ToffeeWeb - Season 2008-09

The Mail Bag

Summer Blues or Hopes Eternal

Here are my thoughts for the close season, and remember I have been castigated on here for my anti-Kenwright / anti-Moyes posts, but believe the reason this site is the best is because everyone who is passionate about Everton and the state of the club can have their say.

I must say though that I agree with the comments on Osman but would defend Hibbert in that, when he has some protection in front of him, he can be a top Premier League defender. Long may this continue.

Whatever happens in the transfer window, this site will be full of comments like:- "This is not the way to go..." "We should /should not have signed him but gone for him instead." etc. If we are all honest, the speculation of who is, who is not, who might sign for us makes the summer months bearable. And we all have in our minds who we would like to see signed and those that we wish we would. And which of those linked that wouldn?t be fit to wear our Royal Blue Jersey.

We cannot change that Everton have a limited transfer budget, the good news is that the Club have all their senior players signed on long-term deals, and Moyes has developed his transfer policy and has over the last two or three transfer windows done quite well.

So here goes who would I like / not like. Given our budget, I doubt if we will sell anyone this window with the exception of Lescott to a silly bid from City or Arsenal. I also think Saha should be off-loaded but don?t think this will happen.

Johnson from Pompey; Richards plus £10M for Lescott (if the club do decide to sell, which will be left to Moyes. This would leave money for another striker to replace Saha who is not Premier League standard anymore; Bentley on loan with a view to buy; Owen, maybe... but on our terms and only on a pay-if-you're-fit-to-play deal.

Players coming to us also know that they will get a game which is a big advantage in World Cup year and also that we are now seen as a potential top 4 side. I think we should look long and hard at M'Bia as he bad-mouthed us last year and will be away for six weeks during a crucial time of the season. (I think the AFCON will have a major impact on Moyes?s transfer policy.)

In conclusion, I am quite confident that the manager will move Everton up to the next level and I have never had this confidence in Moyes before. I think the appointment of Steve Round was a masterstroke and the team spirit within the squad is unbelievable, also there is no World Cup or other tournament where our best players can get tapped up.

After the window closes, we will all reflect on what could have / should have been done to strengthen the squad. We will have criticised and praised Moyes; no doubt Kenwright will have been pilloried but, come that first game, we will all be cheering on and supporting our blue boys. My hope is that given the season we have had and the fact that the players experienced a Wembley final, they will want it again. This could be a fantastic season for us and I am wishing the months away till August.
Steve Sweeney, Prescot Posted 06/06/2009 at 07:46:48

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Michael Kenrick

So it's FM time again in earnest. I certainly have far better things to do with my summer than hang on every ridiculous rumour or dream pointlessly about players we will / will not be signing.

So have your fun here, folks. These threads tend to become pretty stupid because people start arguing about the merits of players that don't even (and most likely never will) play for the club. Meanwhile, I'll be sitting in the sun by the pool, drinking margaritas and getting a nice tan.

Will Leaf
1 Posted 06/06/2009 at 18:33:39

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My FM Everton plays at King?s Dock... for some odd reason I have vastly superior revenue streams than the real Everton...

Ian Tod
2 Posted 06/06/2009 at 18:41:39

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I heard a rumour that Moyes is interested in Alan Hutton from Spurs, he could be the answer to having a decent right-back.

Steve Carter
3 Posted 07/06/2009 at 06:01:25

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Like der, Will.

Richard Parker
4 Posted 07/06/2009 at 08:56:04

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I’d sell Lescott for £25M plus Craig Bellamy to Man City, I’d also sell Yobo for £9M plus Bendtner to Arsenal, lastly I’d swap Yak back to Boro for Downing.

Then with the proceeds I’d buy Steven Gerrard and 5 young centre backs, hoping that at least one of them is good enough. I’d also buy one of them new bib-bra tops that we’re going to play in, with my name on the back.

Paul Gayler
5 Posted 08/06/2009 at 19:57:10

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I think I?m a lone wolf here as I?ve said it before and no-one comments back, but if Spurs are happy to sell Tom Huddlestone for £5m, would it not be a good buy? Strong, good tackler, played for England, wants to impress to get in the senior squad, and more importantly, not chuffin? off (like M?Bia) to t?other side of the world for x amount of weeks with the high risk of injury in fierce competition.

Apart from that, I would bow and scrape to have Ledley, an international captain at 21 (yes it may be Wales before someone bleats about 2nd-rate country... watch out, though, I?m Welsh) but it is still a big responsibility which he handled well on Saturday.

Stewart Littler
6 Posted 09/06/2009 at 17:42:13

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Paul, whilst I like what I see with Huddlestone, I rate Jack Rodwell as better, so the question would be why spend the 5 mill? I would defo spend the 5 mill on Ledley though, with the money raised by selling Anichebe, or possibly even a swap deal as Cardiff rumoured to be interested. I would then attempt to acquire 3 players on ’frees’ - Owen (worth the gamble for a 1 year deal), Scholes (possibly surplus to requirements at ManU?) or Maniche (available on a free) and Bentley (on loan as out of favour and never worth half 15 mill). Shipping out VdM, Castillo and Jo to allow for the wages. We then have whatever our summer budget is to spend on one big name player - if I had my way, I would go for Glen Johnson, and if we got him, I would let one of Hibbert or Jacobsen go. But I’ll leave it to Moyesy!