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Baines: Better backing would have helped Champions League push

Lyndon Lloyd , 18 April, 25comments  |  Jump to most recent

Leighton Baines has acknowledged that Everton remain the outsiders for a Champions League place, largely because David Moyes did not have the funds to bolster his squad in January, but insists the Blues will keep pushing their rivals all the way.

Everton are four points off fourth place going into the weekend programme and know that they will have to win at Sunderland to maintain the pressure on the London sides above them.

"I think we are definitely the outsiders, Baines says. "IIf we are to make it then the others have to lose enough points. But we won't give up on it. We will keep trying to win games.

If we can get six points from [our next] two games, let's see what everyone else does."

He admits, though, that while the Club will run it close to attaining their Champions League dream this season, had Moyes had the financial backing to improve his team, it would have helped them compete more readily with their better-funded rivals.

"We have been steady over the years," the fullback says. "We have been shy of challenging for the Champions League places and are managing to edge our way closer.

"We have not had that big push in terms of giving the manager that backing to go and buy the players who would really put us right in the mix.

"It is one thing having it and obviously you have to spend it wisely.

"You have to get the right players and those who fit, so it would not be a given if we were to get a good amount of money, but it would definitely help."

 

Reader Comments (25)

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Karl Masters
1 Posted 18/04/2013 at 21:15:13
Do one, Green!
Ross Edwards
2 Posted 18/04/2013 at 21:14:27
You're wasting your breath Bainesy. BK doesn't have enough money to back DM to get us into the CL, which is one of my arguements for wanting Moyes to go. No matter how well he does with little money, he would have to go elsewhere to move forward in his career, or he will just spend his whole career not being able to shake the "no trophy, "no win away at the big 4" monkeys off his back.
Chris Owens
3 Posted 18/04/2013 at 21:18:24
The manager didn’t get the financial backing in January to compete for fourth place. If we can somehow finish fourth, would he get the money to compete at Champions’ League level? He didn’t last time.
Richard Dodd
4 Posted 18/04/2013 at 21:41:07
I wish our players would stick to doing what they are paid for instead of getting involved in club finances and politics!
Ross Edwards
5 Posted 18/04/2013 at 21:51:47
I agree Doddy, I've never trusted anything a player has said after Baines compared us to the Dogs of War, then being humiliated by Wigan.
Instead of talking, shut up and do it!
Al Reddish
6 Posted 18/04/2013 at 21:51:12
Doddy, I am glad the players want better players at the club to help them achieve their ambitions with us, rather than see our top players move elsewhere to play Champions League and cup final football. It's just a shame the board are hopeless. In a way, Moyes is a victim of his own success. The board know we will never get relegated with him in charge. They also know he is likely to turn cheap average players into decent expensive ones with the added bonus of European football every few seasons.
Kev Johnson
7 Posted 18/04/2013 at 22:00:10
I'm with Richard and Ross on this one.

Pienaar was giving it loads in January, saying how we needed reinforcements. I posted at the time that he should shut his gob and just concentrate on playing a bit better! Bainesy is a top man, but I want to see him weaving his magic on pitch, not making statements about how the club is run.

Ross Edwards
8 Posted 18/04/2013 at 22:08:16
Yes Kev, and if Baines doesn't like the way the club is run he can vote with his feet and leave if he wished.
James Flynn
9 Posted 18/04/2013 at 22:16:30
Agree with Baines completely. Well said.
Dennis Shaw
10 Posted 18/04/2013 at 22:41:10
Well we surely have the £8m from the fer failure plus the new TV money and the money for fellani so Kenwright will be sitting on a fortune I think Baines and Moyes know that's not going to happen. Big changes this summer!
James Flynn
11 Posted 18/04/2013 at 23:05:53
Dennis - Might include Baines not being offered wages equal to his position among the best LBs (if not the best) in the world.
Eric Myles
12 Posted 19/04/2013 at 01:36:09
Ross #736, BK may not have the money but he could always mortgage his house to find it couldn't he? Also he has friends, including fellow board members, who do have the money.
Rupert Sullivan
13 Posted 19/04/2013 at 06:13:07
Err - not to be a pain, but didn't Moyes try to but a 10 million pound player in Jan?? The Dutch lad who turned out to be crocked. Of course, he could have tried in early Jan, had a back-up and all that guff, but hat's money surely..

Unless of course it was a wind up for the fans, and we only bid for him because we knew he'd fail the medical. Eitherway, Moyes has to take responsibility for not getting the results - and Bill has to take responsibility for not giving him more money, and the player

Phil Sammon
14 Posted 19/04/2013 at 06:14:17
Once again, I'll say it for the slower ToffeeWebbers - the players are required to make media appearances. Baines hasn't just launched his views at a guy in the street. He was asked specific questions and gave answers that few would argue with.

Russ Quinlan
15 Posted 19/04/2013 at 07:18:40
FFS isn't he just saying what we've all been saying??!!

I'm sure some on here would be moaning if the players said bugger all and just sat back accepting the situation, or again, you'd also be moaning if they came out and said everything is fine, we have all the player we need.

Some people just like to moan !!

Gavin Ramejkis
16 Posted 19/04/2013 at 09:01:37
Rupert, catch up please, Billiy Bullshitter offered a curly wurly and some tickets to blood brothers with the rest on the never never, when Fer's side told him to do himself sideways with a broken bottle, the club made up the fairy tale injury worry, interestingly in this day of enlightenment and not Everton globally controlled media a five minute search would have shown you that Fer has played virtually every game since he came back from his "worrying injury" and attained man of the match awards in a great deal of those games.

Dennis the money was never there in the first place for Fer.

Kevin Tully
17 Posted 19/04/2013 at 09:33:38
Big Nev asking the Board to sell now ;

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/everton-fc/everton-fc-news/2013/04/18/former-everton-goalkeeper-neville-southall-wants-to-see-the-blues-sold-but-only-to-someone-who-understands-the-club-100252-33199496/

Kevin Tully
18 Posted 19/04/2013 at 09:36:45
Gavin, a couple of us were slated on here for saying that Fer transfer was a right fit up. It has since come to light we never had the money, and tried it on over an injury the club had full knowledge of before the player landed.
James Morgan
19 Posted 19/04/2013 at 11:17:15
Seems Nev is the only former player who has the balls to question Bill.
Kevin Tully
20 Posted 19/04/2013 at 12:03:22
That's funny, the Echo have removed the article from their front page regarding Neville's comments, shows you what a quick call to the Sports Editor can do.

Grow some balls Echo!!

Derek Thomas
21 Posted 19/04/2013 at 12:27:48
Given the usual player none comment comment this is hard hitting stuff from Baines...aka I won't be here soon so what do I care??
Peter Warren
22 Posted 19/04/2013 at 12:59:07
Goodbye, Baines. I also thought Goodbye Fellaini when he said earlier on this would be his last year at Everton unless we got Champions League. I want to hear players, managers say what they think rather than be like robots – whether or not I like or agree with what they say is a different matter.
Matt Traynor
23 Posted 19/04/2013 at 14:02:10
Dennis #782, "Well we surely have the £8m from the Fer failure"

The reason for the failure was we offered £1.5m down, the rest on the drip. So no, I don't think our money is, ahem, ring-fenced. This is BK's Everton after all...

Al Reddish
24 Posted 19/04/2013 at 15:46:40
There seems to be a growing number of people involved (past or present) with the club that are raising concerns about the boards lack of investment and it's about time too. Whether this is down to Moyes's contract situation, or the fact we keep getting close to the top clubs only to blow it with no new reinforcements I'm not sure. I am just glad people are starting to question where the money all goes.
Colin Glassar
25 Posted 19/04/2013 at 20:12:09
BK's and the Board's only ambition is Premier League survival — nothing more, nothing less. I still think we an get 4th place but Moyes, or a new manager, still won't get the funds to challenge.

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