ToffeeWeb - Season 2009-10

The Mail Bag

Loyalty works both ways

I read with dismay today the news that Darren Ferguson has parted company with Peterboro by mutual consent, which is a posh phrase for being sacked.

Darren Ferguson has taken Peterborough from League 2 to the Championship in consecutive seasons which, correct me if I am wrong, is pretty hard to top. But, as ever, his success has resulted in expectations raised to an unrealistic level and so he ends up being the victim of his own success... better for him if they had not gone up last year, ironically!

However, it makes me think of this in the context of the Lescott saga here at Everton. I know there was a lot of anger directed towards him over his departure but the Ferguson story illustrates that in football it's a 'dog eat dog' world and everyone is looking out for themselves. So last season's hero at Peterborough is this seasons fall guy.

With this happening a lot now in the success obsessed English leagues, I don't blame Lescott for leaving and good luck to him if he can earn more money and achieve success at Man City. Let's face it, in a couple of years time maybe Everton would have bought a younger guy and Lescott would be consigned to oblivion anyway or shipped out to the lower leagues to grass. He is no better or worse than many others who have done the same.
Alun Jones, Malaysia Posted 11/11/2009 at 04:25:50

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Mark Hill
1 Posted 11/11/2009 at 14:18:50

Alun, I share your sentiments, I cannot quite fathom how Peterborough have decided to sack their manager.

I mean what if, for example they had gone up to the top flight by the end of the season, the club neither has the means nor the infrastructure at present to be able to sustain that.

It's not as if they have thrown money at so called established stars in order for them to move up the leagues, three of their best players as I understand it have all been bought from non-League, which is staggering when you think about it.

I know they have spent some money to get where they are, but if they have spent that in a gamble by way of having not to get relegated in order for them to be able to sustain the levels of finance to pay the wages and the like, then I have no sympathy, especially when they have decided to sack their manager!

It just beggars belief to be honest... Who do they think they are... Real Madrid? — who might have won the Champs League but not their local league, and so sack their manager... ridiculous!

But, having said all of that (if it makes sense!), Barry Fry is involved, isn’t he... so it should really come as little suprise to anyone.

Andy Mack
2 Posted 11/11/2009 at 14:37:08

What a bizarre sacking, I wouldn’t have thought a single Posh supporter would be wanting him sacked after what he’s built up there, something like a 50% win ratio as well under his management?

Lescott... water under the bridge for me, we saw a couple of cracking seasons from him and made a massive profit. Nature of the game.

Fry? I don’t know where to start!

Paul Joy
3 Posted 11/11/2009 at 14:54:38

I suspect there is some truth in the rumours that Darren Ferguson was planning for his exit from Peterborough.

Lescott did well for us when he wore our shirt. We got unbelievable money for him. The problem over the whole thing was the timing and our management of his exit. I have no problem over him wanting to earn what he can, while he can. What I object to are his statements since — all about trophies indeed.... My arse — it was all about money.

His move has resulted in the worst form of his pro career - and watch this space, Joleon, I think you will not go to South Africa for the World Cup either.

When he looks back on his career when he is older, he can think about his cash and his Bentleys. We will forget about him.

Ciarán McGlone
4 Posted 11/11/2009 at 15:55:09

I fail to see the connection between the two.

Ste Boyle
5 Posted 11/11/2009 at 16:07:06

I must admit, it was good to see Lescott all over the place for City at the weekend. City fans on TalkSport calling for him to be moved to Left Back. Ok it may be because Bridge is awful but still, £20m + for a Left Back is laughable... Snigger, snigger

Dennis Stevens
6 Posted 11/11/2009 at 17:27:06

The only loyalty in football is from supporters to their clubs, & that’s how it’s been for a long, long time. The childish comments & petty insults regarding Lescott’s departure neatly portrayed him as the villain of the piece, when there was no villain - it was just the business of football and Everton didn’t manage it as well as they should have, imo.

No doubt, when we play City Lescott will be abused by the very supporters who used to cheer him, despite him having been a good player for us whilst he was here.

David Barks
7 Posted 11/11/2009 at 22:21:19

How you tried to draw a line connecting these two situations is beyond me. But that aside, it seems like what has happened is that Ferguson had actually lined up a better job and chose to leave, not sacked as you have chosen to conclude. The club's Director of Football has come out and said Ferguson has been tapped up by a bigger club, that is why he has left. So not sure how you come to the conclusion that he has been sacked and is a victim of his own success.

Jean Philibossian
8 Posted 11/11/2009 at 22:46:02

The best thing we (as Everton supporters) could do when we face Citeh is to politely applaud Lescott when his name is called... Believe me when I say it would be be nothing short of galling for Lescott.

Dennis Stevens
9 Posted 12/11/2009 at 00:40:24

David Barks — you don’t think Fergie junior could be lined up as the new boss across the park do you? I must admit that would induce a chortle or two!

Alun Jones
10 Posted 12/11/2009 at 02:03:04

David, the connection is simple. I was merely illustrating that in many cases when a player leaves a club to better himself (as in Lescott’s mind, this is probably how he feels), he is met with a lot of flak about loyalty or chasing the money. However the Darren Ferguson case shows that clubs themselves have very little loyalty either so how can you condemn players for looking after Number One?

Ciarán McGlone
11 Posted 12/11/2009 at 09:48:03

But if we are to believe the hype... apparently Ferguson was about to do a Lescott. So the dichotomy is somewhat strained...

Dick Fearon
12 Posted 12/11/2009 at 09:59:11

Everyone connected to football, whether they be managers or players and their agents, would know exactly what the off-field game is all about.

I can raise little sympathy for anyone who earns a kings ransom and walks away with pockets loaded for doing a job that I can only dream about.

Nick Entwistle
13 Posted 12/11/2009 at 10:45:45

Yeah, the two are tenuous at best.

The Peterborough situation is simple.

The club is bigger than the manager and they’d like to stay in the Championship. Bitch of a sacking to have to make, but the players will need a new direction, impetous, to stay up, so changes are made.

Or they could have accepted the possibility of relegation and stuck by their man... either way you could argue is defeatest.

As for Lescott, if he went up into the top four, he’d have a point. But Man City? Shit manager, from the off I didn’t think they’d get close to CL.

Karl Masters
14 Posted 13/11/2009 at 00:41:28

Nick:

But they are close to CL, even though they have failed to win in last 5. If LFC keep up this form for much longer 4th place will be wide open - even for us if we can get a run going.

That aside, I could not give a toss about Lescott now. History. Made a move to bump up his bank balance and get some medals maybe. There is a chance he’ll win something at City, but there’s also a chance he’ll be replaced by another big money signing if he cannot get his shit together. Then we could buy him back for £8m!!!

As for Peterborough, they appear to be mad. Either they have prematurely sacked a man who was operating o a win ratio of over 50%, or they have to pay up the contract of a man who was going to resign anyway. Personally, I’d not be surprised if he was being lined up by somebody, although question is who? LFC would be hilarious as Dennis Stevens says. Maybe it’s us!

Alun Jones
15 Posted 13/11/2009 at 03:01:57

I don't know why people can't make the connection. Anyway let's remove all names from the analogy. I simply said how can fans complain about players' lack of loyalty when clubs show very little loyalty themselves?

Michael Kenrick
Editorial Team
16 Posted 13/11/2009 at 05:30:02

But Alun, you seem to have totally ignored the eventuality that he was not in fact sacked but deserted Peterborough himself — a classic case of the manager lacking loyalty (at least in your terms). That would instantly suck all the air out of your somewhat tenuous point would it not. Rather than repeating yourself, why don’t you address this question?

Alun Jones
17 Posted 13/11/2009 at 10:09:49

Michael, if you are correct then true the analogy no longer applies in this particular case; however, as far as I am aware there is just a comment from Barry Fry that he was "tapped up" and a denial from Ferguson. Unless there is some more developments you know of...

OK I won't repeat myself anymore! But I still think my link is a valid one... plenty of managers and players are shown the door prematurely even if it becomes proven the Peterborough case is not one of them.

Iain Love
18 Posted 14/11/2009 at 23:41:19

As an Everton fan, I would prefer to play for my team, but if someone is willing to pay 3 times as much and Everton won't then I’ll look after myself and family first. But I’ll still be an Everton fan — same as Lescott & Wolves... isn't it ?

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