Moshiri reputed to have clarified Sissoko decision

I wonder now if there will be any progress on the Bramley-Moore dock dealings or there'll be more PR from a further third person perspective opinion and NO real fallibility... like watching Angela Lansbury this...

Moshiri and his gang of two out!!!

We did not spend any money apart from the Stones dosh – fact.

We were apparently willing to spend around 䀁m on 3 players but actually didn't – fact.

We left these three deals to the very last hours / minutes of the window – fact.

Niasse, who was given his marching orders, is now in the squad – fact.

Koeman said he wanted 3 to 4 new players to be added to the squad only last week... we have 3: Valencia, the Sheffield Kid, and Niasse – fact.

We, Koeman and Walsh are being taken for mugs... fact?

EFC have not denied the supposed tweet from FM – fact !!!

You couldn't make it up and, guess what, I didn't – fact !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Social media has become the scourge of the planet. It actually forces people to run round (metaphorically speaking) checking this site and that, Faceboooking, tweeting, and believing everything they hear through these sites or via these sites.

Ooh, hang on... I betta update my Facebook page: "Going for a choco moca latte bingo fuck off, with my bestie!"

Pisses me off how people will believe ANYTHING these days. Shit, gotta go... aliens just landed in the garden... HONEST, it'll be on twitter later.

Mugs!

Did nobody twig when Wanker White said he'd received a message saying "Watch this space?"

Did it not ring any bells?

That's exactly how professionals and people with money work.

When someone makes you look like a clown you do something about it. Take a trip to the Chancery Court.

I doubt Moshiri sent this, but I also doubt Jim White dreamt it up.

As an aside, the reason Everton publicly pulled out of the deal wasn't to save face as some people have quoted, it was so that rat Sissoko and his agent couldn't leverage 'Everton interest' in wage negotiations with Spurs.

The reality is we would probably have to have sold James McCarthy to fund that deal and it wouldn't have been worth it. If Koeman was overruled by the board then I'm glad.

Forget TDD, I have said it for weeks, we have been led a merry dance by the club again. Blame Kenwright or Moshiri, blame who ever, the fact remains we are barely balancing the books. We can all see who have left, and who have come in, and it's a balancing act – nothing more, nothing less.

Imo, new owners are supposed to be about investment, and before daft wide-eyed deluded blues tell me about Martinez money, and Koeman money, I don't want to hear it. Watford, Newcastle and half the footballing world sack managers every other season, it's part and parcel.

It's about bodies in the dressing room, quality on the pitch, and Moshiri has done nothing more than Kenwright.

Sky TV etc have paid all Premier League teams a fortune, we had a chance to pick up players who would have improved us, and we failed to capitalize on it.

It's now back over to the mayor to talk up the ground move again which will take 5 years at least, so I guess it's top 10 for the next half decade at best.

Shambles.

If I had, my tweet/text would have been on the lines of "We knew Spurs would up their bid so by overbidding we forced them to pay more for a player they were going go purchase and so reduced their spending power in the future when a player who will significantly add to our squad, becomes available."

“It's funny. I was watching TV, and I saw that a deal had been done with Everton and that I had signed for them. But I was in London, waiting to sign my contract (with Spurs)."

So maybe Moshiri was right.

Sissoko stories coming out today that the fucking rat had no intention of leaving that London and was just waiting to sign his contract at Spurs. So someone is telling porky pies! And since nobody could sell Everton better than ex-Chairman Bill, chief transfer negotiator it can't be him. Can it?

Something's not right here, somebody's telling porkies.

These supposed tweets seem a lot out of character for a man who, whilst getting on with the huge task of rebuilding us, quite impressively so far, has hardly said a word!!!

Koeman, Walsh, Williams, Gana, Stekelenburg, Bolasie and Valencia, that is a decent window in the cold light of day. Don't forget, this was Moshiri's first ever window as the main man, Walsh's first as DoF, and Koeman's first with them!!!

I fully except this squad to be up and around the European places come January. I fully expect Moshiri has also learnt a lot and if mistakes were made, I seriously doubt these three will allow them to be replicated.

I was going to say more but it's actually a waste of time even thinking about it anymore. I'm outta here.

The majority of people with money, power and influence have got more important things to do than get involved in petty stuff like this. You could use the Queen as an example, the majority of celebrities, politicians etc.

Unless the issue is going to seriously harm their image, earnings etc (which this won't with Moshiri), it's of no consequence in the greater scheme of things and getting involved, ultimately, could only make it worse... ie, don't give it any oxygen.

As Dan (#122) has indicated above, somebody is telling not so much porkies but downright lies, given there was a Sky reporter outside of Finch Farm confirming the deal was all but done and dusted for Sissoko:

"Transfer deadline day is great, isn't it? According to him, while reports were stating that he'd signed for Everton, new Spurs midfielder Moussa Sissoko was sat laughing at the TV.

“I never went to Everton” he told L'Equipe.

“It's funny. I was watching TV, and I saw that a deal had been done with Everton and that I had signed for them.

“But I was in London, waiting to sign my contract [with Spurs]."

He duly signed that contract with Tottenham, to transfer from Newcastle for 㿊m. Presumably he went back home to watch himself signing the contract on TV again afterwards."

Sissoko wanted the better offer, the big lights of London and Euro football. End of story!

Nobody really cares about it so let's move on.

“I never went to Everton” Sissoko told L'Equipe.
“It's funny. I was watching TV, and I saw that a deal had been done with Everton and that I had signed for them, but I was in London, waiting to sign my contract (at Tottenham)."

So maybe the Moshiri statement does hold water.

Does nobody else think it's someone of a RS persuasion taking the chance to embarrass the Blues as payback for all the "new stadium" shite that's been thrown at them?

Again, can't believe anyone can think Moshiri had anything to do with it, or that he"ll give it credence by denying it ffs.

Personally I think Evertonians are too juiced on TDD now after so many years of last day disappointment and occasional excitement.

We signed 4 first team players during the summer – that's pretty good by our usual standards. Yes, we may have a zero net spend – no change there – despite the increased broadcast revenue. The price inflation (and no doubt wage and agent fee inflation) is just ridiculous.

My guess would be that BK said this to White, who passed it on. It then got attributed to Moshiri. Purely speculation, but plausible I think.

Add to that we've apparently taken out our traditional August loan, which seems odd given that our new owner is a billionaire, and things are getting a little bit interesting!

Pathetic excuse for a broadcasting company. That's why I never watch it.

A complete embarrassment, but it does explain the lack of ambition shown this summer. Someone probably thought it would be a good PR move after the Hibbert fallout. What a joke.

This stinks, what the Hell is going on?

But if the statement is actually genuine as per the Echo then I'm incredulous and that is a real worry. Seems very out of character for what we've seen of Moshiri also.

James McCarthy isn't Everton family, he is a player, an employee. Management saying we don't replace players if a better player is available? Still incomprehensible. Perhaps Bill was in his ear after all, but he'd be way off the mark in being in tune with the fanbase – who really ARE the Everton family.

We'll be okay... though I would like to see someone engaged by the club to perform the role that Ian Ross used to do very well – managing our communications and public face.

Down the Rabbit hole.

And nobody should rely upon Gibson if there are injuries and suspension to other midfield players, because he usually gets injured.

Perhaps there was a concern that McCarthy's confidence, which seems to be fragile at times, might have taken a blow also and they were trying to pick him up.

Whatever the reason, it was naive in the extreme and worrying that a man who's said barely two words to Evertonians since buying into the club is happy to use Jim bloody White as his official spokesman!

What is he actually saying?? That Koeman wanted Sissoko but he pulled the plug so McCarthy didn't get the hump? Surely not.

I hope the lesson is do your business early in the window and don't leave it till the last day of the window in future.

As for Moshiri texting Jim White with his thoughts, well we hear plenty of our fans moaning that we don't hear anything from the board, and when he does get his message out, he is still criticized.

The criticism is about the message he sent, not that he sent it. Come on now.

I suspect we will never know the truth but I personally think it's useful to know what sort of men are running our club because it helps to get a better personal evaluation of what is likely to be going on in the background.

My personal view is that Farhad Moshiri is actually a bit more like Bill Kenwright than I gave him credit for. I think he did personally contact Sky because I think he genuinely wanted to give us some good news.

I think he might be a very shrewd businessman but I think he has shown himself to be more Kenwrightesque in wearing his heart on his sleeve and I don't think that is necessarily a bad human trait. The problem came when it all fell apart around his ears and he didn't think for one minute that he would get so badly used.

I suspect he is more used to getting his own way. Rich people normally get what they want. I think he has learnt a lesson and won't get his fingers burnt so easily again. His or the club's real error in all of this was to spin the McCarthy story to save face. That story is utter shite and Koeman will know that.

That is my opinion and I think if we had a spin doctor at the club we would have come up with a better excuse. Koeman doesn't really want McCarthy or Niasse but he is bigger and better than what has gone on and I truly believe that McCarthy is better than Sissoko and we have dodged the proverbial bullet.

In 3 weeks time we will be sat on top of the league and all this will be forgotten. I hope they have all learnt a lesson and I hope they stop tweeting Sky. We are better than that...

An owner (okay majority shareholder) says why we pulled out of buying someone is that someone already at the club that plays in his position would be protected, intimating that if we bought the player, the one already at the club would be leaving (this despite the fact that there was less than half-an-hour of the transfer window left).

Honestly! I don't want to fall out with anyone but if you believe any of it, you HAVE to be a fucking quarter-wit. I say quarter-wit so half-wits won't be offended.

I hope whoever sent it doesn't read ToffeeWeb because they'll be laughing all over again!!

I truly hope the Echo are also wrong, as I am with you that it makes no sense, but if they report it also and it is wrong then the club have to surely say something now!?!

Can't wait for Keoman's next press conference...

I'm not offended!

I actually think your take on this is reasonable. It's hard to believe in this.

But as we obviously didn't worry about McCarthy's feelings when Gana came in... I think we can safely assume it's bollocks.

"Everton investor Farhad Moshiri did provide Sissoko explanation to Sky Sports' Jim White"

"Farhad Moshiri's reported explanation of Everton's deadline day business caused confusion among Blues supporters yesterday.

Some fans insisted the comments, which were posted by Sky Sports presenter Jim White on social media, had not come from the Iranian billionaire.

But the ECHO understands the statement WAS given to the high-profile anchorman by Moshiri.

Moshiri has suggested Everton chose not to pursue a deal for Moussa Sissoko because they wanted to ensure James McCarthy 's place at Goodison.

The Blues had a 㿊million offer for Sissoko accepted by Newcastle United before Wednesday night's transfer window closed only for the France international to eventually sign for Tottenham Hotspur."

The scariest bit is the caption next to the photo of them both, which says "Everton majority investor Moshiri counts Sky's White as trusted confidante"

Please, please, please let the club tell us this is all balls..!

Wasn't it that we were approached by Newcastle about Sissoko and not the other way round?

Surely Valencia was a cheaper option to paying out another 㿅+ million for a backup striker?

Richard (#158).

The Echo will print it because it will sell papers. They can get away with it as they'll claim to have printed it in good faith.

But Richard, read the message, read it again, and then think! Again, how can anyone believe it's true!!!!!

I actually emailed EFC yesterday asking if they wanted to confirm or refute. So far, no answer.

The jury is still out Mr Moshiri.

Yes agreed, I read the message and it is incredibly odd if true.

One thing though, this message wasn't constructed by someone without intelligence. The grammar and construct of the message is very well considered, even down to the acceptable use of 'And' after the full stop.

Feels like a media person or PR team is involved...

If this had happened last year, would you have been surprised?

This pantomime could be easily nipped in the bud. It hasn't.

Moshiri looks suave and we know he is loaded but thus far for me the jury is still out.

Now, a story which has gained traction and been accepted as true by a lot of people, including now the local newspaper, is beneath them to comment on?!

If you all insist on wasting time from your life in even thinking about this what do you propose to do about it if it is true?

This guy is a billionaire, an Iranian who has no concept of the family of a football club, he has a brain so he wouldn't consider not buying a new player to protect a very average Everton player. Why would a man of his stature send a nonsensical tweet to a hack? It has no credibility whatsoever and Moshiri is treating it with the utter contempt it deserves.

All Evertonians should treat this rubbish with the same contempt that he does.

Sorry, not only here. It's being discussed on Sky, the Mail, the Echo, and many other places.

Also, it would suggest our owner, who has said barely two words to the club's fans since arriving, is happy to use Jim White as a conduit rather than our own media department. It might also suggest he's a bit of a silly boy as well!

I get that you've dismissed it as trivial nonsense, which you're more than entitled to do, but there is a story here and it is of interest to Everton fans and the club shouldn't ignore it and wish it away.

If not, we can only hope this dies a natural death and a forthcoming statement on the stadium blows away the question marks arising from this curious case of the iPhone Note.

I'm sure if he was at home watching it on Sky Sports like he says, then where has the private jet story come from? I was watching it and they clearly stated we'd agreed his fee and personal terms and he was en route to a medical?

So Sky obviously made that up, as he says he wasn't even aware of our bid.

Someone is lying somewhere, my money's on someone at Sky.

Martin, I'm so glad so you are wasting your time coming onto this thread to repeatedly to tell us off for wasting our time over this "triviality".

This "triviality" as you call it – is possibly the stupidest and most nonsensical statement attributed to someone at Everton.

I, for one, am extremely interested in its origins. If White has made it up, then he should be exposed... If some pimply teenager has acquired White's phone number, then let's find out.

The starting point is Moshiri denying he said it.

If this humdrum tittle tattle is beneath your sensibilities, then fair play to you.

Surely, if there was no truth in this, the club would have said something by now.

He's being brainwashed by Billy Bullshit.

Perhaps Mr Moshiri might consider the thousands of fans who devote a large part of their lives to supporting the club part of the "family" more readily than a player who's been here for three years and apparently wanted out the moment there was a bit of competition for his place.

"Sissoko has claimed he always wanted to sign for Tottenham and a reported move to Goodison Park was never on the agenda.

Speaking in L'Equipe, he said: "I never went to Everton. It's funny. I was watching TV, and I saw that a deal had been done with Everton and that I had signed for them, but I was in London, waiting to sign my contract (with Tottenham).

"It is true that Wednesday was rather quick, and it happened in the last hours, but the bottom line is this is done, I have finalised my transfer to Tottenham.

"I knew this club really wanted me. I trusted my agent to do the job from start to finish."

The story was broke by Sky, that's where it was reported, FFS.

Immediately followed by the Mail, and the Echo. And as others are pointing out, plenty of other places. Have you used Google before?

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/Everton-didnt-sign-moussa-sissoko-8747563

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/706274/Everton-owner-Farhad-Moshiri-Moussa-Sissoko-Tottenham-transfer-news-gossip

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/moussa-sissoko-Everton-farhad-moshiri-tottenham-latest-statement-a7220186.html

No sane man would guarantee McCarthy a position at the club and I believe Moshiri is sane.

Dave, it isn't on Sky now nor on any other sports outlet with any credibility.

The only way I could believe that Moshiri said this was that he has a very good sense of humour and if so I class it as brilliant especially when he has a thread on TW with people actually finding it of any interest.

I'm both surprised and dismayed by Moshiri. As Phil McNulty said, our transfer dealings towards the end of the window were a shambles and chaotic. Who the hell is in control at Everton?

Everton investor Farhad Moshiri did provide Sissoko explanation to Sky Sports' Jim White

If Mr Moshiri has made this statement, then it tells us a great deal about his wisdom (or lack of) and it also brings into question what Mr Koeman thinks of this interference – and that also carries a huge amount of concern for EFC fans.

It also calls into question who is telling the truth? Sissoko; Mr Moshiri or Mr White at Sky? If it is Mr White at Sky who is actually not telling the truth, this brings into question his suitability to be a presenter on such a high profile television station.

One thing I agree with you Martin is that statement is so unlikely it cannot possibly be true, can it? – so who is lying?

It needs clarification from the club and if Mr Moshiri did make this statement, it needs some damn good PR to make good an ill-advised iPhone Note.

Personally I'd settle for him communicating through the club and not making absurd comments via Jim bloody White but, thinking about it, your thing does sound more fun!

Firstly, I think he is ill-advised to talk so casually directly to those sharks at Sky... they care not a jot about EFC – we're not one if their 4; and secondly, and perhaps more importantly, it strikes me that he needs to get to know the club's culture and ethos a bit more deeply before claimed to espouse it.

Yes, we do look after our own, Mr Moshiri – guys like Leon Osman and Tony Hibbert perhaps? Being 'one of our own' goes a bit deeper than just happening to be here, and possibly just passing through. In his public behaviour since falling back a little in the pecking order (and his recent form absolutely merits that by the way), James McCarthy hasn't yet earned the right in my eyes at least to earn the accolade 'one of our own'.

What worries me most is not that Moshiri made the statement, but rather what kind of a lunatic we now have at the helm talking such utter nonsense.

In the summer we were told he was so shy of media attention he didn't even attend Koeman's press conference... and now, two months later, he's got a hotline to the biggest gob on Sky Sports! It's like he's been taking acting lessons from Bill!

Moshiri has to learn about the club's culture and ethos? No he doesn't, he owns the club and he can do what he wants with it in the knowledge that as long as he is successful he will sell season tickets.

My feeling is that, if this was actually true, Everton would have mounted a massive defensive action. As I see it they have treated it with the contempt it deserves.

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay,
My, oh, my, what a wonderful day,
Plenty of sunshine headin' my way,
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay!

Link with Roy Keane giving a journo the stare on McCarthy questions!! Stands up for us well!

But because it is the new 'owner', it does feel very very odd and a tad concerning. Hey ho, we are Evertonians and we are used to this sort of thing, aren't we?

Well it's without doubt stupid and nonsensical if true, Ciaran, but I haven't even got it in me top five.

I can't wait to see us in action again because I have absolute confidence that Koeman is going to be more determined than ever and we know the players back him.

Then all this stuff can disappear. Nothing like victories to make everything right.

Brown shoes really did knock the stuffing out of our great club which affected everybody from staff to supporters at a time when we should have been competing. Especially given the league we competed in last year.

They're working on a number of deals but Farhad Moshiri, Everton's major shareholder tells me (Jim White) it's an "insane window".

I tweeted at the time there is no way on this earth Farhad would say such a thing. I know fuck all!

Koeman is building to succeed now, we can bring youngsters on in the interim, BBS lost it completely through stubbornness. We would all have taken the current situation without hesitation.

I sincerely hope I am wrong but the last few weeks have opened my eyes somewhat. I don't believe Moshiri is here to turn us into title contenders. He will want steady top 8 finishes whilst he clears the debts and gets a stadium built on the cheap to practically double his money with little to no personal outlay.

Don't care if it's true or not, if it's true he's said nothing offensive, illegal or controversial – it might even be true.

If it's not, who gives a shit? I don't. I give more of a shit that people give a shit, that's for sure.

Why should EFC be used as a pawn, fans continually bullshitted, better players sold off amd up for sale again to be sold to god knows who.

He may build a new stadium eventually and even buy a player without selling one first, but he's here for the money – that's my opinion of him already!

Gossip, drama, intrigue...

It's almost as if it's been scripted by a seasoned thespian. Gordon Clegg would love this shit.

I still find it hard to believe that the club were genuinely sucked in to bidding on Sissoko, so perhaps I'm clutching at straws here in still believing that part was nonsense. Could it be possible that Moshiri made this text as a graceful way to extricate the club from an invented bid made up by the agent, that Moshiri never had any intention of following through on?

Everyone seems to accept that we really were in for Sissoko, and that we really bid 㿊M for him. That's the part of this nonsense that is most worrying for me. I mean, Sissoko comes over as the whole Everton thing being a big joke set up by his agent.

Sissoko and his team are saying stuff to endear themselves to the Spurs fans.

He showed his true colours at Newcastle and even more so when he hadn't got the balls or even the decency to speak to Koeman when he called him a number of times – spineless.

The best outcome for me is when we go to Spurs, we beat them and someone from our team helps Sissoko check out the seats in the fucking home crowd, imagine if it was McCarthy.

Complete arsehole...

I for one am glad he didn't come here. We have a gem in Gueye and with some other better attacking options than we have had for a long time.

As I have said often enough, it's not the players you bring in for big money but the players who want to play as a team and respond to the manager's coaching and strategies that get results.

I've felt that sort of shift in mood and support since the start of the season and we must, absolutely must, keep it going and not be put off by any weird nonsense. That, plus what Tom Bowers says in his final paragraph, will see us right.

This story is bollocks. Invented to get us talking about something that is, quite frankly, pointless. It's covering over the fact that our transfer policy is still sell to buy. Last minute bids for players we weren't going to get? Hmmmm, sounds familiar? Fucking should do. It's what BK has been doing for the last 15 years.

Moshiri isn't interested in getting us back to the top, he's only interested in his bank balance. All we've done is replace the other dickhead shareholders BK brought in and didn't do anything, with another one.

Let's just wait for another stadium update hey? Just before the next window closes, no doubt.

I would love to know how Koeman, Walsh and others feel about 'Project Everton' now. Fucking joke.

At first, you would dismiss it as a total spoof ... the billionaire owner of Everton texting intimately to Jim whiter than White on the inner workings and thinking within the club, when in the main Moshiri has been quiter than Tutankhamun's tomb until now?

Nah! Nonsense!

But then you get the local fawning Echo confirming it but with no clarification from the club.

Very odd.

If true, it's worrying, because it is so nonsensical and shows poor judgement... I mean, cummon! Texting TDD Jim White with this..? Yeah, that works!

If false, 24 hours on, it's way too late to nip it in the bud by making a statement of denial.

Messy either way...

A big circus by SSN because the actual big business of the window was done before DD? Hey SSN needed a story to entertain the masses tuning in...

Maybe Moshiri fancied having Everton's name in flashing lights attracting attention so helped his 'confidant' out. This whole story has baffled me, what is going on? I'm not happy like.

What I'm worried about is we all fell for the Moshiri takeover. Bill has pulled his best one over us yet. I fell for it, hook, line and fucking sinker. Brilliant again from Bill, but when will we ever learn with this guy?

That Daily Mail feature on the subject (Ian, #191) is from arch dickhead Dominic King, who once again fails to hide his fawning love of all things Moyes in taking a bizarre "Everton have changed" spin on the whole thing, and takes a kick at Koeman for bringing in (and supposedly chasing) predominately aging players, rather than all those young, up-and-coming 'profile' players Moyes brought to the club with great sell-on value.

I want to hear his latest take on this.

During the Evening of TDD, I thought that the Sissoko transfer was the 'Watch this space' hint that Moshiri was supposed to have uttered via text, or whatever, to Jim White.

Now it seems that if Moshiri's statement is true, then he (Moshiri) is literally trying to roll us in the flour, or trying to sell sand to the Arabs!

This is a lot to swallow for the hard-nosed toffee. In fact I could handle swallowing Willie Wonka's gobstopper before believing such tosh!

This is embarrassing for Everton Fans, whether it's true or false!

The media is coming from a position of " Divide and rule"

Go back to the first comment and read through. You'll find that everyone's got a divergent view.

That's what "They" want. "They" are getting scared of Everton because "they" don't want us dinning at the top table.

They know that there is something going on that they don't like. That's it... and before all you cleverlys ask Who is "they"?

It's either

London Centrica or,

Port Merion.

Sissoko has tried his best to "belittle" Everton. He has already said he wanted to sign for a big club and Spurs were that top club.

Like I said I hope he gets fucking emptied when we meet again.

Suggests to me that, as per usual, Sky didn't know what was going on, but that isn't good for the theatre that is TDD.

Moshiri's supposed comment then takes a different slant.

Jim White sends message 'to Moshiri, "must be disappointed not to get Sissoko'.

Summary of Moshiri's comment:
'Newcastle wanted McCarthy as part of the deal, and we wanted to keep him. ' (Koeman had already said so)

So Everton never got to the point of agreeing terms.

Personally happy. Other than a couple of games for France, Sissoko has been distinctly poor. 'He doesn't put effort in' was a comment from a Geordie friend.

McCarthy has not been good the last two seasons. Injuries and style of EFC play have affected that. One thing though is no-one can accuse him of lack of effort. Koeman can take a player who gives effort, and get him playing better. So I expect McCarthy to improve back towards his first season form.

However we need some form of squad and he's depth for the mid, plus he can do a bit of right hand side/right back at a push.

The thinking from Koeman & Walsh generally seems to be to go for players that can get about the pitch and have pace, power and strength, as well as being able to play.

McCarthy will be gone next year. He will never play for a better club than us.

Anybody got anything concrete on this?

My latest take? Same as it was right at the start.

Someone asked me the other day If I had Facebook or Twitter. I said "No, I have a life."

(ps:- Just for clarity and before I get skinned alive by a bunch 'living life to the full', caravaning, scarf-wearing kite enthusiasts... I'm happy to dismiss it as nonsense until said evidence arises.)

These guys use other people's money, unless they are Abramovich or Mansour rich, and they don't mind adding on debt if need be.

Even if it is not bollocks, then it could be 1) clarifying the ins and outs of the Sissoko deal, as Ian Cowhig points out. Or a 2) weepy Bill text saying I have just talked to Mosh and here's what he said. Or even 3) Mosh has a moment of insanity. Who cares?

Even if it is 3), are we really saying that this counts for more than investing millions in the club, hiring Koeman, making progress on the new stadium, hiring Steve Walsh or signing five decent players? A bit of balance and perspective please.

If he gets us a new stadium, he can talk or text as much nonsense as he feels like in all honesty.

The reason why we may now be able to raise loans to fund a stadium development is because of lender confidence. That's what being owned by a billionaire rather than a theatre impresario without a pot to piss in allows you to do.

The debate was over what it's for. Most settled on POTENTIAL short term financing needs for stadium. Who knows??

My heart sank when I heard we had an interest – thank goodness Spurs have him now.

Soon, all of the consternation about a few words from Mr Moshiri will die down. (Nobody is perfect.) Fans will turn their attention to the next talking point, hopefully another solid Everton performance.

Tottenham, however, will still have paid way over the top for an average player that did little to stop the relegation of his team last season. And for whom, the Newcastle fans were delighted to rid themselves of, for such a princley sum.

I am sure he will have asked for certain assurances before joining us, and I just hope that he still has the same faith in those assurances.

I know all managers will claim to missing out on players they were after. But if (and I admit, it's a big 'if') the press are to be believed, we were after Perez, Gabbiadini, Sissoko... and for whatever reason none arrived. Maybe it just reflects how far we have slid down the pecking order, and the players didn't fancy coming to a club who have finished in the bottom half of the league for the last 2 seasons.

Gabbiadini, well, Lord knows what happened there and Brahimi's club, Porto, just pissed us about. The player apparently was disappointed not to have joined us and Witsel is also aware that he dropped a major bollock and is still at Zenit. Serves him right.

Sissoko? tee, hee...

I agree that money is a big consideration, but I do think that they also take into account the clubs position in the league.

But my main point is how did Koeman asses what happened in the transfer window. Did he think we had let him down at not getting his targets, or did he just think circumstances out of our control was the reason for not landing his targets.

I would hope that he thinks it was the latter of the 2 options, as he is crucial to what happens at the club for the next couple of years. Maybe this will be Wenger's last season and I could well see them approaching Koeman if that happens.

I also would hope that option 2 would be his take on things, he did, however, bring in Bolassie, Williams, Gana and Calvert-Lewin so he should appreciate that efforts have been made.

TDD is now just a circus with that tool White as the ring master and the sooner we get things done when the window opens and we can avoid that stupidity the better.

Only an idiot uses their own money when you can get finance cheaply and have such high cash flow. Even Abramovic expects he will get every penny back that he's sunk into Chelsea.

Even when we were the cheque book champs in the Moores days, he didn't put his own money in.

I think there's a huge difference between visiting an Everton website to read and share opinions on a subject close to all our hearts, and going on social media to update the world on my choice of undies for that day.

Joking aside, you know what I mean I'm sure and must admit that 90-odd% of what goes on Facebook and Twitter is utter shite. When did we start to need to know every thought, every movement someone has or makes, someone who means fuck all to us, and most of the time someone we don't even know?

We can argue or disagree about social media forever and a day but if I want to know what one of my friends, family or acquaintances are doing, I'll speak to them. That's on the phone or face-to-face.

What Billy Bollocks, star of "The Only Way is Huyton" is doing is of no interest to me whatsoever. I don't know how old you are, Ciaran, but the next time you have a family do where there's a range of ages, kids to adults, take a look around the table. Chances are that most of the ones under 20-odd years of age spend most of their time on their phones.

Progress? As Jim Royle would say..."Progress? My arse."

I think Koeman will be pleased that the club were willing to back him with some big potential fees and wages.

Before it came out that Sissoko was Spurs-bound there were a number of commentators ridiculing Everton for being prepared to pay such a sum for such a player. It's interesting that those same people saw it very differently when Spurs coughed up, albeit there were a few still questioning it.

Worth remembering that Mr Koeman himself estimated it would take 2 years before the squad would be as he wanted. That gives an indication of his expectations. I think that, within that 2-year period, there will be players that will fill an interim role.

Of course we all, me included, get excited when you mention the word 'billion', together with the names of a smattering of, potentially, top class players. I've been waiting since the mid-eighties for a resurgence in our fortunes. We had a false dawn under Martinez. But right now – well I've never felt more hopeful and excited!! I guess I/we will have to wait a little longer.

Whatever happened to the phrase "No man is bigger than the club"?

Moshiri has either got a lot to learn or is going to make us an even bigger laughing stock than under Kenwright.

It is gradually emerging that, whilst Moshiri has made Kenwright a very rich man by purchasing his shares, his role here is no more than a guarantor for even more debt to be loaded on the Club.

'The man who mortgaged his house to save Everton' must see every day in dressed as Santa's elf. If it all goes 'tits up', it's nothing to do with him!

On the other hand, with only a handful of shares to my name, that's exactly how I feel, too!

They really couldn't give a stuff about us or what we think. Everton family?!?! You're fucking kidding me they are part of it.

I wasn't expecting it to happen overnight, or even in the first year or two. BUT I was expecting us to make a statement in this window. It's just the statement we did make that has royally pissed me off.

Don't get me wrong, I didn't want Sissoko or a few of the other 'big' names we were linked with. I'm also realistic to know that some of the players we did want didn't want to come here. It's just the manner of the transfer window 'dealings' that have done my head in well before the TDD. I thought with Moshiri on board, the days of scrambling round for something on TDD were well and truly behind us.

I was on here defending Moshiri a month ago, but we only seemed to spend money once Stones was sold. That for me, shows, nothing has changed in the board room. Late big bids on players we didn't get? Come on you have to admit, NOTHING has changed in that aspect. It's still a case of 'well we tried but it didn't work out' bollocks we have had to put up with for a long time.

I dunno, maybe I expected too much. But every time I think of us at the moment, I'm just truly fucked off. I've tried reading the positive posts that have been published on here (some of them made excellent points that I do agree with) but I still can't get my head around how amateurish this window has been handled, especially at the end. And that's not how it should have been. Surely??

If Moshiri hadn't come on board and we were still just under BK, then I would have totally expected what has just happened. But that's not the case.

Problem is that, if I'm honest, I don't really believe any of it about our Board's bona fides and the idiotic twitter quote from Moshiri (plainly genuine except to those determined to dismiss it) was dispiriting. Again, I want to shut all of that out because it can only benefit our enemies.

No, in Koeman we must trust (for as long he trusts the club), and we must trust in the players' trust in him. Win often enough and we will be fine. Otherwise, the uninspiring details of our Board's conduct – as opposed to its rhetoric – will come under scrutiny.

Thank god we have Ronnie!

It staggers me that there are scores of Blues turning themselves inside out over a tweet and turning on a new owner (and his new Director of Football) after he's delivered what looks like a quality manager, looks to be working on a stadium move which most Blues would give their right arm for and looks to be running the club sensibly.

But then he did tweet about James McCarthy and a bloke none of us seemed to want anyway. Let's fuck him off. What's Peter Risdale up to these days..?

It's been a reality check for me after 6 months of buzzing with the new dawn and all that. I still believe and will compartmentalise my negativity for another time. Onwards and upwards.

Paul (281). I hope that is right. I will firmly be behind him again IF he has learnt his lessons from this shambles. Everyone makes mistakes and it was his first full window, so benefit of the doubt and lets face it, he's no mug. It's now down to him to sort it out. Hopefully starting by relieving Bill of any negotiation power in transfers.

The fact we had the THIRD LOWEST net spend in the League at ٣m, which does seriously beg the question has anything really changed? Such a low spend suggests Moshiri might just be cynically rinsing the Club.

Or this message, which if true (and it looks like it may well be) suggests he is either a half wit or that BK told him what to say.

All very concerning one way or another. Could this be BIll's biggest act of smoke and mirrors yet or were we simply fucked about by a greedy player and a slimy agent? Is Moshiri what we hoped for Maybe all or none of these.

And all this intrigue on top of the Niasse shambles / plot.

Typical Everton.

Time to close ranks behind the manager and players and show them we are with them 100%.

And I'd love to know whether it was Moshiri's contacts who were behind the signing of Niasse. It wouldn't surprise me!

Moshiri thinking 1: Talk to a few footballers – how hard can it be? They've been doing it for a few years now, they must know the basics. They've got all this Sky money to play with. I can't be arsed with pies, catering, tickets and Everton in the fuckin Community. I'll let them sort that stuff and do the transfers. It'll free me up to get on with the new ground stuff... quicker I get that sorted, quicker I can sell this on and get some real money.

Moshiri thinking 2: Jeez, what a fuck up, looks like another thing I'll have to sort out.

Fans were befuddled. Was Moshiri really saying Everton didn't pursue Sissoko because they wanted to protect McCarthy?

The bafflement at such a suggestion was exacerbated by its unusual source.

But it's transpired the quotes are bona fide, 100% accurate. And, admittedly, it wouldn't be the first time Moshiri has turned to White to get a message out to supporters.

This time, however, it has prompted genuine concern among a fanbase slowly accepting the improved backing from Moshiri won't result in the Blues overnight becoming a major player in the transfer market.

If the statement was an attempt to save face after being gazumped by Tottenham over Sissoko, it was soon shot down by the player himself who admitted he was never interested in a move to the Blues in the first place and had made no effort to even leave London.

Perhaps Everton genuinely were concerned about McCarthy's position, given the Irishman had suffered a difficult start to the season and is now facing a groin operation that will keep him sidelined for the foreseeable future.

If that was the case, it would have surely been wiser to stay silent.

Clearly there are a few fans whose response is to simply sweep this under a very thick carpet of silence. But the questions remain unanswered, and won't be so easily brushed aside for some of us.

Moshiri may very well be furious (as per the Mirror's article today) over the transfer window fiasco, but his own credibility is very much on the line now.

If yes, then very embarrassing and I wonder what the posters on here who dismissed it as bollocks think?

If not true, why on earth would Everton FC let Sky get away with it?

True or not for me it raises some concerns over what exactly the new ownership is and the part played by Bill Kenwright.

Only at Everton, sadly.

We had fellow blues choosing their pre-match pub and picking their seats and even designing the ground. Laughable.

It sounds like Steve Walsh will be held to blame while Chairman Bill and Sideshow Bob (the real culprits) will come out of this smelling of roses.

Farhad, you fucked up big time by trusting these two dickheads with your money. Sack the pair of them and get someone in who is competent, imaginative and proactive. These two fucking dinosaurs represent a failed past so, if you want to improve things, and make us competitive, get rid now.

So the quarterwits were right to be concerned.

If this statement was bona fide, then the previous "watch this space" quip was also genuine.

To dismiss this shambolic pantomime out of hand, is to turn a blind eye to the last 15 years of slight of hand. This all seems strangely familiar.

As I said above, perhaps Moshiri has bought into the Bill Kenwright circus act.. it now seems plausible.

The ringmasters final act.

Fresh start please.

I have worked for some pretty shrewd and successful business men in my time. All very different personalities but the best of them had two things in common:-

1). They never got dragged down into the "weeds" of the business.
2). They new when, and when not, to keep quiet.

As far I can see, Moshiri has contravened both of these principles which leaves me very a very disappointed Evertonian.  I thought he was much smarter than that.

What really makes it worse is that the Sky and their darlings really can't stand us and any embarrassment for Everton is like manna from heaven for them. FFS.

Another irritant for me is that the doom mongers and malcontents among our own ranks are feeding off this monumental blunder by our major shareholder. I won't defend the indefensible.

If he was a politician, we could call for a leadership spill but for all intents and purposes he owns the club and I don't think there is anybody with his financial clout waiting in the wings to buy his 49.9% share off him. So what are we to do?

I suppose in the olden days a delegation from ToffeeWeb could have invited him and his executive team down to Finch Farm for a behind-closed-doors "how to keep your mouth shut" lesson.

Then there is the not-so-small matter of Sissoko and his agent taking the mickey out of us.  During my working years, I became very friendly with a terrific bloke – a Senior Manager of a large building supplies company.  Terry was a Glaswegian who had served in the Black Watch.  Terry – God rest him – loved a yarn.  

Once, when we were setting the world to rights and discussing the threat of the drug problem to our kids, he leaned across his desk with his hands clasped together, looked me square in the eye over the top of his specs, and spoke these words to me which I will never forget:

"Laurie – never rule out violence as a solution to your problems." 😎

So you will understand that Oliver Molloy's solution at 231 and 246 appeals to me but I suppose that's over reacting on my part.

Michael, frustrated as I am by all this, as thing stands I can't see what we can do about it other than "brush it aside" or voice our concerns on ToffeWeb – but I am open to suggestions.

Personally, I think our best cause of action is to enthuse our manager and his players with our unswerving vocal support at the match. So, in memory of my friend Terry:

We don't care what the SKY SHITE say
What the fuck do WE care
We only know we are going to have a go
And the boys from EVERTON will be there.

Aaaaah – that feels better.

Up the Blues.

On Friday, on this thread, I was asking for the club to make some sort of statement so we could in fact brush this under the carpet once and for all. All we want is clarity and issuing comments through Jim White and the Sunday Mirror is simply not good enough. Silence is not golden – it is deafening!

If Moshiri wants to throw the blame where it belongs, then that's fine but let somebody make some sort of redeeming statement so we can start to worry about Rom scoring against Sunderland and worry about a positive word on the new stadium instead of allowing this nonsense to underpin what was, until TDD, very positive vibes for this new season.

As so many have said on this thread, had the quote been attributed to Old Uncle Bill, it would have been accepted as par for the course. But we don't want 'a nice Uncle Moshy', just a hard headed Boss of the family who gushes money – not tear drops – in every window.

Oh, and not taking us all for a bunch of sops would help his cause a bit as well!

Walsh was brought in to find us top talent at rock bottom prices like he did with Kante and Mahrez at Leicester. If I'm to believe what I'm told, he has done this with Gueye because of the buyout clause he had with Villa. Now hopefully he will find us other players of the similar calibre for low prices.

Now if all we want is big name players at top dollar prices and all the aggravation that it brings, then why bother to bring Walsh in at all?

Kenwright has treated us like kindergarten pupils. Levy has treated Moshiri with contempt.

The way some of the cowboy owners ran their clubs into the ground by not investing, over spending, buying crap players, taking out unpayable loans etc, is scary shit.

When Sky pulled the rug from under their feet then Setanta collapsed Scottish football went into meltdown and after almost 20 years of turmoil it's only now they are slowly recovering.

Now I was seriously disappointed about our lack of activity towards the end of the window but I also realise that the likes of Napoli, Porto and the like we're trying to rip us off. We need to manage these new found riches correctly and not fritter it away.

The Sissoko deal smacked of last-minute desperation and I can imagine Punch and Judy coming to blows after realising that Moshiri might blow a gasket once he realises how shite they really are.

If Moshiri wants to show he's in charge then he should sack Sideshow Bob and then after a few weeks deliver the coup de grace to Chairman Bill. As long as these two are around, we will find it hard to progress.

I suppose the question I am asking is this: is Moshiri himself the real deal? Or have we been sold another pup?

You see, I have this problem with the whole shebang. And it's called Bill Kenwright. While that Jurassic relic lingers at the club like some kind of lingering Jurassic thingy, we seem unable to shake off the cycle of big disappointments.

Hence the paranoid Toffeemind, so inured to institutionalised underachievement and let-downs, starts to wonder if the whole Moshiri thing is a facade designed to extend Bill's tenure.

I mean, what do we really know about Moshiri? Has he ever explicitly promised a specified war chest?

And how could a billionaire – as he allegedly is – agree to let Bill carry on controlling the train set? Yes, I know he intends to take complete charge but will it happen?

And how could an astute businessman, as Moshiri ostensibly is, concoct that embarrassingly awful and ultimately unconvincing face-saver over the Sissoko fiasco?

I will tell you all what the net upshot is:

1. Not one penny of Moshiri's money spent on players so far.

2. Jurassic Bill at the helm for another period, at the very least until the end of 2016.

3. Fan anger being channelled by the club (going by today's article in the Mirror) towards neither Bill nor Moshiri, but towards "others" at the club who failed in the transfer window.

In sum, it's just more of the same old same old we have been fed since the day and hour Kenwright took over.

The fact that in pretty much every article written in the press and every statement emanating from within Goodison, there is an unnecessary and irrelevant footnote of praise for Teflon Kenwright.

If Moshiri is all that, at least Elstone would be gone by Christmas.

We need a fresh approach to all of this, and Kenwright should do the honourable thing by falling on his sword with the best interests of EFC at heart.

If he doesn't do this graciously, then Moshiri should prise his fingers off one by one otherwise I'm thinking Moshiri could be disappointed again.

It's time for a ' New Everton' and if Kenwright does love us as much as he makes out, it's time to step back and let the professionals get on with it. All the best Bill, nothing personal.

Surely Bill must know the world of buying and selling in today's minefield of a market is for very intelligent savy up to date experts.

Love you as a fellow Evertonian Bill, hope this gets back to you, just let the right people in to do the hard work required.

Take Perez for example. Instead of just matching his release clause fee, if Walsh rated him so highly, why didn't we up our bid so his club couldn't say no to us and get the deal done and dusted before Arsenal came sniffing around? Instead, we let the world and his uncle know how we wanted him and how Walsh had been tracking him for ages.

Nothing like giving your secrets away in public eh? I have to say that so far, I'm decidedly underwhelmed by Walsh. He might be great at unearthing unknown talent from the lower leagues but seems unable to handle moves for 'big' players from continental clubs successfully.

Blaming Walsh seems a little strange to me. From memory, we didn't start signing anyone till Walsh arrived and Idrissa Gueye, widely thought to be our best signing of the window, was apparently his idea.

Smacks of arse covering via a Kenwright-friendly journalist to me.

So until the old boy is removed, I think Walsh can expect a rough ride. What price at him being back with the Foxes by Crimbo?

The fact is the only people deciding what players we should be buying are Koeman and Walsh. Moshiri should sign the cheques and Kenwright should mind his own business.

But the fact still remains that, regardless of who actually decides who does or doesn't get bought, big name continental players will not sign for Everton until we have more to offer them than just big wages. Other clubs can offer big wages and European football as well. That has to be our aim this season. Europa League entry should be our target at the very least. After this is achieved, then we can worry about who does the buying and who doesn't.

We've got Gana because of Walsh and that could be the bargain of the year. Over time, Walsh will build Everton's scouting network and compile new shortlists of the next new players like Mahrez, Gana etc. This takes time.

Hopefully Moshiri has now seen the amateur hour from Bill and Bob, and will handle things himself next time. I don't care about Sissoko. I do care that we appeared to have spent the whole TDD trying to sign a player who was never going to go.

What comments? Can't be these:

"It's great news to welcome Steve to our new era at Everton Football Club. His track record, particularly at Leicester City, is already the stuff of football folklore, and both myself and Farhad, having spent time with Steve, are convinced he is exactly the right fit for our club and our new manager.”

Part of football folklore? Exactly the right fit?

If that's Kenwright when he's inwardly cursing a man, I'd hate to see what he's like when he's taken an immediate shine to someone. Be like the fucking Cable Guy.

It seems nothing has changed and we are still in a position of having to sell to buy any players of note. To me, the only way Sissoko would have been bought is if we could have found a buyer for McCarthy.

Moshiri did splash the cash to bring in Koeman but I now fear that this was more to assure we stay in the top flight/top half than making a serious bid to turn us into a top 6 club.

The deal clincher will of course be the stadium issue. If he delivers the stadium we want in the docklands location that the majority believe we need, then I think we would all forgive a tight transfer policy for a few years. However, I really do fear we are heading for re-run of previous promises followed by disappointment.

I really do hope I am wrong.

It seems some did.  Others seemingly expected him to be scouring the world personally and picking up previously undiscovered 'rough diamond' prospects all over the place like a street cleaner collecting crap along dog shit crescent.

"Ron? Steve. I've found another one. I'm just pulling the van round back now. Give the word and I'll get the cloth soaked in chloroform."

"Excellent. Who has he played for? What's his story?"

"Let's see. Well, err... what's German for 'In West Berlin, born and raised, on the playground is where I spent most of my days?' "

"Ich war in West Berlin geboren und erzogen. Ich erweilte meine zeit, zum meisten, auf dem spielplatz."

"Exactly. There you go. Get a squad number ready, I'm going in."

Clubs have three full months to complete their transfer business yet they still appear to prefer this ridiculous TDD circus every transfer window.

What makes it worse is the fact that Premier League clubs are run by experienced business men such as Moshiri who would not do this with their own business dealings yet appear to get caught up in the spending frenzy of the last day of the transfer window.

Until this TDD lunacy stops and clubs start doing their transfer business in a more rational and measured way, there will always be another "Sissoko" situation waiting to happen and clubs will continue to allow themselves to be held over a barrel and given the run-around by players and their agents.

Avoid the rush. Stop nickel-and-diming, trying to save on wages, and get our business done early. Then let other clubs stab each other in the back as much as they want.

Seria A used to be the money league. So it can happen!! I honestly would rather we had something we could sustain than a delicate house of cards relaying on Sky's megabucks.

For me, that means;

Keeping wages respectable
Looking for better sponsors (Chang deal expires this year)
New stadium
Better scouting network
Youth team progress
Growing the brand overseas.

I don't want us to go out and splash £200m of the club's money. Unless Moshiri is donating it out of the goodness of his heart with no caveats of repayment on sale etc, like Abramovich has.

I do believe that Moshiri wants us to be successful and that is why he has hired a high-calibre manager. Also, I think once the stadium plans are revealed, we will know exactly where we are going.

The transfer window was disappointing but I think we had already made the best signing in the form of Ronald Koeman.

I'm sure most clubs would want to do their business early but it takes all parties to agree. The scramble is a logical consequence of having a deadline; a deadline is one of a number of measures attempting to stop richest clubs just buying leagues by getting players in at anytime during the season, possibly from their rivals.

Once you have a TDD, it isn't like a shop where you go in and buy a player for the price advertised. It functions much more like eBay. Some items may have a "Buy It Now" tag which means you can get your players in earlier.

"Buy It Now" often also means you pay a higher price than you may have by making the seller sweat. But where you have a party wanting to get the best price possible, then it goes to the wire, without any choice from the buyer, exactly like eBay where most business is done in the last few minutes to try and get the best possible deal. If you buy something on an auction site, there's not really anything you can do to speed the deal up, except to say you are withdrawing your bid.

In the case of Sissoko, Spurs were playing hardball poker all along and clearly the agent drew out Everton to seal the deal. I would have thought this was patently obvious but we still get people having a go at the club for scrambling round on TDD. Unfairly in my opinion.

Actually Abramovich has not "given" money to Chelsea plc. The terms of the agreement are interest free loans without due date. This is subtly different...

If this is true, there are only 2 possible explanations.

1. We were after him all along, but played it a bit too cool and blew it.

2. It was the worst kind of face-saving panic buy.

If the story's true, I'm tending to think it's 2 above ... which is worrying!!!

I'm in agreement with you on the Abramovich loans and was suggesting that is not a route I'd like us to take. After all, he will want those loans back at some stage and that could well cripple Chelsea or at least detract future investors.

Moshiri is a business man and will expect a return on any "investment" he makes. Investing £200m in one window may seem like a winner for fans but from a business sense we would forever be in his debt. I would rather he used his business acumen to run us better and have a sustainable incremental growth year on year.

Once again, my biggest fear is what happens to us when the Sky money dries up. For that reason, I am happy we are not paying £200k a week to some £60m signing as we could not sustain that.

I would doubt that story is true.

1) He doesn't remind me of a player that would fit Koeman's style.

2) The "deadline" is only for agreements in principle and I think clubs then have a further few hours to sort out contracts. I may be a bit naïve but surely most contracts are "templates" whereby the blanks are length, salary, signing on fee, bonuses and clauses.

Didn't we effectively sign Fellaini after the window?

The increased TV money has made it more difficult in the transfer market, not easier, and it will be at least another decade before we join the 'elite' Premier League clubs in terms of spending power – that's if we ever do.

The Club needs to up its off-field activities in terms of attracting improved sponsorship deals and hopefully any new stadium will give the club the opportunity to make even more money.

However, it will take time and plenty of effort from those in power at the club and perhaps the whole sorry affair of TDD will make them sit up and notice how much 'real' work has to be done off the pitch in the next 18 months or so.

If Koeman can get enough good results, that may also help the club in the short-term but, whatever occurs on the pitch, it is incumbent on those in power to lead the club into its bright new dawn by hard graft and taking very difficult decisions. Being a 'family club' won't be enough in the shark-infested waters of a modern day football world.

The TDD is nothing like eBay at all. On eBay, all you are buying is inanimate objects that go to the highest bidder. With football transfers, you are buying people with opinions of their own on where they would like to move to assuming they wish to move at all. We may well be the highest bidder but, if the player doesn't want to sign for us, there is nothing we can do to make them.

Look at the players we were linked with: Mata, Witsel, Sissoko, Brahimi, Kone, etc etc. Outside of Kone, it was quite obvious that none of those players wanted to sign for Everton, no matter how much we bid.

There is more to transfers than bids and wages. Players may have wives, children, their own ambitions regarding their careers. They will only move if these things are satisfied – not just because we offer them a sack of cash.

Now it seems to me if you can't convince a player that it is in his interests to sign at the beginning of the transfer window, then I don't see how leaving it until the last hour of the last day will do it.

I originally dismissed it as a total spoof. Surely, it was too absurd to believe that the billionaire owner of Everton would text such intimate thoughts to Jim White and Sky on the inner workings and thinking within the club, when in the main he has been quieter than Tutankhamun's tomb until now.

We have now had two reports in the local Echo – the lastest confirming Moshri's text to White as 100% legit.

Some in this thread wish to brush it aside as trivial. I lean towards the camp that raises – ever so slightly – a concerned eyebrow at the actual content of his text and why on earth Moshri should confide in the person and media that he did.

The first smacks of nonsensical sentimentality, far removed from the realities of the world of top level professional football. Taking his statement to its (il)logical conclusion, you would never sign a player again (better, younger, whatever) than those already on your books for fear of 'upsetting the family'. The further implication is that existing players can play into their dotage, regardless of their performances, without fear of being displaced, to the detriment to the team.

It is, as I say, nonsensical sentimentality many would normally attribute to Kenwright, not the new broom who many were expecting to bring a much-needed hard-nosed business model and professionalism to a club much in need of the same.

The second aspect that concerns me is the indiscretion and naivety of Moshri in sharing such goobledegook with who he did, at the time and day he did... in the death throes of TDD. It was always going to be placed in the public domain and, naturally, mulled over and analysed as it has been.

This is not a rant to express disappointment in the transfer window. I am, in the main, content with who we recruited and, almost as importantly, who we retained.

Yes, we thankfully replaced a failing manager with a potentially very good manager. We recruited Walsh from the reigning Champions to the new post (for Everton) of DoF. Given the timing of their recruitment in the year of the Euros, I appreciate that this first window for the pair would be a challenging one.

Personally, I largely switch off in the summer months and don't get addicted to the transfer rumour mill. Of course, I follow the news but don't angst over anything until the player is posed for the proverbial 'shirt held aloft' photo. Evidently, many others do. Lyndon and Michael regularly tell us the rumour mill is the single most popular feature on TW.

For me, the nonsense of transfer rumours was best summed up in a single day this summer when, in the morning, it was confidently reported Marko Arnautovic was definitely on his way to us from Stoke. In the resultant 100+ posts thread you had the expected wide range of opinion – great signing to shite waste of money.

By the evening of the SAME DAY, the player had signed an improved contract at Stoke... and the wheel turned once more in a new 100+ post thread... from what a loss to what a shithouse!

Then, in the wake of signing Bolasie, we heard from 3rd parties Moshiri's only other (semi) public statement since joining us in February, that he was 'anxious' to complete more signings.

I was a wee bit bemused by the sycophantic praise he received for what was really a non-statement which, again – if uttered by Kenwright – would have been met with a great deal more cynicism and scorn.

That said, as already stated by others, what has really changed in Everton's mode of transfer business? We sold a talented player (I would rather have retained) for big money which funded ALL our incoming transfers.

Never mind digging deep into his own wallet of considerable wealth, we haven't touched a bean of the Sky mega money all clubs received this summer.

It is now also being reported that Moshiri is unhappy at how the transfer window went and is asking questions. Good! I hope he also reflects on his own utterances and indiscretions, as well as questioning why he entrusted whoever he did to take care of transfer business, because the window did not match the expectations many had been led to expect.

I don't leap to the conclusion that Walsh is at fault, or even responsible for some of the transfer targets (and fees) we were allegedly linked to. Surely, his role is to identify targets and for the suits to take care of the finances and contracts.

Hey! I remain hopeful Moshiri can truly deliver – on retaining our best players, recruiting better players and building us an iconic stadium.

However, the more pragmatic side to me still whispers... what really concrete evidence do we have that Everton's modus operandi has really changed?

I don't think you understand at all.

You are not *buying* "people" at all, as... err, you can't. You are buying services, which equates to a purchase on eBay or an auction site. For the purpose of purchase, a service (which you incidentally can purchase on eBay) is no different to an "object" as you put it. They are all goods which are traded.

The seller party, on either eBay or any of the parties involved in a football transfer selling player services, can stop purchase or sell to whomever they want (putting aside the specific auction site rules for a moment).

Furthermore, there is a deadline for purchase which makes the analogy hold water, irrespective of whether or not you understand it. The principles of the application in the free market, with a time limit on deals, are identical, and the consequences therefore (last-minute scramble) are the same as well.

The whole point of the scramble is that, once their "needs" as you put it are satisfied (which is an irrelevance as there are no players on the breadline and the fact that the "wive's, children's" needs are satisfied is a complete given), then they hold out for the best terms in case another club/bidder comes in. Unless they specifically want to sign for a particular club, agents will advise players to wait and see whether or not a better offer comes in. Hence the scramble.

The last-minute stuff can only be broken by a purchase club possibly having other options and the player thinking he may not get a better offer and so deals are done ahead of TDD. That's how this stuff works in reality.

Not sure why understanding this is so difficult.

In answer to your question - what really concrete evidence do we have that Everton's modus operandi has really changed?

I would suggest the following:

1). Martinez was sacked and Koeman poached from a competitor
2). Ryantszev has been installed on the board
3). Walsh poached from a competitor and installed as DoF

All very good moves in my opinion – pity he took the shine off them by damaging his credibility with that message to Sky.

All a bit disappointing, really!