Same Old Bill's Everton

Jose Walsh 01/09/2016 35comments  |  Jump to last

Like all of you, I am feeling thoroughly fed up tonight judging by the fact ToffeeWeb crashed. I stayed awake despite having to get up for work at 04:30 tomorrow. We started with Morishi stating (on Sky Sports) today would be something special. We had Koeman saying we needed 3 or 4 players then it went to 1-2 players.

We were linked with every player imaginable. We saw teams like Palace, Stoke and Leicester sign quality players and improve their squads. We have seen decent players that would improve our squad come and go.

Then we get gazumped at the last minute by Spurs. Admittedly it looks like we dodged a bullet given the NUFC's fans reaction but why approach him at the last minute anyway? Okay, Spurs offered Europe, but Stoke doesn't for Bony or Martins Indi. Surely improvements on what we currently have in Enner Valencia & nothing, and both on loans too.

Those of you happy with how it panned out, ask yourself what happens to the strategy? The planning? The long-term vision? The Director of Football cherry-picking and identifying players?

If you think it all went to plan, it is quoted today that Sissoko's representatives only contacted Everton today about a proposed move so we can't state he was our long-term target. Where were the proposed targets? Why leave it until the 11th hour last minute? In fact, why do we leave it to the last minute every year?

Utterly ridiculous... and for a "business" to act in such a reckless manner is bordering on negligent but we never seem to learn. As fans, why do we build ourselves up to be let down? We may as well switch off Jim White and his stupid yellow tie as nothing but disappointment ever comes of Transfer Deadline Day.

This has left me feeling utterly deflated. More so than usual years because we were promised so much. New owners. New DoF. Alleged new wealth. New ways of working. Yet nothing has changed! The one consistent denominator is the very same William Kenwright. I wouldn't let him near the catering contract never mind negotiating players' terms. He has been nothing but a thorn in our club's side for years and I will rejoice when he leaves.

We were meant to be cash-rich and yet we have a net spend of zero. The lowest in the Premier League at a time when all clubs are rolling in cash. If you think anything changed, why did we only spend any money once Stones was sold and spent roughly the exact same amount?

Unless it is announced tomorrow that we are moving to the Docks, my deflation will turn to anger and I will start to think maybe Morishi is a Kenwright masterstroke to keep us quiet and off his back – a mere puppet to keep him in power another year longer.

Again, we have gone so close. We all know we need a striker (not a West Ham reject), we needed a No 10, a goalkeeper and right back cover. What happened to Brahimi? Kone? etc etc etc? How can you be linked with so many and come up short with nothing? Are we stronger? Yes, but still inadequately short.

I cannot help but feel Koeman will be raging and experiencing the waffle from Kenwright for the first time "Sorry, Ronald son, but we just couldn't offer European football like Spurs". He won't stick around for long if tonight is anything to go by. He stated publicly he wanted 3 or 4 then 1 or2 players and came up with zero.

If we miss out on Europe again, it will be even harder to attract new players and we should look back on tonight as another missed opportunity. New owner but same old Everton. Keen to hear everyone's else view especially those feeling more positive than me right now. Think I've just seen Muller and Ravenelli on County Road asking Riquelme for directions to Goodison!

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David Ellis
1 Posted 01/09/2016 at 10:32:41
It's all covered on Lyndon's article. Yes, disappointed with the TDD. I'm OK with the window as a whole... but we still lack cover for Lukaku.

I had hoped for me this time but I don't get the witch-hunt mentality of ill-informed fans looking for people to blame. It's a complex business.

We have money... but money is not enough. Our reputation/brand is not strong enough and we face a bit of a Catch-22 in improving it. But signing new players is only part of the story and we have already replaced almost half the team.

Steve Jones
2 Posted 01/09/2016 at 11:00:05
OK, let's walk through this one slowly for all those who think like this – and, on last night's forum performances, there's a lot out there.

1. Transfer kitties are a myth. If the players can be found fitting the managers requirements, money will be found. There was no £100m wedge burning a hole in Koeman's pocket. Finance would be arranged to cover case by case. There was £30m for Sissoko, though; we know this as we agreed to give it to Newcastle.

2. TDD exists as a thing because it's the point in time where there is a fixed reason to have deals done. Things will always be left to go to the wire when there's a lot of moving parts in a negotiation. We're not a hugely attractive team at present, that's been proven, but we still need players who would fit in at Champions League level teams. Many of these players are also already very wealthy. Just offering sackfuls of cash isn't always going to swing it.

So agents often advise players to hang on for offers later in the window as Champions League clubs' squads change. They do so knowing clubs like Everton, Spurs, Stoke, West Ham will come in with early offers and put their boy in the spotlight; see what happened with Witsel.

3. Smaller clubs get greedy. Like when we got the huge payday from Rooney, sudden large wedges of cash can save precarious clubs or launch them to the next level. Porto got greedy with Brahimi. They thought we'd have to roll over and pay out their suddenly jacked-up demands. We offered a daft sum already and stuck to it. Which was the right thing to do; we don't want to pick up a reputation as mugs – Moshiri isn't that rich! Now Porto have to explain to their fans and Brahimi's 50% owners why they passed up 10s of millions of euros and have a sorely pissed player still on their books. Everton did nothing wrong.

We've had a good window. There are gaps in the squad. The Sissoko thing does grip the shit more than a little. Koeman knows the score though. He said 2 years to get the squad set the way he wants it. There'll be triumphs (Gana) and setbacks (yesterday); we're going in the right direction, though –you can't not see that.

David Pearl
3 Posted 01/09/2016 at 11:16:38
Awe... It's all Bill's fault...

It would've been nice to have signed a couple more but 4 or 5 new players in the starting 11 is enough to integrate for now.

Patrick Murphy
4 Posted 01/09/2016 at 11:29:41
We can all rationalise the window and be happy that we've dodged a bullet in relation to the Sissoko affair, but are we really going in the right direction?

I would certainly hope so because for the last two season's we've had to watch a team / squad which was heading South at an incredible rate of knots. The fact that we have done reasonably well in the opening fixtures is a good sign, but I fear any European ambitions will have to be put on hold for at least another twelve months, due mainly to not strengthening in key areas and lacking any consistent creativity in the team.

It probably is too early to judge the new owners regime and perhaps it will take them another twelve months to properly get a grip on the club and how it operates, but if this transfer window is a guide to how they plan to move the club forward in the coming years, they have got off to less than thrilling start.

Evertonians could do with the local media being a little more probing and questioning of the club and its owners. They should ask the hard questions and stop making positive headlines by taking any rumour or tweet and turning it into a story, which turns out to be mostly unfounded rubbish. The coverage of the proposed ground move being one such example in recent days, but who knows? That one may actually turn out to be true?

Actions speak louder than words and so far the actions have been pretty underwhelming for a club who are supposedly on the brink of a brighter better future, but there is still time for that to change, we'll have to do what we always do wait and see.

Steve Jones
5 Posted 01/09/2016 at 12:09:28
Patrick

You can't see that we've changed direction drastically just because deadline day didn't go to plan?.

Are you serious?.

On the pitch the scrubbing away of Martinez's crap and the introduction of Koemans aggressive direct style couldn't be more obvious. You look at the pieces he was trying to add yesterday and the plan is glaring in its clarity. It's an exciting one too.

Off the pitch there is negotiation with Peel for a docklands stadium. Do you want to have a think about that in light of what you said about 'no change'. The simple fact that we're talking about it as a possibility is a total step change from the hang-off-Tescos-coat tails approach under the last regime. You have to see that.

Patrick Murphy
6 Posted 01/09/2016 at 12:50:03
Steve (5) I'm not basing anything on the results of the actual deadline day, it's the events of the whole bloody summer, proof of the pudding is in the eating and actually there is no real proof that anything has radically altered. There have been plenty of media sound-bites, ripples of hope because the Mayor has tweeted a couple of cryptic messages, but no real tangible proof that anything has happened or is about to happen with relation to the stadium issue.

Even without Moshiri's arrival we would have had to have changed the manager, so nothing that fantastic there about a change of direction. Admittedly the old regime may not have attracted Koeman so I'm willing to concede that may be a sign of some ambition.

Centre-half sold, replacement purchased, veteran goalkeeper leaves is replaced by another experienced goalkeeper, nothing radical in that is there? Two other players purchased, one looks great value the other yet to prove his worth, pretty standard signings for Everton FC's old or new regime?

When and if the types of players we were chasing actually end up in an Everton shirt I will gladly admit that Everton FC is showing ambition and that things have changed. When and if the club produce a tangible plan for a new stadium and how it is to be funded, I will gladly admit that the club has changed and is moving forwards.

I did say that it was too early to judge the new regime and that it may take another twelve months, but I don't believe it is healthy just to believe that things have changed because we want it to be so, we've all been down that road too many times at Goodison Park in the last 20 years.

Craig Walker
7 Posted 01/09/2016 at 13:18:33
I feel the same as you Jose. When we lost to Man Utd in the semi-final I said to the wife that I was done with Everton until they showed some ambition. Supporting Everton is more addictive than nicotine and just as bad for your health. I'm still there though trying to get to the games that I can, listening to the commentaries of the ones I can't get to, buying the home shirt, checking websites every hour for news of signings and depressingly, my 5-year-old son's kit has just this minute arrived. He asked me did we sign anyone good as his first question this morning. Welcome to a life of disappointment son.

I feel foolish for being so gullible sometimes. There was the rumour about Usmanov a few weeks back and I had visions of us competing with Chelsea and Man City. When will I realise that having followed all deadline days, I've only been left not disappointed on maybe 3 occasions? I can still picture Martinez emerging from Finch Farm in his black Merc telling us he was happy with McGeady and Lacina Traore on loan and that they were great additions.

As others have said, I wasn't that enamoured with Sissoko but it's more the principle that we are being rejected at the 11th hour with no possibility of implementing a plan B. During the Euros I was anticipating the likes of Witsel and Mata not a West Ham reject.

It isn't all bad. I said last season that we should get rid of Stones and get Ashley Williams. Idrissa Gueye has impressed so far. Stekelenburg has looked better than Robles. Bolasie can tear teams apart on his day. Holgate has looked great in what I've seen of him. However, there is too much mediocrity at our club: Kone, Cleverley, Gibson, Oviedo, McCarthy, Robles etc. Would these players get into the RS or Spurs teams? If we want to do better then we should be asking this question with every signing.

The biggest asset we have is Koeman. We need to match his ambitions though. The waterfront stadium is Everton's final chance for me. If that does not materialise then I'll have to go to counselling and break this addiction once and for all.

Steve Jones
8 Posted 01/09/2016 at 13:22:17
Fuck the last 20 years. It means nothing. Going forward is what counts... and we are going forwards.

Koeman is a massive step forward on Moyes and Martinez. The impact he's had already...with a misfiring Lukaku... is clear. We all saw that, last weekend, had we had our existing strike force firing we would've torn Stoke apart. Fitness is up all across the board and the signings we've brought in have made us better.

The factors that hurt us bringing players in will still hit us next window and the window after that. Lots of players targeted by the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal didn't move this window even Juve missed out on Witsel after all that pissing about. It happens accept it.

What evidence do you need to see at this stage on the stadium? JCBs onsite? You know its too early for that as well as I do. I tend to agree with the Mayor though... we're looking closer to a real solution and by this I mean a commercially viable one, not some contrived rebuild of the stadium or a tin shed on a spur road off the motorway, than we have been since Kings Dock.

Undeniably we will know more in 12 months. Why work so hard at being miserable for those intervening 12 months though when, despite setbacks like TDD, we've actually got real reasons to have a bit of hope for the future?

Peter Larkin
9 Posted 01/09/2016 at 13:32:32
Nail on head. I was sceptical of Moshiri... now I'm down right fearful of another Kenwright. He may well get the stadium put little money in using sky to fund it then sell it for a huge profit? Any better than Kenwright? As Moshiri said watch this space.
Steve Davies
10 Posted 01/09/2016 at 13:50:32
I love Koeman and the signings he made. But this does remind me somewhat of when we sold Rooney and replaced him with Arteta et al. The team was better.

When we sold John Stones we did the same. The team is better.

However, I feel we have been here before. We are undergoing transfer business at the last minute. We just used the Stones money, no new money was forthcoming. We have re-named the stands, put up different flags etc. All cosmetic!

Meanwhile I look across Stanley Park and see a new stand, not flags. See them actually buying new stars and putting their hands in their pockets. Not rhetoric and spoof, hard evidence. They did not sell one of their star players to do this.

I do not wish to hear the usual soundbites coming from our club. I want to see hard evidence. We have brought in an excellent manager but we needed a few extra players. Gutted about missing out on Perez. We have some great youngsters like Tommy Davies.

I am confident about the manager but I still need to be convinced about the Boardroom. Time will tell. COYB

Tim Sharpe
11 Posted 01/09/2016 at 15:21:07
"Rome wasn't built in a day" is the phrase banded about for reconstruction / renovation projects like this. Which is true. However the foundations are laid pretty early on, and as far as I can see this is being laid on pretty firm ground.

Ins
A veteran defender (Williams), a (so far) dependable Keeper (the Stek), a talented attacker (Bolasie), a solid, dependable midfielder (Gueye) and and another forward (Valencia) Plus a couple of promising kids (Dom C-L and the dude from Coventry whoes name escapes me, Bassou I think?)

Outbounds -
Stones (gifted square peg in a shaky round hole and a decent price tag)
Pienaar, Ossie & Hibbert (Seasoned pro's, have served with distinction, but now too injury prone and too old.) Ossie & Hibbert to come back as coaches maybe?

Howard - Great Keeper (mostly) but now homesick, and want to be near his kids. Put out to pasture at the right time. Who can blame him for bowing out with the grace he did.

A couple out on loan, a couple of kids that didn't quite make it and a couple of others who never will.

Surprise retention - Gibson

Not-surprised we could not get rid - Niasse (Who would buy him??)

Joe Clitherow
12 Posted 01/09/2016 at 18:13:43
"Meanwhile I look across Stanley Park and see a new stand, not flags. See them actually buying new stars and putting their hands in their pockets. Not rhetoric and spoof, hard evidence. They did not sell one of their star players to do this."

Except, Steve #10, that simply isn't true according to Sky, who have Everton down for a net spend of -£1.05M versus an RS spend of -£14.5M

Link

Michael Polley
13 Posted 01/09/2016 at 19:35:01
We will come good. In Koeman I have faith.
Colin Glassar
14 Posted 01/09/2016 at 20:22:51
Well thought-out post, Jose. I'd just like to add to those who are saying we were prepared to pay Newcastle £30m, wasn't it a case that Newcastle were asking for five £6m installments?

I sincerely hope Koeman is okay with our last-minute embarrassments; I'm sure this wasn't part of Moshiri's sales pitch to him a few months ago.

John Raftery
15 Posted 01/09/2016 at 22:57:10
Would those who love to wallow in misery have been happier if we had blown £100m on three or four no-marks? The squad can only be strengthened incrementally across several transfer windows.

Even if we were prepared to spend that amount in one window, top quality world class players will not be coming to our club any time soon. We have to face the fact that we have been a mid-table club over the last two seasons and are viewed as such by the wider football world.

The squad is stronger now than it was in May. If we can strengthen again in January and next summer we have much to look forward to.

Ian Jones
16 Posted 02/09/2016 at 08:23:40
Jose. Interesting post. Sorry, not sure if I agree with some of your comments – especially how Transfer Deadline Day is always so disappointing. A few years back, didn't we sign McCarthy, Barry and Lukaku? Although admittedly these were late in the day and also two were loans who then went on to sign for us.

We got some transfers in early as well that year. Deulofeu on a loan. This time, we also did some work early.

I don't think you should be deflated. Things have changed. It will just take time. Some of us thought that we may be on our way back after Martinez's first season. I think the club is in better hands throughout.

There is a post on TW. Yellow Tie Blues or something like that. I suggest you read that post to get you in a better frame of mind

Enjoy the season.

Mark Andrews
17 Posted 02/09/2016 at 09:31:24
It would seem that no matter what happens, there's a sizeable and very vocal minority of blues who just live to whine. I'm more happy about the future of our club now than I have been for decades. The media whip up a fervour around deadline and saps fall for this artificial, media induced frenzy. If you're leaving your business until the last minute, you're going to get burnt.

Sissoko would have burnt us and he was only a last minute maybe deal as his reps contacted us, using us as the lever to his ambitions to get Champions League football with spurs. Good luck to him. Him not answering Koeman's phone call speaks volumes about his persona.

Fact is we've finished in the bottom half of the league for 2 seasons running due to the woeful mismanagement of phenomenal Bob Martinez. These things take time and that's difficult to stomach in these days of instant gratification.

Am I pleased with the direction our club is now taking? Yes! Do I want it to happen straight away? Of course I do but I'm realistic, it'll take time. The foundations are being laid for a marked improvement. I'm glad they're being laid on solid ground.

Paul Kossoff
18 Posted 02/09/2016 at 17:18:49
Well put, Jose, same old Bull from Kenwright, same old story of promises not fulfilled.

If we get the new stadium at the docks Kenwright will have a gold statue of him self with a halo on his head and arms outstretched, welcoming all to the new ground, like the saviour... so long as he doesn't have to put his hands in his pockets.

Christine Foster
19 Posted 02/09/2016 at 21:37:00
I suppose Koeman is disappointed but pragmatic too; you buy what you need when and if you can get them... if a player doesn't want to come then stuff him... so what? Would you be happy getting another mercenary who doesn't care a fruit loop about the club?

The team is a work in progress, but I feel we are in a far better position than last year, so I am not disappointed with the window purchases or lack of them. We needed a marque signing but got a few wigwams... not sure how well the new guys will do but I do think Koeman has his head screwed on.

Stephen Brown
20 Posted 02/09/2016 at 21:48:17
Big Vic Anichebe gone to Sunderland!! Could have been our back up striker!!

Phil Neville next?!

Daniel Joseph
21 Posted 03/09/2016 at 00:15:18
Nothing but admiration for Bill Kenwright. Without him we would have gone to the wall.

I hope he has a long and healthy retirement. I will always be appreciative of what he has done for our club.

An Evertonian and a gentleman.

James Watts
22 Posted 03/09/2016 at 00:20:01
Daniel (21). Either that's a wind up or well done on the sarcasm!
Steve Brown
23 Posted 03/09/2016 at 05:00:36
My guess is Bill and Bob will not be leading the recruitment drive in January. They probably blinded Moshiri with tales of their deep knowledge of the transfer day dynamics only to prove that they are as inept as we all know them to be from a decade of disappointment.

Steve Walsh and I think Moshiri will take the lead from now on is my guess. All part of a dignified but inevitable process to move Bill into a pure ceremonial role

As for the legendary Moshirigram, if it exists at all then the contorted logic could only come from one place. You can imagine Bill saying "Don't worry, Mosh, I'll put a statement out on your behalf to clear up the entire Sissoko episode."

I don't mind Bill sitting in the stand in a club tie like deadly Doug did at Villa, but buy out his shares now. And then sack Elstone.

Paul Hay
24 Posted 03/09/2016 at 05:06:12
Steve (#8).

Summed it up perfectly for me!

Keep the faith.

Dave Williams
25 Posted 03/09/2016 at 10:13:05
Well said Steve Jones! People are slagging off all and sundry when they don't know the people concerned and haven't a clue how the transfer system works behind the scenes and what a murky world it can be.

The crucial point is that as fans we want Champions League standard signings who are already established but those players don't want to go to a club with our recent performance history. As a result, there will be a lot of players we miss out on and we have to build methodically with what we have, the players we CAN get and bring through a few of the youngsters.

As results improve, so too will our chances of attracting the more established players. If we are around the top 4 in January, our chances should improve but, til then, I am happy with what we have and in a manager who looks like he can improve them.

Andrew Clare
26 Posted 03/09/2016 at 12:00:43
I am disappointed that we didn't get the extra players in and I am sure Koeman is too.

Undoubtedly he will do a good job for us but whether we have a squad good enough or big enough to get in the top six is another matter.

I am now pinning my hopes on the new stadium plans as I think if they are ambitious enough our standing will change dramatically.

We will then be a far more exciting proposition for players and sponsorship alike. Generating a greater income that will enable us to compete at the top table.

When I was a kid Everton was a huge club attracting big name players and challenging for honours every year. Now after many years of mismanagement we have a hell of a job to catch up.
I really believed it was going to happen now but I think it's going to be a slower process than we anticipated.

Sadly the last day of the window did smack of Kenwright's ineptitude.

Sean Kelly
27 Posted 03/09/2016 at 12:36:11
Get that Russian guy with the evil eyes to do the transfer negotiations.
Dale Rose
28 Posted 03/09/2016 at 13:00:36
Change doesn't happen overnight. The transfer deadline day is a load of crap. Let's move with the current momentum who to me is looking good. Every faith in the management, team and back room staff.
Paul Kossoff
29 Posted 03/09/2016 at 16:06:41
Christine (#19),

The majority of footballers are mercenaries. Put all of the squads from the Premier League clubs on a lie detector machine and ask them "Do you really have any loyalty to your club apart from financial gain?" I would say over 90% of results would be no.

The same applies to Everton, apart from Jags, Baines, Barkley, most of our squad would be off as soon as their agent said they had a better contract at another club.

The only loyalty, real loyalty is from the fans not the players, not even Kenwright.


Raymond Fox
30 Posted 03/09/2016 at 16:51:00
Dave (#25) – nail on the head, mate.

People come on here and make statements like they're facts; if they are repeated often enough, they become accepted as facts by many, even though there's no proof. A la the last manager.

We do not know how the transfer business was carried out, is it likely that Moshiri would let BK carry out the transfers on his own? What about Koeman, what input did he have? The facts are we don't know.

What I think we can say is that the club is in better shape now, even though we were hoping for more in the window.

Paul Burns
31 Posted 03/09/2016 at 20:52:26
Spot on, and no amount of blind faith or psychobabble, over theorising everything can hide it.

Actions speak louder than a thousand words and we've seen none again and it stinks. No wonder we can't attract the best players with our shambolic approach to the football business.

How many more trophyless years do we have to endure before most people just can't take anymore bullshit?

Daniel Joseph
32 Posted 03/09/2016 at 23:39:02
No James, not a wind up, nor sarcasm. Tell me where we would be without him?

Up shit creek without a paddle is where.

Ian Robert
33 Posted 06/09/2016 at 12:07:25
Well said, Daniel.
Eugene Ruane
34 Posted 06/09/2016 at 12:20:19
'Up shit creek without a paddle' he guessed.
Martin Mason
35 Posted 06/09/2016 at 12:22:02
Absolutely correct, Daniel, the reality over the too often quoted myths. I hope BK stays around long enough to see success at the club as a minority shareholder.

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