Baines in line for new deal at Everton

The likes of Bainesey and Jags will likely take over the mantle from Ossie and Hibbo as Everton's long-serving elder statesmen (and therefore regular ToffeeWeb whipping boys).

He's someone the youngsters can talk to about all things Everton (as they come through and when they have transfer speculation).

Great player, great attitude, great example

I'd guess that he felt like he took a battering last year and a bit of the year before and this is a good way to show him that there is faith and a future at the club.

I think Garbutt is the best left back we have at the moment, but never seems to get a sniff, again, that is my opinion.

Baines is 31, turning 32 in Dec, and more importantly his current contract still has 2 years to run, taking him to 33 (and a half) by the time it runs out. He's already one of our top earners on around 70k/week so why are we offering him a new contract at this time? I can only imagine his agent is angling for a fee (which the player and agent get when they sign a new deal).

Surely we can wait until next summer at least to see if a) injuries havent't taken their toll, b) he can still fit into RKs plans and c) none of the other 2-3 younger LBs we have have taken the No.1 spot off him. He'll still have a year left on this contract then anyway.

He's been great for us but this is just giving away money for no reason. I highly doubt Baines will be our No.1 LB in 2018 when he's 34.

Although hope I'm totally wrong and Leighton plays on well into his late 30s! Good luck to him

As for Oveido, surely our future doesn't involve him. I just don't think he is 1st rate and I feel he was exposed badly on a few occasions last season – Anfield game as a case in point.

He probably would have gone on to earn well over the £60k we tied him to, so for this reason, I'm glad.

Well done, Bainesy, you deserve it lad.

Leighton Baines is not in the same category as Howard, Hibbert, Osman or Neville.

The club needs to stop giving handouts to players nearing their final years, wasting money and it's also gut-wrenching for young talent trying to get an opportunity in team / squad.

I wonder where Coleman is with his contract?

Garbutt is the natural progression from Baines if he keeps his head down and learns. I see Galloway as a CB in the long term.

I don't think Oviedo is good enough. Teams were targeting him near the end of the season as our weak link. I sit near the left corner flag at the street end and my bottle is gone with him on a regular basis. He is nowhere near as good as Baines.

1. He is still a very good full back.
2. He is a great dead ball striker.
3. He is/will be a good mentor for the younger players.

I think it is the last where is could be most valuable. I'm sure he knows that he will not be playing every week soon, but he can be a good link between the Management and the Dressing Room.

And he can do it better then most of our midfielders – take note, McCarthy, Besic & Cleverley. No aerial strength in either of those 3 either.

I'd also have him in ahead of Barry. I still remember Gerrard knocking him for six not that long ago... still embarrassed. Constantly beaten in the air for goals and just walks off head down with a beaten attitude.

Barry - McCarthy... my arse. In Koeman I trust.

Baines is the ultimate professional and definitely takes care of himself. The long standing injury and the shite tactics did for him with Roberto, also actually standing up to him didn't help.

I hope we get to see the real Baines stand up next season.

It doesn't take that big a stretch of the imagination, surely?

I'd say it's certainly far more likely that Leighton Baines will still be first choice in 18 months than it is last years 'future legend based on very little evidence', Luke Garbutt, will go from struggling to get in a shocking Fulham side at times to being a guaranteed Premier League starter for Everton.

I wouldn't rule him out just yet. Barkley couldn't get into Neil Warnock's team. Different division looking for different qualities in players.

His best asset was his attacking and crosses but that seemed to have been limited under Martinez.

Both could become great assets to each other as both can run, pass, cross and shoot. We'd be solid down that flank in both defence and attack.

Garbutt did pick up an ankle injury in pre-season that kept him out until October, but it's not like he was a complete crock.

I hope and expect that one of Koeman's biggest gifts to us will be the transmission of confidence. It's a bad cliche, but if we got back the Baines of 3 years ago then we would be getting a high quality new player in effect. Ditto Coleman in my opinion.

Also, even at this early stage, I'd think Koeman knows he has a decent player, with intelligence and a link to the temperature of the squad.

All boils down to an extension which is excessive but merited IMO.

And whilst talking of Everton left backs, Baines is right up there with the best of them .IMO. Maybe only Ray Wilson would be ahead of him. Believe me we had some very poor LBs through the years...Darracott...Bernard...Bailey (although he played in a very good team)... Pointon... Jackson... Pistone...Kilbane there are more. And some supporters moan about Baines getting a contract. Just imagine him in that 1980s team - and yes I know that it is all conjecture. Just a wee bit of fun.P.S. Van den Hauwe and Hinchcliffe were not that bad...IMO. But I still have (of players that I have seen). Baines second to Ray Wilson.

Baines standards may have fallen from previous seasons but he was not alone, and the major problems he had last season was the lack of a regular left winger and injuries.

To give him an extended contract is no problem, not just for his loyalty to the club, but it is still possible that he will be able to maintain his high standards.

I hope Baines can stay injury-free this coming season as he missed half of last season. As for 2 plus seasons after, age catches up with all players at some point and I don't see too many 34-year-old full-backs playing regularly in the Premier League. In fact, other than our own Tony Hibbert (surprise), the oldest full-back to play last season in the Premier league was 33 (Rangel and Sagna), hence I don't see Baines being our No 1 full-back when he'll be approaching 34.

Could be wrong of course – either way, I still don't see the point of a new contract at this stage when his current deal has another two years to run.

Great news!

He struggled with injuries and an idiot manager over the last year or two but, just like Coleman, I believe he will thrive under Koeman. I think we will see both players back to what they did best.

He also needs making Captain in my opinion due to his fantastic approach to the game (either him or Coleman anyway) and putting back on penalty taking and free-kick duties immediately!

Seems those slagging off some players as putting their own interests above Everton and therefore being disrespectful and disloyal have some explaining to do. These same posters demanding loyalty from players are the same ones wanting not to reward the loyalty in return when they determine the player has diminishing value.

But wait, Baines and others have been rewarded with a paycheck so they have nothing to complain about when the team cuts them loose and the fans want them gone, do they? Exactly, I say, as it is a money business. So please let us not continue to discuss whether a player should be loyal to Everton, or not, as that is not the criteria used to determine the player's worth by the player, club, or the fans.

But, I believe loyalty should be rewarded by Everton, so make him Captain and give him a pay raise for the remainder of his current contract and then go year to year after it runs down.

I agree with this, except the captain bit. The captain should be the gobbiest twat in the squad. Er, er... er...

Baines is far the best left back we have, and I feel any replacement will have to be bought.

Also, I fully expect Baines to have a life-time job at Everton, working as a coach.

So were the goals conceded because of a poor defence, or inadequate shielding?

Martinez was trying to implement a possession-based strategy a la Barcelona, using players who weren't good enough to play that system.

Defensive coaching was seemingly absent, with the consequences that we all deplored.

Poor management, first and last.

Who would they be then, Steavey (#39)?

Everton next season need a resolute back 4 who don't take prisoners and are able to defend. Not Fancy Dans who believe their role is being wingers without defensive considerations first.

But until Baines was brought in, I was not that impressed with our selection of left backs. Kudos to Moyes for getting Baines. Sure as hell beat Kilbane and Valente...

I agree. It's a matter of coaching.

Baines, Coleman and Jagielka seems to manage well when coached by David Moyes.

Also, the players you mentioned are older and there are better attacking players from other teams to contend with. The same defence as last season, Everton are in trouble again.

He was trotting half arsed into position whilst the opposing attackers piled forward the Iwobi goal for Arsenal in particular was a case in point.

Whether it is advancing years or not being fully fit his performances have not been up to scratch for well over a year and he should be out the door not rewarded with another contract.

That defence could not defend if they really tried. Yet, all the Everton fans want is for Coleman and Baines to bomb forward. And defending? Forget about that.

Response = Class, Class and more Class!

Even before contract talks were mentioned. I thought Baines had a terrible couple of years. Never found the heights since the Manchester United transfer farce. Expect more next season from him.

The Captain bit was because he is my personal favorite Everton player. Do we actually have a loud player at Everton to direct the players on the pitch? Maybe Mirallas? Barry? Insert choice here?

As the mathematicians say, you can particularise from the general but you can't generalise from the particular. If you think that one pre-season game proves your point then debate is useless. Let's talk again at Christmas.

"Do we actually have a loud player at Everton to direct the players on the pitch?"

No! That was the reason for my "Er, er ..." I think it's a real problem.

Tony Blair once said famously, education, education, education to the duffers of this country. I say defence, defence, defence to those who believe you can have attack without a defence. Well, at least one that does not leak 59 Premier League goals like Everton last season.

Would hate to lose him prematurely, but please no more "Hibbert Goes Fishing Contracts".