ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

He's off to sunny Spain

Well, the 'Fernandes saga' is another fine mess we have had to put up with and I doubt if it will be the last.

Why? Well, whether you like BK or not, you have to give him some credit for finding the cash to give Moyes but to me it seems like we have been a victim of circumstances and a lack of 'up front' cash. I doubt if Kenwright was in a position to offer loads of cash up front so like most other clubs he will have offered some sort of downpayment with the promise of the rest later (even Man Utd have to do this). Unfortunately, Valencia have been throwing their money around all summer so they must have been able to offer more cash up front than us and this is why Fernandes's owners probably decided on that one... plus I think they offered a bit more than Everton were offering overall anyways. I don't think the player himself had much say in the matter, although I think I'd rather live in Valencia than the UK.

When you add this to the fact that the Premier League where taking so long to ratify the transfer, its not all that surprising (but still incredibly irritating) that it all went wrong.

I'm not making excuses for Kenwright as I'm as pissed off with Everton as most of you are but this is the situation we are in now... but at least we will have a shiney new stadium soon... shame about the team, but at least it will look good on Sky TV.
Iain McWilliam, Reading Posted 28/08/2007 at 09:44:05

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Brian Baker
1 Posted 28/08/2007 at 09:53:19

I think it's rich coming from Everton that Fernandes let them down, when Everton did exactly the same thing to Fernandes in May. We brought him here on loan in January with the option to buy, raising the player's hopes, knowing exactly what the price would be beforehand. We then let him go back to Benfica, crying foul over the price (?), with the player keen to join, running the risk of another club snapping him up.

This kind of poaching by Sevilla always happens before the transfer window closes. The player has only done what most of us would have done and looked after No 1. We should have signed him in May when we had the chance.

jayharris
2 Posted 28/08/2007 at 14:02:40

Totally agree Brian.If you are in the market for anything you have to close the deal.Since Johnson days we have a history of treating players with contempt.Anyone remeber Schwarze who nobody was at Goodison to meet and then when the infamous Cliff Finch showed up he let him go to talk to Middlesborough.Nigel martyn was another one we let go at the forst attempt.I wouldnt trust this board with running a market stall.If as they say everything had been agreed on Friday why didnt BK get him to sign on Saturday when he was his "special guest".I believe it was known over a week ago that there were problems with EFC’s offer for him and that may explain why Arteta has been so subdued in the last 2 games and why Moyes has been so quiet on the subject all last week after saying he expected him to sign within 24 hours.We knew all about the 3rd party ownership complications when he was here last year so why now blame the league for enforcing a law that was already there.This deal was known by BK to mean so much to so many fans I cant believe it wasnt a cynical way of getting a feelgood factor for the vote.Hey but thereagain all the sheep love the man.God help us all.

Roy coyne
3 Posted 28/08/2007 at 14:30:58

Totally agree with Brian and Jay.But Iain while I admire your faith the new stadium but knowing BILL it will be a third rate cowshed

Dan Parker
4 Posted 28/08/2007 at 14:17:25

People forget that ultimately it's the player's choice and you can't physically force him to sign. Ok, it was extremely naive of the club to announce his signing within 24 hours but once a players head and heart turn, there really isn't much you can do about it. He gets to stay in a country with a climate he's used to with people that speak his own language. He probably just got pissed off with the FA and Everton pissing about with the season started. It's done now, let's move on.

Let's not forget the FA's involvement in all this. Smooth it over for cheating West Ham and Man Utd but have to keep it offical for the boys in blue. It stinks but let's get over it. We didn't even have this sort of money a month ago so fingers crossed we'll get a decent player before the window shuts.

Must admit the season has gone a bit sour for me already as we let ourselves fall into our two-win hysteria again. Now this cock-up, Yak's over-inflated price and work permit and I'm losing sight of the positives. Cmon - sort yourself out man.

Garry
5 Posted 28/08/2007 at 14:52:38

I’m almost glad he’s gone to Valencia. Sure, he’s a fantastic player but this was a dodgy deal from day one and any player/agent combination who’ll whore themselves out after weeks of negotation with Everton doesn’t deserve to play here.

Brian Baker
6 Posted 28/08/2007 at 16:17:49

Dan, I think Fernandes had a clause in his contract which compelled him to go to the highest bidder. So he may have had no choice but to go to Seville. Having said that we still missed the boat in May.

Eddie Harrison
7 Posted 28/08/2007 at 18:58:49

I wish Fernandes well in Valencia, they have Champions League football, some fantastic players he can learn from, and probably a more attractive offer financially.

I’m sure one of two things will happen now. In a couple of years we will be watching the hugely talented current crop of portuguese players mesmerising us all in the world cup. Fernandes has the potential to be the best of the bunch. At this point we will wonder what if? We will all tell everyone we nearly signed him, and not in the way I tell people we were linked with Essien a few years ago, but in the way we talk of a love that was lost. Of course further ’what-ifs’ will be avoided as Portugal will only last to the quarter finals as despite their frightening level of midfield talent, they will still be relying on Nuno Gomes and Pauleta up front.

Alternatively he will never break into the Valencia team, and be loaned out in a year or two, or perhaps sold, or perhaps thats wishful thinking on my behalf.

We are all acutely aware he isn’t the finished article, but in Fernandes most of us see a rough diamond, and then considered how Arteta has evolved as a player with us and applied the same transformation to Manny.

As I delete my screensaver of Manny sidestepping Fabregas and Gilberto I for some inexplicable reason kinda hope in a couple of years I can sit in the pub and and think what if.

Iain McWilliam
8 Posted 29/08/2007 at 07:49:00

Roy I totally agree, the last paragraph is supposed to be taken with a touch of sarcasm :)

Shaun Lacey
9 Posted 30/08/2007 at 01:18:34

Obviously Manuel Fernandes is not committed to being an Evertorian and as far as I'm concerned he can stay in Spain. I like to see committed players to our team. Just like the Wayne Rooney saga, Moyes has shown (and rightly so) that he only wants players that a truly committed to the team.