Pienaar expects Fellaini to stay beyond January

Lyndon Lloyd , 4 December, 21comments | Jump to most recent

Belgian is 'too clever' to disrupt his progress

Steven Pienaar says that Marouane Fellaini is smart enough to know not to leave Everton in the middle of what is a promising campaign for the Blues and expects the Belgian to remain at Goodison until the end of the season at least.

Responding to the speculation surrounding the Club's top scorer, Pienaar said: “He's enjoying his game at the moment so I don't think he'll want to disturb that progress. He's clever enough not to go.

“I don't think he will go in January. I'm sure the manager will keep hold of him.

There is bound to be an escalation in the media talk about the possibility of Fellaini leaving — particularly if Chelsea continue to struggle for form and enter the market for proven Premier League talent — but Everton will attempt to resist any overtures, especially if the player himself wants to stay put.

“There's a lot of speculation about but he's still contracted to the club," PIenaar continued, "and if we keep going like this we know it might still be hard to keep hold of him in the future — but who knows? He's been very important to us these last few weeks.”

Pienaar also spoke about Nikica Jelavic who is now on his longest run without a goal since joining Everton at the end of January.

“We all have our off days. He just needs to keep going,” he said. “The world changes. We're in a job when we get opportunities to get things right. Against Arsenal he had a fantastic game and kept the two centre halves busy. All credit to him after the week when he was sick and didn't train. He showed up and put in a shift.

“He's a popular guy in the dressing room and the way things are going we're a very healthy team. We make eachother smile and encourage eachother, which is important.”

Quotes or other material sourced from Liverpool Echo

Reader Comments (21)

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Tony Cheek
1 Posted 04/12/2012 at 18:37:49

I think the writing is on the wall... Fellaini goes, Moyes goes!! I just cant see DM signing another contract if he loses Felli, or Baines come to that!
Personally, I think if he goes it will be after the season, ....30 mill, no less!

Danny Kewley
2 Posted 04/12/2012 at 19:30:45

Personally, I think he will stay and we will make the Champions League with Baines and all our other good players — and DM at the helm!

Andy Crooks
3 Posted 04/12/2012 at 19:39:17

Fellaini can stay and help Everton get to the Champions League or he can go and pretty much guarantee it elsewhere. To do it with Everton would really be the act of a man with ambition. To do it elsewhere would be the act of a mercenary. I think he'll stay.

I also think Baines will stay. Some players (yes, really) know that they will retire rich but might just want to look back on a career that had dignity and loyalty. What I find hard to take are Evertonians who condone, excuse and apologize for players who treat them with contempt.

Shane Corcoran
4 Posted 04/12/2012 at 19:50:44

Andy, I agree to a large extent. I think what you're saying is that Fellaini is young and he should give it a go with the Blues before heading elsewhere.

The only thing I would counter that with is that it's a short career and you never know when a life-changing injury might happen so players might feel that they need to move when they're hot and top clubs are interested.

I think he'll stay until the summer at least.

Al Reddish
5 Posted 04/12/2012 at 20:13:48

I think Moyes knows Fellaini will go in the summer (not in January), and wants to see the calibre of players he will be allowed to replace him with before he decides his own future.

Trevor Lynes
6 Posted 04/12/2012 at 21:52:05

Baines has just been talking on Sky and said that he has no intention of leaving and he is sure that Felli will stay to the end of the season at least! All we need is a few bob for DM and this season could be the forerunner of success.

I just watched Man City and Arsenal who were both awful against a weakened Dortmund team and Olympiakos respectively. Both outplayed and well beaten!

I honestly am not afraid of playing any team in the Premier League at present; I'm more worried about supposedly lesser sides who put effort into their game. Man Utd are not playing well but are being 'gifted' the title by the ineptitude of Man City, Arsenal and Chelsea. Spurs are playing well sometimes but are not consistent.

We have a great chance to really shake them all up if we are properly supported by the board. If no money is made available to Moysey then we will miss the boat!

Pete Anthony
7 Posted 04/12/2012 at 22:30:47

Regarding the comment that players can have a career-ending injury and need to look after themselves financially, that doesn't apply anymore as all first-team players are financially super sound and have insurance to protect them in event of serious injury.

The ambition vs mercenary thing is now true as we are competitive around the top of the league. It is the commitment to the cause allied to the superb ability we now have in the squad that is all important. Look at Man City being dumped out of Europe, bottom of their group and so not in the Europa League either. Their heart wasn't in it and it showed.

Our famous team spirit, team unity and all giving their all will see us home. With the distractions of Europe for our main other top 4 rivals, I think that we will do it in fine style over 38 league games.

Tom Bowers
8 Posted 04/12/2012 at 22:43:03

Even if Fella stays till the season end, it would seem innuendo is saying he wants to move to a team in the Champions League if the Blues fail to get there and a big transfer fee would be a big boost to Everton although losing a key player.

There isn't much anyone can do once a player's head has been turned and his agent will make sure it stays turned. Can't blame the player though. It's just like anyone who changes his employer when a bigger carrot is dangled.

Shane Corcoran
9 Posted 04/12/2012 at 23:04:16

Pete, I didn't mean that a short career threatens them financially necessarily but it may take away their chance of playing at the top level if they don't take the opportunity when it comes.

James Martin
10 Posted 04/12/2012 at 23:27:02

I see Rodwell, Sinclair and Lescott are all currently enjoying the 'top level'. What is more valuable: a career of playing every single week in your best position, or a career winning loads of medals that you played a bit-part in and spent long periods of your playing days on the bench?

It would be fascinating to see what the preference of the current generation of young footballers would actually be. Would Fellaini get in a top team week-in, week-out? Would they build a team around him in that Number 10 position like we have? I'm not so sure.

Noel Early
11 Posted 04/12/2012 at 23:30:42

Fellaini will leave in the summer if we don't get 4th place.

Ciarán McGlone
12 Posted 04/12/2012 at 23:56:44

'Clever enough not to go'... Is this Pienaar's mea culpa?

Eric Myles
13 Posted 05/12/2012 at 03:08:37

As I said in the Baines thread, it won't be up to the players, it's up to the banks, Bill and his backers.

Dan Brierley
14 Posted 05/12/2012 at 11:33:02

Eric, from a banks perspective, they want companies to maintain long term loans, as they make money on the interest. If we pay back the bank all the money we owe tomorrow, they will lose millions. They were spooked last year, just like all banks were, and pulled some cash back in. I don't see it as a big problem this year, so I wouldn't expect banks to put pressure on us to repay.

Secondly, it has nothing to do with Kenwright or his backers. Kenwright doesn't make anything if we sell a player, why would it be in his interest? Selling Fellaini for no apparent reason is a surefire way of ensuring your manager doesn't sign a new contract....

My take is that Fellaini will want to leave, but I don't see any of the UK CL teams coming in for him. As James Martin pointed out above, you have to play a very specific formation for Fellaini to be effective. He is never going to be an attacking midfielder that takes on players and puts in clinical passes for the strikers. If he does leave, my guess is that he will go abroad.

Eric Myles
15 Posted 05/12/2012 at 12:33:58

Dan, it's not just the UK banks that need their money back, it's the other financial institutions that we have raised short term, high interest, loans with that want their pound of flesh. I remember reading that the last financial year (or maybe it was this) we have to pay back £20 million in loans.

Where is the money coming from to repay the £20 mill?

Drew Shortis
16 Posted 05/12/2012 at 16:43:52

Best case scenario: Everton qualify for the Champions League, Moyes, Fellaini and Baines all decide to stay and Kenwright gives Moyes a wedge of cash to strengthen the squad for the exciting season ahead.

Worst case scenario: Everton miss out on Europe leading to Fellaini and Baines to move on for eye watering fees. Moyes decides to call it a day. In steps an exciting new manager (Martinez or the like) who starts his reign with a healthy transfer kitty to build his own team. Big name players have left in the past (Rooney / Lescott / Arteta) and we have always come back stronger.

I really hope for the best case scenario, but if it does come to the worst case I know Everton will carry on. Now its up to the players to make it happen!

Tony J Williams
17 Posted 05/12/2012 at 16:58:33

That's a very optimistic worst case scenario Drew.....I don't think you have grasped the concept of the "worst" bit!

Andy Crooks
18 Posted 05/12/2012 at 19:03:58

I am sure that Fellaini earns enough at present to allow him to retire as a fabulously wealthy young man able to look after his family for the rest of his days. Unless he is greedy then he will move only to win medals.

"Win medals", not have a sheikh buy them for you. Winning a medal with Everton would, in my view, be something of value, something worth treasuring, something to be proud of. There are players at Man City who have a Premier League Champions medal that is nothing more than a trinket that was bought for them.

I would like Everton to have more money, to keep us safe really, but the players at Everton have the opportunity of a lifetime. The chance to succeed against the odds. The chance to achieve something really special. That would be ambition.

Danny Kewley
19 Posted 05/12/2012 at 19:29:15

Well fucking said, Andy lad!!!

Jason Lam
20 Posted 06/12/2012 at 09:41:20

I don't think moving to Man City would guarantee medals, Man Utd pushed them all the way last season. And look at this season.

Drew Shortis
21 Posted 06/12/2012 at 18:43:07

@Tony
I'm a glass half full kind of guy! I was being a bit flippant, but I wanted to illustrate that EFC is bigger than any one individual and whatever happens with contracts, transfers and results we will carry on. We shouldn't pin all of our hopes on one or two individuals and despair if they chose to move on.

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