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Kendall sees similarities between Stones and Beckenbauer

(Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
The 20 year-old centre half is coming to the end of his first full season with the Blues since breaking into the senior team in Roberto Martinez's first season in charge at Goodison Park and is now a fixture in the line-up.
The composure and precociousness he showed with his now famous "Panenka"-style penalty against Juventus in San Francisco two summers ago proved to be a mere hint at the player he has become alongside captain Phil Jagielka.
And while Evertonians wait for the penny to drop for England manager Roy Hodgson, ex-Blues boss Kendall is already appreciating Stones's ability and envisioning the kind of player he can blossom into.
"[T]he more I see of John Stones, the more he reminds me of Franz Beckenbauer," Kendall writes.
"Yes, I'm aware that's a hell of a compliment. And I'm definitely not saying Stones is as good as Beckenbauer — he has a long, long way to go before that can even be considered.
There [are], though...similarities between their styles of play, most definitely with the way Stones bring the ball out of defence.
The way his head is up. The way he's in control. His speed of thought and body. And the way he has great confidence in what he's doing.
For those who saw Beckenbauer play — and what a player he was — it is definitely alike."
Stones has now played 50 times for Everton, a milestone he marked with his first goal for the club against Manchester United last Sunday, since arriving as an unknown 18 year-old from Barnsley in a £3m deal on transfer deadline day in January 2013.
It was the last piece of transfer business conducted by David Moyes before he left the club for United the following May.
Reader Comments (30)
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3 Posted 30/04/2015 at 21:07:30
4 Posted 30/04/2015 at 21:32:12
5 Posted 30/04/2015 at 21:34:27
6 Posted 30/04/2015 at 22:02:01
7 Posted 30/04/2015 at 22:03:04
8 Posted 30/04/2015 at 21:30:41
WeÂre a selling Club, alright. And Stones is first in demand, no doubt. We know heÂs going eventually.
But Jesus Christ, at least let other clubs come in for him first. WhatÂs next? Have him run round various pitches these last games with a "For Sale" sandwich-board hanging off his shoulders?
9 Posted 30/04/2015 at 22:27:58
Why people within the club or associated with the club, talk our players up in the press, knowing (as we do) that weÂre a selling club, is beyond me. It just makes me nervous!
10 Posted 30/04/2015 at 22:35:10
11 Posted 30/04/2015 at 22:45:13
Still, not good enough to get in starting 11 in EnglandÂs U21 game last time out! WhatÂs more remarkable was that Southgate was an extremely good ball playing centre-half in his time who read the game fantastically well.
12 Posted 30/04/2015 at 22:43:18
Only an odd few can claim that and many of them spent seasons out at full back or were relegated before making the grade when they had experience behind them.
Stones and Jags will be awesome together so long as we box the CM position off in front of them.
Also IÂm with you Connor (#1), Gavin (#6), and dave (#7) – Moyes's transfer record was exceptional.
Value for money most of the time and IÂd go as far as to say without his shrewd transfer dealings we could have been relegated in past seasons, he created his own funds.
14 Posted 30/04/2015 at 23:00:15
I donÂt believe that John Stones will move anywhere at this moment in time it will be more worrying in a couple of years time when he has even greater experience, of course that also depends on how his agent views the situation and whether the board can resist offers over a certain figure.
Given the uplift in mood in the camp in recent weeks I donÂt think weÂll lose any of our stars for the start of the next campaign... but I wouldnÂt risk any hard cash on that belief either.
15 Posted 30/04/2015 at 23:11:06
Exactly what was there to be displeased about? Having just read the article, I fail to see anything problematic or likely to cause the current manager to take umbrage. Do you mean because Howard compared him to Beckenbauer and that could be viewed as piling pressure on a young players shoulders? That happens all the time.
Tagging someone Âthe new someone else is an everyday occurrence in sports journalism/punditry parlance. No manager is going to be pissed at one of his players receiving deserved praise from a former occupant of the hot seat and a club legend to boot.
16 Posted 30/04/2015 at 23:32:38
Utter bollocks. Like the decision makers at all such clubs are anxiously waiting on tenterhooks to have a look at who Howard is tipping for big things in his Echo column: ÂShit, better go get him boys. HK said heÂs the dogs bollocks and he hasnÂt even set foot in the bar yet.'
Stones has been performing admirably in the Premier League for the past two seasons, earning many plaudits along the way. ItÂs not like he wouldÂve been flying, unnoticed, under the radar of Âbig clubs prior to this hitting the press, is it?
17 Posted 30/04/2015 at 23:48:43
ItÂs the sudden appearance in the press, just prior to the window opening, by an Everton legend, of how great Stones could be.
LyndonÂs just posted an OP from Roberto about EvertonÂs future regarding the way ahead and player movement. Right behind Kendall giving the big-up to Stones. Coincidence? No.
The only way Martinez gets anything close to whatÂs needed to replenishing the squad is by selling players. Stones is worth the most. WeÂre just being softened in the press for whatÂs coming.
And Christ JD. We go back a few years. No Star Wars references, comic book heroes, big-titted actresses? Maybe Stones isnÂt worth that much after all. WhatÂs footy in England coming to?
18 Posted 01/05/2015 at 00:54:36
Please let Ross Barkley be an Evertonian.
19 Posted 01/05/2015 at 03:48:12
Okay, James. IÂll try again.
ItÂs not like Kendall (despite his liking for a tilt) spends his time decked out in dossy old robes whilst trekking through the footballing wastelands, convincing weak-minded chairmen, by mere virtue of his words, that Âthis is the boy youÂre looking forÂ.
------------------
ÂThis is the boy weÂre looking forÂ
ÂYou should get down to businessÂ
ÂWe should get down to businessÂ
ÂMove along...Â
ÂMove along...Â
Â...and help yourself to a bottle of Malt on your way outÂ
ÂNice try HowardÂ
-----------------------
The fact that KendallÂs weekly column contained some complimentary words about a player and appeared in print the same day that Martinez mentioned to the press the sort of additions he might be looking to add to his squad in the summer is just simple coincidence. To try and connect the two,  in order to construct some forced conspiracy theory about Everton and Kendall planting seeds designed to lead to Stones sale, is the sort of comedic detective work not seen since Chief OÂHara helped the dynamic duo figure out that a criminal caper was defo the work of Catwoman... due to the fact that it was committed at sea, and Âsea is also ÂC which is the first letter of her fucking name. (ÂOf course! ItÂs the only possible answerÂ).
YouÂre adding one and one together and coming up with three. Or... if you prefer, James... youÂve took parts from one fluff piece, parts from another fluff piece, tried to forcefully merge them together, and ended up with something resembling that freakish triple-titted tart from Total Recall.
20 Posted 01/05/2015 at 03:54:12
Hardly Âjust prior toÂ, James. The transfer window doesnÂt open until July. WeÂre only just going into May
21 Posted 01/05/2015 at 09:48:44
If Everton wanted to sell, it would be Martinez bigging him up, and as we all know he does that to all the players anyway, so itÂd be hard to separate the veiled selling strategy from the ongoing man-management.
22 Posted 01/05/2015 at 09:57:39
John, do us a favour, send in one of your funny letters, it will relax you and give us all a boost.
23 Posted 01/05/2015 at 12:52:17
I see a bit of Jack Charlton in John Stones as well.
Not quite up there with Beckenbauer yet as mentioned, but certainly plenty of comparisons to been drawn with him and Charlton, to my mind.
Stones oozes class and hopefully will continue to progress as an Everton player for a few years yet. He has way more quality about him than Ross Barkley for example – as an ex-defender/goalkeeper myself I love watching him play.
I havenÂt been as excited when a player scored for us as I was when he glanced in that beauty against Man Utd last week, as I have in years!
24 Posted 01/05/2015 at 13:37:03
After hearing him speak in a few interviews, he seems a very grounded young lad. I am sure heÂs aware that moves to the moneyed elite can end up in tears for many players, even with his talent.
I donÂt expect him to move in the near future, even if there are large offers made by other clubs. Unless he is sold against his wishes of course... great Blue though, our chairman, be careful what you wish for... VenkyÂs... Leeds... Portsmouth etc. etc.
25 Posted 01/05/2015 at 14:55:37
Barkley is another who so far is really inconsistent and blows hot and cold. He is supposedly the one to build a team around according to some pundits. Unfortunately he does not score often enough and is presently being over shadowed by Harry Kane.
Jagielka is by far our best and most consistent centre back, he is better than Cahill in my opinion and does not concede stupid free kicks in dangerous areas. So long as Stones is paired with Jags he may well develop into a top class centre back. Even then he will need to do it over a sustained period to be compared to Beckenbauer.
26 Posted 01/05/2015 at 18:55:01
28 Posted 02/05/2015 at 03:48:45
29 Posted 02/05/2015 at 04:48:55
30 Posted 02/05/2015 at 07:47:53
31 Posted 02/05/2015 at 10:37:07
I said last year that Stones could easily slot into Real or Barca in the not-too-distant future. He needs to iron out the mistakes and is slowly doing that. As for someone mentioning 㿀M in a couple of years... get a grip, David Luis was sold for about 㿞M and heÂs gash.
32 Posted 07/05/2015 at 11:39:15
33 Posted 07/05/2015 at 11:40:11
Anyway, great player and hope he stays at Everton for many, many years.
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1 Posted 30/04/2015 at 20:46:06