Faith, Hope & Charity

The latest away defeat has only increased the gloom around Everton.

A run of 11 Premier League games without a win came to an end for Burnley yesterday as they completed the double over the worst Everton team I can remember; the worst and, of course, the most expensive. Over 50 times under Sean Dyche Burnley had conceded the first goal and not once, until the Blues came to town, had they come back to win.

By half time, Everton should have been out of sight and would have been had Theo Walcott taken at least one of the highly presentable chances he had. That’s Walcott, plenty of talent and pace, but he lacks composure in front of goal when it really counts. He’s a serial line fluffer, a decent addition to the squad but, as we have so many times under Moshiri/Walsh (or whoever is in charge of our transfer activity), we overpaid big time.

Still keep the FAITH, it’ll be alright we can see this through, can’t we? Absolutely no chance. Our two centre backs were outfought, outthought and out-manoeuvred by the two traditional big men up front. Keane left a gap the size of the Mersey tunnel for Barnes to run into for the equaliser, and then Williams, as only he can, obligingly stepped backwards away from goal to allow Wood to power a free header past Pickford.

Williams has come for me to symbolise this Everton. A shadow of the shadow of his former self he lacks pace, judgement and any leadership qualities. The fact that he was made captain tells you everything. As we searched for an equaliser late on, a free kick was played into the Burnley box, and captain Williams thought it would be a good idea to throw an elbow at an opposing player. Red card every minute of every day.

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That should be the last time he ever wears the Royal Blue; we know it won’t be though. Keep the faith? Faith in what? Faith in whom? Certainly not the collection of spineless men who represented us yesterday or at Watford or Spurs or Arsenal or Bournemouth. Five away defeats in a row, scoring 3 and conceding 14. It arguably should have been six in a row, but we stole a draw away to WBA on Boxing Day, a feat repeated in January at Goodison.

Faith in the Manager? A resounding no to that. He thinks we are still in a good place, away form isn’t his fault it’s “part of the fabric”. He gets Everton in the way that I get 16th century Dutch poetry. He’s an arrogant fool who should never have been appointed, which brings me to hope.

The hope is that our major shareholder, Farhad Moshiri, will be able to sort this mess out. Two years in you could argue that he’s actually made it worse. For all the money spent/wasted and the prospect of Bramley Moore, his track record of decision making is really not good.

Martinez and Koeman have moved on to international managerial roles; the former might even win the World Cup. However, neither of them could sort out the wreck that is Everton and get it moving forward consistently. Moshiri’s Director of Football believes that, without Lukaku’s goals, we would have still finished 7th last season. That tells you everything you need to know about him.

There is something truly rotten at the heart of Everton. What is it that is rotten?

Many times on EvertonBusinessMatters Paul, John and I have “banged on” about a lack of leadership, responsibility and accountability. For me it actually goes deeper than that. As a Club we are complacent beyond measure, praising ourselves whenever we can (Season Ticket campaign, record sponsorship deals etc.) failing to address any of our commercial, communication and PR shortcomings.

The fans are utterly taken for granted, and those who “see no evil and speak no evil” are part of the problem. They are complicit in sustaining the pathetic status quo.

Why are those in post at Director/Senior level complacent? Because they do not actually care, or care enough to be brave & demand change. They are happy to take their six figure salaries and are put under no pressure to improve the Club and its performance, let alone close the gap in the “foot race” we are in (and about to be lapped) with Spurs and the rest of the top 6. A trip to any of the last six away games or Southampton or Palace or Brighton might have helped them to realise what the Club means to its fans.

Look at the players in the same light. Do they care? Really? Do they feel the pressure to perform? Having said that, when good performances (Vlasic, Lookman) are rewarded with dropping, & Schneiderlin, Williams and Martina are picked time and again, it’s hard to see any logic.

In spite of everything we still have EiTC to be proud of, but as John Blain said in EBM XX, are we in danger of becoming a charity with a football club attached?

There is little sign of the hard-nosed commercial nous required to run a business: performance targets, KPIs, pressure to compete and improve at every turn. “We don’t need to improve we are Everton”, that’s complacent clap trap. The Everton way has become synonymous with being nice, often too nice, without a ruthless streak. That culture has spread to the pitch.

Corporate governance, in terms of clear roles and responsibilities, is largely ignored. Communication does not begin and end with a Fan Consultation over the potential new Stadium. Engagement is not a Legends Tour or exclusive Ambassador content.

The Everton way for me is summed up by this from Sir John Moores:

Everton expects success. We’ve a very good crowd and our crowd are very loyal. But, of course, they pay money and they expect to see us do well. If they don’t do well, then something should be done about it and something will be done about it.

I woke this morning overcome by a sense of mourning for our Club; fearful of what will become of us. That charity for which we are rightly famous appears to have taken over everywhere. The CEO glories in reducing per seat revenue to £17. We accept the first sponsorship deal that comes our way, never seeking to get more.

In the transfer market we throw money around with no thought for value or even, God forbid, a plan. The clubs who have sold us players are still rubbing their hands with glee. Bill, love him or hate him, was always a tough negotiator. We’ve lost that tag now for sure. Even in this inflated Sky age we have taken player wages to obscene levels for truly bang average personnel (see Directors remuneration too). They too are rubbing their hands with glee.

On the pitch we are a charity too, helping Burnley break their hoodoo yesterday. Watford, Southampton, Brighton and others will all vouch for Everton’s generosity with points this season. It’s become endemic; it doesn’t hurt anymore.

In EBM XXI we began with “Losing my Religion”. As the worst season in living memory continues from one nadir to another, keeping the faith is tougher than ever; hope is a distant memory (at least it doesn’t kill us anymore). As Sir John said “something should be done about it”. Moshiri and his Board must heed these words and act before it is too late.

It all starts on the pitch, it all ends on the pitch. Without success on the pitch, underpinned by a winning attitude, commitment and pride, EitC will not have the resources  to continue their fantastic work.

Enough charity has been shown this season; let the last act of generosity be the termination of the contract of the current Manager. He is not our man. Something should be done about it, Mr Moshiri.

Up The Toffees!

Rodger writes regularly at his blog, rodgerarmstrong.com and hosts the Everton Business Matters podcast.

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Reader Comments (41)

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Ken Kneale
1 Posted 04/03/2018 at 15:00:54
Rodger. I have really enjoyed your recent contributions. I like many I am sure, completely agree with you comments. I completely share your frustration on how to deal with the badness pervading the decision making at this club for three decades. Appointments at all levels, commercial and PR - you name it and we mess up. How do we communicate with this owner. Is it via medium such as this? Should we try direct written communication and if so to whom do we address. I am willing to try any means.
James Power
2 Posted 04/03/2018 at 15:07:38
Great piece Roger, another of many articulate and well reasoned pieces of writing to grace the pages of this website. The pen is mightier than the sword and all that jazz.. however these well written articles are the only things of high standard that have anything to do with Everton. And we have had many. ToffeeWeb is so depressing because it seems to be the safe place for intelligent Evertonians to express their dismay with all aspects of the Club. What is the intention of these articles however? To wake up Evertonians? On this website at least, we have all woken up, nostrils filled with the acrid smell of coffee. Converted has logged in and his entire belief system is being reflected right back at him. Nothing new here lads. It was once all about Bills finances, lack of them etc. Now it is about leadership, vision (or lack of it) and innovation (and lack of it). Same stuff, different day, year, decade. What ACTION can we take? What should we do? What the f*****g f**k should we DO? I just don’t know. Perhaps we can think about this. We are all keyboard warriors but we need a plan, we say the fans are key, well what can we do? I just don’t know. Help!
James Power
3 Posted 04/03/2018 at 15:08:37
Sorry ‘Rodger’.
Adam Baig
4 Posted 04/03/2018 at 15:13:59
Agree with most of this, but isn’t ‘tough negotiatior’ Bill still responsible for deals?
I would suggest a lot of us would be happier if he stepped aside in all aspects of the day to day running of the club. Replacing him and the other ‘directors’ will define Moshiri in my opinion
Denny Kerr
5 Posted 04/03/2018 at 15:28:48
Really well written article, Roger. Absolutely spot on,and precisely why, as Evertonians, we should all be very worried about the current situation.

It's not just getting in new players, or even a new manager, it's much deeper than that.Its a complete change of attitude from those who run the club.

Can we as fans influence that change? I believe we can! Pressure has to be brought on the club, and our displeasure, and concern manifested on match day.

It's our club,passed down from generation to generation. We owe it to our children and grandchildren to protect it from the incompetence we are witnessing today.

Neil Cremin
6 Posted 04/03/2018 at 15:54:11
Firstly with Brighton's result today we are going to slip into the bottom half of the table.

Secondly, I do believe there is a team there but I cannot for the life of me see what Sam has brought. Remember our best performance was Unsy last game in charge. Unsy was not appointed because he didn't get the results but most of his games were away from home. Sam's recorded is not any better.

We are now in serious trouble as I cannot see three worse teams with the possible exception of West Brom, We are only 7 points ahead of the second from bottom and all of these are getting significant results.

My biggest worry is Sam, his lack of responsibility for what is going on, his substitutions. If I was a conspiracy theorist I would say that it would suit Sam that we go down because then we would not get the high profile manager we need and he would be in a prime position to say I can bring you straight back up because I have the experience.

Maybe I am paranoid but nothing at the moment makes any sense.

By the way, I do not agree on the Martina who has become a whipping boy. I think he tries to put in a good shift in every game which could not be said of many of the other. He makes mistakes but yesterday look at Pickford, Williams, Keane, Davies, Walcott to name but a few.

Jay Harris
7 Posted 04/03/2018 at 15:56:37
Very good article Rodger summing up the current status of the club as a “nice” place.

For me it all starts and finishes with Kenwright who is happy to bask in the glory of “his” trainset.

He has mugged supporters and investors for over 20 years making himself a very rich man in the process.

If we look at successful operations in any industry they set out a culture and a plan. When they search for a manager it is thoughtfully done.

Under Kenwright, our culture has been divide and rule and there has never been a plan except to survive. Managers have been chosen by convenience rather than a proper review.

We fell lucky with Moyes, who was the right man at the right time, but recommended by Walter Smith – the manager we were sacking. Then followed another lazy appointment who was recommended by Bill's best mate, Dave Whelan.

Martinez came in and destroyed the team spirit and camaraderie that Moyes had painstakingly built up and we have never recovered that. The club is now in chaos with opinions divided everywhere. We really need some strong leadership to recover this situation and some tough decisions need to be made.

Come on, Mr Moshiri – show us your leadership qualities and take control of this sinking ship, or appoint someone who can... but it is certainly not Kenwright or Elstone.

Kevin Tully
8 Posted 04/03/2018 at 16:12:45
Why now? Why, after 20 years of putting up with the club being ran as a personal hobby for one very rich man (off the back of his ownership) are people only now beginning to point the finger? Why are the Echo only now questioning the club?

Is it because they don't have to point at Bill, and Moshiri now becomes a convenient scapegoat? How long would our neighbours have put up with the fraud who has been clapped on the big screen?

We are reaping what we have sown. Too late for protestations now. 30 years of surviving isn't Moshiri's fault. That is the 'fabric' of Everton. The deputy CEO will be kipping in the Park End shortly. That is Everton.

Peter Fearon
9 Posted 04/03/2018 at 16:50:21
The criticism of Theo Walcott is a little harsh. He linked up well with Cenk Tosun and while he did put one easy chance over the top, Tom Davies should have called for the ball and taken that chance himself. Walcott is not a serial line fluffer.

Why as fans we continually turn on creative players while letting Neanderthals off the hook, I don't know.

On the broader front I agree with you. The future must start with getting Allardyce out of here and installing a manager whose purpose is to build a team committed to attractive entertaining and attacking football win or lose.

Ken Kneale
10 Posted 04/03/2018 at 16:53:43
Peter, I agree with you; a return to quality football is a build-in, not a bolt-on.
Neil Cremin
11 Posted 04/03/2018 at 17:02:17
Peter,

Who are the Neanderthals you say we are letting off the hook?

John Hughes
12 Posted 04/03/2018 at 17:28:04
Kevin Tully is bang on the money. As harsh as it might have sounded over the years, I have regularly said that, as Evertonians, we could be accused of getting what we deserve in many ways.

As Kevin alludes to, seems somewhat ironic that, as we reach the point where we've all had enough, the fingers start pointing at an individual who's only been on board a couple of years and has actually put his money where his mouth is.

David Barks
13 Posted 04/03/2018 at 17:39:52
In what world are Evertonians only now beginning to point the finger at those running the club? That has been an ongoing debate for years. There were planes flown over Goodison calling for Kenwright to go. There were protests over the attempt to move to Kirkby and investigations into the loans and financials of the club.

Where I would agree is that it is now becoming louder and growing. I've been as frustrated as anybody about the apathy among many supporters. So I agree with the point that as a fan base we've allowed this to happen. But there have been plenty of questions raised and distrust.

Where I think it is different now is that we all thought things would massively change with Moshiri. Yes, there has been a change in the money invested in the running of the club and wiping the debts. But, for the life of me, I can not understand how he has allowed Kenwright to remain as Chairman and Elstone to remain as CEO. That act alone deserves massive questions.

Paul Tran
14 Posted 04/03/2018 at 17:44:10
I would suggest that the likes of Kenwright held a genuine view that all we needed was 'money' and everything would be fine. The money's useless without the right mindset.
Kunal Desai
15 Posted 04/03/2018 at 17:57:42
There have been sporadic demonstrations but sadly nothing in masses which is what has been required to remove Kenwright and his chums. The fan base is passive, weak and gutless over the years.

All good and well going on forums and phone ins moaning and complaining but when it has mattered, it has never really materialised and that is outside Goodison in droves.

Those lot across the park demonstrated and by not turning up when they increased there ticket pricing. It got overturned soon after. They hounded Gillette and Hicks out of town.

The Emirates was less than half-full on Thursday night, the fans have had enough and change will be imminent in the summer when Wenger is gone.

Will there be many empty seats this Saturday at home to Brighton? Of course there won't be. It will be a full house. Our fans' mindset will never change and that's a huge part of the problem with this club over the decades. Apathy amongst fans is very evident.

Eric Paul
16 Posted 04/03/2018 at 18:05:24
I read this article until “we overpaid for Walcott” – are you having a laugh???

And this is nowhere near the worst Everton side – the worst manager, yes.

And Pickford was responsible for the equaliser (I read some more).

Danny O'Neill
17 Posted 04/03/2018 at 18:11:56
Copy & paste from what I put on the live forum:

The top two teams at present are those who try to win. A by-product of that is entertaining football. Go out with a fingers-crossed, "hope we don't lose but might sneak one" mentality and you hit a glass ceiling. Winners try to win, not avoid defeat.

Lawrence Green
18 Posted 04/03/2018 at 18:29:25
Kunai (#15),

I understand your disappointment about Everton supporters not demonstrating on the streets, but as far as I'm aware it has never been part of the culture of our support. There have been moments of anger, such as painting of walls or jostling of managers, but not much more than that.

Many people say that the fans from over the park were responsible for the removal of certain people from their club; they might have lit the blue touch paper, but it was the media and the friends of their club who did the most damage to anybody that looked as if they would hold their beloved club back.

Everton FC has no such friends and the media in general couldn't give a damn whether our club were in the top four or the fourth division and that includes the local media.

Staying away from the stadium is as good a method as any of showing your displeasure at the current state of affairs but, given we still require a few more points, how will that help the team? Besides which most tickets were purchased well before the season started, so the club itself isn't going to receive a financial hit by stay-away supporters.

Passive, weak and gutless you call our support, well let me say that to follow this club during the last 30 years has taken a great deal of effort and no lack of strength. It also takes quite a lot of guts for an Evertonian to face family and friends who support our rivals when they are trying to defend the club and the team, when they know deep down that they are often not worth defending.

Apathy towards the current manager and squad and the club itself is growing but that is because of the performances out on the pitch which, despite what some say, were not that great for most of the previous eleven years and they have gotten steadily worse in the last three years.

No mass demonstration would have forced Bill Kenwright to sell his shares if he didn't want to sell. No mass demonstration will result in Bill stepping down from his current role at the club, nor will it lead to any other director being forcibly removed.

I want Allardyce relieved of his duties as soon as possible and, if he is still in his job come August, I will seriously consider staying away from Goodison until he has gone – but the club already has my money so it might not hurt the club as much as it hurts me.

As for the business side of the club, I don't see what non-shareholders can achieve by barking at the moon, no matter how loudly, no matter how many participate. The only real way we can criticise certain aspects of the club is on sites like this one. It may not have any effect but I believe, if the views on here are taken seriously by the club, that will have far more influence than a baying mob.

Rick Tarleton
19 Posted 04/03/2018 at 18:46:14
I've seen some very poor Everton teams since 1953-54, the late fifties team and the late nineties teams spring to mind. But this is different: we have gifted players, over a dozen internationals on our books, we have players for whom we have paid almost £50 million and players whose youthful promise suggested true performance.

No, what is different this time is that we haven't got a team, we've got players but the epithet "team" does not apply.

The centre backs don't work together, one to the left one to the right, or even one attacking the ball and one sweeping, the left back has no left foot, the defensive midfielders tackle but can't use the ball and as for the chaos of the attacking midfield, words fail me. Each week we have a different lottery of these individuals and each week we are disappointed that yet again there is no cohesion.

Who's to blame? Various managers who've failed to create a team and to coach them. Walsh for his recruitment and above all Moshiri and Kenwright for appointing total inadequates to run our club.

Brian Williams
20 Posted 04/03/2018 at 18:48:00
Kunai (#15).

Get something organized then.

Lenny Kingman
21 Posted 04/03/2018 at 18:48:33
Excellent article but I must pick up on one point you inferred, probably facetiously.

If Martinez leads Belgium to World Cup glory, I will volunteer to eat Allardyce's head. And that would be a task that would take me to the World Cup in Qatar 2022 to complete.

Peter Mills
22 Posted 04/03/2018 at 19:00:34
Lawrence (#18), that is a calm, measured post. I struggle to know what an appropriate expression of anger, frustration and disillusionment should be. For example, I believe anyone who vented their annoyance at Allardyce yesterday, having spent their cash to travel there in freezing conditions, was perfectly entitled to do so. His reaction to it was a disgrace.

Personally, I will always choose to go to the match when I can. I will renew my season ticket. Some say this makes me compliant with the malaise within the club; possibly they are right, but I like to be there.

I agree that protesting at the game during the game tends to work against the team out on the pitch, and we cannot afford to do that while we are pursuing points to ensure safety. However, if and when those points come, I would be very much in favour of the old-fashioned handclap and chants of “What a load of rubbish”.

If cushions were also available, so much the better. It would do the prima donnas on the pitch, and the complacent ones off it, the world of good to feel Goodison at its most venomous.

Darren Hind
23 Posted 04/03/2018 at 19:16:48
Not impressed, Lenny.

Allardyce's head will be like and AldiEaster egg – misleadingly large, but fuck all inside.

Anyone could do that.

Paul Tran
24 Posted 04/03/2018 at 19:21:00
Hahaha, yes Darren, and the box and wrapping would be shite as well! And it would be that chocolate flavour coating you used to get on those Taxi bars.
Phil (Kelsall) Roberts
25 Posted 04/03/2018 at 19:38:22
Say what you like about dour – but the one thing that Moyes gave us was a team.

So is the question that the money they are now being paid – all of them, not just ours – is giving too much power to the players? Chelsea in 2016-17 got Jose sacked. We probably all agree that, until Moyes left, we were better than the sum of the parts. Now, we are worse than the sum of the parts.

Back in Moyes's last season, the back 4 played 83% of the time. This season, it is 67%. So it is chopped and changed and we are left with a young 20-year-old, a right-back playing on the left, a young guy who is lacking confidence, an old guy who is going downhill fast, and the best of them all is 35 and suffers from too many injuries now, and a 33-year-old who is also nearing the end of his career.

And I agree, the whole club does seem very badly organised and unprofessional. But it has for many a year. Others have overtaken us. And that is what happened in 1992 and is happening again.

Ian Hollingworth
26 Posted 04/03/2018 at 20:02:51
Good article and rightly points out our many many problems.

Allardyce is an easy target at the moment and we will still have all the other problems when he is finally gone.

So what comes after Allardyce for Everton FC?

Sadly we know it will be more of the same.

David McMullen
27 Posted 04/03/2018 at 20:31:00
On the pitch we are a bad "team". Oh, there's the talent. But as a team they are a complete hotch-potch. Serving up what is some of the worst football I've seen, the last 30-odd years. Plenty of bad moments in that time. You can't defend them. But they're like this because of poor leadership at the club.

The constant change in manager doesn't help, it's a vicious circle. They either don't get the leadership and inspiration from the manager and coaches, or they don't respect the manager or buy in to what the manager wants so no desire or discipline on the pitch as a team or as individuals, eg, Williams.

Those that run the club (excluding Moshiri) have been complacent for years. A lack of pressure and accountability in the club though has now started to show through the cracks.

I wonder if there's a parallel (to some extent) with what's happened to Arsenal. I think (without being that knowledgeable of Arsenal) David Dein was their strongman. Now they aren't what they were and Wenger has stayed on far too long (the complete opposite situation to us). Though I'd still swap the last 20 years of Arsenal with the last 20 years we've had!

Tony Abrahams
28 Posted 04/03/2018 at 21:17:01
Kevin Tully is bang on for me. I also agree with Rick but footballers never blame themselves and that's why this lot haven't performed for three different managers this season now.

We changed too much, too soon, and in doing so have created a squad without leaders, who are all walking round, looking at the floor, thinking "What the fuck am I doing here."

It's rubbed off very quickly on the manager, because he knows he wasn't wanted in the first place. He knows the fans fucking hate him, and he's probably looking at some of these players, who don't seem to give a fuck, and is thinking that they are not really his problem either?

Look how poor we are defensively, when we open up even a little bit. Burnley were awful, but we couldn't even control the midfield when we had the extra body in there, and this is definitely not down to the manager?

This is the softest Everton team I have ever witnessed: no heart, no soul, and not enough players, who really give a fuck, with the attitude from too many, that it will all be over soon, and it's got fuck all to do with me anyway.

So sad, but so true, because if these players have just spent a week away together trying to bond, then after witnessing us play since then, it just looks like they haven't got much time for each other?

Jack Convery
29 Posted 04/03/2018 at 22:36:16
I actually enjoy reading the articles about Everton on ToffeeWeb. I can't say the same about the team though. The difference is obvious. Those who write the articles actually care... whilst the football club itself doesn't give a damn.

The appointment of Allardyce was to keep Everton in the Premier League. That, folks, is what counts. Nothing else.... absolutely nothing else.

Tom Dodds
31 Posted 04/03/2018 at 22:48:27
Ah! Kevin (#8... plus dozens and dozens of previous posts):

How long now have we been banging and banging on about the true blue shithouse penniless bastard that enveigled our club all those many years ago??

You know, in a surreal kind of way (in my view), this club is run in a weirdly similar way to this country... ie, the same slovenly penny-pinching toerags, the promises, the money promised for services, the lack of central backing, clearly (till Moshiri) the debts etc etc.

Whereas Liverpool are run as a frontline professional hard-nosed brand imbued with a wherewithal of direction and business savvy.

And in a similitude of this country, nothing will change in my opinion till 'those' people (Sun, Mail and Star readers, anti-immigration Brexit voters, "Bill's a blue", "Careful what you wish for – remember Blackburn (The Venkys)?" Rooney – saved the clubbers (Gawd) etc, Kopite behaviour cetra.

Well that 'time' could well be staring us right now in our faces I fear.

I would love and hope that the Gwladys Street kicks off this weekend and the ever-growing band(s) of similar-minded fans join in with 'em, 'cos that's just about all we've got left now ,as far as I can see.

Tom Dodds
32 Posted 04/03/2018 at 22:56:05
Addendum,

After 'cetra', add "Get their noses rubbed right in it."
(ie, post-Brexit monetary collapse, and – in Everton's case – relegation).

Dick Fearon
33 Posted 04/03/2018 at 23:19:45
Rodger, I congratulate you on your OP of the club's woes. It was compulsive reading for supporters but probably ignored by the powers that be. To their shame, I might add.

Lenny @21, your mention of Martinez and the World Cup brings back memories of him swanning around in Brazil, spouting his usual BS on TV, when he should have been organising the club's pre-season.

The same could be said about the Koeman brothers, who insisted on completing their golfing holiday before taking charge of a club in turmoil. That's how much respect they had for Everton.

Bill Kenwright and his board of couldn't-care-less lick-spittle tax-dodging self-serving pals were the main culprits by kowtowing to the demands of those charlatans.

Paul Smith
34 Posted 04/03/2018 at 23:25:28
Tom, sounds a bit like remainer schadenfreude to me.

Instead of £250 mill on the side of a big red bus, maybe you'd like Moshiri, Bill and Joe to stand adjacent to a stone-embossed £500 million figure on the entrance to Bramley-Moore docks? Then, as the painstaking process takes place, we can try and trash it at every juncture.

Tom Bowers
35 Posted 04/03/2018 at 00:01:21
It is business, after all... and, as long as they make money at the end of the day, then quality of play, standard of players, and results won't matter as long as they stay where they are.

Arsenal and Chelsea will likely finish in the top six but Wenger and Conte will likely be sent packing before Allardyce will.

Matthew Kneale
36 Posted 05/03/2018 at 02:33:05
For me the problems on the pitch run back to the end of Martinez's first season. At that point, they had a template of a top team with some of the best young talent in the country. That summer, we should have kicked on and, if we would have added a couple of top quality additions to complement Lukaku, we would have become a top 4 side year on year out.

But no, typical Everyone, we stood still and now we've gone significantly backwards. Ever since that season our recruitment policy has been woeful. Name me one player who has been a success? Fast forward 4 years and we now have a team that has lost all it's identity and quality on the pitch.

We lack pace, power and any sort of goal scoring threat. How can his happen after we have spent over £200 million. How can it be that fans can pin point our weaknesses but people who get paid millions can't.

What needs to happen now is a clear-out of all the deadwood which starts with the current manager and director of football who are nothing short of a disgrace. Comparing us to teams such as Newcastle and West Ham who have never won a raffle – let alone 9 league titles – is embarrassing.

We need to recruit a young manager who has a set plan and way of playing football. A manager who knows what players he wants. Players that fit into the right system and not like the current set up who have managed splurge £200M on individuals who not only can't play together and have as much pride and character as a cardboard box.

It's time to start planning for the future and use the investment that we have so badly craved for years wisely; otherwise, we will start to lose fans forever.

Ken Kneale
37 Posted 05/03/2018 at 08:08:31
Dick @33 spot on observations. Could you see any other top club allowing such activity by the supposed head of the football side of the operation? Both absences whist Rome burned as it were played a small but significant part in our present predicament and our clueless directors acquiesced to it all. Shameful.
Lenny Kingman
38 Posted 05/03/2018 at 08:58:29
Danny (#23),

I beg to differ sir. Allardyce's decision making re team selection and formations leads one to believe that he is as thick as a brick. And that substance takes a lot of chewing and swallowing. Just like everything else about his tenure at Everton. Short lived though it will prove to be.

Bob Parrington
39 Posted 05/03/2018 at 10:49:40
Let's face it. In two or three words... "we're fucked!"

Biggest heap of shit I have watched for over 55 years and no sign of improvement.

Moshiri – clean the whole freakin' management lot out and start again!

Dave Abrahams
40 Posted 05/03/2018 at 11:17:10
Great article, Rodger, you've told it like it is. Keep having a go to improve things... maybe now is the right time. Fans might be more responsive now the club is in such a desperate situation – they were not when the Blue Union tried to rouse them to the way Everton were being run not all that long ago.

The chickens who were talked about then are coming home to roost; let's stop them before they hatch.

John Pierce
41 Posted 05/03/2018 at 16:50:58
Rodger, stirring stuff!

The club thrive on being small time, we sneer at corporate faceless giants like Man Utd and the rabble over the road. To what end?

We as fans often are guilty too, we overplay loyalty and kindness, and history as a the benchmark for being Evertonians, yet we win nothing, compete with no-one. We have resisted the modern global world to the point of extinction as a major force in English football.

The vacuum of innovation and creativity to bridge this gap is scandalously negligent. We have ‘relatively' lots of money and the fact we cannot attract or won't consider getting a business leader(s) with market leading expertise is maddening.

I personally believe the gap is so big, now only the implosion of global market with bring us back in line with our peers.

That mourning you identify with is exactly that, the nagging thought that that's our lot, we are done.

Please keep the business insight coming and truly, if you and the EBM boys venture to New York, the supporters club would love to see at a game!

UTFT!

Danny O'Neill
42 Posted 05/03/2018 at 22:31:53
I truely hope so, Lenny. It's been too long already. It was too long the day he was appointed.

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