ToffeeWeb - Season 2010-11

The Mail Bag

Off the pitch as bad as on...

Last year we had the Gosling contract debacle. Much as we could criticise the behaviour and ethics of the player and his agent, how could anyone at Everton allow this to happen and not formally offer him a contract?

We nearly had the same situation with Ancihebe, and whilst many of us will criticise his worth after recent performances, until he signed his new contract he was also on the verge of being able to go for free.

Then we have the Pienaar contract. Throughout the ?will he, won?t he?? new contract saga, I haven?t heard anyone ask why he was allowed to sign an initial mere 3-year contract. Just this week Newcastle gave someone a 6½-year contract. Didn?t anyone at our club question the sense in giving a new signing (who had already proved his quality whilst on loan) aged only 25 just a 3-year deal????

Now we have Fellaini ? our record signing who, if he doesn?t sign a new contract this year, will soon be like Pienaar was: in the last year of his contract with clubs playing in the champions league chasing him and able to buy him for next to nothing. Again, why hasn?t anyone at the club done anything about this?

Then just to cap it all we allow a player to turn up late for a match and miss the kick off. Yes, there was a traffic problem, but what happened to the routine of meeting up early and even staying in hotels before home matches?

Am I the only one who?s spotted the trend here? Whoever is responsible for contracts, administrative and organisational matters at the club should be shown the door quick time before the next disaster.

John Smith, Liverpool Posted 02/03/2011 at 16:22:04

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Comments

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Stephen W Leary Jnr
1 Posted 02/03/2011 at 16:47:48

Anichebe shouldn't even be a footballer, never mind getting a new contract. Fellaini I fear will never play for us again.

Ray Said
2 Posted 02/03/2011 at 16:56:59

Its like Billy Smarts Circus at Goodison at the moment.
If you ran a corner shop like this your business would be floating belly up.

John Fowler
3 Posted 02/03/2011 at 16:58:00

If you were Fellaini, would you want to stay? Doesn't matter if he gets offered a contract or not now, I doubt he'd sign... and who could blame him?

We need change quickly.

Andy Codling
4 Posted 02/03/2011 at 17:06:49

Dont worry about if Fellaini goes... haven't you heard? Osman is here for life!!!

Chris Keightley
5 Posted 02/03/2011 at 17:07:49

I remember how I felt in the 90s when we were a shocking side ? apart from one day out in 95. This season comfortably matches the 90s when, in all fairness, it was tough to hold your head up with pride.

I know we are bad this season as i'm not even getting texts from mates winding me up about a bad performance ? even they can't be arsed.

Piss-poor management at present and an average mid-table side at best!

Some have said they can't wait for the season to end ? to be honest, I'm dreading the next season starting.

David Barks
6 Posted 02/03/2011 at 17:27:53

Fellaini signed a 5-year contract. This was his third year. The club announced they are in contract negotiations with him. He is not in the last year of the contract. But I guess the club could please you and somehow force him to sign a new contract now. Maybe a gun to the head might work. Would probably hurt recruiting new players though...

Alan Peters
7 Posted 02/03/2011 at 17:49:52

Reference was made above to the club and a corner shop.

I was actuyally told by someone a few years ago who did audited Everton's accounts that they run the club in his words "Like a corner shop!!!"

Admitedly it was about 5 years ago but I suppose we now could own a market stall ? no disrespect meant to market-stall holders.

Dick Fearon
8 Posted 02/03/2011 at 18:15:37

Andy #4, 'Osman here to stay' ? That cheered me up no end.

Col Hughes
9 Posted 02/03/2011 at 18:16:07

Anichebe shouldn't be allowed near a football pitch, never mind offer him a contract. I'd pay to see him go. What Moyes see's in him I'll never know.

Andy Crooks
10 Posted 02/03/2011 at 18:55:26

It seems to me that David Moyes has a problem handling certain types of players, i.e the better ones. Flair seems to anger him. Can anyone name a luxury player who has survived under his reign?

Kieran Kinsella
11 Posted 02/03/2011 at 18:56:48

Honestly, after this season, I couldn't give a crap if all of the players left. Last night Felli and Cahill were missing so everyone says it would have been different if they had played. I think not. Two weeks ago they both played in the previous "worst game ever" at Bolton and were both rubbish.

Accept the fact that BK has ruined the club and anyone decent will leave as will anyone crap who we can con anyone else into buying. Meanwhile, we buy 19-year-old unknowns from Ireland, Azerbaijan and Greece as well as dozens of 17-year-old centre-halves and that is BK's "investment" in the team.

Jimmy Hacking
12 Posted 02/03/2011 at 19:11:53

I don't honestly see what we could have done differently regarding Fellaini's contract. We did well to get him to commit for 5 years in the first place. Now, this summer, If I understand the situation, the club will ask him to sign a new improved 4- or 5-year contract. If he says "no" then that's up to him and isn't really Everton's fault.

Not that I'm saying the club isn't farcically run, I just don't understand the Fellaini example.

Mark Stone
13 Posted 02/03/2011 at 19:25:42

Mikel Arteta
Louis Saha

Colin Smith
14 Posted 02/03/2011 at 19:42:17

I can only imagine Anichebe has been given a contract to avoid another Gosling situation & get £2.50 or £3.00 in the unlikely event of Marine or Burscough making an offer.

Andy Crooks
15 Posted 02/03/2011 at 19:51:03

Mark Stone, fair point.

Gavin Ramejkis
16 Posted 02/03/2011 at 20:05:10

Is the "club didn't sell" story a leak in time for season ticket renewals or examples of BK's failings again? The sales stopped dead in their tracks with little sign of why and rumour has it the club tried to quash the story coming out???

Jeff Armstrong
17 Posted 02/03/2011 at 20:28:10

#16 What???

Martin Paice
18 Posted 02/03/2011 at 20:20:44

I was under the impression Pienaar only wanted a 3-year deal, possibly to coincide with the World Cup / 1 year left etc.

The club can't afford to let Fellaini start next season without agreeing a new deal, as his value will quickly reduce and the club surely can't write off £15m.

If he won't sign, sell him as quickly as possible and move on.

Coll Heske
19 Posted 02/03/2011 at 20:38:27

Betty Botter bought some butter, but she said ?this butter?s bitter! But a bit of better butter will but make my butter better? So she bought some better butter, better than the bitter butter, and it made her butter better so ?twas better Betty Botter bought a bit of better butter!

Peter Laing
20 Posted 02/03/2011 at 20:38:49

If you are looking for the person who is responsible for the day to day management of the Club, protecting the on-field assets and motivating the player's to perform, I think the person is likely to be David Moyes esq.

Glen Stevens
21 Posted 02/03/2011 at 20:41:24

I find it amazing how David Moyes has the will to carry on at Everton with the lack of ANY investment at the club. It's an insult to the fans when statements come from the club on how happy the financial results are for 2010. Everyone knew we needed a striker and the board couldn't even muster the money to pay for a loan player.

I am trying very hard to keep positive but how the hell can we expect to keep Moyes when he has these restrictions with money? Let's all hope the club can be sold soon to someone with ambition and the money to back it up; otherwise, I can see us slipping far behind.

Coll Heske
22 Posted 02/03/2011 at 20:40:08

Mr. See owned a saw.
And Mr. Soar owned a seesaw.
Now, See?s saw sawed Soar?s seesaw
Before Soar saw See,
Which made Soar sore.
Had Soar seen See?s saw
Before See sawed Soar?s seesaw,
See?s saw would not have sawed
Soar?s seesaw.
So See?s saw sawed Soar?s seesaw.
But it was sad to see Soar so sore
just because See?s saw sawed
Soar?s seesaw.

Jon Cox
23 Posted 02/03/2011 at 20:45:59

Andy you're "Sharvin" a laff aren't you? What about Tony Hibbert?

Jeez gimmie a break!!

Coll Heske
24 Posted 02/03/2011 at 20:45:29

Sorry fellas need something to stop me getting depressed, anyone no How much oil would a Gumboil boil if a Gumboil could boil oil?

Nurse, i'm ready, I wanna sit next to Dick Doddy

Michael Kenrick
Editorial Team
25 Posted 02/03/2011 at 20:50:20

Okay, gumboil-boy... enough already. It may have been a mildy amusing diversion the first couple of times and I allowed it to stand yesterday...

But today is another day and it's already boring. No-one has the answer, so take it away with you, okay!

Thank you.

Coll Heske
26 Posted 02/03/2011 at 20:53:10

Ok dad...

Jon Cox
27 Posted 02/03/2011 at 20:48:29

Gavin (16) that's the best first sentence that I've ever read since Wishbone Ash wrote "I thought I had a girl, I know because I seen her"

As far as first sentences go, yours is a classic. :-))

Gavin Ramejkis
28 Posted 02/03/2011 at 20:52:56

Jeff (#18) ? did you listen to the radio tonight about the reported three bids to buy the club which reportedly had decent enough resources then stopped dead in their tracks? Not some fly-by-night merchants but genuine buyers and rumours going around that the club tried to quash the story going out about these three buyers.

Question is: do you think the story is another bullshitism from the pen of BK right in time for season ticket renewals? "Oh woe is me guys and girls look we tried to sell the club but were let down" ... Or is it true and the club fucked it up and if they did what exactly did they do to fuck it up; what were the terms they tried to impose?

Jon Cox
29 Posted 02/03/2011 at 20:55:14

Coll H. After the shit we've just been through, I can only say (with a certain amount of blue sky thought) thank you for cheering me up. People at my work did not enjoy my company today as I was a complete cunt and that included customers (spot the Basil Fawlty). I'll bet you were the toast of the town at the back of the classroom, you were always my favourite mate at school.....

Jon Cox
30 Posted 02/03/2011 at 21:06:37

Just as I was always the caretaker....

Jon Cox
31 Posted 02/03/2011 at 21:08:49

Just thought, No 31, don't get me wrong ? I was quoting a film. Answers on the back of a postage stamp. Winners will get an all-inclusive trip to Labia.

Rob Murphy
32 Posted 02/03/2011 at 22:03:12

Labia major or minor?

Tom Bowers
33 Posted 02/03/2011 at 22:05:35

So Moyes admits ''we let the fans down''. Now there's a humungous understatement if ever I heard one. He should have said ''We, David Moyes and Bill Kenwright have been letting the fans down most of the season.''

The problem is it is by their ineptitude we have suffered such a bad season. Absolutely no moves in the transfer window and yet we let two capable players leave without any loan replacements that were obviously available as some of them are right now helping other clubs e.g. Sturridge.

Injuries to Cahill, Saha, Rodwell and now Fellaini have come back to haunt Moyes for his dithering... but not to worry ? we still have Osman and Bily to carry us through. Yeah right and pigs will one day fly.

The sarcasm and cynicism are justified by all the loyal fans as we have had nothing but patience for years and this is the reward. It's not just the Reading game but many games this season. We need new blood at the helm and we need it now so that a new man can get proper preparation for next season.

Anthony Lamb
34 Posted 03/03/2011 at 00:06:25

Colin Smith, (14) just to make it clear Colin that we in Burscough think that Anichebe is way overpriced at £2.50/3.00. Now pay us upward of £3 million and we might think about taking him! Or come to think of it maybe not ? what would we do with him if he came, he wouldn't find a place on the bench anyway!

John Daley
35 Posted 03/03/2011 at 00:26:25

"Okay, gumboil-boy... enough already"

Thank fuck for that.

John Daley
36 Posted 03/03/2011 at 00:31:40

"I find it amazing how David Moyes has the will to carry on at Everton with the lack of ANY investment at the club."

I'm sure the £3.2m a year he gets paid helps.

Anthony Millington
37 Posted 03/03/2011 at 10:38:33

Moyes is an idiot too, I remember reading his comments a few days ago praising Fellaini for playing through the pain barrier! And it's because of Moyes keeping him on that he's now out for the season in our relegation run-in!

A similar thing happened with Gosling last year, he'd done his ligaments in and Moyes made him play on and he's still injured because of this! You would have thought Moyes had learned, unless it's the physio wrongly diagnosing the injury at the time (doubt it).

Anthony Millington
38 Posted 03/03/2011 at 10:41:48

And we know Moyes has had little to spend, but he hardly covered himself in joy with splashing £10 million on Bily, did he! I look at the team now, in desperate need of fight and pace out wide, and think what a waste of money! If we sold him now how much would we get? £4M to some Russian team is my best bet?

Or we could always try loaning him out with the rest of the team! (This is a Moyes masterplan that has worked with Yak and Vaughan, it allows us to get rid of players and have no money in return to replace them, leaving us in a better position?)

Or maybe he can get thrown in the dark like Gueye and be another secret weapon that never gets used! The moment Gueye comes on, we all know we are fucked because Moyes will only use him after ever other avenue has been closed off and we have no-one left.

Tony Hughes
39 Posted 03/03/2011 at 15:45:48

Stephen W Leary..1 Who said Anichebe was a `footballer`? First I've heard!!!

Mark Richards
40 Posted 03/03/2011 at 16:21:31

It's about time Moyes cut the crap and stopped making excuses for a technically inept team. It's time to stand and be counted.

My fear is that we perform against the so called big boys because the team think they are up there with the best, but when it comes to playing the likes of West Ham, Bolton etc they think that they don't need to try because they are good enough and will turn them over. Wrong move!! Hence our exit from FA Cup with no passion, no idea and no fucking clue.

Sorry but it's time to BK and get a buyer quick, you don't care about the club otherwise you would not have been in London on Tuesday night opening another money-making venture that will no doubt line your pockets and not the club's.

Rant over!!!

Peter Dry
41 Posted 03/03/2011 at 18:49:47

We are without doubt run like Arkwright's corner shop. I remember getting a season ticket in the mid 90s and being asked to fill a form in on a wonky wooden table outside in the freezing cold. Looking back, i should have realised then what a joke we are and took up fell walking.

Also, i have a vague memory somewhere in the back of my mind of us trying to entice Nigel Martyn from Leeds by making him wait in the corridor of Johnson's Park Food factory. We weren't successful in getting his signature (perhaps understandably given the shabby way we treated him) until years later. Can anyone else remember that story?

Nathan Ward
42 Posted 03/03/2011 at 22:36:53

Peter - yes that happened and the club also gave him directions to Elland Rd.

Just a point on the contracts - most new signings do get 5-year contracts as that is (was?) the maximum length allowed under EU law. How Newcastle have managed to give their guy a 6½-year one, I don't know.

Pienaar, however, at the time of signing, was a risk. He was very lightweight and had a torrid time in the physical German league (compared to Dutch football) and so 3 years was probably seen as a decent length.

Contract lengths though are a life saver in some senses ? ie ability to flog a player for high value, but equally a nightmare if you have a player like Bogarde at Chelsea who is happy to sit his time out on £40k per week doing naff all.

Peter Barry
43 Posted 04/03/2011 at 08:17:17

Just look at the numerous anti-Everton comments from his father (think the son does not know and agree?) then tell me that Felliani will still be an Everton player next season. In my opinion... not a chance.

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