The Mail Bag
Steven Pienaar
Comments (76)
So Steven want to delay his decision until after the WC. Why? Because he is no longer committed to Everton — simple as that really.
Let's not pussy foot around. Slap a price on him now and invite offers.
Clearly he has decided that he can do better. Maybe he can sign for a CL team... but he will never be a regular in a CL team (perhaps only Bayern can offer him this if they sell Ribbery/Robben).
He will be sorry I think if he leaves us as it is a little more cut-throat elsewhere — as Lescott will find this summer.
Sell him and quickly I say and go an get N'Zogbia or the added ingredient we lack — pace.
In Pienaar's last 5-6 games he simply has not broken sweat and has been jumpimg put of tackles saving himself for the World Cup. Bye bye, Steven... thanks for some good times — time to move on.
Steve Callaghan, Posted 12/05/2010 at 09:57:05
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Quotes made today about he has the burden of his country on his shoulders that he wants to concentrate on South Africa seem a bit dramatic. Cahill is one of the main players for Australia but wants his future sorted first so he can concentrate on World Cup.
Surely what Pienaar means is that he is using World Cup as a shop window. "God will decide if I am here next season"! What the hell does that mean? (Or is God the nickname of his agent?)
Well if that's the situation I hope he has a complete stormer this summer, his value becomes even more inflated and we make a good bit of business on a 28-year-old who is replaceable.
"We will just have to wait and I made it clear to the manager also that we will talk after the World Cup."
"To be honest, it is a bit distracting because I'm still an Everton player at the end of the day. I want to be more like a normal human being, walk about in town and I don't want people to shout stuff at me like 'you have to stay, you don't have to do this'.
"It's just a lot of rumours, but it is also flattering at the same time because it is big clubs."
Its different to Lescott with his non committal answers when asked last year. The fact he says he wants to stay is surly a big thing! If he has a blinder in the WC it will attract intesest and he can demand a better contract. If he leaves fine and good luck to him, but I believe him when he says he wants to go to the WC and concentrate on SA, he is their star after all and all the expectation is on him. Lets give him a chance eh?
Oh and N'Zogbia is not good enough for us.
If he does eventually come out and tell Moyesy he wants to leave, I hope Moyes doesn't piss about like he did with Lescott. Albeit he managed to get £24mill, it caused us major problems in the dressing room and was arguably partly to blame for our shite start to the season.
If he wants to go, let him go early, find a decent replacement with the money (Donovan, Lukaku...), and get set for the new season without him.
We need a striker that's better than Jermaine Beckford but most importantly we need to get Donovan and a decent central midfielder, a better version of Manuel Fernandes. Then we could have Arteta on the left and Donovan on the right; we would be far better.
Do you think it was God who told him to get behind the wheel and drink drive?
He's a gobby little tosser!
Great player but at that age he probably only has 2 or 3 seasons left in him.
If god wills he moves on then I hope we get a stupid price for him. If god wills he stays then great for us. I just wish god would make his bleedin mind up!
In reality, SA will get squashed in the WC and he won't look like a diamond up a goat's ass. Welcome to 2010, if he goes then c'est la vie. Bye bye.
Bily.
If SA do poorly and his stock doesn't rise then, possibly, the issue goes away.
Moyes seems calm about it. I'm not so sure. He has skill, pace, strength & spunk. He's class. I would hate to lose him.
In September 2008 he was arrested for assualting a woman in her flat.
Then in 2009 the mother of his child sued him claiming he promised to marry her. She claimed she was emotionally traumatised after Pienaar took away her birth control and forced her to become an unmarried mother.
Then this year Pienaar was caught drunk driving and banned.
I guess by today's standards most of that is pretty tame for a modern footballer but Moyes believes in discipline in the squad and can't have like watching Everton's good name dragged through the press.
Moyes loves down-to-earth family men, most of the squad are quite boring types who are very professional (Neville being the perfect example). Maybe Moyes has decided that Pienaar's more trouble then he's worth?
"It's different to Lescott with his non-committal answers when asked last year. The fact he says he wants to stay is surely a big thing! Let's give him a chance eh?"
---------------
Oh, get real! I remember Lescott saying, "I'm an Everton player until someone tells me otherwise." Then he told himself otherwise.
Pienaar hasn't said much more than that. And if you want to concentrate on the WC, then sorting out which team you're in for next season sounds a lot more rational than leaving it open.
I hope we get top dollar for him. But one year on the contract does not help.
We need a RM (Donovan is our hope), and would need to get another midfielder too, if Pienaar leaves. A Banega or that ilk would be great... er, how much???
He may have a few mental issues, but he won't fuck Moyes about... come on, even I would give that greasy yellow olive branch shit if I was at Middle Eastlands.
Looks like Banega is off to the dark side as well.... That would be hard to swallow!
N'Zogbia is a good shout and would be an excellent signing.
I agree with the original post. It's time to sell him after that statement. No class. He has been made to look even worse by Cahill's recent comments too. A true gentleman.
Wright Phillips
Donovan
N'Zogbia
Eagles
Think we could do with two, replacement for Pienaar and then one more where Donovan proved.
Remember we do have Bily who I think will be a star for us.
Comparing him to Cahill (nation's expectations on his shoulders) isn't exactly the same. Cahill doesn't come from a country that's pretty fucked and is relying on 'the power of sport' (and the commercial revenue that will come from staging the World Cup) to solve deep problems within its society.
Pienaar may stay, he may go. If he stays you've totally unnecessarily slagged off one of our best players in yet another childish over-reaction. If he goes then the World Cup is the best chance of his value being inflated beyond what he's realistically worth, so we'll be better off for him having waited and can buy two or three younger creative players with the money. If he doesn't do much and no-one really wants him, we can re-sign him and be happy with our stability and continuity.
Either way, untwist yer knickers and stop whinging.
Listen to Elstone on the radio today, Peinaar is as good as gone, he is already smoothing the path for the transfer by saying it would be good for Evertons team building, as the Lescott sale was and after all this is a business (he says).
If Peinaar does go we wont get a player as good or committed as he is, who also dovetails perfectly with Baines and Arteta (there lies another tale, a rumour that Everton apparently willing to let him go also).
Would we really get much more than that if he were on a 4-year contract?
Therefore surely he could earn more by accepting a contract now and would probably still get a move if £15m-ish was bid!
If I hear one more mention of god, he's off my Christmas Card list.
I refer you back to the first line of my original post, "I've made it clear before that I want to stay at Everton". What I'm saying is that he IS saying more than Lescott did, the above quote alone proves that.
I'm not naive enough to think he's 100% staying but he at least is making noises to that effect. If he does go then we need to get top dollar for him like we did for Lescott and after the WC is the best chance of doing that. Replacing him will be difficult, please no-one else go on about N'Zogbia!
Mike Allison sums it up with people's over-the-top reactions to things.
Also, how has he 'decided he can do better'? He's come out on a number of occasions and stated his desire to stay.
Let's give the lad a chance, people are jumping to ridiculous conclusions based purely on media speculation. Okay, he might decide to go after the World Cup, but this wouldn't mean we wouldn't get enough money for him — if anything, we'd get more!
To be honest though, I don't think South Africa are going to do too well and so I can't see Peanuts having long enough to show his true class.... fingers crossed anyway!
I doubt he is on Moyes's radar as a potential target because I am sure Moyes knows that, unless he would be willing to halve his wages, there would be no chance of him coming to Everton.
Steve Callaghan;
Whether he stays or goes (I personally hope he stays) one thing you can't criticise him for is his effort. Whether he is on on top of his game or not, like on Sunday, he still always puts effort in and breaks sweat. From were I am sitting, he does an awful lot of tracking back and assisting Baines etc.
If we want to get in that top four, players like SP are certainly ones we need to keep hold of.
We will get no more than £7.5m for him in view of his contract.
Like Lescott - we will miss him.
I've commented before about employer/employee, about loyalty etc etc...
You have to accept that Steven wants the best he can get for... Steven. That stands to reason doesn't it?
Him saying "I've made it clear before that I want to stay at Everton," omits the ending (and sensibly so too)... if the money's right.
He's keeping his options open, knowing that if he has a good World Cup, it will put him in a stronger position for bargaining with Everton, but also place him in the shop window should Everton not stump up the cash he's undoubtedly holding out for. If he has a poor World Cup, he knows he can at least come home to Everton and probably increase his present salary (but maybe not to the extent he was hoping too.
It's a game of brinkmanship and it would appear that the club is happy to wait, otherwise wouldn't he be "up for sale"?
City aside, I cannot see many other teams offering much more than we are offering for a player of his type and what happens if South Africa do sod all, which is more than a possibility?
I think he is believing his own hype a little. Yes, he has been great for us but I would rate him 8/10 and players like that can be found again.
To be honest, he has sounded like a right rat to me ever since Saha told him about Bayern's interest on the training pitch and then he told the press.
Go on, I'll bite;
Defour, Witsel and Donovan.
That'd be ace.
See post 15
Ever tried the sticking 2 knitting needles up the nose routine?
After yesterday's comments by him it's not looking too good admittedly. Some posters above have pointed out his off-field record as a reason for getting rid. Also, there is now a perceived or otherwise lack of commitment, especially when contrasted with the likes of TC. But if he wasn't that good he wouldn't have CL clubs chasing him. The lad is a quality act on the pitch, so I think your comments are a tad unfair, to say the least.
BTW, I wouldn't call getting £22m for Lescott a 'fuck-up', even though it contributed to the poor start to last season. It was pure larceny.
In Moyes I trust.
Moyes is beginning to make a habit at selling players at the height of their value and long may it continue.
That'll be £5 million then.
Last season I believe he was our star man. Not p moe laying one really bat match. Playing for a win when everyone else seemed gutless. And the nice details in his play. He's a bit like Gravesenr better though,and more diciplined. And a bit smaller.. And he can't use his head in defense.
So I like Pienaar a lot. I want him to stay, and develope even more at Everton. Because, if he's staying, he's guaranteed a place in the starting 11. Always, as long as he's fit. He's much needed in the team. He's well liked, by his fellow players and the fans. And he'll surely play for a Everton team fighting for a place in the top four next season, and a place in Europe.
So if he wants to go it's all 'bout the money. It will always be 'bout the money.
So I say let him go, if it's the money that rules his decision.
When Rooney left Everton was in a really bad shape. I would say Everton now has proven we're a team on the way up, and we'll stay up. I truly hope Pienaar choses with his heart, and that his heart says Everton.
But if it's all 'bout the money; I say let him go.
All players look after Number 1. He's keeping his options open a little longer, which IS fair enough. Sounds like Moyesie will know what he wants to do by the time pre-season comes around so really what's the problem?
Personally, I reckon he'd be a fool to leave as only Rooney has ever done anything of note after leaving Everton in the last 10 years, but that's for him to decide. The Club goes on no matter what happens and who leaves.
In the meantime lay off the silly name calling and small minded God comments. Aren't you better than that?
Does anyone remember Bobo Balde's famous quote when negotiating a contract with Celtic's Peter Lawell?
It went something like this: "I'm the Chief Executive of Celtic FC, I have to think of the club's best interests."
Bobo replied "I'm the Chief Executive of Bobo Balde and I have to think of my own best interests."
He's made it clear in the past on more than one occasion that he wants to play in the CL and the fact that we cannot offer any form of European football next season makes it even worse for us in our attempts to hang onto him.
Sad really when you think that he is yet another player, like Lescott that Everton and David Moyes took a gamble on and raised out of obscurity.
So, to avoid another "Lescott" scenario, I think we should do one of two things: (1) Write him off NOW and start looking for a replacement NOW; (2) As some other contributors have said, let's hope he has a storming WC and thus push his sale price higher than it is now so that we can use the funds to improve the squad.
The one thing that I think we all want to avoid is another silly season like the last (ref Lescott) as the knock-on effects were there for all to see at the start of the last campaign.
I dig that Pienaar is a very good player and I think he's a good guy, basically; we all make mistakes. He has given great service to the club and has played some blinders, I don't know who said he can't beat players and can't cross, get your eyes tested man! He does have off days and can be frustrating, especially against lower teams; he often seems to up his game against quality.
I hope he stays but will not be overly sad if he goes as he is getting on a bit and can be a bit erratic. We could get someone even better and Bily could really come through next season, what a goal against Pomp — and no Circumstance! Anyways, good luck to him either way.
Ronaldo left Man U, I wouldn't class them as a feeder club. Fabregas will almost certainly leave Arsenal soon and I wouldn't class them as a feeder club. Torres and Gerrard will leave Liverpool, they're not a feeder club. It even sounds like Tevez wants out at Man City and they're not a feeder club.
It's just part of football, players come and go. We just need to make sure, if Pienaar does leave, we get the best deal possible for Everton and bring in a good young replacement.
The thing is, because he apparently turned down a contract renewal last summer, then we will not get very much for him... I reckon no more than £8 mill. And the worst thing is that it'll probably be on Deadline Day.
Footballers are greedy little fucks... no doubt about it... but just because we realise that doesn't mean we can't rightly debase them for it.
I'm particularly miffed at the way he's brought his god into this sorry little drama... Maybe god is his agent.
I wouldn't blame him for taking a 'better' offer elsewhere, but just do it, don't wriggle.
Pienaar is in for a big shock when he's sat on then bench at his new club. He should realise he fits in perfectly on that left side. He can't even play in a different position for us let alone in a different team with a different system. He often goes missing when he's swapped on to the right wing and although his control and touch is good, he's always been largely ineffective in the middle.
Here we go again.
If we can't, sell him, buy Hleb. Better player, improve the team. Done.
For what we get for him, we probably can't replace him class for class but we may be able to get a good RH midfield player for the money which would be a fair swap.
I see Bellamy is rumoured and he would be a great fit but could we really? What is the down on Ireland btw? He was Citeh's best player last year and has been injured for a lot of this season.
Pienaar has a great WC and recieves a lot of attention. A bidding war starts and we lose him to a richer club with bigger ambitions. However we get a lot more cash than we expected originally. Possibly enough to replace him and buy a squad player.
Or Pienaar has a poor WC and SA are eliminated from the compeition with minimal fuss and recieves very little attention. He recieves (another) improved contract offer from EFC and we convince him we are pushing for a CL position next year.
Either way, I don't think there's much to worry about. We'll get by as we do every year. Personally I think we'll get 7th next year.
The real problem is that, until Billy/Green/Earl sort their fucking heads out, we are stuck in Groundhog Day for ever more.
Plugging a leaking bucket...
Here, straight from Heaven, is the Word of God:
"HEEEEEEEEEEE'S SSSTAAAAYYYYYING!!!"
(That's that cleared up)
Not from where I'm standing he isn't. Getting arrested for assaulting his girlfriend and follows that up being arrested for being pissed when driving. Some credit!!
He ll move on and we will get about £8m tops. I for one won't shed any tears. We should've got rid when he got convicted of drink driving.
Maybe he'll move abroad so he can drive his baby Bentley as his ban is UK only. Replace him with David Bentley.
Hold tight, up his price, dump him, and sign Donovan with the spoils.
Only way he stays is if he comes back to the powers-that-be and says he wants to sign. Then it's on our terms and we've kept the Club intact. Otherwise, let him go and take the money and use it wisely.
FTR - I hope he stays and the squad remains intact. No changes and only additions means a very bright 2010-11.
Something tells me he's gone... but I don't know shit. Gut feeling.
Something some of you who are calling him greedy may not be aware of. I spent 4 years living in Zambia and was amazed at the extended family system that operates through Cental and Southern Africa. If you have anything like a half decent job, for example in Zambia, a labourer working for the copper mines. Then you are expected to look after all your family and I don't mean your wife and kids. I'm talking about cousins, nephews, aunts, uncles, anyone who is even slightly related to you and needs money. I found it unbelievable but ever time pay day came around there would be a queue outside the hut of the person who had work.
So who knows... maybe Steven has a big family. Don't forget this is probably his last big pay deal. If he goes I'll miss him, he's a cracking little player.
He's got hopes of going to Man Utd and I'm not wearing the philosophical view, he's a mercenary little shite, great player when he wants to be but, towards the end of our season, he's been shite and hasn't stopped falling over on the pitch and whinging.
I've heard Arteta's fuckin' us around now, too... us fans must be viewed as mugs by these overpaid spoilt cunts!
Peanuts has come on greatly this season but still has limitations. Like most players, they will be badgered by their bloodsucking agents to re-negotiate contracts and wages during the summer and those who are in the World Cup especially. They will be in the world's shop window and those that shine will be targets of the rich and famous.
Pienaar is awaiting his opportunity despite what he says about being happy at Goodison. It's big business and money talks. The media has already started with all the trash talk of the biggest names moving for fees around £30, £40 and £50 million so let's ignore all that until something positive actually happens.
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1 Posted 12/05/2010 at 14:05:12
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We should get at least £15m.
Replacements?