Stick or twist

In a perfect world it would be great if we had a youngster ready to step up. Bringing in another good forward from outside would also provide competition for places. Lukaku hasn't had any competition as such at Everton.

Having said that he has competition for his international place and that doesn't seem to get him fired up....

If Koeman follows the old Dutch Total Football model, I am not sure whether Lukaku would fit in with his plans.

Interesting times

He has shown himself to be devoid of honour and respect, not just for the club whose wages keep him alive, but also for the heritage of the club which stands as one of England's finest, way ahead of Manchester City (for example) or his beloved Chelsea. Everton FC is footballing aristocracy, a "Traditionsverein" as the German media often refer to the club reverentially.

This guy is like an elevated servant who burps at a royal banquet and then bemoans the quality of the fare on offer. He simply must go.

With 3 years left, why offer him a new deal - and piss off every other member of the squad?

I could more believe RK is about to double his training.

Going away from your original point of the thread, I think the modern day focus on goals and assists doesn't always provide the full picture.

Koeman had a pretty good goals record at Intl level. Most of them penalties!

"How dare he mouth off?!" they all mouth off.

In an ideal world he is a must keep and we buy players to compete with him.

He appears to have burnt his bridges with the fans though. There is a manner in which you can display ambition without inferring your present club is beneath you.

His utterings to the media make him look and sound like an ungrateful Wanker. We don't like wankers at EFC so it's a twist unfortunately.

But he is no doubt one of our best players. He's scored more than 60 goals for us in 3 seasons at around 1 ever 2 games. Thats alot of goals. He also assisted 7 in the league last season which is more than Kane and Aguero combined.

He may be a twat but he is a highly effective twat and will be difficult to replace. The Premier league has seen many expensive strikers come in and fail to score goals but we have one who does.

For that reason I am just about prepared to put up with his nonsense, so long as he keeps finding the back of the net.

He wants to play Champions League football? Hang on a minute, that's what we want.

He wants to win trophies? Hang on a minute, that's what we want.

He's ambitious to get to the very top? Hang on a minute... and so on.

He's a high quality, proven goalscorer (despite what some of you are trying to tell yourselves) and is exactly the kind of player we should be buying, the bonus is, he's already here.

Some of you want rid of a huge asset because you don't like his interviews and he has bad games. Grow up and get over it. In the same week we're all excited about Koeman sacking off Southampton to jump ship to us for the sake of ambition we're supposed to get rid of the one player in our squad who is outwardly showing the kind of ambition we're now supposed to have?

We finished 11th, on 47pts, two seasons running. I want us to sell all the players who don't think they're better than that.

There's a lot of cash at stake so it's unlikely that we would just sell him off to the first bidder. If he stays into next season, presuming no-one offers mega bucks for him, then It's in his interest and ours for him to fire on all cylinders.

A number of things could happen:

1) Nothing; nobody comes in at the right price ( if it doesn't start with a 6 then fuck off) or even any price.

1a) We keep a decent asset for the Club.

2) Lukaku changes his attitude - see 1a above

3) Koeman changes it for him - see 1a above

4) Somebody DOES come in with an offer we cant refuse - well we can't cut our noses off to spite our faces can we.

Lukaku's options;

1)Fanny around like he does/has been/is doing for Belgium, keep listening to his Dad and agent, while making silly statements to the press.

2) Pull finger; earn a new contract extension, because we're going places and taking him, hopefully with us / or a move.

But performance based incentives do motivate, like when Catterick paid Alan Ball a fiver for every goal he scored with his head.

We could give Lukaku 10 grand for every first ball he controls, and deduct 10 grand for every one he fails to control. Then he'll be playing for free every week.

The reason you see silly figures quoted for Lukaku is because proven PL goal scorers are expensive. Give him a season under Koeman and then if he's still not what we need them get rid. With 3 years on his contract, he's going nowhere unless the club says so.

We are in control here, he has three years on his contract! Any verbal agreement between him and our former manager about leaving if we didn't match his expectations is dead in the water.

Everton should now show Lukaku and hid dad that the club is in charge here not them. Tell Lukaku he's going nowhere, go and buy Milik and Bony and give this boy some competition.

Those who don't want that fresh start should be shown the door.

I would go along with that only on the grounds we cant get any sensible money for him.

Chelsea now appear disinterested and Juventus wont go more than 30m.

If we could get anything over 50m I would cash in mainly because I believe his situation is toxic for team spirit.

Let Ronald have a word with him.
No point hiring a top drawer, top paid manager then pouting, sulking and weeping and tossing away a prime young asset. This time last year we wanted to sign him, but thought that £20M would probably do.

Today ?
£65M is being bandied about.
This time 12 months ?
£120M ?

Stick !

Tony, I agree with letting RK talk to him and try to change his mind but not more than that. Lukaku won't be worth much more than $65m. I could be wrong but not many clubs pay over $50m for a player and those that do are already stocked at the striker position. Bale and CR7 showed tremendous talent before they were sold for their insane prices and has great marketing value. Lukaku hasn't show either, so...

Jay, the names you mentioned, Aguero, Kane, Vardy, they aren't comparable to Lukaku. They have achieved much more and are team players, and certainly not attainable without losing an arm AND a leg.

I think we can easily replace Lukaku with up and coming strikers across Europe, like Milik, Batshuayi etc. Even the Swiss kid we haven't even played yet! I don't have many names but looking at the Euros and knowing how many quality young players are not in it makes me feel comfortable about replacing Lukaku.

We will adjust according to what RK wants anyway. We can even go for a direct swap for Morata if Juve is that interested in Lukaku LOL

I reckon keep Lulu, BUT also grab our "replacement", now.

Then we can afford to play serious hard balls over his price in 12 months time IF we still look like a club below his aspirations. IF !

We have no further need to create thin gruel from "Old Mother Hubards Cupboard" any longer. So we now MUST consider each any every player only as "the current holder of that shirt". WE employ them, NOT vice versa !

And I'm more "cut our losses early" kind of guy

I would also hope we get more than 1 replacement. Create competition, groom for the future. I'll let RK decide if Lulu is worth keeping. Paying him is one thing but having him always turn his head when things don't go his way, not my type of player.

If and when he leaves it should suit us not him! Let's hold him to his contract, at the same time get a quality striker in or two and if he wants to leave he's gonna have to play the best football of his career to date, for US.

That is a long time to go without a consistent goalscorer, and some of you wanna throw him out because he said something you didn't like. Jesus, and what, some lads from holland are gonna come and replace him....could work, may not.

The lad is what, 23, he's scored a bucketload of goals and his team was shit. And he comes out and says he wants to play champions league.

Apparently this is 'disrespecting the club' - hummmm, don't remember him posting a photo of his dog taking a dump on our shirt or anything else. ( funnily enough, when a player leaves a smaller club to come to Everton we say, good move lad, here you'll have a better chance...never do I here go, what a disrespectful dick, he shouçld've stayed at Rotherham...who does he think he is, ZIco?)

On a side note, Milick missed a sitter today, guess that means he's shit and off the list of potential signings accorfing to TW standards.

My opinion, if we can, Stick. His value ain't going down, and I doubt we'll find a 20 plus goal striker to replace him. If we are to make an assault on the top-4, a 20-plus goal striker is essential.

"I believe his situation is toxic for team spirit."

We don't know if that is the case but if it is, it has to be twist

The fact that he isn't the world's most perfect footballer...with stellar hold-up play...and who always says the right thing....might just be why he's still here...

http://www.gqmagazine.fr/euro-2016/actu/articles/romelu-lukaku-interview-le-psg-est-un-grand-club-avec-un-projet-magnifique/43163

My French isn't very good but going on my limited linguistic skills plus the translation in the Mail, it seems he has made his mind up anyway.

I have had enough of him - not that that counts for much. Definitely twist.

Get shut and cash in whilst he'd still command a hefty fee.

Similarly with Stones and anyone else who thinks they are better and bigger than EFC.