The Rumour Mill

Blues scout tracks Chesterfield prospect

20/01/2013 |

Comments (25)

Paul Fletcher at BBC Sport reports that an Everton scout has been in attendance at each of Chesterfields last five home games, apparently to watch 21 year-old striker, Tendayi Darikwa.

Originally a right back, Darikwa was moved into an attacking role six months ago and his success in his new role was enough to earn him the Football League Young Player of the Month for December.

Manager Paul Cook says of his in-form forward: "He is a lad we know clubs are looking at, will someone take him soon? That is out of my hands. But certainly as a young player, there will not be many better around the country."

Original Source: BBC Sport Rumour source ranking:
1 = Poor; 2 = Fair; 3 = Good; 4 = Very Good; Empty (grey) = Unranked

Reader Comments

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer

Kevin Day
951 Posted 20/01/2013 at 09:29:47

This is probably a more likely story than the usual £8 million rated players we've been linked with. He can play in a number of roles, a definite Moyes-type player, and will be cheap as chips.

Kris Boner
958 Posted 20/01/2013 at 10:04:50

If he is cheap and got potential then heaven knows. I can imagine the reverse of Tony Hibbert here. Comes in after being a right-back, becomes a steady professional striker, scores 12 a season, people criticise that he isn't good enough, but he has certain endearing qualities and has a quality strike. Also puts himself about up front and works for cause nicely. Didn't learn to cross till he turned 30 though...

Dave Lawley
961 Posted 20/01/2013 at 10:22:11

I would imagine he will go straight into the U21s while he improves to the massive step up that is the Premier League for 4 or 5 seasons before going on loan for a month here and there to Championship relegation candidates, then moving on for nothing when his contract runs down, to be a decent first teamer elsewhere.

I am a Moyes supporter and I think he does very well with the first team, but I think he stifles young talent, not giving them a chance to really become first teamers. They get a game, make one mistake or stray pass (like everyone does in practically every game), then he states they are not ready, relegating them to the reserves for another 12 months before they get another chance.

If young players are going out on loan, I think it needs to be in the Prem; otherwise they will never be able to 'make the mistakes' elsewhere at the level required for Moyes to believe they 'have what it takes at this level'.

I would hate to be a young player at Everton.

Dick Fearon
963 Posted 20/01/2013 at 10:49:23

I can picture our much vaunted coaches panel rubbing their hands at another potential victim.

Kevin Day
966 Posted 20/01/2013 at 11:03:07

I think Dave Lawley hits the nail on the head regarding loaning players out; it would be perfect loaning Ross for example to say a team like Wigan. Championship level is better than the reserves, but it will only take a player so far; to really learn your trade in the Premier League, you need to be playing in it.

Kev Johnson
968 Posted 20/01/2013 at 11:08:21

Talking of the Reserves, did anyone see Hope Akpan's contribution to Reading's second goal on MotD last night? Massive miskick which luckily fell to Le Fondre!

He was obviously well schooled by Alan Stubbs!

Susong Hermawan
974 Posted 20/01/2013 at 11:29:11

#961, agree with you Dave.

Norman Merrill
988 Posted 20/01/2013 at 12:31:12

We are good at watching; pushing deals through? That's another matter.

Steavey Buckley
990 Posted 20/01/2013 at 12:46:08

Bringing in any younger player who is doing well somewhere in the Football League will waste his time playing for the Academy. The only conclusion the academy usually has at the end of it, is a P45.

James Morgan
991 Posted 20/01/2013 at 12:49:33

Arsenal are interested in Edison Cavani, we are looking at a Chesterfield right back turned striker. Top four here we come!

Ian Bennett
999 Posted 20/01/2013 at 13:04:51

A hack on TalkSport was saying if Van Persie had signed for Man City they would be top. He then went on to say to compete you needed 4 world class strikers. We have one, and most would conclude he's decent but not world class. Here is the gulf.

In an ideal world we'd even take a gamble on a player like Remy. My expectation is that there will be a load of talk, but we'll sign no one.

Wayne Smyth
008 Posted 20/01/2013 at 13:29:26

You need 4 world class strikers to compete for 1st place or Champions League finals. To compete for our next level (top 4), you need a well coached team, stability, balance with threats coming from multiple areas of the pitch, some luck with injuries and some luck that a richer team will come unstuck when their manager is replaced or team unsettled by prima-donna players unhappy at not being played.

The tale of QPR this season shows that money is far from being the be-all and end-all. Stability and a good team spirit are worth far more to your final league placing.

Richard Reeves
026 Posted 20/01/2013 at 14:24:20

He will go into the reserves and not be seen again, waste of time.

Steve Pugh
028 Posted 20/01/2013 at 14:26:48

Here's an idea, every time somebody moans about us not buying a player we can't afford, or suggests that we buy a player we can't afford, they should pay a tenner into a special bank account. Given 12 months I reckon we could give the club enough to actually go out and get one of them.

Mark Stone
097 Posted 20/01/2013 at 18:05:35

Wayne #008, the tale of QPR shows that money is not a guarantee of success. Unfortunately, it is a prerequisite.

Adam McCulloch
103 Posted 20/01/2013 at 18:24:57

As a bluenose living in Chesterfield, I can confirm it is not in fact a hot bed of footballing talent just waiting to be untapped. You might remember Villa buying a number of lower league players in the summer: one of them was Jordan Bowery, who went for a cool £1million or so and has done nothing since. A lot of locals I know had a good laugh at that sale.

If those are the kind of figures being spoken about for Darikwa then they would rightly be rubbing their hands again. Not a bad young player but if you can pick up players like Michu for peanuts, there doesn't seem to me to be a lot of point scrabbling around on players who may or may not make it. From what I remember of Darikwa he's pacy and direct, but the only reason I could see us linked with him is the fact that he has the Moyes X-factor we hear about so often – "versatility."

Ian Bennett
106 Posted 20/01/2013 at 18:45:29

Wayne – you miss the point. To win stuff you need four, to get around the top 4 you need more than one. We are a striker light, to have a meaningful crack in the run in. A player like Remy gives us a chance. If we fail we cash out, with willing buyers bloated by the new TVdeal.

Dick Fearon
138 Posted 20/01/2013 at 21:09:54

There may be others but one fullback turned Striker that I remember was Fred Pickering and he was a great buy for Everton.

Trevor Lynes
243 Posted 21/01/2013 at 13:14:20

I just hope (and pray) that whatever deals we have in mind are completed BEFORE time runs out as Ofoe was missed through dithering and no one can be blamed except EFC.

I'm watching all the other teams doing something, meanwhile we do nothing despite having Gibson, Hibbo and Mirallas not yet playing.

Please BK do something to ensure our push does not just peter out!

James Fletcher
970 Posted 23/01/2013 at 12:36:59

I'm from Chesterfield and follow them as well as Everton and I'd be surprised if this came off. He's a decent player at the level he's at but I'm unsure as to whether or not he could step up. He does have a fair amount of pace though.

Brent Stephens
972 Posted 23/01/2013 at 12:54:00

Dick. I remember Pickering well. Came from Blackburn? Scored hat trick on his debut for us? Biggest carthorse I've ever seen.

Neil Pickering
973 Posted 23/01/2013 at 13:02:49

Stready now, Brent #972 that 'carthorse' you refer to was my grandad!

Tony McNulty
975 Posted 23/01/2013 at 13:11:14

Pickering knocked himself out scoring a goal on his debut. Did we win 4-1 that day at Goodison? Can't remember for sure.

My grandad had a pub in Crosby - unfortunately it was mostly full of RS supporters. One day Pickering came in, and as he was ordering his pint apparenlty this loudmouth shouted: "Hello, Fred. Still hitting the woodwork?" I was told that Fred gave him a special look.

Now if that had been Duncan Ferguson ...

Ken Crowther
979 Posted 23/01/2013 at 13:27:15

Dick Fearon # 138.

Yes there was another one - Sandy Brown, a Scottish left-back with a ferocious shot and not a great deal else to recommend him.

He played wearing "No. 9" for one game, in the days when the shirt denoted the position rather than the player, and, I think, went straight back to "No. 3" the following game.

Over the course of his Everton career he did manage to score a few goals, with one particularly notable header in a derby game. A brilliant score; unfortunately it was for Liverpool.

Dave Lawley
533 Posted 25/01/2013 at 13:38:38

Its strange how pace is so highly regarded sometimes in a young player.

I wonder who would stand out more in a game this lad or Jose baxter?

I know EFC didn't want Jose to leave but if he had a bit more pace he would/should be in the everton 1st team just now.

Add Your Comments

In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site.

» Log in now

Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site.