Tony Marsh ? The Man's Got a Point

I was reading what was a very well constructed and beautifully honest post from Tony Marsh and was amazed by some of the responses it elicited. Questioning anyone?s Evertonian credentials in a response to any post, no matter how strongly you disagree with the content should be outlawed. Surely we all have one thing in common, proven by the fact that we are all prepared to sit, read and reply to the posts on this board?

The definition of a supporter of a club is surely one who, well, supports? That can mean attending the game as a season ticket holder, subscribing to Everton TV, buying replica kits or going to one game a season. If you measure a 'true? supporter by the number of games attended, then surely the same measure applies to where you sit in the ground? Therefore lounge members are 'truer' supporters than Park Enders because they spend more!? That's clearly bollocks so I think my first definition applies. Anyone who ?supports? the club in whatever sense is entitled to an opinion.

Love it or hate it, Tony Marsh has every right to his say. Sure, he sometimes shoots from the hip, sure he sometimes goes overboard and yes, he?s definitely in the glass half empty club and to be perfectly honest, if I were opening the Ellesmere Port Branch of Positive Thinkers R Us? then his membership application would be swiftly returned and marked ?gone away?. But, and here?s the point, cut the vitriol and unadulterated hatred out of what he writes and I think the man has a point. In fact, his ?point? is often similar to mine, though I am more considered in my opinions and am definitely slower to respond.

Some three seasons ago, I binned the season ticket I had held for 10 years. Why? Because to be perfectly blunt, the football being played was absolutely fucking awful and I was bored shitless sat in the Park End wishing I was somewhere else. In fact I often joked that the club should do a ?Virgin Atlantic? and put games consoles into the backrests of seats to entertain the punters. (Now there?s a concept worthy of consideration?!) A crowd of mates that was originally ten in number sitting together became one at the start of this season and to a man, the nine defectors would all cite the same reason for staying away ? they weren?t being entertained!

Those over at the Darkside endured a ?torrid? (?!) time in the league under the guidance of Messrs Souness and Evans and bought in Houllier to replace them. You may recall (as I do, with a lump in my trousers!) their treble winning season of 2000-01. That would have secured a job for life at most clubs, but no, 3 years later he was sent packing after ?taking the club as far as he could?. Their next manager comes in and wins the Champions League in 2005 and gets to the final of the same competition in 2007.

IMHO, we are now firmly re-established as a Premier League side after far too many years at the wrong end of the table and without a shade of doubt, credit for that goes to David Moyes. The squad is far stronger and, in a Layman?s eyes, we appear to be far more financially stable than at any other time in our recent history. (Ill-conceived ground move notwithstanding, but that?s another discussion altogether!) That said, the side we see playing now belongs to David Moyes.

Five years have passed since he was brought in (you may recall that snookers were required to keep us up in that first season, so again, all credit where it?s due!) and the players at the club are there at the wishes of David Moyes. So let?s get this straight: this is his fucking team, don?t give me the ?injury list? shite. He CHOSE to leave the chase for Manny so late, he CHOSE to bring back Gravesen and, despite his assertions to the contrary in the close season, he CHOSE not to beef up the squad with, and I quote, ?numbers?. So what we are seeing is David Moyes? side, playing David Moyes? style of football.

It is my opinion that our manager has now had time enough to stamp his name on the team and that what we are getting now is as good (or bad ? depends on whether you would get in my Positive Thinkers R Us Club!) as it is going to get. The standard of football in the Premier League (Arsenal and occasionally Man United aside) is pretty poor. This is simply because the economic reality since Sky invented football dictates that league placings are paramount. The term ?entertainment? now applies to the hoards choosing their games on TV ? myself unashamedly included, and not to the ?mugs? sat on the terraces.

So, and here?s the point, what do you want? Are you happy to play shit football and finish in 5th, 6th, 7th or 8th place every year, maybe have the odd European jaunt and go on the occasional cup run? (Chance would be a fine thing!) Or do you think we should do what the Darkside did when they thanked their Frenchman for his services rendered and told him that it was time to make the next step? Personally, I value being entertained when I do go to a game and not wishing I was somewhere else. Clearly, and this is demonstrated by a very high proportion of the posts on this board, that opinion is not shared by all.

To those of you that may ask who would replace David Moyes, I have the fortune of not having to make that decision and we have a very competent Board (cough & splutter!) to do that for us. There are very many managers that would give their eye teeth to manage in the Premier League that try to play football the way it should be, but appointing them will always contain an element of risk. Yes, I?ll concede that for every Wenger there are 10 Allardyces, but does that mean we should accept mediocrity? I don?t think it does.

My words may not be the same as that of our friend Mr Marsh, but I am now pretty convinced that the sentiment is the same, ?David Moyes, thank you very much for your undoubted hard work, diligence and commitment and more so for the shape in which the club now stands, but we?ve got to move on.?

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