The Mail Bag

New manager's salary

Like everyone else, I am waiting and hoping for the announcement of the new Everton manager to be someone who will be inspiring and of a high caliber. What I am confused about is posters on here who are saying we cant' afford Mr A or Mr Z etc.

If Moyes was on £3 million or so a year then surely we have the financial clout to entice any of the foreign names being suggested. Would Bielsa, Bilic, Blanc, Pereira, etc not be enticed by £2 million or so a year and a Premier League challenge? Seems like a complete no-brainer to me.

The stumbling block as most would agree is Bill Kenwright. Will he show some vision and balls? I mean, if he as been paying the departing manager £3 million pa then how can we not pay the new guy likewise if we have to? I am hoping just once he will make a decision that most of us will be salivating over with renewed optimism for next season...

Gary Russell     Posted 19/05/2013 at 02:25:18   Comments (15)

Starting again with a Blanc canvas

There are many names that the bookies and fellow Evertonians are suggesting are in the running or should be the next manager of our great club. One name I have not seen mentioned in any articles, blogs or on TW who I believe should be seriously considered as the next manager of the mighty blues is that of Laurent Blanc.

Currently unemployed but previously having been manager of the French national team and prior to this manager of Bordeaux. Blanc managed to win the Ligue 1 title and League Cup in only his second season in management, his first season in charge Bordeaux finished runners up.

There may be those of you that will question the quality of the French league compared to the Premier League but before you do please read the excerpts below some direct comments from Blanc himself and some stats from articles written from his time in charge at Bordeaux:

"For me, playing football means ­having the ball, conjuring moves, ­harnessing your strengths, posing problems to your opponents, scoring goals and ­taking risks," he said last week. "Obviously I want my team to win, but I also want them to play ball. That's a state of mind, a fundamental principle, and Manchester United and Barcelona share it."

Bordeaux were down in fifth after Week 27, but they won their last 11 matches, a French record, with their final victory sending Caen into Ligue 2. "We worked so hard on our fitness back in January to be fit for this part of the season," said Blanc, "and that's what made the difference in the end."

It was not the only difference: this season, Bordeaux were unbeaten at home (their last defeat at Stade Chaban-Delmas was in October 2007), and earned 12 more points at home than the runners-up, Marseille; they showed huge mental strength, not least in the nine-man 1–0 win over Grenoble in Week 6, the comeback from 3–0 down to beat Monaco away 4–3 in Week 19 and, in Week 33, the 3–2 win at Rennes after having a player dismissed in the first half-hour. Their youth policy is working, as evidenced by the emergence of young local talents such as Benoît Trémoulinas and Grégory Sertic and their recruitment has been spot on, as the yo-yo pairing of two Yoanns – Gourcuff and Gouffran – proved on Saturday night.

Blanc had taken France to Euro 2012 on a high, with their 23-match unbeaten run only ended by a 2-0 defeat to Sweden in the last group game of the competition.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurent_Blanc

Maybe it's just me being too optimistic but if we are going to push on as a club with the foundations that Moyes has laid I think we could do a lot worse than appointing Blanc.

There is a good mix in the current squad of aged heads in the form of Distin, Jags and Osman with the flair of Pienaar, Mirallas, Baines and Fellaini along with the likes of Barkley, Coleman, Vellios, Duffy, Bidwell, Lundstram, Stones etc in the youth set-up that would give Blanc something to really work with to create a solid platform to build off. I would hope he would also be able to get Jelli firing again!

My thoughts are that if the club are going to try and retain the best players that the appointment of a manager with a solid reputation and proven track record is a must.

Lets just hope the hierarchy at Goodison are truly listening to what the fans think!

Brendan Fox     Posted 18/05/2013 at 11:05:50   Comments (30)

Not going to the match makes you miserable?

I know this may stir up some strong opinions, but I have noticed something, especially this season, that I feel should be discussed.

I live 250 miles from Liverpool and work most Saturdays. As such, this means that attending matches is always going to be costly and time-consuming for me. Nevertheless, I still get to 6-8 matches a year, home and away, and keep up to date via the programme subscription, the Everton app on my iPhone, 'When Skies Are Grey' and, of course, ToffeeWeb.

In fact, I visit ToffeeWeb probably 5 days out of 7 every week, maybe more, and it's probably my main provider of 'Evertonia', if you like. You may have noticed sometimes from my posts that my views on Everton are fairly polarised in that I have, by and large, been appreciative of matters on the pitch in the last 10 years, but my view about Everton's off the pitch activities is, let's just say, not very positive! Therefore, whilst siding with the frustrations over Kirkby, commercial activities, that new badge (give me strength!), etc, etc, I have been at odds with what I have often felt is an overly negative view of our playing style, certain players, David Moyes and the playing side in general exhibited on ToffeeWeb.

During spells between attending matches, I have often found this negativity towards the playing side of the club quite depressing and have started to believe that the vast majority of all Evertonians are inherently negative or in some cases verging on schizophrenic in saying they love the club one minute and then denigrating every single thing about it including the team the next.

When I next attend a match, I'm expecting a morgue like atmosphere, snarling arl arses and a bad atmosphere, yet in every case, this is not what I find. I find Goodison Park full of smiling faces, a big appreciation of the team, chants everywhere, Davie Moyes songs and a positive vibe to the place. Evertonians at away matches are even more positive and the atmosphere generated and the support given to the team has been often truly superb. I go home wondering why I thought all our fans were so down in the mouth.

Last Sunday against West Ham was a perfect example. Dignity and class. Fans singing 'Oh Davie Moyes', followed in irony with 'And Manchester is full of shit' just to make the point that even though we fully appreciate what you've done Davie, you're now going to hell in a handcart to those Mancs and we know it. In fact, when I think back to my early matches in the early 80s, our fans were a far more miserable, cynical bunch then than they are now. Players and Managers often got dog's abuse from our own fans.

So, my question is, why is it that match-going fans seem to have a different outlook to what is happening on here? I'm not slagging off ToffeeWeb in any way. I have already said I'm an avid consumer after all and life would not be the same without it. But, I have noticed this difference and even match going When Skies are Grey have had a pop at ' keyboard warriors' for being overly negative.

I know many on here go to the match, so I'm not silly enough to be saying that all ToffeeWebbers live in Australia, Thailand, the USA or the Outer Hebrides. But, there is a difference in my mind to what I am seeing and hearing here and what is exhibited at the Match. Can anyone explain?

The same or different?

Much has already been written and many are very firm in their views of who should and should not be considered for our new manager... The operative word is NEW.

If we want the team to play the same way, and can add one or two players to the squad, we should consider those that are at the club: Stubbs, Neville, Sheedy, Ferguson. But, bearing in mind that person will not have the same qualities of man-management, tactics or approach that Moyes had, they should will at least continue working in the same way.

Some will consider that a good thing: building on firm foundation with a different management style. The other side of the coin would be to bring in a manager with his own thoughts and ideas and revolutionise the club. An example of that would be Lambert at Aston Villa. This approach would be a risk but might bring rewards in the longer term. If this were the desired approach I would consider Hiddink, De Boer, Rijkaard, Bilic, Pereira, Favre, etc.

What I don't think Kenwright should do is be influenced by the media or bookmakers. IMO, we need to think and act like a top 4 club and look to improve on the Moyes years.
Jay Harris     Posted 17/05/2013 at 16:47:30   Comments (13)

Manager: The No! No!! No!!! List

Many articles, polls and items have appeared since the managerial vacancy at Goodison Park was confirmed. All (including ToffeeWeb's latest) seem to focus on "Who would YOU choose?" ... But, for me, there is an equally important list: The "No! No!! No!!!" List.

Those potential candidates who may fancy their chances or whom other, less dignified [*cough*] clubs' fans may wish upon Everton FC out of "schadenfreude" (aka shyte-stirring). Mine is as follows:

Martin O'Neill:
I suspect that, like David Moyes, his best days are behind him. he didn't do what his earlier promise pointed at. Too late. No thanks.

Mark Hughes:
Almost identical reasons to MO'N. He just seems to have derailed himself and become... well... weird, frankly. Also, as a player here, he stunk and spent most on-pitch time just grappling like he belonged on the wrestling with Mick McManus.

Neil Lennon:
Nope. Not a cat in hell's chance. Good run in Europe, credit there. But in a season where the engraver has had 10 months to practice "Glasgow Celtic", hardly a taxing domestic season for the Big Bhoys in the little kids' playground.

Malky MacKay:
Nope... anyway his Dad was horrible to Fletcher when Big Dunc shared a cell with him at HMP Slade!

Steve Round:
I have NO evidence for or against... I just do not want him to get the job.

Desperate Dan Allardyce:
NO! NO!! NO!!!

Orrible 'Arry Redknapp:
NO! NO!! NO!!! — Ever since Baddiel & Skinner did that sketch where 'Orrible 'Arry was going through the lovely Louise's knicker drawer.........

A common factor here is that largely I JUST do not like these guys!

Well that's My No! No!! NO!!! List. I'm sure as others comment, that I'll add more...

Tony Draper     Posted 17/05/2013 at 08:30:59   Comments (66)

We Know Our History and Only The Best Is Good Enough

I moved to Perth in November last year, loving the fact each morning was like waking up on holiday, with blistering heat and a laid back lifestyle but missing the march towards Goodison on gameday. The adrenalin rush as Z-Cars blasts through the speakers and the team run out. Watching away games on a pub screen and being surrounded by Blues, still I haven't missed a game this season, driving my girlfriend crazy, screaming at a tiny TV screen at 3am in the morning, and I am always on the TW site looking at how we as a whole are feeling. Strangely, with recent events I find myself looking at our situation with higher expectations than ever before.

For a while now, we have been the nearly team: nearly winning cups, nearly qualifying for continental football, nearly advancing the next young talent or nearly signing stars as they approach their peak. But we have always been in the mix. The reason many outsiders rated Moyes so highly is that the structure he built into EFC was to stabilize us as a team that, 9 times out of 10, compete with whoever we would be playing. We are consistent and challenging.

When looking at a new managers, opinions are divided – and that in itself is a problem. I personally want us to break the current ideal that huge investors are required and that cheating and intimidating the ref is acceptable by big clubs. I believe that League titles and European glory can be achieved by traditional clubs. I don't feel there is a team out there more capable of doing that right now.

That platform is there for something special. We have a coaching team with more than enough Premier League playing experience; if Pip Neville stays on also, even better. Our Youth teams have performed very well this season with talent apparent and I for one feel this is a great opportunity to kick on. Moyes did what he needed to for us; the next step is to employ a visionary manager who builds on that stability and adds that extra bit of magic.

I know it's a bit romantic of me, but I believe somewhere out there is a superstar manager – proven – who shares my notion, and wants to make history with a club that has not lost its identity and integrity whilst others melt into the common, bland and fickle...

I only hope the names being thrown around are due to bookies underestimating our potential and that BK (if you do read on here Bill, take note) sees this as the biggest and most important signing he has ever had to make.

Get it wrong and a generation of work will have been wasted,

Get it right and we can become the Everton we deserve....

Ash Coakley     Posted 16/05/2013 at 12:34:36   Comments (52)

7 Minutes between 6th and Champions League

They say that things even themselves out over a season, and I'm sure they do – however the most galling thing about our season to date is that, out of 3,330 minutes of Premier League football played this season, our lack of CL qualification boils down to 7 minutes of football when 4 goals were scored against us.

Newcastle, Fulham and Norwich – all scored in the last minute. Spurs with 3 minutes to go. 8 points lost that would have had us sitting on 71 points guaranteeing Europa league at least but with CL place to play for this Saturday.

Ok, you could point to Spurs at home where we turned it round in injury time, but looking at the 3 relegated teams away we took 2 points from a possible 9.

History cannot be changed but I just wonder, "What if?...."
Len Gowing     Posted 15/05/2013 at 20:51:43   Comments (29)

Pip for gaffer

I have seen numerous posts over the past week about who we should bring in and why we have to go for a continental coach, but i haven't seen many yet mention Phill Neville. Now i know for some he's not been overly popular since his move from Man Utd but for me he always did his best for us and was a proper captain and organiser, Wigan cup game excluded he was very good for us, and for me would make a great managerial choice.

To think that hes learnt and been coached by the best manager there has been in Ferguson and also had 8 seasons under Man Utd's newest employee our very own David Moyes. I say Neville because he knows the squad well, hes doing his badges people like Moyes Ferguson Pearce speak highly of him and regard him as a future top manager.

The biggest point for me is, he knows how we operate at board level, we all want better from the board or we all want new owners but that's a separate subject. We aren't losing Kenwright anytime soon and Pip would be the perfect choice to replace Moyes with, yes, Steve Round as number two as I don't see him going with Moyes to United.

It may be deemed negative by some on here; it's just my opinion, under our board now 6th is the best i think we can really aim for. I think next season Neville would get us in and around that position again. I like what he's said about becoming a manager in that he would want to play with style and have an attacking team. Under him we may even go one step further in the cups. I want stability, I don't want a huge risk and that's what Martinez brings. I also think he simply isn't good enough for our club.

So if Kenwright offered him the job he would obviously have to avoid going with the U21s this summer to focus on his first managerial project with us. I just have a feeling that we potentially have a great manager already at the club in him and we would be foolish not to take the risk on someone like him who knows what the clubs all about than a continental choice who will have no money and knows very little about us.

Stevie Leary     Posted 15/05/2013 at 16:58:29   Comments (52)

Memories of 1985

I am reminded by my little brother that 28 years ago today we enjoyed, arguably, our greatest moment in history, when winning the Cup Winner's Cup in Rotterdam. Where you there?

Three of us travelled from Lime Street, met by a couple of fans who couldn't get on the train with their case of McEwans Export, so, being the good citizens, we helped out. Train was late so we missed our connection to Harwich for the ferry.

We were fortunate that the Station Manager at Euston, an agreeable chap, was able to help us on our way. We had to run at the dockside and just made the boat as they pulled up the gangway. The water was like a mill pond but the boat rocked all the way to the Hook of Holland.

On arrival, we needed breakfast so – donned from head to toe in blue – we gave our fellow diners at the Rotterdam Hilton something to talk about over breakfast. Lots of time to kill before the game... what should we do? Question answered when we turned a corner into some square and behold, a host of blue and white seating singing under the blue and white awning of a local hostelry.... We drank, we ate, we sang... Some even played football with the local police.

The game.... well, I don't need to tell you anything about it — probably like me you've watched it many times on video/DVD — but the stadium rocked more than the boat. Do you remember the thunderous hand-clapping feet-stomping? The old stadium had never seen anything like it before and I bet nothing since!

Oh glory, the final whistle... boy did we party!!! We slept in the concrete pipes outside Rotterdam Station (some new drainage system going in). We arrived home late Thursday night just in time to catch a few zzzzzzs before the trip to Wembley...

Well, with the dawn of a new era pending, I just hope I'm around and able to sample some more of the same. COYB
Rob Coles     Posted 15/05/2013 at 16:50:17   Comments (27)

Duncan Disorderly

After losing our illustrious manager, we are now linked, on an almost hourly basis, with every man and his dog, as a potential successor to Davidd Moyes. People make quite compelling arguments as to the whys and wherefores of different managers on ability, and experience... Well, I thought, I would have ago myself… and yes — Big Dunc is the man for me.

Now I have already tweeted this, (yes I do tweet) and some people agree, and some don’t. The main reason for disagreeing is based on experience, They respond with, "Not now... one for the future. We need a man with a proven track record."

Now that seems a fair observation but, as I have pointed out, when Daglish took over the shite as player manager, he never had an ounce of experience. Not even a coaching badge or licence; he just got given the job. He won the League Title in his first year... sorry to remind us all of that but I believe he won it because he was a winner. Man-management, leading from the front, the fans hero, and rightly so.

I believe it takes a man who has won the day, cups, titles, and a forward-thinking player. Not a defender type, negative, from the outset, concentrating on avoiding defeat rather than seizing the day. Wigan seized the day on Saturday, others have as well in the past.

I believe with Big Dunc we have a winner, a winner who is an Evertonian. Yes, he may need help, Royle, Harvey, any one you can think of… But he would be an imposing figure on the touchline... he would inspire the will to win. I have heard he is doing an excellent job as a coach at Everton now, and commands respect from everyone.

I haven't renewed my season ticket for a few years now, picking and choosing my games. If Big Dunc was the new man at the helm, I would instantly renew, such is the appeal, and I have spoken to a few others who have said the same. Oh and by the way, I don’t think he would leave us for anyone… Mancs included.

One last thing, before this gets ripped to shreds, no doubt, if I was Kenwright, I would move heaven and earth to bring back Rooney, give him £100k a week and all his own Merchandise, spend £25M to sign him out of the TV revenue. I know I am dreaming now, but Rooney up front with Super Kev and Big Dunc on the touchline... titles in the bag.

Robby Daniels     Posted 15/05/2013 at 12:55:15   Comments (66)

Moyes and Man Utd Meeting

This morning watching SSN before heading off into work, I was most annoyed to learn of a meeting between Alex Ferguson, Ryan Giggs and our soon-to-be-former manager yesterday.

Er... excuse me, but would I be wrong in saying he's still employed by our club? Our season isn't over and he should be concentrating on our game at Chelsea this weekend!

And now it suddenly emerges that Phil Jagielka is the latest player he wants to take with him.

When the final whistle goes at Stamford Bridge on Sunday I can honestly say I'm not arsed what he does, but he shouldn't be conducting Man Utd business right now.

Moyes got a brilliant send off on Sunday, and leaves with plenty of goodwill, but for me meeting up with them at this moment is downright taking the piss.

Ste Traverse     Posted 14/05/2013 at 17:19:10   Comments (201)

Old Trafford Loans and Acquisitions

Time for some more aimless speculation! It is the season after all.

So with Moyes getting ready to go to Manchester, I was trying to work out what sort of positives Everton can take from this development. And one of the most immediate would be the link that Moyes will provide to the best up and coming (and established but out of favour) players at Old Trafford.

I've seen several comments that have focused on Man Utd's potential pilfering of our best players – most notably Baines and Fellaini – but it's a two-way street, and I was wondering whether anybody thinks there might be any realistic targets that could find themselves at Goodison Park next season.

Now I know that they'll be a lot of people who'll make the argument that we should be developing our own young players and not another club's, but with our relatively small squad size – and perhaps more importantly our modest budget – if there is a diamond to be had then we'd be foolish not to have it.

I'll start the bidding with a season-long loan for Nick Powell.

Any takers?
Andrew Keatley     Posted 14/05/2013 at 00:47:15   Comments (0)

The money debate...

I was just watching SSN, where they show the leagues from around Europe. And it seems that Ajax, PSG, Man Utd, Bayern, Juventus and Barcelona will all win their respective leagues. Barcelona aside, who are without doubt the world model of how to do it, is it right to say all other teams across Europe 'bought' their titles by spending more than their opponents in the last two transfer windows? With this in mind, what is the expectation that is actually set on our new manager? Are you expecting him/her to defy the odds and break into the top four? Anything less is a failure? Or you just want to see good footy, but concede that we don't have the funds to compete?

It's awfully difficult to try and convince myself we have had one of our best PL seasons ever, yet points wise we are just as close to relegation as we are winning the title. But by the same token, we are a decent striker short of playing CL footy. The fragmented leagues with sub-leagues seem to be apparent all across Europe now. I guess France was the last to be affected, but now PSG seem to be untouchable.

Dan Brierley     Posted 13/05/2013 at 18:59:22   Comments (36)

The new 'young' manager...

I have just heard the most horrendous rumour about our next manager which, if it's true, means I am totally finished with the club... Phil Neville and Davey Weir are the next in charge.

It's doing the rounds as we speak and it's coming from someone who works at Everton... Please, it cant be true, would Blue Bill actually do it? Has anyone else heard of this? Is this what Moyes meant by "young manager"?

It couldn't possibly be true, could it?? FFS NO WAY! — PLEASE LET IT BE A WIND-UP...

Tony Marsh     Posted 12/05/2013 at    Comments (382)

What will Kenwright do?

I reckon that is a pretty difficult question, because right now the perpetually bewildered Bill is probably taking bewilderment to an immeasurable level.

What should he do? Well, much as I'd like to have a say in the matter, I really don't think he should listen to the fans; we are pretty divided on this anyway. Nor, I believe, should he listen to the little voice in the back of his head urging him to save a few quid. In other words, forget appointing from within or hiring anyone who has ever played for Everton.

Should he listen to David Moyes? Well, David Moyes must, and one can understand it now, consider himself to be the dog's bollocks when it comes to management, and will likely see Malkey as a Moyes Mk 2.

To me, Kenwright several months ago should have hired a football man to line up a replacement. He won't have have done that... but he should now.

What will he do, though? I reckon he will do as he always does; try to court popularity. He will believe that appointing an Evertonian as a caretaker will appease the fans and buy him time. So take your pick from: Reid, Royle, McCall, Stubbs, Sheedy. Ferguson, Southall — or any combination of the foregoing.

I have deliberately omitted the name of the football man I would pick to choose a new coach. I just couldn't face naming who's the man to pick the man to replace the man who went to Man Utd.

Andy Crooks     Posted 12/05/2013 at 00:58:30   Comments (91)

The case for Roberto Martinez

Everyone has an opinion on the next Everton manager. For me, he must have Premier League experience and play an attractive brand of attacking football. He must also be willing to stay a long while in order to try and build on Moyes's foundations.

So, for me, that man should be Roberto Martinez.

Yes, Wigan have been treading water above the relegation zone for 4 years with Martinez. Being critical, Wigan have never really pushed on and achieved mid-table stability.

But what you have to understand with Martinez is that he has kept a club who are the equivalent of Blackpool with sub-20k attendances in the Premier League for the last 4 years.

He is a man of principal and he believes that you play to win and try to win and at all costs. His teams have had massive defeats 5-0, 7-1 and even a 9-0 as a result of this philosophy.

But, then again, on the flip side, do we want a manger setting his team up wanting a 0-0 and being happy with a 1-1 at Anfield?

He takes this team to Wembley tomorrow for a shot at the FA Cup. Remember how his Wigan team came out, attacked, and got us by the throat: in a 15-min period we were 3-0 down and still yet to wake up from the pre-match Moyes motivation.

You could argue he's achieved just as much as Moyes in getting to an FA Cup Final and keeping Wigan in the Premier League. If Wigan beat City, the tune will soon change on here regarding Martinez.

I for one am quite excited about the football our players could play under Martinez, the creative free expression and the "get the win" mentality. I'm for one sure Martinez could achieve more with our squad than Moyes did this season.

Daniel Johnson     Posted 11/05/2013 at 11:50:30   Comments (211)

The Marriage is over

He left someone else (PNE) to start a love affair with us. He came into our lives at a time when we were in great turmoil and not sure where we were heading.

His love of the job and attention to detail helped stabilize the club (playing side that is) and the love affair quickly became a marriage.

We started to look forward and expect a lot more, could we win a trophy or qualify for the champions league. All of these things became possibilities during our marriage to Davey.

Then cracks started to appear in the marriage. Why does he bring everyone back for corners? Why is there no plan B? Why doesn’t he try the youngsters? Why is he bottling the big games? We started to question the marriage.

We asked him to commit to our marriage, plan for the future together. He stalled and would not discuss it. Always putting the talks off with some excuse, let’s wait and see what happens in January, let’s see if we make Europe. There always seemed an excuse not to commit to our future.

Does he want to leave us? Could he be seeing someone else? The nagging doubts started to creep in. Plenty buried their heads. Ignore it and it will go away. Our marriage is strong we will be ok.

Then it happened, Davey announced that he was leaving and committing his future to a new marriage. Surely he had been seeing them behind our back? His thoughts must surely be on planning for his new marriage, his new life without us and not on finishing this marriage.

But wait, he could stay around a while so we can throw a big send off party for the last 11 years of marriage. Let’s invite all the friends and family round to wave him off into the arms of his new love.

Now really, would you? I do not think so.

The marriage is over; Davey has left us for someone else. There should be no party.

I do not want the manager of Manchester Utd managing Everton Football Club and cannot believe that anybody would.

If you want to thank him then write him a letter and applaud him when he brings his new team to Goodison next season.

We need to move on and should be more worried about finding a new manager.

Promote from within ?

Like many fellow Evertonians, I am currently feeling hurt and slightly betrayed that our great club has been used like a pawn in Manchester United's and David Moyes’s master strategy and I am alone in believing the only people who won’t inflict similar pain or use our club is one of us — an Evertonian.

Step forward, Alan Stubbs! Ably assisted by Duncan Ferguson and Davie Weir. I understand that Stubbs has no previous experience and may not even possess the requisite qualifications but he will be committed and for him, like us, there is no bigger job in football. I believe that, with our squad being so well drilled and experienced, the transition could become seamless and who knows how the journey would end.

However, if we do look to the outside, I feel it is important that the new manager maintains our current setup and is only allowed to bring with him a first team coach so Stubbs, Ferguson, Weir et al are continued to develop for the good of the club. Ideally we could do without the scenario where a new manager appoints his own backroom staff like Mark Hughes and Sam Allardyce do.
Darren Thompson     Posted 10/05/2013 at 10:05:34   Comments (45)

There was a Dutchman, a Croatian and a Frenchman...

This my shortlist of three to replace David Moyes.

1: Dennis Bergkamp, assistant manager at Ajax working with Frank De Boer. He loves attacking stylish football, he knows the Premier League and its demands. He has physical and mental toughness and a fantastic work ethic. He would be better than Laudrup in my view.

2: Slaven Bilic. He not only has valuable Premier League experience, he was a great Everton player in his day. We all know what he achieved with Croatia, but he has not been doing very well in Russia with Lokomotiv Moscow and could become available.

3: Frederic Antonetti. I can almost hear people saying, “who?” He recently left the French Ligue 1 team Rennes after four years and has managed St Etienne and Bastia. He is the “French David Moyes” in the sense that his teams tend to punch above their weight. However, he was publicly critical of Rennes owners for not putting up needed investment. A Moyes with balls!
Peter Fearon     Posted 09/05/2013 at 21:39:14   Comments (46)

An 11-year marriage of convenience?

I've always been a big fan of David Moyes. I admired his loyalty to the club over the last 11 years, and the way he represented Everton Football Club. I wanted him to stay and try to achieve the success that his work ethic and desire warranted.

However, I'm very disappointed with the way things have turned out, and it got me thinking. Have the last 11 years all been a sham? Has he always been nailed on for the Man United job? Ferguson was 60 when David Moyes started at Everton, and it is quite conceivable that they could have come calling after 2 years, after 5 years, 8 years. If they had come in sooner, I believe he would have left us, just as he has left us now, like a married man who leaves his family for another woman.

The fact that Ferguson (I can't bring myself to call him 'Ferg'!) hung on for 11 years, meant that Moyes was content to hang around at Everton on a massive salary. Is that why he never actively pursued a move to any other club? Was it common knowledge at other big clubs who chose not to bother offering him a job, knowing that he was hanging on for United? Many people are saying that he had to leave because Everton couldn't compete financially with the top 4. I think he would have (not would 'of') gone to them regardless, because it turns out that even after 11 years he's not an Evertonian.

No true Evertonian would walk out on the club. He's just like all the others who fawn over United, seduced by their success and the media circus that surrounds them. Ok, he's virtually certain to pick up a couple of trophies over the next few years, but that will be down to Ferguson's legacy. If it does happen, the achievement will be hollow compared to anything he might have achieved if he had stayed at Goodison. Everton's new manager will have a tougher job replacing an aging squad.

As an afterthought it occurred to me that Tim Cahill a few years down the line would be worth considering if he decided to move into management. He shares a lot of Moyes good points – determination, will to win, competitiveness and he was a fine ambassador for the club off the field.

Finally, I thank Moyes for everything he has done for Everton down the years, but I don't wish him success at Man Utd – they've had far too much success already, thank you very much!