ToffeeWeb - Season 2009-10

The Mail Bag

Ball's in our court?

Michael Ball has just been released by Man City and is currently out of contract. Until Jag's return we're a little short in the defensive department and with Valente having gone back home to Portugal, the Goodison ranks aren't exactly littered with decent left-backs. Since Ball can operate both on the left as well as providing cover at CD I reckon he would be a useful addition to our squad.

Ball's got bags of experience from playing in England and Scotland, and not least in Europe which could come in handy in next season's Europa League. He's available on a free, won't cost us much in wages, and would probably relish the chance to come back to L4, highly motivated to playing for his beloved Blues.

Surely worth a punt? On a one year-deal, possibly with an option of a second year, there's not much of a risk, is there?
Thor Sorensen, Norway Posted 01/07/2009 at 20:39:48

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Gary Tan
1 Posted 02/07/2009 at 07:06:27

Remember how Pistone and Valente were supposedly good cover for the LB position but ended up spending the whole season in the treatment room. That would be the risk with Michael Ball so I would rather that David Moyes goes for a young, pacy LB who has the potential to develop into a top player... know anyone that fits the bill?

Rafizi Ariffin
2 Posted 02/07/2009 at 07:42:02

How about Armand Traore... Birmingham’s trying to get him on loan.

Carl Rutherford
3 Posted 02/07/2009 at 08:01:51

I think a lot of blues would like to see Ball return given the circumstances in which he left. However, this is purely for sentimental reasons and we do not want a repeat of the Gravesen fiasco.

Looking at it objectively, Ball was found wanting when he has played in the Premier League for City and injuries have restricted him. Not up to the standard we are aiming for unfortunately.

Allan Barratt
4 Posted 02/07/2009 at 09:10:16

I thought that when I saw he’d been released, we could get a couple of years out of him. I also thought we might of gone for Sean Davis, DM tried to buy him a few years ago but he failed the medical. Not a bad player available on a free, played nearly every game last season and always plays well against us!!

Patty Beesley
5 Posted 02/07/2009 at 10:30:53

Michael Ball? Do we really want another injury prone player? Haven’t we got enough of them with Saha and possibly Owen (if he signs for us). Sorry but, although I liked Ball when he was an Everton player, there is no room for sentimentality in this game.

Mick Wrende
6 Posted 02/07/2009 at 10:34:27

Ball is nowhere near good enough for our glorious team. So what on earth would be the point of signing him?

Ainsley Dale
7 Posted 02/07/2009 at 11:22:51

The point of signing him would be to allow Bainesy to have a rest against smaller teams, either in the cup competitions or in Europe against weaker teams. He also has the experience needed if he was to be required to cover for Baines in the unfortunate case of Baines picking up an injury.

Some of you bring up injury issues, but with him only playing in the circumstances I have mentioned above (no chance of him being a first team regular), I don’t feel this will be much of a problem.

Alan Clarke
8 Posted 02/07/2009 at 11:46:25

Why don’t we try and sign Jeffers too?

Davey Thomas
9 Posted 02/07/2009 at 13:29:00

Backwards. If Dunne comes in return for Lescott as I’ve heard being touted then I will never put another penny into the club

Tom Brown
10 Posted 02/07/2009 at 14:25:14

Hi Patty,

"No room for sentimetality in this game"? :- )

I thought being a fan was all about sentimentality... Irrational unconditional love for a bunch of blokes kicking a ball around a field....

Patty Beesley
11 Posted 02/07/2009 at 14:55:08

Tom - Some guys will pick holes in everything!! I am as sentimental as the next person but not to the extent of paying out good money in wages to someone who is accident prone and only ends up playing a few games in the season while being paid handsomely to sit on the sidelines. I am as sentimental as most, if not more, about my blue boys and probably have been for a hell of a lot longer than you. I’m nearly 70 and have supported them physically and visually since I was 6.

Anthony Millington
12 Posted 02/07/2009 at 17:28:56

If we’re skint he’s definetly worth a punt as cover. We don’t want to be splashing out on defenders when the real area that needs strengthening is midfield. What alternative do we have? And how much will the alternative cost? I think we could try and bring him in on a short term contract unless Moyes has a few sneaky bargains or loan deals up his sleeve.

David McKenna
13 Posted 02/07/2009 at 19:04:49

That would be a step backwards. We've moved on from the days of Micheal Ball, he is not good enough for this club.

Peter Roberts
14 Posted 02/07/2009 at 22:22:00

Patty... Good wages? I reckon £1M per year, tops. Probably less as Bally would jump at the chance to come back, and wouldn’t be motivated by money.

Besides, I don’t think we’re talking about somebody who can replace Baines, but rather, a cheap option as back-up should Baines get injured. That, and his European experience playing with PSV, will help massively.

I can see it happening, and would gladly have him back.

Dave Randles
15 Posted 03/07/2009 at 00:36:37

European experience? What? All 12 games for PSV?

Stewart Littler
16 Posted 03/07/2009 at 03:53:14

It surprises me how limited some people’s knowledge of the game of football is. As we are all aware, there is every chance of playing around 50 games or maybe even more next season. We played 48 last season. No player can play every one of these games, save for maybe the keeper and one ’stalwart’. So, as some have mentioned above, it is important to have as much cover as possible for each position.

Some of these players, particularly in squads outside the top 4, are not good enough on a regular basis. Our cover for LB was Valente and Lescott. The former is gone, and the latter will spend most, if not all, of the season, at CB, as Jags will not be match-fit until December, and Yobo goes to AFCoN in Jan & Feb.

So the upshot is that we need cover in this position. Do we have any youngsters coming through in this area? Not to my knowledge. So we need to get someone. Pros for Ball:
Liverpool born and Evertonian
Aged 29 — still got 3-4 years left
Knowledge of the Premier League, and experience thereof
Free agent
Wages equal to or less than Valente

Can someone let me know some negatives, cos I think this sells itself. Average cover for nothing. And to the dreamers who want a "young, pacy LB who has the potential to develop into a top player", how we paying for that exactly? The only reason I would not want us to sign him is if we signed someone like Ledley, whose main position is LM, but can cover at LB.

Michael Kenrick
Editorial Team
17 Posted 03/07/2009 at 04:33:23

Stewart: 1) Injury-prone; 2) He didn’t exactly set the Prem alight at City. Those are the negatives.

Dave Wilson
18 Posted 03/07/2009 at 06:25:38

This isn't the worst Idea I’ve ever heard... We all remember the guy has ability, he’s played for England, Dick Avocaat thought he was worth £6.5 million and Guus Hiddink was also happy to sign him. His problems have been well documented, but Moyes may be able to coax another 2-3 years out of him and the type of wages we’d have to pay him would hardly constitute a gamble. Even if we are about to sign the kid from Leeds, we need cover now.

if Jacobsen was worth a 1-year deal, surely a better player with more experience in the Prem, who actually loves the club, is worth a shot?

Col Wills
19 Posted 03/07/2009 at 11:59:12

Remember Paul Power, he wasn't a bad signing now, was he??

Fran Mitchell
20 Posted 03/07/2009 at 12:52:50

I dont think so to be honest.

I loved Ball when he was with us, but why sign him now?

I would prefer to use Lescott as back-up, along with blooding in youngsters...if this Luke Garbutt does sign for us. Also if ever serious emergancy Phil Neville can fill in there too.

Ball wasn’t up to the standard at City pre-£££.
He remains injury prone (our selling him for £6mil to Rangers, in his condition, was almost criminal).

Also, sometimes players return to their old club for familiarity. What will Ball find familiar?

No single player, and I think the only member of the backroom staff who was there then (I’m not even sure he was) is Mick Rathbone (if he was there they probably know each other quite well).

So basically, its a No. He ain't quick enough, he ain't young enough, he ain't good enough.

However, this Leeds lad is supposed to be promising, with him and that German lad, it seems as though we are really pushing on with the youth market.

Terence Owen
21 Posted 03/07/2009 at 13:36:04

Michael Ball was a good player when we sold him years ago, before his knees crumbled away. If supporters genuinely want us to make progress and challenge the top four, is this really the sort of signing we should be making? No chance. Think I’ve got Terry Pehlan’s number here somewhere...

Ben Jones
22 Posted 03/07/2009 at 13:53:35

I’d take him, maybe he is injury prone, but we do need cover at left back, and Ball for free sounds alrite to me. Decent steady player to have as cover.

Are there any other decent players available for free, other than Owen? All I know is Sol Campbell, but too old, and too expensive with his wage demands.

Tom Brown
23 Posted 03/07/2009 at 15:27:06

Didn’t mean to sound like I was attacking you, Patty. Just your choice of phrasing made me smile!

On a seperate note... Intreresting that you imply your support is somehow greater because of the longevity... It is a long time since someone last called me "sonny"....

Ismael Bondarenko
24 Posted 03/07/2009 at 15:53:39

Doesn't anyone remember the incident with the balloon in the cup game against Sheff Utd (I think!), pure comedy. And that was a couple of seasons back; unfortunately, injuries and lady time have well and truly put to bed the vast potential this cold-sore faced teen prodigy once had. What a shame.

Dennis Stevens
25 Posted 03/07/2009 at 17:13:30

If Moyes feels he can do a job as a squad member, I’ll be quite happy to see him back at the club. To be honest, I don’t expect a player brought in on a free as defensive cover to "set the Prem alight". However, it won’t overly disappoint me if Moyes pursues other options.

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