Vlasic Sr frustrated by Nikola's demotion from Everton first team

Wednesday, 14 March, 2018 48comments  |  Jump to most recent

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Nikola Vlasic's father, Josko, has expressed his disappointment at the way his son has been dropped from Everton's first team since the turn of the year.

The Croatian midfielder was signed for £8m on transfer deadline day last August after impressing Ronald Koeman and Steve Walsh in Hajduk Split's two-legged Europa League qualifying play-off and he started his Goodison career in promising fashion.

He made eight appearances between his arrival and the end of 2017, most of them under Koeman before he was sacked in November, but was largely overlooked by the Dutchman's successor, Sam Allardyce, until he was handed a rare start in the New Year's Day defeat to Manchester United.

Vlasic hasn't made an appearance since which has drawn understandable criticism from his father.

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“It's not my place to talk about a new coach, to talk about the expertise or actions of a new coach,” Josko told Croatian publication Dnevno. “I would explain it differently.

“Everton is a club that has to live from young players. Everton cannot buy a £100m player and it's not likely anyone worth a hundred million would come to a club such as Everton who [do] not fight for trophies, is it?

“Therefore, Everton have to live from young footballers — foreign or English — that is all the same. And there's a problem with Nikola, who started great and was then [pushed] off to the side.

"Nikola is progressing day by day. Where he is today is better than he was a year ago or a few months ago. He should be the prospect of the club, not some older players.”

Allardyce tried to explain Vlasic's predicament recently, citing a lack of confidence as the team in general has struggled for consistency this season and indicating that he expects the 20-year-old to kick on next season.

 

Reader Comments (48)

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Liam Reilly
1 Posted 14/03/2018 at 17:25:53
He's not exactly been a world beater when he's played but there's a good player in there who should and would get more game time under a more adventurous manager.

He can only hope (just like the supporters), that Allardyce is shown the door sooner rather than later.

Steve Cotton
2 Posted 14/03/2018 at 17:48:25
Spot on Liam
Dermot Byrne
3 Posted 14/03/2018 at 17:55:36
Hard balance between our desire for a settled team and trying them all regularly.

Sam has it so tough... NOT!

Ben Howard
4 Posted 14/03/2018 at 18:06:50
I'm sick of outspoken fathers and greedy agents speaking out and causing trouble, but the sentiment is hard to argue with.

Without setting the world alight, Vlasic has shown glimpses of class in his few appearances and enough to suggest he could be a real asset with Leighton behind him.

With no real evidence to back it up, I wonder if he is a bit of a trouble maker? If I were him I'd keep working hard and ask his father and sister to stay out of it.

Bill Gienapp
5 Posted 14/03/2018 at 18:28:14
“Everton is a club that has to live from young players. Everton cannot buy a £100m player and it's not likely anyone worth a hundred million would come to a club such as Everton who [do] not fight for trophies, is it?"

Ouch.

James Hopper
6 Posted 14/03/2018 at 18:59:48
Well obviously Vlasic should have been given more of a chance under Allardyce but can someone please slap the father and remind him that there’s a big leap down from a £100m player and an £8m player signed on the strength of two decent performances in the Europa League.
John Pierce
7 Posted 14/03/2018 at 19:05:49
The lad's father's stinging rebuke might be putting somewhat harshly but I cannot argue with him.

What he says is fundamentally right whether he has a vested interest or not.

As for Vlasic himself, I see a very good player, I think he's been grossly mis-managed, but then again that ain't saying much under the clowns we've had in charge this season.

Vlasic could be a Number 10, and deffo could play wide right, quick feet in tight spaces and often retains the ball better than most.

I'd be more than happy to see him play off Tosun come Saturday.

James Power
8 Posted 14/03/2018 at 19:41:55
I think he should tell his dad to shut the fuck up. He's not a boy, he is an adult... and his dad banging on about him to the press is embarrassing.
Clive Rogers
9 Posted 14/03/2018 at 19:59:16
He has shown ability and promise but has not shown enough to warrant a starting place even in a team fighting relegation. I’m not even sure what his best position will be. It certainly won’t be on the wing.
John Daley
10 Posted 14/03/2018 at 20:07:26
No problem with someone's arl fella believing his kid merits more match time and making a case for it. Bit different from publicly stating his son should bugger off to a bigger club because he's the dog's bollocks.

If your own old man doesn't believe you deserve to be playing then you must be proper pish (you know it's true, Paul Dalglish). Even Nobby Nash must have kicked off about his Carlos not getting a chance on occasion: "Fucking wasting your life away playing Sudoku every Saturday, son. Sort yourself out!"

Tony Abrahams
11 Posted 14/03/2018 at 20:09:41
James you talk about common decency on another thread, but you want someone to slap Vlasic's dad?
Niall McIlhone
12 Posted 14/03/2018 at 20:17:35
With Siggy sidelined, give the lad a Number 10 role and see if he is up for it? <:>The father has a right to express his frustration in my view. When we signed the lad, he was a rising star in Croatia and has just broken into the national team. His time at Everton must seem like a bad dream so far.

I agree with John (#7) – play him off Tosun, he maybe just needs to be trusted with a run of games in a settled position. Oh, and rest Wayne and play Beni as defensive midfielder if Gana is unfit.

John Graham
13 Posted 14/03/2018 at 20:30:23
This is a good player who, treated right, could be a great player.

As his father has said, we need to concentrate more on developing our young players. It seems once they get into the first team squad, their development suffers and most of them go backwards.

Dowel, Holgate, Kenny, Calvert-Lewin, Lookman, Galloway, Browning, Pennington, Connolly and even Davis have all struggled at some point and have either been loaned out or left on the bench.

Surely we can concentrate some resources to keep them developing. Why should we pay out big money as in the last transfer window where only two players, Pickford and Sigurdsson have performed anywhere near their best.

Our U23s won the Premier League 2 last season yet what have we got to show for it? What's the use of Walsh bringing in all these young players of late if none of them are going to be given a fair chance?

Rick Pattinson
14 Posted 14/03/2018 at 20:36:48
I too am frustrated and I'm not even related to the boy!!!
Dave Abrahams
16 Posted 14/03/2018 at 20:44:26
Give yourself a pat on the back, Mr Vlasic, sticking up for your son. You are complaining because he has been taken out of the squad, not even on the bench, and that stinks, same as Lookman was pushed out of the reckoning.

Sam will not trust the youngsters, but once we are safe I hope Moshiri will remove an auld arse like Sam from the club. Hopefully a new manager will have a good look at all the young players at the club and start playing some of them, even from the bench.

Fran Mitchell
17 Posted 14/03/2018 at 21:01:56
He should be in our squad. Either left sided forward or back-up No 10 (now Sigurdsson is injured he should be given a chance)

He has talent, but in a poor team, with no confidence and no definite style.of play, he has struggled also.

But, all players have struggled, yet continue to play.

His being dropped appears to be only cause of his age. But players like him are what offer hope.

Him, Lookman, Davies, Baningime, Dowell, Holgate, Calvert-Lewin, maybe one or two more. These can be integral members of our squad for 5 or 6 years or longer. We should play them.

Minik Hansen
18 Posted 14/03/2018 at 21:28:35
Probably gets a game against so-called top clubs in a few weeks time and will be dropped again after defeats. Unless he surprises that Everton manager and keeps his place (fingers crossed). He can even get a game against Stoke (fingers still crossed).
Si Cooper
19 Posted 14/03/2018 at 21:47:18
Why shouldn't his father talk to the press about his son?

He was well regarded at Hajduk Split and has been capped as a full international so there will be local interest in where his career is going. His sister is another celebrity sportsperson so the family are pretty high profile.

Didn't his father come over to help him settle over here? You'd expect he would continue to support his son in any way he can. The tone of the interview doesn't seem particularly shrill or overly critical of the club.

He is right that we aren't capable of attracting the very best at the peak of their careers, even if we had the money required.

Steve Ferns
20 Posted 14/03/2018 at 22:14:25
I can't argue with what he said. He's a high profile person in his own right. A talented family of athletes. Anyway, there's a true and sobering view of EFC from an outsider. Still think we can land them big names?

He's right about youth as well. We need to identify and develop a £100m player. Maybe Vlasic can be such a player. We only find out if he plays regularly.

Sure, he shouldn't start every game, in fact he'd be on the bench for me, but I'd be giving him games and a chance to impress regularly. He should have played more when the games were coming thick and fast in the autumn.

The Sooner the buffoon leaves the better.

Don Alexander
21 Posted 14/03/2018 at 22:28:57
I mean no disrespect at all to Vlasic or his father but if you remember our effective owner, Mr Moshiri himself, promised on the last day of the summer window that before it closed there'd be "another major signing" by us. Turned out to be Vlasic. Hmm.
Drew O'Neall
22 Posted 14/03/2018 at 23:47:59
Sell him to a team who buys (and picks) £8m players..
Fran Mitchell
23 Posted 15/03/2018 at 02:17:58
Drew: yeah, sooner we bought a load of £20+ million players, like that Bolasie bloke, Klaassen even, Schneiderlin better still... can't go wrong... I mean look, Beneteke proves a striker will fail unless they are £30+ million, or Carroll even.

I mean, Roma, Lazio, Monaco, Atletico, Shaktar, Sevilla, Valencia, Dortmund etc, these are the type of teams that buy young players cheap and actually develop them... and where the fuck has that ever got them.

Dead right. Lets keep buying £20+ million, £150k a week, 27-year-old players who no-one playing in the Champions League wants... £8 million with potential – que absurd. Tell him to fuck right off!

William Cartwright
24 Posted 15/03/2018 at 03:40:06
Fran (17)

If Everton fielded a team of 7 - 8 youngsters and lost heavily (as they possibly would do) what would be the reaction?

The youth set up at Everton is one if not the best in the country, and I for one am very proud of that. But it is taking romantic notions just too far thinking we can be a top six club by playing homegrown / bargain buys. We have to by big and buy well.

Top class youngsters do come through every so often. The challenge is nurturing them and then getting them to step up. The real class home grown best buy world class players we have brought through you can count on one hand: Rooney (wonderful freak of nature), Coleman (bargain of the century) Barkley (tragically mismanaged).

Outside that we have Tom Davies who at 19, might yet break though as a really top, top player if managed well, lucky with injuries and keeps his commitment and perspective.

I agree Vlasic has, like Baningime and possibly Lookman been underused and cut loose prematurely, but in these monied times, even Calvert-Lewin, Kenny, Holgate and Dowell who may become squad regulars, I sadly doubt will break through to the real big time level.

I hope I am wrong, and all the youngsters will achieve success and a good living, but to rely solely on youngsters is too much to expect these days.

Alan J Thompson
25 Posted 15/03/2018 at 04:30:15
Well said, Fran Mitchell.

This manager has said he will not play too many, however many that is, youngsters and prefers players in the 27 to 30 years of age bracket, not a word about ability. So I suppose Pickford, Davies and Calvert-Lewin is the quota.

Chris Donnelly
26 Posted 15/03/2018 at 06:55:43
All I can say about Fat Sam: Greedy robbing dishonest anal dwelling butt monkey, he has an abundance of talent in the likes of Vlasic, Lookman, Calvert-Lewin, Kenny, and Davies but he doesn't utilise their skill, passion and hunger to play for the football club.

He is using EFC to increase his bank balance; he knows, we know and the board all know he was brought in till the end of the season, but his greedy corrupt mind wanted money, money, money!!!!! This bloke has not earned even 10% of his salary – he is a joke!!!!!

Get rid of this prick, get rid of our deadwood players, and start using the talent we have at our club. We are a disgrace and a laughing stock!!!!

Come on Everton Football Club, have some balls and get the club set up now for next season!!!

Allardyce – Out
Fonseca – In
Martina – Out
Williams – Out
Schneiderlin – Out

Hope and pray for a new start and maybe a bit of success!!!

James Power
27 Posted 15/03/2018 at 07:28:59
Vlasic is a talented player and we need to find room for these players and also time to integrate them into this team and this league. I don't disagree with his dad's comments either, however I still think he should shut up about his son.

Nicola is a grown up and, as a grown up, it seems a little infantilising to have your dad fighting your battles in the press; doesn't matter if he is the Prime Minister or the host of who wants to be a millionaire, the Pele of his country or a greengrocer.

It's lovely for your dad to have your back and that he cares about his son I respect, but Nicola is a man doing a job, he needs to find his own way and perhaps will do so to greater effect without high profile daddy ‘telling it like it is' in the press.

Ian Bennett
28 Posted 15/03/2018 at 08:05:48
With Sigurdsson injured this opens up a bench opportunity. Up to him to put a shift in to start matches.

He's a good player, but goes missing when out of possession.

Dick Fearon
29 Posted 15/03/2018 at 09:00:08
We have more good youngsters than Vlasic waiting in the wings. All I would suggest are on considerably more wages than most around the same age.
The dad is rightfully upset at his lads situation but what he really should be doing is encouraging his son to keep on improving and make himself impossible to be overlooked.
James Power
30 Posted 15/03/2018 at 09:22:48
I fully agree, Dick. Good point!
Martin Nicholls
31 Posted 15/03/2018 at 11:23:37
Ben#4 - as you say, no "real evidence" to back your suggestion that he might be a "trouble maker". Evidence to the contrary is that a known trouble maker, Schneiderlin, usually does make the match day squad!
Jer Kiernan
32 Posted 15/03/2018 at 11:49:30
I said 2 things would happen when FS got the job

That our young prospects which for me gave a glimpse of possibly a golden-era (see Premier League 2 champs – Baningime, Davies, Calvert-Lewin) would be decimated (see Lookman, Vlasic, Sandro, Holgate) and would be replaced with "seasoned" types collecting a wedge and bothering only when they are bothered (see Schneiderlin, Walcott, Wilshere? Jones??)

I also noted that we would be playing something that would resemble Rugby League more than attractive attacking football and that the odious crook would stink the place out

Lookman who was "homesick" at Goodison forced a move to a foreign country of whose language he cannot speak and the fact FS revealed on the night of Leicester game that players were banging on his door to get out

I see nothing to change my mind and won't next season either as, if Fat Sam is in charge, I will avert my gaze (for first time in 35 years) and it will be the League of Ireland for me, thanks!

Which funny enough is the only league this oaf ever had any success in.

Depressing.

Andy Meighan
33 Posted 15/03/2018 at 12:46:03
"It's not my place to talk about a new coach, or the expertise of a new coach." Spot on there mate. Absolutely nothing to do with you!

He hasn't shown too much to warrant a starting place and has someone else said has a tendency to go missing in games

George Cumiskey
34 Posted 15/03/2018 at 13:06:53
Maybe Vlasic is banging on doors shouting the odds about not being even on the bench, and nobody is listening to him, which wouldn't surprise me.
Don't forget he a young lad in a foreign country so why shouldn't his father step in and try to highlight the situation, as any self respecting parent would.
John Davies
35 Posted 15/03/2018 at 13:38:37
I think the youngster has a future at our club and will come through in due course. Hopefully not under Allardyce. But Vlasic senior says "It's not my place to talk" and he's absolutely right. He shouldn't. This is not a youth team playing at Sefton Park. Dads, eh?
Neil Pickering
36 Posted 15/03/2018 at 15:01:57
Someone tell me then what this lad is good at? He's a headless chicken at the best of times, and yet another dogshit waste of money. All he does is run. Can't score goals, doesn't really create, a championship player if the lad is lucky.
Phil Walling
37 Posted 15/03/2018 at 20:22:36
Almost certain to get a cheap move or a loan back to Hadjuk come the summer. Looked a nothing player when he did get a game so nothing lost there.

Yet another Koeman/Walsh 'no-hoper'!

Gavin McGarvey
38 Posted 15/03/2018 at 23:39:24
As a father myself, I don't think he said anything too wrong. He's just annoyed that his son isn't getting a look-in. This is in the Croatian press, so obviously he has some sort of profile there. I can't imagine the British press have been doorstepping his family.

Regarding the issue of youngsters, I agree with him. One of the (many) things that has annoyed me is the older players brought in. When we sold Lukaku, we should have had the next quality young forward lined up. On top of this, the pressure that comes with not having a decent centre-forward, has meant that we've cleared out half of the youngsters because we can't risk playing them.

Anyway, something needs to change, and we have bigger problems than the fathers of the youngsters we have brought mouthing off. I don't want Allardyce to stay, but maybe if he was on a longer term contract, and had been told to develop the youngsters, he'd be putting more effort in to doing just that.

Joseph Mullarkey
39 Posted 15/03/2018 at 00:16:31
HIs Dad should be told that he is not good enough and hasn't been good enough when he has played.

I respect his Dad for sticking up for his son but he needs a reality check.

There are others such as Schneiderlin and Williams who should not be in the squad when there are other options available, Regardless of what their Mum and Dads think.

Dave Bowen
41 Posted 16/03/2018 at 00:39:20
Another father butting in where he's not wanted. Vlasic hasn't exactly been tearing up trees when he's been given a chance. Yes, he has promise, but no end product. Even if he had, his old man doesn't pick the team so he should shut up. I can't stand this European habit (see Lukaku Snr) of offering an opinion when it's not been asked for.
Jim Hardin
42 Posted 16/03/2018 at 01:53:51
Dave (#41).

Pssst, seems he actually was asked for his opinion after all. Read the article first, then comment.

Jim Bennings
43 Posted 16/03/2018 at 07:59:18
Considering Davies has played so many games this season despite being overwhelmed in most of them and basically offering zero but, because he's local, everyone wants to pretend that he's “gonna be great” (just like with Ross Barkley when he was here), then you can understand why Vlasic would be a bit miffed at a lack of games.

But, then again, I could never understand the favouritism of Calvert-Lewin over Lookman, who I think, given the same games, would have contributed more than Dominic.

Roman Sidey
44 Posted 16/03/2018 at 10:33:30
One of the reasons you often hear from the fathers of continental players is because it's that country's press's best chance to get any info about a player. With everything a player says to the media carefully scripted, why would a Croatian rag even bother calling Vlasic up for a quote when they know his old man isn't restricted by the same mandates?

With most of these situations, translation is often a bit off, but nobody can argue with what he's said here, and, if this is the extent of his quotes, he hasn't actually said anything about his son moving to a "better club".

On Vlasic not looking like a world beater in his handful of appearances, who in the Everton squad has? There certainly isn't 11 players that fit that category, and some truly ineffective players have spent a lot of time on the pitch this season.

Jerome Shields
46 Posted 16/03/2018 at 10:50:45
His father's concerns are justified considering the level he was previous playing at regularly and the way that Everton are being set up to play by Allardyce.

My advice is, having made the wrong move in signing for Everton, follow the example of Lookman and look for a loan move to a better footballing club and use it as a shop window to get a contract away from Everton. Don't let them destroy your reputation like Niasse, who will be gone in the Summer having resurrected it, against the odds. Klaassen will be thinking the same.

If Big Sam is not replaced at the end of this season, make it an absolute priority. You will have other young unsettled players round you at the moment but, in your first-team appearances, you have looked a Premier League-level player.

Kevin Dyer
47 Posted 17/03/2018 at 02:18:43
What world-beaters have been keeping him out of the team? Until Walcott, arrived we had no serious option on the right. We signed a slew of No 10s and played the best one on the left all season, eventually figuring we seemed best playing nobody at No 10 at all!
Lee Brownlie
48 Posted 17/03/2018 at 11:57:33
Some on here are clearly just using some frustrated Soccer-dad's "My son's the best player in your team"'s words as just another stick to bash our own team and manager. Nice one, lads!

No, we're still no great shakes at the moment, we all know, but, sorry 'Daddy', your style of 'My boy! My boy!' spouting shows a total lack of respect for our club.. no-one's a shoe-in, especially a young lad, albeit that he's a 'prospect' who's been admittedly unlucky in chances and the team he's had to play in.

Some respect is, however, still in order, please. Sometimes, things just have to be 'ridden out'. Simple answers have sadly proved beyond us this season, but there it is.. the vast majority of us should, and I'm sure DO.. know that.

Brian Harrison
49 Posted 17/03/2018 at 12:12:30
While its perfectly understandable that a father would stand up for his son I don't think it helps his son in the long run. It might even make the manager more inclined not to include him. I think his sister has also been very vocal about him. But Unsworth didn't include him much and Allardyce gave him 45 minutes before substituting him at half time.

So I think he would be better to ask where he needs to improve to get in the squad. Klaassen being a higher profile player than Vlasic has just said nothing and got on with things. I think Vlasic would be better following Klaassen's example.

Steavey Buckley
50 Posted 17/03/2018 at 12:15:24
Vlasic's final ball and shooting are not good enough even at Everton's standard never mind the rest of the premier league.
Phil Lewis
51 Posted 19/03/2018 at 13:36:20
I can understand the lads frustration, also that of his Dad,. He initially looked a decent prospect, without looking particularly outstanding.

Davies, for instance, looked an exciting player when first breaking through, but has been off the boil for some time, yet he still commands a starting place. This may cause some resentment with players unable to get a game. Perhaps rotating fringe players is the answer, until the players selected consistently put in high-level performances. Alternatively a loan spell with a decent club, and regular playing time, might be the best route for Vlasic to prove himself.

He has shown enough promise in his limited first team appearances so far to suggest that there is much more to come from this youngster.


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