his injury. Vaughan, who would run through a brick wall for Everton too, was put out on loan.
Yet he kept and increased the wages of Victor Anichebe, who plays like a poor version of Heskey. Moyes took 26 games to give Beckford a run in the team, and shoved Osman out wide after his best ever performances in central midfield to accommodate his favourites.
Although Coleman played well in the position Moyes put him, his best position is right back, but he dare not upset his favourites; we could have both full backs racing up and claiming assists, scoring occasionally too, allowing a midfielder to occupy a midfield spot.
Can't Moyes see what all the crowd can see? Playing with two up front (even just for home games) makes a difference. Why play the game for the point we start with? When we go behind with one up front, Moyes has to change formation and tactics to regain the point, so why doesn't his brain tell him he could start with this formation and tactics and win more games??? It's common sense and you don't need a coaching badge to understand.
What I really don't understand is he has bought well (most of the time) in the transfer market and he usually gets players who are attack minded and then stops them playing to their strengths has he no confidence in himself or his players (I do of the latter).
So here we go ? another season about to start, all filled with hope. I would like to see both the chairman and the manager go, but I would love to be proven wrong about them with a trophy or two and a top 4 place. Oh déjà vu...
Paul Knox Posted 19/07/2011 at 13:47:16 Comments (36)
Yak Back! Well No Actually!!
Friday 15th July 2011 - Gigg Lane, Bury
Yakubu is first choice striker with Beckford - within minutes he scores... "that" grin is back and with no cash in the coffers it seems maybe the Yak is Back!
But no ? see this snippet from the team base in US:
With the recuperating Louis Saha the only notable first-team absentee ? along with Joseph Yobo and Yakubu, both of whom are expected to leave the club before the season?s start ? Moyes was able to run the rule over the shape of his side with the Premier League?s big kick-off a little under four weeks away.My question is:? Why bother using him in the friendly v Bury if he was never gonna be back in contention??
Si Harwood Posted 19/07/2011 at 13:19:21
Comments (23)
If it came to it.....
......and we simply had to sell one or two of our top players, which would you he most keen to keep hold of?
My choice, and I feel the most popular answer, would be Leighton Baines.
The reasons? Well, I believe that he is the best left back in the country and one of the best in Europe.
His attacking ability is second to none and he is surely one of the best crossers in the modern game.
Add to this the fact that his defending has improved no end over the last couple of seasons and we are very, very blessed to have him.
So, out of Jagielka, Baines, Arteta, Fellaini, Rodwell, Coleman (and anyone else you consider to be a saleable asset) who would you fight tooth and nail to keep?
Anthony Jaras Posted 18/07/2011 at 14:57:22 Comments (51)
The colour of Everton's money is Green
Those fans who continue to support Bill Kenwright would be wise to refer to the following article that appeared in the London Evening Standard in October 2006. The million dollar question that needs to be answered in the coming weeks is: "What role does Philip Green have in the running and operating procedures of Everton FC'?
The various campaign groups that are attempting to elicit this information need applauding in their attempts to unmask the truth. In the five years that Green / Earl have had a 23% stake in the Club we have stagnated in terms of progress and can only thank David Moyes and his backroom team for maintaining any semblance of stability in the face of such facts.
Billionaire rag trader Sir Philip Green is the secret power broker in the bitter, multi-million-pound struggle for control of Everton Football Club, the Evening Standard can reveal.Green played a major role in the acquisition of a key 23% stake in the Merseyside club by Planet Hollywood tycoon Robert Earl from Everton board member Paul Gregg, the cinemas and leisure multi-millionare.
However, it is understood Green's involvement in the deal ? at a time of unprecedented interest in the ownership of top Premiership clubs ? is just the culmination of a long-running relationship with Everton's other major minority shareholder, impresario Bill Kenwright, which also saw Green play a key role in the controversial sale of England superstar Wayne Rooney to Manchester United.
Green admitted to the Standard: "Paul Gregg's stake in Everton was offered to me. I have always made it clear that I do not want to own a football club so I introduced Robert Earl, a good friend of mine. It is no secret that Bill Kenwright is a good friend of mine too."
Evertonians are horrified that a king-making stake in the club has seen sold to a self-confessed Tottenham Hotspur supporter, and they have until now been unaware of Green's role in the deal-doing of club chairman Kenwright.
Quizzed on the part he played in the £27m sale of Rooney two seasons ago when the club was in dire financial straits, Green replied: "I have no comment to make on that. That is none of your business." Green's involvement at Everton was first revealed by the Standard in the summer, but the retailer, who yesterday reported a slump in profits at his Arcadia High Street empire, has previously denied any interest, even telling the Daily Telegraph this week: "It's nothing to do with me."
The Everton power struggle comes at a time of massive takeover action at the top of the game. Following the acquisitions of Chelsea, Manchester United and Aston Villa by Russian and American billionaires, British football is awash with speculation of further big deals in the offing. Middle East and Far East investors are reckoned to be stalking a number of clubs including West Ham United, Arsenal, Spurs and Liverpool.
The acquisition of 23% of Everton for around £9m by the mysterious special purpose vehicle BCR Sports which is being fronted by Earl, values the club at around £80m including debt.
Analysts reckon that Everton boardroom infighting - which has seen one-time friends Kenwright and Gregg part company as sworn enemies ? have helped to stall attempts to revive the club's fortunes. For instance, plans to relocate the club.
Peter Laing Posted 17/07/2011 at 18:52:05
Comments (28)
Is it really as bad as we think.....
......on the pitch?
For example, a starting eleven of;
Howard; Neville, Jagielka, Distin, Baines; Coleman, Arteta, Fellaini, Osman, Cahill; Beckford.
Subs:? Mucha, Hibbert, Heitinga, Rodwell, Gueye, Saha, Vellios.
Good team... good bench.
Then we have Bilyaletdinov and Anichebe in reserve. This, with the young squad members of Barkley, Baxter and Hope waiting in the wings, doesn't look as bad as things seem.
Add to this, the potential sales of Yobo and Yakubu, giving us AT LEAST £6million to spend (if it doesn't vanish) on loan/transfer fees to add to the squad, I am not as fearful as some supporters for the coming season.
Off the pitch, well that is a different animal altogether and one that I will leave well alone as it's been flogged to death by so many others.
Anthony Jaras Posted 17/07/2011 at 10:04:34 Comments (58)
The Sky is Falling?
Thinking the title is probably not original, but bear with me.
What if... all the recent events at News Corp threatens the stability of News Corp and their holdings including Sky TV (and associated Sky/Fox Sports channels around the world)?
Don't get me wrong: I don't think it's a panacea to our own personal failings as a club, in fact it could be a very negative thing in many ways; suddenly the financial strength of a club's owners becomes even MORE important.
Which means our situation gets WORSE and not better.
I am not an expert on these things, so help me here, folks:
1. What is the likelihood of Sky / Fox Sports changing ownership?
2. What is the likely impact on the value of global TV rights for the Premier League and/or how they are structured with (fairly?) equal distribution?
3. What happens to Everton FC if all the TV money dries up?
I just cancelled my Fox Soccer TV subscription which enabled me to watch MANY live games on broadband internet connection without cable TV... (-;
Hard to do, I love watching Everton and the Premier League in general, but I couldn't live with supporting Murdoch and his organization after what's come out in the last two weeks.
It was hard enough as it is watching anything broadcast by Fox (anyone who ever watched Fox "News" understands what I mean).
Call me a sanctimonious fool if you wish, but it was a small gesture to show my personal disgust at these people.
Julian Wait Posted 16/07/2011 at 23:09:28 Comments (31)
Once again a summer of discontent!
Once again another summer of doom and gloom at Everton FC. No players in, no sign of any on their way, no bids, no enquires, no interest, no NOTHING! Sound familiar?
The same old 'best squad in years', and referring to youngsters as 'new' signings won't wash with Everton fans this summer, simply because we have been there and seen it all before. Elstone's latest attempt to paper over the cracks with phrases such as 'we are ambitious as ever' can only seen as a desperate attempt to manipulate the Everton faithful.
The truth of the matter is it has been 1 year 10 months and 15 days since Everton last signed a first team player for a fee... and even that was funded by the Lescott money! The Everton Board have failed to move into the 21st Century and are failing further behind as the years go by. The majority of fans have had enough of lies and false promises. Even Bill's get-out-of-jail card (Moyes) will only put up with it for so much longer.
We can all pray for an N'Zogbia or a Sturridge but the harsh reality is we have to make do with what we have got, and continually stand still whilst teams like Stoke and QPR overtake us in the transfer market.
Once again we stand still and re-live our summer of discontent and once again our ambition-deprived board stand and watch the rest of the Premier League move with the times. This re-occuring nightmare that is known to us as 'the summer transfer window' cannot go on forever. Something has got to give...
Ryan Thompsom Posted 16/07/2011 at 20:42:16 Comments (31)
Our Strikeforce, 2011-12
The Yak is back... at least for now and in truth, with the fees being mentioned, it seems that it makes more sense to keep him than to sell him on for a cut-price, of which we will probably never see a penny.
So what does the future hold for the big lad at Goodison Park?
Well the last barnstorming performance had us all on our feet, at Goodison, against the old enemy. Even the Yakubu bashers were licking their lips at the prospect of our portly Nigerian terrorising defences like we know he is capable of, when he can be bothered to do so.
So, I ask you this:
If we go into this season with the existing strikeforce of Yakubu, Beckford, Saha, Anichebe and Vellios, will this be enough to fire us towards a decent season?
Granted, the fitness and application of Yakubu, the Mr Glass qualities of Saha, the general enigmatic performances of Anichebe and the inexperience of Vellios will again be problematic; however, being optimistic, I think one thing can be a great boost for us...
Beckford.
To score 10 goals in your maiden Premier League season, with the limited amount of starts he has had, is extremely pleasing and a great confidence boost for the lad. Especially the peach against Chelsea.
Moyes's preference of using Anichebe in a wider position means that we will possibly need to bring in one more striker, maybe a freebie or a loan, to boost numbers in case of injury. However, next season, if (when) we play 4-5-1, I am not too disheartened when I look at the strikers we have.
My preferred choice up front would be Beckford from the start with the hope that he can hit the ground running, although Saha is also a great forward to have.
Yakubu, IF he can shed at least a few pounds, is always dangerous and can be used solely as an impact sub. His fitness meaning that this maybe the best that he can hope for I feel.
I don't know a tap about Vellios yet, so I'll leave an assessment of his attributes for now.
Obviously, I am being ultra positive, banking on a relatively injury-free campaign, but I am more optimistic, thanks to Beckford's development last season.
Here's hoping.......!
Anthony Jaras Posted 16/07/2011 at 20:04:56 Comments (15)
Hallam Hope's goals needed?
With Everton having no money for a top quality striker and goalscoring strikers being a rare breed, are Moyes and the coaches at Everton expecting this lad Hallam Hope to step up to first team duties the coming season? Hope has gained himself a reputation were the coaching staff at Everton are expecting big things from him in the future and, with the strikers currently on the books needing improvement, could he burst on the scene and get us goals?
Over the years there has been a long list of the Next Big Thing with most disappointing; however, I do believe in the saying "good enough, old enough". Everton have to be sensible and not rush young players in but, if their strength and physique will hold up, then these players should be judged on ability.
I would like to think Hope looks at the players above him in the pecking order and believes he is ready to compete for their places. Youth, hunger and having it all to prove go in this kids favour and the time should be right to have him being around the first-team squad. It will only be of benefit to Moyes to have a look at him in pre-season against more experienced players surely with no risk involved.
Hope may not be good enough to make the step up but, at a time when the need for a goalscorer is a concern, let's take a look at what we have without age being a barrier.
Karl Meighan Posted 16/07/2011 at 09:14:33 Comments (12)
What is a fair price for Everton?
I think all the current unrest amongst many of us is because the club seems to be stagnating. We have a situation where the current majority shareholding lacks either the will or the financial capacity to take the club forward. The supporters have been repeatedly told that the club is for sale but the asking price is never publicised so it?s really impossible to confirm this independently. The asking price is surely the key to everything.
I?m quite happy where I live at the moment and I am not looking to move or sell my house. However, if someone comes along and offers me three or four times what similar properties are being sold for then I?ll move out tomorrow. In that sense I?m looking to sell my house. I?m thinking that recent evidence suggests this is the realistic position of Everton Football Club currently being available for sale.
However, if I was serious about selling my house I would seek professional advice and be given a fairly realistic idea of what it may fetch. I would then probably be advised to initially market it at a certain figure but be prepared to accept a figure some 10% - 15% less than that.
My understanding is that when the current regime bought out Peter Johnson over ten years ago they paid approximately £854 per share which valued the club in the region of £30 million. A few years ago for my wife bought me one share for my 50th birthday at a cost of around £1250 and based on this the current value would I suppose be in the region of £45 million.
Taking these facts into account and then considering any financial improvement or deterioration since the current majority shareholders took over and the recent sale prices of football clubs, are there any Evertonian accountants or other financial experts out there who could estimate a current fair value of the club?
To put simply, if BK is serious about selling, and as he is bored with questions about the asking price but not bored enough to divulge it, what should the asking price be (assuming an allowance for this to be discounted slightly during negotiations)?
Andy Riley Posted 15/07/2011 at 19:05:06 Comments (30)
Is The Grass Greener on the Other Side?
With more players likely to leave than players coming in, I was thinking is the grass always greener on the other side of the Goodison pastures? I was thinking of all our ?big? players that have left in recent seasons.
Wayne Rooney ? Gone on to score 102 goals in 217 games. He has won 4 Premier League titles, 2 FA Cups, 2 League Cups, 2 Community Shields, 1 Champions League and a Club World Cup. He has enhanced tremendously as a player and he is up there with the world's best. So he was right to leave Everton.
Joleon Lescott ? he is now one of the most hated ex-Everton players of his generation; apart from that what has he done? In two seasons he has played 61 games and scored 4 goals. In his first 2 seasons at Everton he had 76 Premier League games and scored 12 goals. He won Player of the Year as well. He moved to Manchester City for a stupid £24 million. We bought Distin with that money and he has been just as good as Lescott. Did a move to Man City help him? He won an FA Cup Final but Everton where in one too, and if we were playing Stoke we probably would've won as well. So I don?t think a move has enhanced his career.
Steven Pienaar ? I know he has only had 6 months at Spurs but if you see and hear the rumours, he is miserable in London. If you are on Twitter and follow him, he regularly has banter with Neville and Saha... maybe he misses Everton?s family spirit? He has had only 11 games in six months. That?s not a lot, each team play around 11 games in two and a half months. He is always going to be a squad player at Spurs; he is going to be Bales?s back-up. I don?t think Spurs was the best move for his career; he needs games as he is a confidence player.
Thomas Gravesen ? he left in January 2005 for Real Madrid. What player would reject a chance to go to the Spanish giants? But did it enhance his career? I don?t think so. He didn?t nail down a place and he his remembered for his attack on Robinho in training. Got to love ?Mad Dog?, he was sold to Celtic and then was loaned back to us. He was half the player that had left Goodison in 2005. Gravesen is a rare exception in this article; no one can blame him for leaving for Madrid, a very unique player who touched everyone at Everton.
Manuel Fernandes ? I know he was not an official Everton player but he was very close to it. He had a miserable time at Portsmouth and then we took him in on loan, he gave us some scintillating performances against Arsenal, Portsmouth and United. He loves being on the ball he can take on 2 or 3 players at a time. His feet are unbelievable, Everton where apparently working day and night to get this deal sorted but as soon as Valencia sniffed round him he was off like a shot. From there he made 56 appearances, loaned back to us. Did not impress like he once did. Then was loaned to Besiktas, where he has now made the move permanent. He has not done too well since his promising appearances in a blue shirt.
The point of this article is to show people that when players leave us it doesn?t always turn out for the best. For the likes of Fellaini, Jagielka, Arteta and even Baines, it is too show them that we are a unique club, even though we might not have the money or have the greatest stadium in the world. But we all unite together and fight as a team, the players understand that they need us as much as we need them. It is the greatest club in the world.
Landon Donovan was at Goodison for 3 months and this is what he said about Everton ? ?I'm 28 years old now and I've played over 100 times for my country, I've also played a lot of league games in different parts of the world," he said. "But I've never met a fan base like this, either playing for them or as an away player. Forget about football for a moment, this is a life experience I'll never forget."
Jake Wilson Posted 15/07/2011 at 12:29:32 Comments (26)
Top 3 Goalscorers
Since the fantastic Andrei Kanchelskis (1995-96), our top 3 league goalscorers (in a single season, pedants) have been:
- Yakubu 15 (2007-08)
- Saha 13 (2009-10)
- Campbell 12 (1999-2k)
Now ? what price Jermaine Beckford to break into that list in 2011-12?
He managed 10 last season without much time on the pitch.
Surely, if he gets on to the list, those who still say he is "not a Premier League Player" will have to fold their hands.
Personally, I think he'll do it if he gets the time on the pitch. If he plays more than two-thirds of the season, he'll do it.
Good luck, Becks!
Tom Brown Posted 13/07/2011 at 21:17:00 Comments (52)
Nugent
Reading online today, I read an article that David Nugent has joined Leicester.
Now I am not claiming he is a world beater... But, on a free, was this self-admitted Bluenose worth a punt?
Mike Prendergast Posted 10/07/2011 at 23:34:38 Comments (53)
Fellaini's Contract
It has all gone quiet on the Fellaini contract extension. Is Bungling Bill going to allow him to run down his contract à la Pienaar?
This Club is being run worse than a circus... Get him to sign an extension now or sell him.
I am sure Billy Liar lives in another time dimension: "The Yobo sale will be completed in the next 48 hours" over a week now in real time...
Maybe the Fortress Funds will turn up in the next 24 hrs? Bill ? Go, you are worse than useless.
Steve Sweeney Posted 10/07/2011 at 12:24:07 Comments (44)
Seventh IS the new Top!
Bombard the media all you like and you won't solve the problem of getting Everton into the top four ? or finding a new home to play in!
With Man City finding a way round the new financial controls even before they become effective and every one of 'The Sky Super Six' seeming to have easy access to unlimited borrowings, Everton's battle plan must now focus firmly on being the 'Best of the Rest' ? and that will be a hard battle, make no mistake!
With £100k a week becoming a commonplace salary for players no better than some on Everton`s books, the clubs who finished above us are now in an unassailable position. Spurs may seem the most vunerable of the Six, but their financial structure is as sound as a bell whilst our local neighbours ? so recently on the brink of disaster ? now APPEAR to be in good hands. Chelsea and the two Manchester clubs are now on another planet whilst Arsenal, temporarily discomforted, are now controlled by a Yank billionaire.
So, if we accept that there is not a hope in hell that one of the world's richest will suddenly see our club as an attractive plaything ? and nothing less will do the trick ? what can we hope for... with or without Bill Kenwright?
'Seventh is heaven' must be the answer to that poser, I submit. I am exhausted in my defence of Blue Bill and frustrated that he does so little to defend his record himself. However, I still maintain that change for change's sake is ridiculous and merely seeing him 'move over' to silence the baying mob will solve nothing.
Our chairman`s relationship with his manager may be too cosy for many but it has been the key to our more than comfortable record over the past ten seasons. Why seek to disrupt that purely in the hope that some unheard-of chancer will do better?
Only a miracle will see us do better than seventh and in today`s Prem that IS the top for us mere mortals!
Richard Dodd Posted 10/07/2011 at 09:37:35 Comments (50)
Where's Wally?
Sorry about the title but I've been on the Official Everton Website for the last few days looking at pre-season coverage. One thing strikes me ? where is Mikel Arteta?
I've not seen him in any photographs or on any of the videos. Has anyone seen him in any of the OS coverage? Don't think he's injured or been on international duty, any thoughts?
Philip Jones Posted 09/07/2011 at 16:34:37 Comments (14)
Bored of the Board
With the huge gear change in the last 3 weeks with regards to the number of fans actually starting to voice and almost be heard about their pure frustration/anger/disbelief with what is happening ? or more appropriately NOT happening ? I did a very small amount of ?lazy Googling? and found out the following, I for one found this VERY interesting!
Everton?s Board of Directors
Jon Woods
After over a decade of success in the gaming industry, he sold Ocean Software to French company Infogrames in April 1996 for US$100 million.
Woods has been a non-executive director at Everton Football Club since March 2000. He is known to shy away from media attention at Everton and never comments publicly on current affairs at the club. He is the third largest shareholder in the club and one of only four directors.
Robert Earl
A leading figure in the hospitality and food & beverage industries, Robert Ian Earl is the founder and CEO of Planet Hollywood International, Inc and the chairman of the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Earl is also an Everton director.
A lifetime entrepreneur, Earl founded President Entertainment in 1977, a company specializing in theme restaurants that grew from a modest start-up to a company valued at more than $100 million when he agreed to sell the company to Pleasurama in 1998.
On 20 October 2006, Earl the sandwich king bought shares in Everton from major shareholders Paul and Anita Gregg, they resigned from the board following the sale. The deal was brokered by Philip Green. Earl underwrote bank loans to help sign players and extend existing borrowings at Everton.
He indicated that he has no intention of taking over the club:"It's an endorsement of Bill Kenwright, an endorsement of David Moyes ? it is not a takeover. Anything that helps the economic model, and in turn gives David a better pool of talent, is something we want to do."
His most high profile involvement with the club has been inviting his friend and business partner Sylvester Stallone to Goodison Park.
Sir Philip David Carter CBE
Scottish-born football director, life president of Everton Football Club and a former director of Littlewoods. He joined Littlewoods as a 21-year-old in 1948 and 28 years later he was installed as the Managing Director.
He has had three spells with Everton Football Club. His first began in 1976 when he joined the board of directors. Two years later he was installed as Chairman.
Carter was involved with the formation of the Premier League. He along with four others were invited to dinner with ITV to discuss a break-away league that would feature the five largest clubs in the country at the time (Arsenal, Everton, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur) more frequently than any other teams thus those five clubs would receive more money than the others. He responded favourably.
When Peter Johnson purchased the club, Carter vacated his position only to be asked to return for a second spell by Johnson's buyer Bill Kenwright in 1998, where he remained in the position for six years before opting to retire, aged 78.
In 2008, he was brought back to the board of directors for a second time by Bill Kenwright, this time because an Extraordinary General Meeting had been called and there were not enough available directors to attend (a minimum of three is needed) following the resignation of Keith Wyness.
Sir Philip Carter has voiced his approval of Everton FC relocating out of the city of Liverpool. He was awarded a CBE in 1982 and a knighthood.
Now, if I am not mistaken, within this ?information? there is mention of two of our directors being worth over £100m each. I appreciate (having watched Dragons Den twice) that investors only invest to get profit out; however, I for one would have thought the old adage, spend to accumulate would be the perfect underscore of Everton at present... but none of the above want to put their hands in their pockets ? so this raises the question: if they don?t want to do, then why would anyone else??
And then of course there is the Chairman ? Bill Kenwright.
Now I was very pleased to see the back of Peter Johnson ? the man who sold Duncan Ferguson, without the manager knowing about it ? showed just what sort of future we would have had. When I heard a ?true Evertonian? was taking over, I was very pleased.
I for one have been living in the ?Everton bubble?, understanding the restrictions to spending, keeping the books tight, prudent management and the like; however, over the last 2 years, even I am looking at the overall picture and I am VERY worried.
So many failiures:?
* The collapse of the King's Dock project * NTL subsidiary PremiumTV were close to purchasing shares Everton ? never materialised * Destination Kirby
And then, in July 2009, Kenwright explained the club's financial position under his stewardship: "Our debt is a big debt and a worrying debt, but it is manageable because of our performance on the field."
That statement alone is enough to give me palpitations!! One bad season (10th or lower) and we would be in serious financial strife!
With all this in mind, I am not convinced that Bill and the board HAVE been making any positive steps to find a buyer for our beloved club. At present, there are over 20 people in the world with over £20billion in the back pocket ? so there IS cash out there...
Something simply needs to be done!
How??? ? Well, that?s the £160m Euro-winning question... Moyes will go if this situation does not change in the next 12 months, and the ?best squad? we have had in years will vanish ? to be replaced by what?? The likes of Paul Holmes, Earl Barrett and Stuart Barlow??? that for me is too much!!!
Si Harwood Posted 09/07/2011 at 09:08:52 Comments (19)
Pride of the city?
I thought I would move away from the speculation of the transfer window, and move on to a question I've always wanted to know from fellow Evertonians.
I have lived in Liverpool for 3 years from university. One of my mates, a big fan and a season ticket holder, came up with something interesting. He said that out of the teams to win the league, he would prefer Liverpool, our greatest rivals to win the league, rather than Man Utd. He thought this for the good of the city, rather than just think solely of the football clubs.
I would never think this, because I have not been brought up in Liverpool. I have been brought up by my Dad to hate Liverpool (the club) and always be happy if they are not doing very well.
But I thought this viewpoint from my mate was interesting, and just wondered what fellow Toffeewebbers thought. Is there still pride for Liverpool, the city? Would people rather Liverpool win the league rather than Man Utd, just so Liverpool would get one over Manchester? Or, like me, do we all enjoy Liverpool not doing well?
Ben Jones Posted 08/07/2011 at 22:58:24 Comments (53)
LFC Echo
Having just browsed the Echo online to see which players we haven't signed yet or if we still exist, given the paucity of column inches we recieve, I notice the Echo is doing one of it's legendary 24 page color pullouts again. Now we all know it won't be about Everton, don't we, yes it's called we won it 5 times, the redshites 5 euro wins, perhaps we should ask the Echo can we have one saying we won it 0 times because we were banned due to their thuggery.
Now, the point of this email ? and I have asked here previously ? can someone in the city please start a complete boycott of this paper and the Daily Post until we get some proper and fair coverage? The Echo were very quick to jump on Hicks and Gillette, and yet nothing negative on Kenwright destroying our club ? where is the balance?
A lot on here have accused Evertonians of apathy, some have said we have more class than doing demonstrations like the Sons of Shite did, and that's fair enough comment, but at least do something!
Unfortunately the masses follow the media, so if the media (The Echo) is forced into addressing the Everton issue by the fans boycotting it, then we have a result. This will then turn the blind ones who still think Kenwright is some sort of knight in shining armour, who saved us from PJ ? really?
£20M-ish in debt when he left; now £48M up to £85M depending on what you believe ? despite having spent jack shit on the ground or players, and also selling off or mortgaging every asset we have, plus selling virtually every player we have received a bid for... yes, he really saved us, didn't he!!
Please all Evertonians stop buying The Echo and the Daily Post, write letters in telling them why, sit back and wait for the reaction, when suddenly half of their readers stop buying... it will force them into doing something.
If you miss reading the footy pages, I will personally give you an update each day about Everton: Today we bought no one; stay tuned for tomorrow's update...
Thomas Williamson Posted 08/07/2011 at 02:57:48 Comments (41)
The Future's now!!!!
Ok, so this has been the most depressing, frustrating and irritating pre-season since... well, since last summer. I, like you all, trawl websites daily ? even hourly at the moment ? and have no reason to be optimistic at all.
However, I am going to be!
It's due to the youngsters... I was on Twitter stalking the Everton lads and was viewing this picture: http://yfrog.com/ke10380995j, my girlfriend saw it and asked if they were the U16s or something? "No, love, they're our back-up after the first eleven." It got me thinking, can these lads help us do something positive next year?
(I know not all of these lads are in the picture...)
- Jose Baxter ? Constantly complemented by his peers on Twitter as the next big thing at Everton. Has been training all summer long with his boxer mate and appears to be motivated to make it this year.
- Ross Barkley ? Cahill has stated that he is the best youngster he has ever played with. Rio Ferdinanad has him tipped to be a star of the future.
- Shane Duffy ? Looks to have the right attitude, in and amongst the first team squad this year. Good back-up.
- Apostollos Vellios ? Looks a big unit who hopefully will be positive and use his physique... unlike Big Vic.
Added to this, Gueye, Coleman and Rodwell (if he gets his game head on) are all a year older and who we know a lot about... and the squad looks much more positive.
We also have James Wallace, Conor McAleny, Shkodran Mustafi, and Adam Forshaw who have all moved up into the first team squad this year and you would hope one or two of these will make it, albeit I know very little of these four.
Looking at all this, plus a first 11 that would finish 4th-6th on ability alone, and we have reason to be optimistic.
Just add Hargreaves on a pay-as-you-play and break the bank for N'Zogbia (I'll put in half if I win Euros on friday) and the majority of fans would have to be happy.
Andrew Fair Posted 07/07/2011 at 12:22:53 Comments (21)
The Peoples Group
Can I implore all Evertonians unhappy with the current status quo at Goodison to join "The Peoples Group" both on Twitter and Facebook.
The aim for those who are not aware is to lobby national media journalists to press them to thoroughly investigate the EFC board and expose their incompetence for all to see. Your support is appreciated.
ps: Send as many tweets to journalists as you can... the more they get, the more notice they will take.
Grant Smith Posted 07/07/2011 at 09:34:25 Comments (19)
Everton: a special case
Who's like us? At Everton, I reckon we have issues that make us unique. We are an impoverished club with a huge history. A "big club" in the minds of many Evertonians (me included). We've got a chairman with no money. Now, that doesn't make us unique but, shall we say, different from some. We've got a coach under no pressure. Alex Ferguson aside, I think we are alone in that. We've got a coach-chairman relationship that I believe is unique in the utter dependency of one to the other.
What we have that makes us special is the fact that we are the ultimate "middle club"; we have a coach who has never won anything, supported by a chairman with no money. Together, they keep us in the Premier League. Under them, we ? despite comments on other threads ? will not be relegated. Nor will we win anything.
We are a special case. We must not settle for poor football. We must not settle for 7th place. We must take a chance. I say better give it a go. This season, forget about respect for the opposition. Let's treat the newly promoted teams as six points off each of them. Let's treat Chelsea, United and Arsenal as teams in decline. Let's treat Liverpool and City with the utter contempt they deserve.
The Moyes-Kenwright double act is here to stay. So, let's have ? in the disgraceful absence of funding ? flair, nastiness, belief, arrogance, football and something that makes Goodison Park on a Saturday the best place to be on earth.
Andy Crooks Posted 06/07/2011 at 23:36:42 Comments (37)
Moyes One - Moyes Nil... and Anfield wins
Kenny Moyes, brother of David, has facilitated the Charlie Adam moveto Liverpool.
- Everton were interested in Adam ? fact. Agreed terms ? fact.
Conclusion? We've been used or we're gradually losing David Moyes by not having the resources to back his ambition...
Ged Alexander Posted 06/07/2011 at 21:41:53 Comments (31)
Owen Hargreaves, Pay as you play?
So, after our 'success' with the signing of the injury plagued Manchester United striker, Louis Saha, could David Moyes be tempted to offer a similar deal to Owen Hargreaves?
Hargreaves, who has been released by Manchester United after only 39 appearances in four years, has been busy stepping up his fitness work in a bid to show any potential employers that he is over his injury nightmare.
In fact, he is so committed (desperate?) to prove his fitness, that he has had several videos posted on YouTube, showing his intensive and weird workouts.
His channel can be viewed on the following link: http://www.youtube.com/user/owenhargreavescb
With no money in the bank, what do you guys think of such a move?
I personally think that if it is on a pay-as-you-play, then we really have nothing to lose. We have no money to purchase players with such quality and experience... and, with our lack of numbers, if he does really end up fit, for even half the season, he could prove to be a useful, free acquisition.
Anthony Jaras Posted 06/07/2011 at 14:15:23 Comments (57)
Last significant signing?
My attention was brought to the following website. http://evertontime.com/
It is in development but in the meantime has an alarming countdown from the last incoming transfers that Everton FC have made.
Currently it is the following:
Time elapsed since Everton bought a player (not including youth, loans or free transfers):
1 year 10 months 5 days 03 hours 37 minutes 44 seconds
Time elapsed since Everton signed a player (not including youth or loans)
1 year 0 months 5 days 03 hours 37 minutes 44 seconds
Time elapsed since Everton signed a player on loan
1 year 5 months 14 days 04 hours 37 minutes
Seeing this written down in such a way really brings home how little investment the board have put into Everton. This was sent to me by an Arsenal-supporting mate who couldn't believe it was true. Embarrassed, I had to confess it sadly was.
Ben Howard Posted 06/07/2011 at 12:35:37 Comments (38)
Design Joke?
I no longer get excited like I once did regarding the release of the new home strip. Every new shirt seems to lack imagination, creativity and even originality. I pray for the day we can announce a press release stating a link up with Adidas.
However the reason for my post is the abomination which Tim Howard will be sporting this year! I know help for heroes is a massive topic and lots of teams in various sports are showing their support with 'camo' tops but that's usually for one game tops. To have the shirt for a whole season is another reason our club is a joke, has gone stale, and no longer brings me a reason to be hopeful. Pride has long since left and I feel that my support is more about routine these days.
KENWRIGHT OUT.
Rob Wilkinson Posted 05/07/2011 at 06:53:47 Comments (53)
Arsenal, Liverpool, and Us
Having just read yet another BBC article criticising Arsene Wenger for lacking a "winning mentality" and for not having the "right wage structure", I couldn't help but think that football fans too often want it all and now.
I think Everton fans should take pride in not being quite so demanding.
It would be nice if we could sign one or two players to improve the current squad though. I think most fans are agreed that Bily and Johnny should be shipped out (interest permitting). At least then we might have some cash for the club to chance its arm. We seem to be going nowhere fast right now.
I never thought I'd say it but I admire that the Liverpool board are trying to build a young squad rather than simply buying up the top players. It also really hammers home the point that we are stagnant.
How the hell is it that Liverpool have such a high turnover relative to us? I suppose there are plenty of reasons that are beyond our control, but if Moyes doesn't spend some of his proceeds this summer I am pretty sure my interest in the club is going to seriously wane. I hope plenty of you aren't becoming as disinterested in Everton as I am.
Anthony Jones Posted 04/07/2011 at 23:43:28 Comments (49)
Dale Jennings
FM Credits to all those who fingered Tranmere's Dale Jennings as a potential prospect... One for the future ? at least that's what Bayern Munchen believe...
And then there's Nick Armitage, who famously stated:
It is not all bad.The Pienaar money is going on Dale Jennings in the summer.
And that is a fact.
Michael Kenrick Posted 04/07/2011 at 20:40:42
Comments (35)
Yobo's proctracted transfer
Interesting to see on the BBC website that Fenerbahce president Aziz Yildirim is being held on match-fixing allegations. One match under invetigation is the final match of the season against Sivasspor where Fenerbahce won 4-3, and our own Joey scored the winning goal. Perhaps this is causing a delay in the transfer?
Philip Jones Posted 03/07/2011 at 18:44:57 Comments (30)
Missing a trick again?
I've just read this article on the BBC website that says Spurs are looking for funding to redevelop White Hart Lane with the help of money from the Regional Growth Fund.
I had thought that funding for redevlopment was no longer available but it turns out I was wrong, as per the second web link... sadly, looking at the latter, the deadline for applications was today and I'd bet everything I have that the club Everton haven't bothered.
Before I get the usual responses saying just another article aimed at slagging off the board... well, yes it bloody well is given this was a pretty obvious avenue to investigate given the board's reluctance to dip its own hands into its pockets and seek a free meal and publicity.
Gavin Ramejkis Posted 01/07/2011 at 23:41:49 Comments (48)
MailBag Archives
Please Note: These are big files that may take a little time to download....
Current Season
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
Past Seasons
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
