A New Future

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21636939

Apart from not winning a trophy, the biggest stain on his time here is his lack of bringing through and nurturing young players. His undying trust in senior players who are simply not good enough does rankle with me a wee bit.

I think Fellaini will go, I'm less convinced Baines will but wouldn't blame him if he did.

I'd like to think that new cash coming in next season would fund new acquisitions, but with a man at the helm who makes Grimmer Wormtongue seem trustworthy, I highly doubt it.

However, there is no guarantee that any new manager will get a large transfer fund to spend, even if we do sell more that one big name player and a raft of older players. He may not get to bring in three or four quality players. Regardless of what he gets to spend, I do think that any new manager would still look to bring in his own type of player. He may still want to have a particular type of squad, with a particular playing style and attitude that are very different from what the current one has been used to.

The squad we have at the moment has been a very settled squad. It's part of the reason we complain about the age profile being so high. If there are a number of the more senior players sold in the summer, especially by a new manager who may not fully know the players he has left, this will potentially have an impact on what happens for the first half of next season. New players will need to be bedded in. They will have to get used to a new playing style at a club with a new manager and a set of players from the Moyes regime that are still adapting themselves.

Even if there are only a couple of changes within the squad, it still may take the squad time to adapt to a new manager and what he expects from them.

I would not expect that there will be an immediate increase in the quality of the football on offer, or the consistency with which we see it. I think that if we do have a new manager in place for the start of next season, it may be a case of being happy to take a step backwards in order to take two steps forward.

That's real great fantasy management there Sam; no doubt that we will continue to improve with that team and incoming. The only way is up We're going top 4 with Sam Hoare.

I know I am in a minority with this viewpoint but I, perhaps wrongly see it this way:

They are part of team that was near to CL football and maybe still are. So what are they doing about it? To me, they should be redoubling their efforts; looking at were we need strengthened re-affirming their loyalty and deciding that they are very well paid and will fulfill their ambitions at Everton. Naive nonsense, I accept, but are we not entitled to expect well paid players to show the same commitment as lowly paid supporters?

I tend to agree with James Morgan's take on the matter. All we need is a manager that isn't afraid to mix it up with our young players, has a good eye for talent, and the ability to adapt to opposition tactics. No more strikers on the wing, "small squads" that last half a season, and excessive loyalty to the 4-4-1-1 formation please.

David Moyes has taken us as far as he can and we definitely need someone else with fresh ideas to take us to the next level.

On Barkley - " It may be that Ross isn't going to be the player we all hoped he would".

He's gonna be that player. This kid's terrific. Needs to pull his head out his ass and understand being great in the EPL requires more than being the best teenager on the pitch. I say he will.

For supporters, most of us who don't earn huge amounts, to be talking about the wages of premier players is just, well, something I find difficult to see sensibly. I don't begrudge any working class lad the chance to earn a fortune playing football, What I cannot accept is a man who earns £80k a week moving for a £120k a week and letting the supporters and his team mates down. That. is a greedy mercenary bastard.

I don't want Fella and Baines to go. I'd go so far as to say they'd both prefer to stay Toffees. But they will only earn the going rate for their level of quality in their field, by moving on. Christ, Rodwell's wages jumped up to £100k a week? Insanity, but there it is. You call it greedy. OK. We've had it over here for going on 40 years, in multiple sports, so I just except it as a reality.

But don't exclude all parties guilty of greed. Why sell Fella and Baines? Because the owners can get in a ton of cash for them. That's why. If they are sold (and, again, I don't want them to be), be curious to see how much money is given to Moyes or whomever, to get in new players. That is, after Green, BK and them take their cut right off the top?

Germany may overtake England in the rankings this season but Italy are miles behind in 4th place (top 3 countries get 4 CL places, Germany took over 3rd from Italy recently and so now have 4 CL places, Italy 3 places).

United are better now than they were when they got to the final in 2011. Liverpool were a terrible league side when they won it in 2005, that tournament shows nothing about the strength of the national leagues.

If the lazy gets spent as much time promoting other clubs as they do them, the league wouldn't be such a one-horse race and neutrals wouldn't be just following Man Utd's games on the box.

Reap as you sow, thick-headed loons.

What if we we got top four? We'd make some money but it is hard to envisage anything other than disappointment.

Anyway back to Everton! That team would be interesting. Bassong would fit in well. Vic up front would not happen though. Too unreliable. We desperately need a decent striker.