ToffeeWeb - Season 2009-10

The Mail Bag

Transfer Marathon

I've always said that the league is a marathon not a sprint but recently EFC have turned the art of transfer dealings into a marathon and most certainly not a sprint. Many theories have been put forward...

Dithering Davy wants to examine the players navel before committing
The money is being "ringfenced" for Kirkby
Earl and Green want their money back before allowing any further spending
We're just plain skint and the banks will not allow any further credit

Well any or all of those could be the situation but it is plain to a blind man that we need reinforcements urgently. I have never known Moyes to be caught in a lie but he has come close with his "I expect a couple of players in within the next 48 hours" which has obviously come and gone without even one potential signing being mentioned.

I was a bit concerned to read his statement in the Echo today particularly this extract: "There were reasons why those deals didn’t happen but there was no direct fault attached to Everton. In the end, those players have ended up at our rivals AS THEY HAVE MONEY TO SPEND. With the amount of money I have got to spend, it’s difficult to improve on a side that has finished fifth in the Premier League. I targeted a couple of younger players I thought I could get in, hopefully with good potential. But that’s gone now. We need to add to the squad and I’m confident we can get a couple in.”

Does this confirm that the reason we didnt sign Naughton and Delph was that we have no money? No rocket science there then as many of us knew already that we had no money but what about the extra money from finshing 5th and a Cup Final appearance? Has that been earmarked for Kirkby which was supposed to be the opportunity to put more in the transfer Kitty not less and which must be clocking up millions in "experts" fees so far.

The thing we would all like to know is why Moyes is so desperate to cling on to Lescott. Is it because he knows he won't get the money to buy sufficient reinforcements or is it because he's sick to the back teeth of being stuffed by the board and is now saying sack me or back me with his statement, "I make the decisions here".

Whatever the situation, it is destroying our club and has already split Evertonians with so many divided opinions on Kenwright, the Board, Moyes and the players. It could have been so different with the camaraderie that was so evident on our cup final appearance, the goodwill of which has now been all but destroyed.

We need action now!! We need to make a statement on Lescott that he is for sale at £25 million take it or leave it and we need an injection of new blood immediately. Other clubs can manage it in 24 hours why cant we? If we really want these players it should be after all a sprint not a marathon!!

Jay Harris, Lliverpool Posted 18/08/2009 at 10:35:00

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Tony Williams
1 Posted 18/08/2009 at 17:44:48

In regards to your last paragraph, Jay, I am more concerned that if we do bite the bullet and get shut of Lescott then how much will Moyes actually see for transfers? I will have a hefty wedge on it being nowhere near the full amount received for him.

Anthony Newell
2 Posted 18/08/2009 at 17:46:42

There can only be 2 possible reasons for the way EFC conduct their transfer business:

a) Moyes dithers and piss balls around till the last minute, frightened he will make a transfer fuck up (Krøldrup).

b) The club is either skint or tries to do it’s business in such a miserly way it opens up the possibility for other clubs to come in and steal. If Everton were buying a car they would continually offer below Parkers Valuation and then expect to get the vehicle with a small deposit and the rest on the never never. Of course, you piss the seller off no end with that sort of approach. When it comes to selling, EFC take completely the opposite stance and want forecourt prices.

Of course, the other money aspect to it’s transfer dealings is that the wages they are able to offer doesn’t place us in a competitive position. Players know that going to Spurs or Villa will earn them more.

I think reason b) is the sole explanation for yet another summer of disappointment though a) definitely comes into it as well. Everton FC has rapidly become a dinosaur in it’s approach to transfer dealings.

It’s a sorry fucking state of affairs. Moyes needs to drop the stubborness and get on with the business of getting Lescott sold to facilitate some incoming players — the £20 million mark is more than fair value for a 27-year-old. Although I don’t like Hansen, what he says in here is bang on: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/8205059.stm.

If you’d said to me, you can have no transfers this Summer or one from Hunt or Duff, I’d defintely have had the latter option. There ARE players out there but we’ve missed the boat yet again.

Players still available (amongst others): Huth, Taylor, Tuncay...

PITIFUL!!!

John Martin
3 Posted 18/08/2009 at 18:39:25

Those players available are still there to fill problem positions that we have known all summer about. Billy Liar and Dithering Dave have once again fucked up the summer transfer window. Moyes becomes a good manager from Sept 1st but is frustrating until then. Surely he can't be happy with the right-hand side of our team?!?

Ian McDowell
4 Posted 18/08/2009 at 19:12:52

Players I would've liked during the summer:

Tuncay, Cattermole, Taylor... I really think Cattermole would of been a great signing. If West Ham are in financial crisis, as reported, Noble would also be a good buy.

Ste Boyle
5 Posted 18/08/2009 at 19:13:22

John, of course he’s happy with the right hand side of the team, his 2 favourite players play there.

I heard at the weekend that Taylor was having a medical, now I here the RS are looking at him. We cant tie up a deal quickly as we offer 10 bob up front and then the rest over 10 years, no wonder Sheff Utd ordered Naughton to speak to Spurs, they were offering cold hard cash. Clubs must shudder when Everton are interested in their players. What a shite state of affairs, this club will go backwards very very quickly.

Al Reddish
6 Posted 18/08/2009 at 21:08:38

I don't believe Moyes has deliberately lied, my theory is once he gives his list to Bill, he leaves it in his hands. Davie has probably asked how things are going and Bill has told him "should have a couple for you in a couple of days mate, just gotta iron out the wages (and how much income support they will need to claim to top them up!)"

Chris Kennedy
7 Posted 18/08/2009 at 22:07:02

I’ve just be looking on NewsNow and Everton have not had any stupid links today... for a strange reason I feel confident of signing tomorrow???

Tony Williams
8 Posted 18/08/2009 at 22:07:51

Exactly Al, all Moyes can do is tell Kenwright who he wants. Moyes may think he "controls" the club but he doesn’t control the purse strings.

He gives a list, like he confirmed he did last year and Bill must go down the list with his red pen crossing out all the decent players because he doesn’t have any money to buy them.

The only other thing Moyes can do in a transfer negotiation is convince the player to come to us, the rest is left up to the money men.

That is a sensible suggestion; however it’s so much easier to say that it is Moyes dithering with his transfer targets, even though it is widely known that all managers can do is submit targets and hope the money is there to get them.

Dan Sedlak
9 Posted 18/08/2009 at 23:27:53

Banega work permit has been applied for, but Elm looks like a no go:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/aug/18/everton-ever-bangea-work-permit

Peter Bradshaw
10 Posted 18/08/2009 at 23:44:23

A work permit has been applied for, for Ever Benaga, who has only played twice for Argentina therefore doesn't fulful the criteria required for a loan deal. The hearing wont be until next week, therefore after failing to sign this guy Moyes will state they have run out of time and they where trailing x, y, z players.

Taylor is waiting to see if the new owners appoint Shearer as manager; if they do, he will stay at Newcastle.

Everton lodged a £2.5 million bid for Robert Huth, Boro want £5 million — not going to happen.

Fernandes story, paper talk...

I threw my shirt after the Arsenal game, it's still there in the corner; can't see me picking it up again until Christmas. By that time I am sure it would have relocated on its own.

So we have to look forward, hoofball, no gile, no inspiration, not many goals for but plenty against.

Best of the rest my arse, breaking into the top 4, an even bigger arse.

Alan Clarke
11 Posted 19/08/2009 at 09:48:16

Any other club would offer Taylor a deadline, why don’t we? Sign by 1pm today or we move on to another target. Taylor is not good enough to be messing us around like that. He can spend world cup year playing in the Championship. We all know Newcastle won’t get bought before the transfer window shuts.

Can anyone give any report on Senderos? That died a death, didn’t it?

What I can’t understand is Moyes tried to sign a right back, he took Hibbert off in the cup final and on Saturday yet he has made no further attempts to sign a right back. Now if that’s not dithering, I don’t know what is.

Peter Griffin
12 Posted 19/08/2009 at 11:16:05

Peter Bradshaw — The work permit hearing is Friday morning not next week.

Trevor Powell
13 Posted 19/08/2009 at 12:13:46

It seems we have only had one season when the club bought early and that was the class of Andy Johnson and all. We went off like a train in comparison to other seasons. It seems that Moyes is being held back because when he does get the money up front he is in there buying!

My personal view is cash in on Lescott on EFC terms which does not include being fobbed off with City rejects like Dunne or whoever. If we are going for a replacement we should be looking to the future with Taylor from Newcastle, seems he wants to be here and sounds like an honest player. He has potential and hunger...

And yes, he is still learning but better than wasting our time and energy for a player who has demonstrated his ability to sulk like Lescott. Lescott is rapidly becoming the new Barmby, and I wonder how much he regrets his seduction and consequent demise.

Tom Bowers
14 Posted 19/08/2009 at 12:27:00

Never a truer word. Our transfer dealings always seem to be long drawn out affairs with "Yes he will"- 'No he won’t" scenarios usually ending up with "No he isn’t" as a final word. Those that do go through usually end up being a waste of time anyway with many average players not making the grade at Everton. Case in point today — another loan deal for a promising Argentinean who hasn’t done much for Valencia but we have to fight our government for a special work permit. Is he worth the effort just to sit on the bench behind people like teacher's pet Osman?

Alan Clarke
15 Posted 19/08/2009 at 12:45:02

Couldn’t Andy Burnham, the health secretary, have a word with some friends in the Home Office?

Aidy Dews
16 Posted 19/08/2009 at 12:41:37

Tom, Ever Banega wont sit on the bench instead of Osman no way, he will surely come straight in the side to put some much needed steel and quality into the side, he’s a cracking little player and will do a better job in midfield than Osman and Neville!.

I'm pretty sure if we can strike the right deal with Shiteee then Lescott will be on his way, just seen on SSN today that he’s been ordered to train away from first team so if thats the case then surely Moyesy doesn't want him to be part of the 1st team set up anymore, but what deal would fellow Evertonians take from City?

It looks as if the deal there more interested in is cash plus player deal but what player or players would you take from them, I think I’d take £20m + Petrov and Jo me or push are luck and ask for Johnson, I wouldn’t want Dunne back although we could do with the cover at the back but for me he’s shite. I'd rather go buy one of either Huth, Taylor or Senderos, I just can't understand why Moyes didn't get shut of Lescott earlier so that he could get some of the money off City and get some much needed players in earlier, rather than wait 'til there’s just over a week of the transfer window left!

Peter Griffin
17 Posted 19/08/2009 at 13:03:22

Apparently JL never trained today?

Alan Clarke
18 Posted 19/08/2009 at 13:34:47

Don’t worry Peter, they’ll still sing his name tomorrow.

Surely Lescott has made his position totally untenable now. This whole thing could have been handled a lot better by both Everton and Lescott.

Peter Griffin
19 Posted 19/08/2009 at 13:57:34

I doubt he will be there to hear it.

Jimmy Digney
20 Posted 19/08/2009 at 06:09:32

Look who's kiddin who here, surely we all know that the application (work permit) for Mr Banega will be turned down, Mr Obina last season is a case in mind. He does not meet any of the requirements the Home Office requires, so why waste everyone's time to be told he cannot get a working visa.

Is this just another smoke screen for the loyal fans to hang onto in desperation that just maybe Mr Moyes will pull a rabbit out of the hat? Don't think so. So stop pissing around and go and buy someone, Everton.

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