Everton respond to second “tapping up” allegation

Every club taps up FFS!! The rules are daft and unworkable. So the kid now plays for Man Utd. And they didn't tap him up?

Give me a break. Dangerous precedents are going to be set if this doesn't go away quietly.

We had better not roll over and accept this shit. Every deal starts with a player being tapped up.

Why would any club waste weeks negotiating with another club to get a fee agreed, and permission to talk to a player, only to then be told by the player that he has absolutely no interest in moving to them?

Of course the club sound out the player/agent first. Watford and Cardiff will both be guilty of it.

I don't buy into a lot of the ‘RS bias' paranoia that goes around but this does feel like a witch hunt, as you say.

It's all a load of bullshit.

Come to think of it, what is there in the FA's business Constitution (used to be memorandum and Articles of Association, I think??) that allows them to fine clubs etc etc? I expect somebody on here will know.

COYB

Any coincidence that Everton finally have an owner with a bit of dough (possibly an even richer one in the near future) and all of a sudden, we have become footballs equivalent of the Medellin Cartel?

What next? Money laundering? Gun running? Drug dealing? Sex trafficking? Arms deals?

Yes, I'm a proud, signed-up, card-carrying member of the Anti-Everton Conspiracy Theory Union.

If this is part of a new “win at all costs” Everton then I'm in. No more nice little Everton punching above their weight.

Drew @ 2, count up how many ex RS are pundits commentators on today's and tomorrow's live football games and then tell me there is no ‘RS Bias' in the media?

Agents ‘sound out' clubs and clubs ‘sound out' agents every week of the year about all sorts of players. Every club does it. It's how players move and how the transfer market works, whether anyone likes it or not.

When does this talk or sounding out become tapping up? It is a farce and impossible to prove anything with any degree of accuracy.

Why single out Everton for something that is blatantly ubiquitous? I am starting to think we are being unfairly targeted.

What is the background of the people who are making these accusations? Are they fit to guarantee fairness and impartiality?

So, Liverpool went to extraordinary lengths to tap up, to conceal, the boy lost out and his parents were in shit loads of debt. The Premier League fined Liverpool, ordered compensation, and banned them from signing academy players for a couple of seasons.

Precedent set here and there's no way we did what the RS did here.

Also, let's not forget that Everton were one of the victims of tapping-up by Manchester City, who were last year handed a two-year academy transfer ban – the second year of which was suspended for three years – over their recruitment of two of our players.

The precedent will not be used, unfortunately. One rule for them, one rule for us. They repeatedly get away with murder.

Merseyside Police have said they will be not taking the investigation into the violence directed towards the Man City coach any further as, despite the video evidence, they can't identify anyone.

They also made it very public after the City violence that "flares are illegal, anyone setting them off at a football ground will be arrested and charged". The Roma game had flares going off all over the streets, a gang of Liverpool fans even stood on top of a police vehicle with no response.

I suppose it's just banter from everyone's second favourite club.

I agree with your comments.

I look at this latest accusation against our great club, and will (IMO) change the current negative into a positive.

Kunal, you are right when you say the Premier League have their fingers where the sun doesn't shine. However, I believe they might take one or two fingers out in order to conduct a minimal investigation into our transfer activities. But, if they go the whole hog, who knows what will fall out from the current and previous Premier League teams' transfer dealings? A can of worms that will never be closed!

So my point is this: the Premier League cannot afford (not financially) to push this all the way, due to the reprisals that we could create if they do.

If we have done wrong, treat us fairly and let's all move on.

If Moshiri is the man I think he is, he won't take this laying down.

Remind me how many games Suarez was banned for? Or how Cantona ever managed to play football after that Selhurst Park moment? Sir Alex had a little finger wound around them for 20 years.

A weak establishment which gets overpowered by the top clubs in this country.

I quite agree in the Premier League being a weak establishment who take the least line of resistance. Which makes me believe they won't have the stomach to take on Moshiri. There is so much ammunition of previous lacklustre (so-called) investigations, that this current spat will result in a bit of tub-thumping and suspended reprisals hanging over our heads for a limited period of time.

I feel that Watford are behaving like spoilt kids, which is in keeping with their Italian owners' roots and culture. How many managers have they got through since they (wrongly) showed Dyche the door?

Can't see it, but I would love to see them relegated.

If they start playing silly buggers, then we need to hit them with a lawsuit. A massive claim would test their resolve for the 'truth'.

I think we have a good chance of swatting either one away individually but we will have a trickier job if both are lumped together.

I am hoping I am just over sensitive to things involving Everton, and these investigations are actually going on all the time.

I see where you are coming from, however, IMO the second so-called allegation works in our favour, in as much that it casts further doubt on the rest of the Premier League past and present in respect of their approaches and subsequent transactions with whoever.

So, in short, bring it on, and let's see if the Premier League have the stomach to sort it!

Watford must be shown up for what they are, sore losers. It would be interesting to know how they recruited Silva from Hull? No smoke without fire!

It's very hard to not think there is a conspiracy against Everton...

I hope I live long enough to see Everton back on top and Liverpool the also rans they once were...

But I have more chance of winning lotto...

You want answers? You can't handle the truth!