Martina due back at Everton

He's a similar build and style to Holgate with a bit of added weight, strength and experience.

To top it all, he walks away with a megabuck pay off and lands a plum job into the bargain, makes my blood boil. Martina is probably one of the worst players I have seen in a blue shirt, but oddly enough he did try when played out of position.

Not the lad's fault I know, but the sooner we find a new home for him the better, for all concerned.

Until we reduce our wage bill like Bolasie, Williams now gone, then I think keeping martina and baines as cover will enable us to spend elsewhere.

I would much rather see what U23's are ready, they deserve a shot after winning the back to back titles. I wonder if they are thinking whats the point in winning domestic trophies to be blocked by the mega spending of the premier league clubs.

Having said that if we can get a few million for him then i'd sell him and give those opportunities to the youngsters coming through.

By that I mean, it looks like we have got a Manager, and a Technical Director, who appear to be going in the right direction, but their hands will be tied in terms of not only the monumental task of unloading the deadwood, but having money available to improve.

It's unfair that the reckless spending of Koeman and Walsh, and to a lesser degree Allardyce, should inhibit the progress we have made since their departures.

Sigh.

But way worse than that is the prospect of any of that dead wood being at FF at all next season. If we are to start behaving like a vibrant, cohesive side we really don't need that sort on canker infecting the set-up in training at all.

Unbelievable club, it really is...

Whilst this remains a huge albatross around our necks, it is what it is through no fault of Brands or Silva who, I'm sure, will be working hard to move them all on asap. No need to list names. We all know who have no futures at Everton. There is no guarantee of success that Brands will be able to so, but it won't be from lack of trying.

As for Martina himself, I for one will not criticise his contribution as a player. I doubt he is on massive wages and he certainly pulled his weight on the pitch.

Unpopular as it might be given how all of the following have been slated - loathed, even - to varying degrees, but when Sam Allardyce's hand was forced to play a back four of Martina (played out of position as left back, remember), Williams, Holgate and Kenny for a good run of games they actually proved to be the most resilient defence we put out in that season of turmoil.

What would be funny is if we hear that koeman is also coming back to to the club as new rules now state that if he wants paying off his contract he had to do some work at least. Like painting Finch Farm.

I would forego a transfer fee on most of them just to get them off the wage bill and give some assistance to Brands who must feel he has joined the cast of mission impossible.

I'll not call Cuco a clown. He gave his all under very difficult circumstances, and never embarrassed himself or the shirt.

I'm sure we'll find someone to loan him to.

I think the "money grabbing agents" have done their work and cashed in their chips. Brands was saying a few weeks ago how premiership clubs pay a premium for players so if they don't pan out the overseas clubs cannot afford to buy them. Martina is a classic example. A decent enough pro but no better than say a Tony Thomas. He could be a decent utility player for a smaller club but once Everton were in the frame the wages tripled.

Getting the right mix of which young players to keep in our squad and which to send out on loan is further complicated by also having to work out which of our senior players should be loaned out. It's probably fair to say that all those senior players who were out on loan last year - Mirallas, Williams, Bolasie, Sandro, Tarashaj, Vlasic, Martina, Garbutt, Besic, Niasse - are not likely to become an active part of Silva's plans and it's likely that every effort is being made to move them on. Onyekuru is his own strange saga, and the young players - Pennington, Connolly, Holgate, Robinson, Joe Williams, Baningime, Evans - will return to FF and pre-season will determine if they are ready to join the first team squad good and proper. Same for the other Under 23s like Bowler et al. I worry that players like Martina do block their progress - and we've got too many of them in the squad at present.

But you are correct he worked hard for us, mainly at left back and was boo'ed very early on by the home crowd so while he hasn't had the best of times emotionally he has done rather well financially.

God I remember Rush re-signing for that lot in 1988 and getting 2 grand a week. My dad and I watched the news on a"pay as you go" b&w TV on some God awful holiday in Devon and we both gasped at the amount. and Dad swore alot

35 grand . top negotiation Cuco.

You are always very well informed when it come to salaries. Whats your source.

I can never find anything, conclusive

Most of these players cant even attract Championship sides, even if we pay huge chunks of their salaries, so I don't see any of them moving in a hurry till into the last 12 months of their contracts.

Didn't stop me raging every time I saw him on the pitch, a reminder of how pointless the signing was, how it was blocking the development of a young Kenny and how utterly annoying his manager was.

I am annoyed again to think that he was given such a long contract for a back-up player. God damn that Koeman.

And so it goes on...

That said, he did have his best game against Salah in that 1-1 at Hades HQ.