Belated mercy for Silva, Moshiri's failed gamble

Marco Silva's time as Everton boss is over just halfway through his three-year term. Let down in large measure by poor recruitment and bedevilled by some awful luck, the Portuguese was ultimately exposed as being too stubborn to change or simply out of his depth

Lyndon Lloyd 06/12/2019 120comments  |  Jump to last

The end when it came for Marco Silva was neither swift nor merciful but torturous in many ways. Whether the Everton hierarchy were simply buying time while they looked for a replacement, giving him one last chance to prove he could turn things around, or simply crossing their fingers that he would in the face of a nightmare run of fixtures, the Portuguese had to endure two more painful defeats.

Shell-shocked by Kelechi Iheanacho’s stoppage-time winner at Leicester, a body blow that itself was drawn out in the cruellest of manners by the Video Assistant Referee, Silva was raked over the Anfield coals as Jürgen Klopp’s deliberately weakened Liverpool side tore through Everton’s defence as though it wasn’t there in a 5-2 defeat and was finally put out of his misery at Finch Farm this afternoon.

Even that was a protracted affair, with his “executioner”, Farhad Moshiri, filmed arriving at Runcorn station to be taken by car to Finch Farm where the arrivals of Sasha Ryazantsev and Bill Kenwright were tweeted out by the media and news filtered out that the players had been told to remain behind after training. Eventually, 10 hours after arriving at the club’s training complex, the news was released that Everton had called time on Silva’s tenure after just 18 months.

It brings a sorry end to a tenure that represented a massive show of faith and a significant gamble by Moshiri on a young, ambitious but relatively untried manager. Initially wowed by the former Estoril player and manager when his Olympiacos side stunned Arsenal at the Emirates in the Champions League in 2014 and sufficiently impressed by his near-successful efforts to save Hull City from almost certain doom in 2015-16, Moshiri no doubt felt he might have the next Jose Mourinho or Mauricio Pochettino on his hands.

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Like Ronald Koeman before him, Silva’s start at Goodison was chequered but there were signs that the then 41-year-old was getting his arms around the job when calamity struck at Anfield a year ago. Everton had put in arguably their best performance of the 2018-19 season to that point and might have been ahead going into stoppage time had Alisson Becker not earlier made a point-blank save from André Gomes when Jordan Pickford made a fatal error of judgement and dropped the ball onto the crossbar and onto the grateful head of Divock Origi.

Everton’s season derailed spectacularly on the back of that psychological blow and a combination of bluntness up front and defensive susceptibility at set-pieces, a zonal-marking headache that had to get much, much worse before the manager moved to resolve it, underpinned a horrible run of results that served as the first warning sign that Silva was not the man to take the Toffees where they wanted to go.

The 2018-19 season reached its nadir in late January and early February when shambolic defending of dead-ball situations saw them dumped them out of the FA Cup to lowly Millwall, an ignominy that was followed not long afterwards by successive defeats to Wolves, Manchester City and his old club Watford.

However, after thumping Cardiff 3-0 away, holding Liverpool to a goalless draw at Goodison and throwing away a 2-0 lead at Newcastle, Silva oversaw a remarkable run of form to end the season that had many believing that he had finally got to grips with the job. Everton went into the 2019 close season on a high and, though it was known that Idrissa Gueye’s departure would leave a significant hole in midfield, there was confidence that, with Brands now calling the shots, the club could plug that gap and others with top-class recruits.

Mistakes were unquestionably made over the summer, though; ones which would let Silva down in a big way once the new season got underway. The vanity of the pursuit of Kurt Zouma was compounded by the lack of a Plan B at centre-half and, as a result, the release of Phil Jagielka ended up being one squad-trimming measure too far. Meanwhile, the failure to sign a reliable goalscorer has, with the benefit of hindsight not as clear as when Everton were finishing 2018-19 with such a flourish, also proven to have been a critical oversight on the Director of Football’s part.

But, for a club that has endured its share of footballing misfortune, this season has also ushered in a lorry load of bad luck. The black swan event represented by long-term injuries to André Gomes and Jean-Philippe Gbamin deprived Silva of his first-choice midfield for almost the entire season to date and the experienced, vocal hand that Brands drafted in from Manchester City, Fabian Delph, has struggled for his own fitness.

Damaging and controversial VAR decisions in the games against Brighton and Tottenham arguably cost the Blues a minimum of three points, perhaps as many as five; the difference between Everton sitting in 10th or 12th rather than the 18th place they occupied on the day he was sacked and, almost certainly, between Silva being in a job now and not.

And yet while he may feel somewhat aggrieved, Silva can’t blame poor fortune and an incomplete summer recruitment policy for the fact that he departs Goodison with Everton languishing in 18th place. Neither factors were behind the fact that the Blues lost 2-0 to all three promoted clubs, wilted at Bournemouth and lost to Burnley having done everything but light the Clarets’ path to victory with a dress rehearsal for Jeff Hendrick’s winning goal.

Silva was clearly ambitious, forward-thinking and bought into Moshiri's and Brands’s project but he consistently shot himself in the foot with poor team selections and substitution decisions, suspect to non-existent game management, and instilled such a weak collective mentality that, on the 28 occasions his side fell behind under his stewardship, they failed every time to come back and win.

Like Roberto Martinez before him, he was undone by an inability to change his methods or adapt to problems that appeared plain as day to observers outside of Finch Farm. It’s a great shame for a man who conducted himself with dignity throughout and appears to have enjoyed the affection of most of his players but who was ultimately exposed as out of his depth.

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Steve Ferns
1 Posted 06/12/2019 at 02:25:46
That's fair enough, Lyndon. Nicely written. Let's all move on and hope we can salvage this season. If Ferguson can beat Chelsea then that eases the need for a Moyes.
Peter Barry
2 Posted 06/12/2019 at 03:00:43
There is no question regarding Everton to which the return of the Backstabbing Traitor Moyes is the answer.
Riley Masters
3 Posted 06/12/2019 at 03:12:27
Lol, "let's all move on" and forget you were Silvas biggest cheerleader you mean Steve? Not on your life, mateypops!

Moderator's note: The bulk of this post has been removed due to its unnecessarily abusive tone. A similar admonishment of Steve F by "Mr Masters" was allowed to stand on another thread, in part because Steve's big enough to withstand a little criticism, but there are limits.

Paul Kernot
4 Posted 06/12/2019 at 03:42:08
Riley #3. No need for the nastiness mate. You're entitled to your opinion of course. That's what the site's about but equally, so is everybody else.
Jamie Crowley
5 Posted 06/12/2019 at 04:05:16
".. . he was undone by an inability to change his methods or adapt to problems that appeared plain as day to observers outside of Finch Farm. It’s a great shame.. . "

That sums it up for me.

After reading 450 or so posts on Silva's exit thread, I clicked on Lyndon's article thinking, "Let's put this all into perspective now."

Spot on, again.

Amit Vithlani
6 Posted 06/12/2019 at 04:50:15
Ridiculous post #3.

This website would be poorer for people not having the courage to post different views, especially where they do not agree with the majority. The line has now been drawn and we move on.

I wish Marco Silva all the best. He is a sorry chapter in our history but did display more dignity and humility than Allardyce and Koeman. A gentleman but ultimately not the right guy for us.

Brands, Moshiri and Kenwright have truly made an appalling mess on the Silva Saga. I disagree with anyone who feels the signings this summer were not enough to keep us out of the bottom 3.

But the manner Silva's reign ended was indeed terrible.

Let's hope they redeem themselves by getting the next appointment right.

Let's hope its not Vitor Perreira, David Moyes or another Marco Silva.

Bob Parrington
8 Posted 06/12/2019 at 05:28:55
Riley #3 You must be really pissed off. We're all feeling very low at present but there's no need to 'spat' like that at Steve. He is entitled to his opinion as stated by others already on here.

Hopefully it will not be Moyes but I'd like the new manager to be a person with vitality, tenacity and personality, who isn't afraid to show some emotion from the touch line. A guy who can really get the players working as a team with guts and determination.

Mark Andersson
9 Posted 06/12/2019 at 06:00:20
Nice dignified artical Lyndon

Steve Ferns you gave me plenty of food for thought throughout your backing of Silva..

I try to stay open minded with any new addition to tge club.. However I think if they give Moyes the job it will be a grave mistake.

Mosh got his man it has not worked out so lets hope they have learnt lessons...

I feel most fans now are skeptical no matter whi cimes in unless they hit the ground running...

Snakes and ladders were back to the start we know who the snakes are...
Mosh needs to put his ego aside and put gis business head on and do the right thing by his investment..

As fans we need to get behind the team one game at a time until were safe..

If the board are stupid enough to appoint Moyes which they are then they need to prepare for the inevitable back lash and the snakes and ladders game rumbles on...

Ian Jones
10 Posted 06/12/2019 at 06:04:14
Lyndon, as others have indicated, you have summed the situation up well. A balanced view.

I liked Silva, Martinez, Koeman, wasn't so keen on Allardyce. Interesting to see who is next and also interesting to see where Silva turns up next. Hope he finds a new home soon.

Bill Gienapp
11 Posted 06/12/2019 at 06:04:47
Seriously Riley, what's your problem? You come across as someone who cares a hell of lot more about getting to say "I told you so" than about the well-being of our club when you post sneering stuff like that.

And Steve certainly doesn't owe anyone on here an apology, as you so ridiculously asserted on the other thread.

Ian Jones
12 Posted 06/12/2019 at 06:34:57
Am all for free speech but good move to delete most of Riley's post. It was an odd one!
Benjamin Dyke
13 Posted 06/12/2019 at 06:52:06
Well written as always Lyndon. Yes we've had bad luck with decisions and injuries and maybe even recruitment but I'm left with the feeling that another manager could have galvanised the team to still produce results with the players and stop the rot defensively. I mean even Fat Sam got us an eight place finish albeit with abysmal 2 shots on goal matches. Right now we'd have taken that. If progressive means shit at defending then I'm regressive all day long but knife to gunfight Moyes (1 win in 60 against big 6 or something) is not welcome as a manager. Surely there is someone out there that can combine defensive stability with attacking prowess?
Mike Gaynes
14 Posted 06/12/2019 at 07:07:57
Geez, you wait and you wait and you wait... and then ya decide it's not gonna happen today and go out for the day (here in the US) and miss the moment you've been waiting for.

Click in at bedtime and it's done and dusted.

Ah well.

Thanks for the summary and perspective, Lyndon. I'm sure everything there is to say has been said already.

John Keating
15 Posted 06/12/2019 at 07:24:30
Lyndon
I appreciate Silva had his issues with signings, both in and out, also injuries, however name a club that doesn't.
Unfortunately, as you say, in my opinion, Silva is the architect of his own downfall. Not only was he stubborn but more importantly, totally out of his depth.
A great shame it didn't work out but yesterday had to happen.
Hopefully we can manage to get some points on the board and get out of the ridiculous position we are in.
I would like to think the players are feeling it today, somehow I doubt it
Ian Hollingworth
16 Posted 06/12/2019 at 07:28:04
Removing Silva is just step 1 for Everton FC.

Step 2 and the immediate task is to get behind the team on Saturday from the off as we vitally need points and confidence back.

Step 3 onwards is the real issue as the board have to learn lessons and the next appointment is crucial. We cannot afford anymore gambles and although you can never guarantee anything in football we have to go for a proven winner to get us on the right track.

i am not convinced the DoF model suits Everton FC. I believe we need a manager and not just a coach. A manager needs good coaches behind him but first and foremost he needs to manage team affairs and all that encompasses.

We need someone who is not afraid to come in and shake it up even if that means selling players who have been recently bought if he deems them not suitable or good enough for his strategy.
We need someone who the players would run through a brick wall for (to quote Peter Reid about the late great Howard Kendall).
We need someone who can inspire the players the play for the shirt each and every time they run out onto the pitch. that's a tough ask with today's modern footballer and especially some of the ones we seem to be stuck with.

I hope we get it right this time but I wont hold my breath based on experience of the current owner and chairman.

COYB

Brian Murray
17 Posted 06/12/2019 at 07:46:48
The biggest and most important next appointment is on the board. But are Moshiri and Brands big and courageous enough to see and act on the elephant in the room that totally downgrades everything he touches or suggests — Bill fuckin Kenwright!!

Time to oust him before any more bad calls are made.

Peter Neilson
18 Posted 06/12/2019 at 07:48:39
A balanced and fair assessment. Re. The DoF role I think it works if the individual is given the authority and autonomy to act. As Clough said Mr Chairman (in our case owner) just signs the cheques.
Jim Bennings
19 Posted 06/12/2019 at 07:55:21
The biggest problem is still there so I hope fans are not going to get too excited.

The players have been nothing short of a disgrace at Everton for too long let’s face facts, some of them have even seen off three or four managers and their only answer is to come out with garbage in the media of “we must turn it around, we must do better blah blah”.

Personally I’m hating what we have become as a club now.

We are just another Watford or Aston Villa (prior to their relegation) changing management every few months.

I’m also very disappointed with the reception Silva received against Norwich, the entire of the Gwladys St singing “F#CK OFF SILVA” at full pelt.

Silva was out of his depth but the fans anger would be better shown at some of the meek players and the clowns at boardroom level.

Adrian Evans
20 Posted 06/12/2019 at 07:58:55
Ive heard some crap about this situation.Its a four year car crash with Farrari's,Bentley's, Lambourgini's.
Problem is its our players,managers's and player driving them with our nice OWNER's money.
Thats being kind, good spirited to Mr Moshiri.
We don't need to have a Director of Football at this stage of of history.

The model we need with 19 games left by after the Man City game if we got a manager in is BIG SAM.
Swollow our pride, all those Evertonians who live in cllud cookoo land about a style of football they would like.

We are going to need BIg Sam, get him to buy players who can do exactly what he wants, from the back, in the middle.
Then spend £100million on two up front who does what he says,Clean sheets,so so tough to break down.
Punish sides who give us a couple of chances in free play,set pieces.

10 wins, more in 19 games left.Safety.

Then set about it, the project properly.

Give Big Sam respect and a chance to build a team

Id love to play like the RS, Man City,but lets get real.

Mr Moshiri, pick up the phone to BiG SAM.

Eddie Dunn
21 Posted 06/12/2019 at 08:07:57
It feels like a relief just to get past this stage. I liked Marco, but have zero sympathy for him because he is taking a good chunk of money out of our club that could be spent elsewhere. In the old days managers woud resign or part by mutual agreement in order to preserve their reputation.
His intransigence has jeopodised our place in the PL (even if temporarily) and just like another (Martinez) his dogmatism was his undoing.
He was apparently hard-working but it is no good if your methods are so inflexible.
He may have had bad luck with injuries and we know our recuitment has been unbalanced but there is no excuse for the repetition of the zonal marking debate which we had already had last season.
We have discussed the finer points many times and I won't repeat them.
Now we will see if the mess can be rectified. Can these players step it up in a different system?
Several posters have regularly slagged-off Duncan Ferguson and asked what it is he actually does. Well now will might find out what he brings to the table.
I hope it starts to work tomorrow as I have little faith in the club finding the right person to take us forward.
It is a test of Moshiri(who has proved to be a fool so far) and Brands(who the jury should still be out on).
In the background is Kenwright with his own( misty eyed ? outlook.
Come on Duncan, get us on the right track.
Bobby Mallon
22 Posted 06/12/2019 at 08:14:22
I must admit that, Adrian at 20 has said it get Big Sam back
Steve Ferns
23 Posted 06/12/2019 at 08:19:21
Seems like some poster I’ve never seen before holds me personally responsible. If I have that much influence then I’ll be asking for Leo Jardim, please. You can blame me for that later too.
Tony Everan
24 Posted 06/12/2019 at 08:22:45
Riley 3 , Steve Ferns is as passionate and Evertonian as you will see, he wants the best for the club long term. His opinion is, without falter, always focussed on how to improve Everton FC. Such passion is laudable and should be embraced, whether you agree or disagree. This is no time for in-fighting, we have to move forward as one force, united in getting behind the club.

Firstly in getting a manager in who has premier league experience, the most successful man possible.

This is no time for wild unproven gambles, and letting a premier league rookie learn the ropes mid-season, whilst in the relegation zone ,however glitzy his CV appears. Such managers will need a full pre-season to stand a chance.

Tony Hill
25 Posted 06/12/2019 at 08:22:55
We played some fine stuff in parts with Silva, even on Wednesday some of our attacking play was sweet and we should have had a couple of more goals. But he was wrong too many times in his judgment, especially in defensive organisation. Bizarre, I think, how it unravelled from the end of last season.

Certainly one of life's unlucky ones, Marco.

Brian Williams
26 Posted 06/12/2019 at 08:23:28
Adrian#20.
It's good to see that despite all the turmoil some have retained their sense of humour, nice one. 🤪
Peter Gorman
27 Posted 06/12/2019 at 08:34:21
"he consistently shot himself in the foot with poor team selections and substitution decisions, suspect to non-existent game"

This, as Lyndon puts well, is exactly why I wanted him out. He may be a wonderful coach (though the evidence suggests the players are worse than ever) but a tactical genius he is anything but.

My next choice for manager is frankly anyone who can read a game and adapt to changes on the pitch. Surely there must be someone out there.

Derek Taylor
28 Posted 06/12/2019 at 08:44:52
Brands clearly had little to do with the appointment or sacking of the ineffective manager and I suspect he will have little to do in selecting his replacement. The main criteria will remain the ability to tick the boxes for those great football duffers Moshiri and Kenwright. God help the poor bugger whoever he is.

PS. Don't expect any appointment before Xmas -- they don't work like that !

Phil Greenough
29 Posted 06/12/2019 at 08:45:08
Hey Brian, well done for respecting Adrian's opinion.
Martin Mason
30 Posted 06/12/2019 at 08:49:00
Backing Silva until it was no longer possible to do so is what a good fan would do and I fully support Steve Ferns in doing so. Sacking a manager is a disaster for the club, a costly failure that could still result in relegation. It would have been infinitely better had Silva managed to turn the situation round. There is no winner in what has happened and no golden opportunity opened up.
Adrian Evans
31 Posted 06/12/2019 at 08:51:44
Just heard on the BBC that we gotra pay Watford £4 million and pay up Silva's contract another £12 million.

Anybody good a math.

Thats a shit load of F - - - - - G money.

We talk about good work in the community folks,the peoples club helping peoples lives.What could they do with £40million we wasted so far.

When you go to Goodison on Sat take a look at the person on ya left,right around you.Millionairs,earn a £100ka week??
Silva personally walks away with £4 million after tax,agent expenses.???????
For F sake.
Whats happend to football.I understand the money generated but it takes away the important parts of personal character,inner self of the manager,the player.

When are those at the top going to wake up.

This situation gets worse by the hour.

I think at least we knew when David Moyes managed us he had the qualities,a bit more money who knows.
A bit of reality I suppose, David Moyes although I want Sam.

Jim Bennings
32 Posted 06/12/2019 at 08:55:32
Everton Football Club can’t keep hiring managers and then firing them with a big payoff at the end of them.

As you say Adrian, since Moshiri arrived how much money have we frittered away on the fat payoffs to Koeman, Allardyce and now Silva?

Peter Gorman
33 Posted 06/12/2019 at 08:56:04
I honestly don't have the energy to contradict you, Adrian. Big Sam it is.
Martin Mason
34 Posted 06/12/2019 at 08:58:11
The result at Arsenal last night showed a couple of things maybe. One is that changing the head coach isn't a silver bullet, the second is that Mark Potter may be the ideal replacement for Silva.
The money we've spent to hire and fire managers is absolutely disgraceful.
Martin Mason
35 Posted 06/12/2019 at 09:08:54
I now really believe that we are where we are because we have a shallow and totally mediocre squad. I feel sorry for DF that he is handed this poisoned chalice.
Ken Kneale
36 Posted 06/12/2019 at 09:27:55
We still have half a season to gain respectability in the league and a run at two cups.

Adrian - Sam A was a disaster for Everton - a needless panic appointment and part of the budget problem now is down to the silly money he paid for two forwards of either non existent or erratic ability. I rather hope DF can stabilise the situation and we appoint someone with a real vision of how to play front foot football.

Riley - lots of us disagree with some parts of Steve F's posts but the bulk and tactical knowledge Steve submis is valuable background - please do not descend to abuse simply to disagree - we all want the best for Everton

Mal van Schaick
37 Posted 06/12/2019 at 09:33:14
Repeatedly sacking managers over the last few years can only point to Moshiri and his advisors, and yet nobody around him gets the boot. Kenwright and Brands have questions to answer and yet they are Teflon coated. nothing sticks.

Will Pereira be another failed gamble? It appears that as another manager bites the dust, Moshiri and co., continue to play fantasy football manager!

Brent Stephens
38 Posted 06/12/2019 at 09:42:59
Adrian #31 "Just heard on the BBC that we gota pay Watford £4 million and pay up Silva's contract another £12 million.
Anybody good a math".

If it saves us from relegation, then money necessarily spent.

In terms of "the math", I'm sure a political party could calculate that as a total of £1.5 billion.

Jack Convery
39 Posted 06/12/2019 at 09:49:03
Winners stick together. Losers battle and bitch amongst themselves. Remember UNITY IS STRENGTH !!! Division is easily conquered. Classy summary Lyndon as usual.
Ray Roche
40 Posted 06/12/2019 at 09:53:54
Adrian@31

I wouldn’t believe anything that the BBC reports in instances like this. I read that the Watford compensation was £1m not £4m. The look of glee on the “reporters” grid just made me think that she, like Nugent and the Irish girl, is yet another RS. Remember Lineker complaining about the number of RS behind the scenes in the BBC Sports dept? A totally corrupt organisation these days.

John P McFarlane
41 Posted 06/12/2019 at 10:10:48
I'm afraid the truth of the situation at Goodison is that nobody on the board or the owner himself appear to have a clue about football matters. The Chairman might recognise a good deal when he sees one, but as to the quality of players or the abiity of a manager, he and the rest of the 'chiefs' may be as dumb as many of the rest of us are.

This can be the only reason that the Dour Scot remains in contention to be the boss of Everton. The possible replacements for Silva that are apparently on the boards wish list are low grade, low end types who may or may not work but may be easier to obtain compared to those who may be on the supporters 'fantasy' wish list.

Nil Satis should be replaced with "play it safe and carry on' as the club lurch from one manager to the next, hoping, rather than expecting one of their choices to be successful. The defintion of success at board level may also be very different to that of the fans, we want trophies, top four challenges and regular European trips they might settle for top 10 finishes and the odd cup run now and again.

Our results against our neighbours in the last decade or so hasn't happened by accident, it isn't the result of some weird curse, it's the tangible sign of the difference between the way the two clubs are being led, the differing ambitions twixt the two.

One set of 'chiefs' won't accept failure and act as soon as that unwelcome spectre appears on the horizon, the other set of 'chiefs' have set the bar so low that it's diffficult to recognise failure and for them success is seen and measured as anything which is achieved that clears that low bar.

Duncan Ferguson will receive a great reception on Saturday and that's a good thing, but will the full-time manager whomever that may be, receive such a warm welcome by excited Evertonians, I hope so, but if he happens to be one of the lesser lights then that warm welcome may be as good as it gets for him, unless unlike the previous bosses', he overwhelmingly exceeds the boards expectations and matches the desires and high expectations of the supporters.




Brian Harrison
42 Posted 06/12/2019 at 10:17:18
Well it seems that getting in an owner that could bankroll the club to get it back to its former glory has failed miserably. He has now dispensed with his 4th manager in as many years, and brought in a DOF strategy that has also failed miserably. Apart from Digne I am really struggling to see that any player Walsh or Brands have bought for the club will be worth more now than we paid for them. I don't include Richarlison as he was obviously a Silva purchase.

I assume that it was Brands who sanctioned the selling of Gueye as Silva certainly didnt want the player sold. I don't know of a club in this country that has seen a DOF be successful yet Moshiri is still sticking with this scenario.

Levy has showed how getting rid of a manager should be done to cause minimum disruption to the club, and he was sacking a manager that had taken Spurs from roughly were we were to regular Champions league qualifiers. And last year got them to the final of the Champions league, something we have never achieved even going back to when it was the European Cup. Some might question whether you should be that ruthless to a man who had done so much to improve Spurs. But Levy thought things arent working and obviously had talks with Morhinos representatives which for such a high profile manager must have taken weeks to agree a deal.

Yet not for the first Moshiri has sacked a manager without any idea who will replace him, we had the same delay replacing Martinez and Koeman. This is a man who has thrown a fortune into this project, and you would think that as an accountant by profession he would have spent his money much more wisely.

So he has appointed Duncan Ferguson as a caretaker manager, a man he didnt trust to take on this role the last time he sacked a manager instead preferring to bring in the Under 23 manager for that role. It was also quite significant that Unsworth had Ebbrell to work alongside him and not Ferguson. So the search goes on for our next new manager, and whoever it is I don't envy him his role, and if as seems that we will appoint a man who has never managed in this league then he will need all the luck in the world to turn this mess around.

Rory Grant
43 Posted 06/12/2019 at 10:22:18
We should not dwell too much on the past. Silva was given a fair chance, was not up to the challenge and that's it.

Big question is if the board is capable to find a replacement who can a) drag us out the danger, b) create a progressive, identifiable and winning system of play, c) have a clear vision where we are aiming at and how to get there.

Second question is if we have enough players who understand where we are at the moment and respond accordingly. Relegation should not be an issue, but it is. Unfortunately.

Adrian Evans
44 Posted 06/12/2019 at 10:38:28
How about having a referendum???

Get all 36,000 in Goodison at 10am tommorow and ask, is it David Moyes and Unsworth as his No 2.
Or is it Big Sam and Sammy Lee.

Which ever it is they get four seasons with conditions.
If we go down they stay.The player we want from this squad sign to say, we go down you stay or we sell.
We need some insurance.

But id bet on either one of that combination keeping us up.Have a clear out,Pickford included his heads massive since Euro's,drop him tomoz play Lossil.
Give who ever we choose £200million.

If only it was that simple.

We must not go down at any cost.But what sort of football we going to play to win 10 out of 19.
In defence of anything had Zoma stayed,a proper 30 goal machine,(Vardy wanted to come???) Signed and Gomes, Gbamin been fit would we have been ralking this way,oh Gana.
We had a squad destroyed for many reasons.The board have admited the center half,No 9 failing.

So here we are.

No gamble,no manager who just hast a clue about the Premier League.

Moyes,+ Unsworth,even Cahill involved.

Big Sam, Sammy Lee, exellent coach.

Safety,Premier League Status.

No gamble.

Daniel A Johnson
45 Posted 06/12/2019 at 10:47:45
Such a shame, Silva did appear to be a very private, humble and nice guy.

He never threw his players under the bus and conducted himself impeccably under an awful lot of pressure and ghastly media spotlight in the last few games. He knew he was gone but carried on admirably.

He was largely undone by his own failings but also by poor recruitment and a horrendous slice of bad luck on the injury front. With a fully fit squad would he had done better, well its hard to say but for certain with the players currently at his disposal we shouldn't be bottom 3.

Wrong man for the wrong club I genuinely do wish him all the best in his next job. I hope he takes the lessons learnt from this and makes himself a better manager.

For me though, the behaviour and conduct of our board over the last 2 weeks and its treatment of SIlva personally leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

Derek Knox
46 Posted 06/12/2019 at 10:51:54
Again a good article Lyndon on the reflection of what was neither a popular choice of manager, and how his limited tenure unfolded sadly before our very eyes.

Mark @ 9, good post there mate, I feel relief more than anything that Silva has gone, his stubbornness and belief in a system that clearly wasn't working was his undoing.

I know mathematically we have enough games to get out of the current position we are in, I also believe in the main that the players we have are not that bad, but their attitude towards recent performances, nevertheless has sounded alarm bells.

Whether deep down they had little faith in Silva or his methods, although some have publicly thanked him via Twitter/Twatter/Gob-book, whether they are genuine or placatory, sycophantic or otherwise will remain a subject of conjecture.

I do hope Duncan, given the opportunity can do the 'new broom' thing and put his stamp on both team selection and some sort of pro-active game plan. I hope he (although limited with personnel choice) is not worried about dropping the 'undroppables' and sends a clear message to all and sundry that no-one is bigger than the Club.

I am looking forward to the game and believe Goodison will initially roar again, not only in relief, that coming up for Panto season, it is ' new lamps for old' and the start of a challenging set of fixtures, which hopefully achieve some points that 'we are not expected to'.

Christopher Timmins
47 Posted 06/12/2019 at 10:55:40
I wish the guy the best of luck going forward, Everton FC is a difficult job and he had the legacy of really bad signings to contend with. He also lost his centre half and mid field general in the summer, neither of whom were adequately replaced. He was like Koeman give a little over a season to improve things and he might have been sacked a little earlier. Over the period he did not get the rub of the green with injuries and certain key players, mainly ones signed by Walsh and Keoman, let him down.

Let's hope the next long term appointment works out better, none of the candidates mentioned to date fill me with grounds for optimism but I will support the new manager and give the time necessary to try and sort out the problems which exist. Any new man coming through the door deserves that.

Rick Tarleton
48 Posted 06/12/2019 at 10:59:05
An excellent summary of the situation, Lyndon. John McFarlane comment on the club's oft quoted motto is also highly pertinent. Living out of Merseyside these days, it's quite interesting to contrast the way we see ourselves and the way we are perceived by other fans.
We see ourselves as a contender, a team with a proud history, waiting to reclaim our rightful place amongst the Premier League's elite. Others see us as the next Sunderland or Sheffield Wednesday, struggling to survive in the Premiership. We are an anachronism purely and simply. Not only are we not one of the big six, we are nowhere near Leicester, Wolves or even Villa.
Liverpool and their supporters showed how they view us by their team selection on Wednesday. We aren't their rivals, United and City are. We're Espanyol or even Notts County.
To be fair we have talented individuals who would possibly slot into good teams and be effective players, but we haven't a team. To go behind twenty-seven times and never once turn it round, it's shameful. It suggests no spine, no fight, no spirit. I don't see one player in the present squad who is inspirational they don't have to be a great player, Ball and Collins were,but it isn't essential, Lyons, King and Hickson weren't, but they epitomised a spirit that is totally missing from the present team.
We need a manager who can identify a leader on the pitch and one or two "characters" who'll raise morale and shout at their team mates.
Playing the present Everton team must be a joy for the opposition. We haven't even got a hard man or a tackler, sure Schneiderlin is nasty, but is he hard? Brian Labone was hard but fair, Van Den Hauwe was positively vicious, Gray and Ferguson let you know they were playing. This Everton team is as gentle as I've ever seen a team.
I don't want us to be the next Wimbledon, Our great teams of the sixties and eighties were silky and tough, the present team is neither.
I hope we appoint a manager who creates a team, one that is difficult to beat and able to play a bit.
Bill Fairfield
49 Posted 06/12/2019 at 11:00:57
First job Duncan get rid of that serial manager sacker Scneiderlin before he gets shut of you.What a complete and utter waste of space this guy is.
Barry Cowling
50 Posted 06/12/2019 at 11:07:58
One name not seen mentioned is Roy Hodgson. Woy is doing a great job with a shit Crystal Palace team and did good job with England, apart from the Iceland game, and obviously did well at Fulham. Probably too old and he won't want to leave sunny London for a damp wet Merseyside but he's a safe pair of hands.

I can't see Fat Sam coming to us again, too many fans complaining... although I thought it was a good appointment. I could never understand why we wanted Silva.

There is plenty potential in the Championship, eg, Alex Neil, Lee Johnson, Slaven Bilic... Forget Bielsa – that won't happen, he's not a good fit for us. I don't mind Eddie Howe but I still reckon it'll be a Brands appointment, ie, foreign with a decent pedigree.

I just find it all so embarrassing once again. If you're going to sack your manager, you should have someone lined up. Maybe Silva will go back to Watford and we will get Emery?

Pat Kelly
51 Posted 06/12/2019 at 11:11:05
Poor decision making from Moshiri in picking a manager who wasn't a proven winner.

Serial poor decision making by Silva on tactics, selections and substitutes.

Costly poor decision making by Brands on the likes of Delph, a known sick note, Kean not ready for the PL when we desperately needed a goalscorer, Iwobi an expensive flop so far. Failure to replace Zouma.

Silva took one for the management team. Let's hope their decision making improves because it all flows from that.

James Hughes
52 Posted 06/12/2019 at 11:26:07
Regardless of good or bad marco was at his job, his treatment yesterday by our board was awful.
waiting for Farhad to get off a train at 2pm to make a decision with the team is beyond words. Have they not heard of Skype.

The board and club is run by idiots

James Marshall
53 Posted 06/12/2019 at 11:27:27
Yeah, they could have just Whatsapp'ed him the news eh...
Phil Greenough
54 Posted 06/12/2019 at 11:30:09
Great appraisal and post, Rick.
Derek Taylor
55 Posted 06/12/2019 at 11:31:31
I'm steeling myself for the worst to happen because the choice seems to be between our old manager who has been a total flop since he waved us goodbye from a more exalted place (he thought !) and some multi-- sacked Portugeezer who sounds far too much like the guy who's just suffered the bum's rush !

As I write, SSN are seeking opinion on all things PL from Moyes' old 'nodding dog' Steve Round, who I guess, will soon be back amongst us if Kenwright's will prevails.

Personally, I'm steeling myself to accept whoever the two gorms decide on and as soon as the appointment is announced, I'm down to the bookies for odds against the 'new' manager not surviving beyond Xmas 2020 !

Phil Greenough
56 Posted 06/12/2019 at 11:32:36
James, if the club want to reduce its carbon footprint, what is the problem of having a video conference call, to conduct matters?
James Marshall
57 Posted 06/12/2019 at 11:41:41
Phil - I don't have a problem with meetings over Skype. I work in tech and actively encourage them myself. My point was more that people would have gone mental had it been done remotely.
Charles Barrow
58 Posted 06/12/2019 at 11:57:06
Silva wasn't an arsehole like Koeman and Allardyce, but unfortunately was too stubborn like so many managers and tactically naive. He was a little unlucky with injuries and VAR but overall too many games were absolutely dire with Silva looking completely out of his depth on the touchline. So we go again! Please not David Moyes that's all I say. Sacked 4 times since he left Everton - wow, what a record!
Phil Greenough
59 Posted 06/12/2019 at 12:40:04
James, it's your presumption, that people would have gone mental. Where is the proof to support your opinion? You for one, have no problem with it and obviously I haven't. Furthermore, it's my opinion, that the majority of Everton fans wouldn't have cared, as long he was sacked.
Jerome Shields
60 Posted 06/12/2019 at 13:15:37
Your article is about right. I do think that the preference was to continue with Silva, but the situation became untenable. I also think it was perhaps too few candidates wanting to replace him.

I don't like the vibes I am getting regarding Moshiri's involvement in the manager selection progress and I am wondering where Brands's ro!e actually is?

Gerry Ring
61 Posted 06/12/2019 at 13:33:35
Surely this guy Periera is not being seriously considered??? There's a reason he's managing in China.

This could be the beginning of the end for Everton. We're not in any position to be taking chances in “journey men” which this guy appears to be. His track record is less impressive than Silva!!

I, for one, don't understand what's happening at this once great club... 😞😞

John Hammond
62 Posted 06/12/2019 at 13:41:23
Adrian #31: Silva was on £3m a year and was terminated half way through his 3-year contract so we would only have to pay around £4.5m. Even then, what is quite common is that rather than pay out the remainder of the contract we would pay his wages as normal until he signs with another club. Not sure if the same applies to his staff though.
Julian Exshaw
63 Posted 06/12/2019 at 13:51:33
Lyndon. How nice to read an article so full of measured respect for Silva. I agree totally with what you wrote. There were some horrendous comments on this site about Silva (albeit uttered in anger) so it is good to read a balanced and honest review of his time here.

There is no doubt he is a really decent fellow who had no luck at all here but it also has to be acknowledged that there were mistakes too.

Mike Gaynes
64 Posted 06/12/2019 at 14:09:30
Daniel A #45, thoughtful post.
Steve Ferns
65 Posted 06/12/2019 at 14:14:52
Too late for Silva, but Chelsea just won their appeal and they CAN sign players in January. Expect them to melt Abramovich's credit card! Zouma in January, or has that ship sailed now Marco Silva is gone?
Johnny Rainford
66 Posted 06/12/2019 at 14:17:51
Job just came too soon for him so fair enough.

But he's gone now so the emphasis shifts to his successor.

Please no more bleedin foreign managers with absolutely no idea who we are or what our values are.

Im actually beginning to think Moshiri doesn't have the first clue about these either after kenwright assuring us he was when he first appeared on the scene.

Derek Knox
67 Posted 06/12/2019 at 14:25:10
Steve F, I didn't realise Chelsea had won their appeal, not sure if Zouma is still playing well or just making the numbers up till Rudiger is back on a regular basis.

I don't believe because Silva has gone that should be the interest in Zouma dead in the water, and personally depending on the asking price, I would welcome him back to Goodison.

Okay, maybe not a Koulibaly, but a decent fit for us, (proven) but Koulibaly would be VVD sort of money £75M or so.

Would like that Reece James too, but I can't see them letting him go as he is featuring quite regularly for them on the bench with cameos later in games.

Joe Corgan
68 Posted 06/12/2019 at 14:28:02
Let's be honest, if Zouma was available in January we'd be mad not to try to sign him. We know our current defenders could and should be doing better but we're still short on numbers and, for me, Zouma proved himself to be an improvement on what we have.
Derek Knox
69 Posted 06/12/2019 at 14:31:21
Johnny Rainford @ 66, not seen you on before, but you can always tell when Kenwright is telling porkies, or being extremely economical with the truth!

His lips move!

Steve Ferns
70 Posted 06/12/2019 at 14:34:59
DK, Zouma is first team right now, and last match it was Timori on the bench. However, Rudiger is available in the side to face us. Zouma is a strange one. I think Silva got the very best out of him, and at Chelsea he has been erratic. I get the feeling that they think they need better, and so will sign someone better and then keep Timori in reserve, in which case Zouma will be available.

What Chelsea do in January is going to be very, very interesting. They should resist the urge to make up for lose time, as Lampard has got a tune out of their squad and they just need some reinforcements rather than wholesale changes. I bet they go out and wreck it all by signing 5 or 6 players!

Dave Abrahams
71 Posted 06/12/2019 at 14:40:37
John P (41), good post John, you speak for me there.
Jerome Shields
72 Posted 06/12/2019 at 14:44:00
Silva did a reasonable job and did try his best, but Finch Farm will always come to the fore in regard to preparation and motivation as they have done through successive Management tenures.

At best Silva could have hoped for the mid table mediocrity of the Moyes era, characterised by the two results and a loss pattern. But when things start to turned against him like other Managers he was on his own, with the same Finch Farm team , who are sure they will continue in there positions no matter how Everton perform on the pitch, as they have been through the tenure of the last four managers.

Everton need to change more than their Manager to break this 2 year cycle.

Good luck to Marco and thank you.

Mark Rankin
73 Posted 06/12/2019 at 15:06:08
I was desperate for Silva to do well but the one key for me was that he came across flat and lacking in animation, at the elite level much of it is getting the head right and if the manager isn’t passionate, animated and inspiring then you’re done that rules out knife to gun fight Moyes and Fat Sam. Would Unai Emery be a weird call? Didn’t work out at Arsenal but great C.v.!
Rob Dolby
74 Posted 06/12/2019 at 15:14:33
I am not sorry for 1 minute that Silva has been sacked.

His record was average at best. He is young enough to still make a name for himself away from the premier League.

As for people slagging Steve Ferns off for backing Silva is beyond a joke.

I personally enjoyed his backing and analysis. It was a refreshing change to the usual negativity.

Whoever gets the job full time needs to get some passion and steel into this squad of multi millionaires.

Mark Guglielmo
75 Posted 06/12/2019 at 15:49:53
Not people, Rob. Riley. Riley attacked Steve because apparently he wasn't getting the attention he was craving.

Anyway, on the topic of January transfers, I would caution against expecting much more than window shopping.

Under FFP regulations, I don't believe we're in a position to be spending much money. FFP requires teams to earn more revenue than they spend, and to ensure that all transfer fee spending is paid and accounted for. We can't check either box. We owe (primarily Barça) transfer fees still, and have been operating at a loss for the past 2 years.

Virtually all of this can be tied to the spending in the summer of 2017. Not only did Koeman/Walsh net spend more than £110m on transfers, but those players' wages are on our books right now (Keane, Schneiderlin, Sigurdsson, Walcott, Tosun), are very expensive, and are quite literally preventing us from being able to upgrade our team further through acquisition. The best we can hope for is likely some shrewd loan signings.

The players need to be moved out, and their wages need to be reduced/eliminated. Or we need to magically increase revenue by more than £50m in the next 30 days. And yet, STILL some persist in blaming Brands for not being good at his job. I wonder how well they'd do at their job if they were handcuffed.

It's further exacerbated by a combination of poor performance from those expensive players contributing greatly to our slide down the table, which will result in a lesser percentage of the EPL TV deal money, i.e. meaning less revenue. And on it goes.

The summer of 2017. The gift that keeps on giving. But it's Brands fault. 🙄

Christy Ring
76 Posted 06/12/2019 at 16:18:10
An honest and fair summary Lyndon, Silva was a nice person, but the right decision was made, having said that, Brands didn't cover himself in glory either.
Steve Ferns
77 Posted 06/12/2019 at 16:58:36
"It has been a real honour to have managed Everton for the past 18 months and I would like to thank Farhad Moshiri, Bill Kenwright, Denise Barrett-Baxendale, Keith Harris, Marcel Brands and the entire board for giving me the opportunity to be part of this special club.

"Thank you to all of the Evertonian fans who always live and breathe the club and show such great passion.

"A special thank you to all of the players, for their professionalism and the commitment they put into their work every day and to the club staff who welcomed me to Finch Farm training ground and made me feel at home.

"All the best. COYB"

Goodbye from Marco Silva

Jamie Crowley
78 Posted 06/12/2019 at 17:09:30
Class. Best of luck to him.
James Flynn
79 Posted 06/12/2019 at 17:15:07
"pay up Silva's contract another £12 million.
Anybody good a math".

The announcement was that he signed a 3-year deal. If he's owed 12 million, that would put the entire contract's value at 24 million. I cannot believe he was on 8 million a season.

Jay Harris
80 Posted 06/12/2019 at 17:19:49
A very accurate appraisal Lyndon.

I was opposed to Silva from the outset but feel he was very harshly treated in the end and feel really sorry for the man.

Jay Harris
81 Posted 06/12/2019 at 17:19:49
A very accurate appraisal Lyndon.

I was opposed to Silva from the outset but feel he was very harshly treated in the end and feel really sorry for the man.

Brian Harrison
82 Posted 06/12/2019 at 17:20:29
Leaving aside his ability as a manager, Silva always conducted himself impeccably, just a pity his employers didnt conduct themselves better. I know people will say well he is walking away a lot richer than he was before he came, but I don't think anyone can say he didnt spend the hours on the training ground. Many critisized him because he didnt jump up and down on the touchline, or argue with the 4th official.

I see talksport are suggesting that Michael Keane stood up in a meeting( they don't say when) and criticized Silva for being nice to them after the game then heavily criticizing the players to the press. I think he always backed his players and just spoke about what the team didnt do collectively. And of all people Michael Keane who has to be one of the poorest centre backs ever to play for this club, to critisize Silva.

Paul Tran
83 Posted 06/12/2019 at 17:24:50
Classy touch from Silva. Good man, good coach, not sure about him as a manager. He gets my best wishes.

I hope we carry on doing everything privately and announce a good manager soon. Let the journalists play the gullible & pessimistic like fiddles. I'll wait for he manager to be unveiled before I have a view. If the papers are right, we'll have 20 exclusive managers!

Brian Williams
84 Posted 06/12/2019 at 17:30:58
James#52.
And if that had happened there'd be a queue of people saying how shitty was Moshiri to not tell Silva face to face.
Mark Guglielmo
85 Posted 06/12/2019 at 17:35:25
Brian @82 I hope that isn't true and yet at the same time, it's entirely believable. I've worked for plenty of companies, and the employees who dislike or are the most vocal about their dislike of their manager are often the employees who contribute the least.

Sound like anyone we know?

Brian Williams
86 Posted 06/12/2019 at 17:36:49
How about having a referendum???
Get all 36,000 in Goodison at 10am tommorow and ask, is it David Moyes and Unsworth as his No 2.
Or is it Big Sam and Sammy Lee.

That's not a referendum that's the equivalent of asking "Do you want to be shot in the head or beaten to death with a hammer?"

Ken Kneale
87 Posted 06/12/2019 at 17:39:43
Rick @48 A very well worded post. We are in real danger of becoming a football club of memories - the only way to revive our past is to have a present and a future. I am not sorry to see the back of Marco beyond the normal human level, but as an Evertonian, I want the best and he was not capable of producing a team I like to see in Royal Blue. However, any incumbent has the same issues to contend with and I hope whoever is appointed is good at the leadership art of managing upwards as well as down. This Board is dysfunctional, the individual members have huge gaps in performance/credibility/ability to lead the club and it is they who are collectively responsible for varying periods up to 30 years for allowing Everton to become established as non-entities in the football hierarchy in many neutral supporters eyes. We are owed significantly more than we are receiving from a board without seeming much clue on some really important business and footballing matters.
Phil Greenough
88 Posted 06/12/2019 at 17:40:51
If you haven't noticed, Brian, he's got a queue of people telling him how shitty he is at owning a club and wasting £300m of his money. Think he's going to be arsed about a few giving him grief about giving him the sack his via a video conference?
Brian Williams
89 Posted 06/12/2019 at 17:40:55
https://www.footballinsider247.com/revealed-everton-players-left-sniggering-behind-the-back-of-senior-club-official/
Tony Abrahams
90 Posted 06/12/2019 at 17:41:13
Agree with that Paul T, he definitely came across more as a coach than a manager, and although his last match at Goodison was one of the worst I have ever seen, I do feel that he was let down badly by our recruitment this summer.

Let’s hope we can find the right man next time because we need stability now, not this constant swapping and changing we have witnessed since Moshiri came into the club.

Good luck Silva, a manager over four seasons in England, but only once did he get to manage over Christmas, and it will be interesting to see where his career goes next?

Brian Williams
91 Posted 06/12/2019 at 17:42:50
Tony. Perhaps he just really loves Christmas off mate?
Brent Stephens
92 Posted 06/12/2019 at 17:48:32
Brian #89 that source also says "Everton are set to hold off on signing a third senior centre-back in January. But they are ready to make a U-turn following the impressive form of Mason Holgate at the back".

Impressive form? A few would question that. "Football Insider" seems a misnomer.

Tony Abrahams
93 Posted 06/12/2019 at 17:50:00
I’d tell him a fool and his money are soon parted Brian, and to save his money for the sales! Hands up if you thought of Moshiri right away?
Paul Tran
94 Posted 06/12/2019 at 17:56:06
Didn't get the best out of what he had, Tony. For all its faults, it's not a 18th place squad and it won't be (or 19th & 20th) at the end of the season.
Steve Ferns
95 Posted 06/12/2019 at 18:01:08
Tony, he’ll head back to Portugal. Sporting are below Joao Pedro Sousa’s side. Silas has only been the job a few months but he’s on a contract until the summer. I expect Silva to go back to Sporting as he has unfinished business there.

I still think he’s an excellent manager and he’ll have his time again.

Barry Rathbone
96 Posted 06/12/2019 at 18:44:38
Martinez was undone by not having the loot to sweep the club of Moyes deadwood at the end of that fabulous first season. No matter how many changes of tactics if the players are crap then you get crap as proven since

With good players relative to his peers he succeeds as he showed at Swansea and now Belgium. The favourite meme of relegation with Wigan ignores Chairman Whelan closing the cheque book and selling his best players. The fact he won the fa cup in such circumstances against champions City was nothing short of miraculous.

If it wasn't for the sage advice of "never go back" I'd have him back here in a heart beat. Moshiri's biggest mistake was listening to the baying mob

Bill Gienapp
97 Posted 06/12/2019 at 19:04:20
Re: the managerial search, I think a big issue is that we're caught in a weird "in-between" zone... in which we're not attractive enough to the A-list managers, but we're too big to take a flyer on an up-and-comer like Graham Potter before he proves his worth (and becomes entrenched) at a club like Brighton (I'm not necessarily saying Potter would be up to the job, but he certainly seems like a bright and tactically astute young manager).
Ray Jacques
98 Posted 06/12/2019 at 20:23:39
Steve Ferns, you are still bigging up Silva even though he was a disaster at Everton. I don't always agree with your posts when I read them but I always enjoy reading them, if that makes sense. Keep them coming pal and keep having the courage of your convictions and the cohones to speak your mind. It is what makes this site so enjoyable to be a part of. Even if our team cannot live up to our expectations!!
Paul Birmingham
99 Posted 06/12/2019 at 20:42:30
Onwards and upwards, and let’s pray we turn up tomorrow and beat Chelsea.

History will prove the last 18 months rank amongst the worst periods in recent history and more losses than victories.

Good luck to Marco Silva, injuries, and luck, massive factors, did not help but repeated tactical issues proven by results has led to his demise at EFC.

Steven Kendrew
100 Posted 06/12/2019 at 20:53:14
Jim Bennings #19.

"I'm also very disappointed with the reception Silva received against Norwich, the entire of the Gwladys Street singing “Fuck Off, Silva!!” at full pelt."

If that is true and at the beginning of the match then it's a fucking disgrace and those involved should be ashamed. I could understand it if it was near the end. Sometimes I despair at the brittle, fickle, loser-like mentality of much of our fanbase.

Rob Marsh
101 Posted 06/12/2019 at 21:01:59
Pat Kelly # 51

You are not wrong, many on here on have been reserving their venom for Silva and you're absolutely correct his dismissal is 'one for the management team', put another way a 'sacrificial lamb'.

Moshiri really needs to stop playing fantasy football chairman with a real life topflight football team, it's cost him a fortune out of his own pocket so far and sending us down.

Brands, I'm really not sure about him after his performance this summer? Not getting a proper forward and CB this summer puts one of these ? over his head.

Brian Williams
102 Posted 06/12/2019 at 21:09:30
Steven #100.

I was at the game and heard nothing like that at the start of the game. Had the whole of the Gwladys Street been singing it, I think I would have.

Robert Tressell
103 Posted 06/12/2019 at 21:09:48
Silva with Gueye, Zouma and the number 2 who left for Portugal might have been good. Unfortunately without those 3 he's been badly exposed. I thought he did great at Hull and then looked the business at Watford before we started sniffing around. Not to be. Everton is a big, messy club and it's a difficult one to manage.
John P McFarlane
104 Posted 06/12/2019 at 21:19:57
Steven #100 I concur with Brian #102, I sit in the Gwlady's and shortly after the 2nd Norwich goal was scored, many fans started to make their way to the exits, when a few cries of what Jim described in his post went up, and then a few more joined in before quite a lot of those near the exit closest to me began a chorus of the refrain.

As I was making my way down the street outside the ground, we could hear 'sacked in the morning' which seemed to be coming from the Gwaldy's Street - although I have since learned that the Norwich fans started that chant.

I can understand why you thought it was prior to kick-off due to Jim's choice of "reception", and if Jim knows something I don't, I'm sure he will come back and post about it.

The only good that came of the chants that Brian and I describe is that it made the suits sit up and take notice, else Mr Silva would be leading the team out tomorrow and perhaps that would have provoked a pre-match rebuke from the fans.

Jonathan Tasker
105 Posted 06/12/2019 at 21:20:44
Nigel Pearson going to Watford makes it more likely Everton will appoint Moyes.

Kenwright will be in Moshiri‘s ear saying we can’t take the risk with foreign managers who have no experience of managing over here.

Tony Hill
106 Posted 06/12/2019 at 21:39:03
Rob @101, Moshiri worries me very much and has done since his excruciating Sky interventions. He has put his money down, no question, but in terms of footballing awareness he seems like a loose cannon.

A wild, egotistical Board deciding the strategic future of a great club with an injury-ravaged and confidence-drained team third from bottom. If they fuck it up, we're fucked. The stakes have never been higher, and they've been high for quite a while.

Get it right, lady and gents.

Jem Bir
107 Posted 06/12/2019 at 21:51:30
Moyes would be a disaster. Period.

Silva needed more support, his loss says more about the club than it does about him. I wish him well, he deserved better.

Alan Rodgers
108 Posted 06/12/2019 at 22:33:01
Steven Kendrew @100 that is nonsense. I was there it didn't happen. Some home fans sang 'sacked in the morning' at the end of the game, I didn't join in but it was justified some might say.

The crowd was mostly silent throughout the game – and you can hardly blame us.

Tony Abrahams
109 Posted 06/12/2019 at 22:37:50
Steven@100, if that is true? Your the one telling us mate, so why the if?
Steve Ferns
110 Posted 06/12/2019 at 22:39:27
I left at 2-0. Loads left with me. Loads (individually) told Silva where to go, and in not so polite language. However, I was in the Park End.
John Boon
111 Posted 06/12/2019 at 22:47:56
Silva had many qualities as a person that are to be admired. He was polite, smiled a lot and appeared sincere. However he proved to be a very poor manager, so nobody should feel the least bit guilty that he has been let go. He just didn't go quickly enough.

Some have said that he didn't get enough help. Ridiculous!!! He had far more opportunity than most of his fellow managers. In reality every manager/coach out performed him during his tenure at Everton. Very few know how he managed the team away from the field. To me he always looked clueless on the sidelines where management skills are the most important and the most visible.Far too often his substitutions defied logic or plain common sense.

I honestly think that whoever we sign to the position should prove to be better than him. Unfortunately with the fixtures ahead the new manager has really been given a lousy hand with few Aces and too many Jokers.

Rob Marsh
112 Posted 06/12/2019 at 23:29:33
Tony Hill # 106

Tony, most would agree Moshiri chased after both Koeman and Silva and if so he's done quite some damage.

Brands? I feel sure at the time Kean was bought, If you asked Silva privately do you want a kid with potential who we're not entirely sure will make an immediate contribution, but most probably a couple of years down the line yes or do you want a striker to make a contribution now? I think I know what he would have chosen.

It's this I believe has kept him in the job when he should have gone, Brands fucked up trying to buy a certain kind of player that fits the profile (young and worth something in the future) and I'd guess Moshiri backed him. This put Silva in a position (that he accepted) and why they've given him every chance, they would have felt guilty sacking him earlier.

Just a bit of reasoning I've put together (take or leave it) and if true it shows how inept our top brass are.

Steven Kendrew
113 Posted 07/12/2019 at 01:40:26
Good to hear it wasn’t as bad as portrayed at the Norwich game. Thanks for the feedback. By the way, I agree that Silva Now had to go despite being one to give managers a proper chance (I remember the Heath goal at Oxford).
Tony @100: I was commenting on the Jim Benning’s comment which wasn’t clear. It now seems the comment was a bit misleading.

COYB tomorrow! Please !

Kevin Molloy
114 Posted 07/12/2019 at 07:40:36
I've just read that Moshiri met the players before telling Silva he was sacked, and asked them 'what can I do to help'. Then sacked him against the advice of that dutch soft arse. We are in big big trouble. The club is being run by absolute weapons grade fools. I know most people on here would prefer relegation but if he doesn't in
the next seven days appoint Moyes and leave all the transfers to him, we are going down, and when we go down, thanks to our wage bill and spending, we stay down.
Derek Thomas
115 Posted 07/12/2019 at 08:15:51
Rob March @110; Get real mate, don't kid yourself that Moshiri has spent much of his own personal money. Not only is the sky money still pouring in hand over fist.
He has arranged loans at better interest rates, taken on and suspended debt as open ended interest free loans and other clever tricks of the billionaire accountant trade.

If it all went tits up tomorrow, click your heels together 3 times and say the words billionaire accountant - then guess who's bank account all that debt would magically end up in...His? or EFC's

James Stewart
116 Posted 07/12/2019 at 09:49:54
Excellent article.

On a different note still wondering why no new manager poll up?

It seems like the club do take on board fan reactions, so it could help to have the biggest online fan base’s preference in hard numbers.

Johnny Rainford
117 Posted 07/12/2019 at 10:44:59
Derek #67 alright mate. Haha yeh I've actually been on here since about 2004 mate, but don't post if I don't have anything to say mate but you'll find lots of my previous posts if you look hard enough. Usually when we sack a manager... Haha 😉
Jay Wood
[BRZ]

118 Posted 07/12/2019 at 10:57:59
Kevin @ 117:

Bollocks #1 "I know most people on here would prefer relegation..."

Bollocks #2 "...but if he doesn't in the next seven days appoint Moyes and leave all the transfers to him, we are going down."

Don't falsely project YOUR negativity as the majority view, or YOUR regressive thinking as the only path to salvation.

Roar like lions today Blues, players and fans everywhere.

Eric Myles
119 Posted 08/12/2019 at 07:05:50
Seems like Brands favoured keeping Silva while Kenwright is pushing for Moyes. Talk of rifts in the Board might not be so unfounded?

Link

Barry Cowling
120 Posted 08/12/2019 at 11:54:33
Brian (96).

I totally agree with you re Bobby Brown Shoes. Don't forget it was the Europa League that done him; we didn't have the squad for it, just like most clubs. Also, once Koeman sold Deulofeu, I had totally lost faith in him.

Aarron Stobie
121 Posted 08/12/2019 at 18:36:11
Everton played some truly brilliant football under Silva with Marco implementing his zonal marking to the team. Defensively though we were not strong under Silva and, just as it looked like he had it sorted, his assistant left and so did Kurt Zouma. The club failed to replace Zouma and replaced Souza (Silva's assistant) with Luis Boa Morte. Everton started the season woefully and Silva lost the fans, leading to him facing the axe.

After all this, Everton need a manager who can succeed at the club and be there for more than a season. But, whoever the new manager is, the fans really need to get behind him for this club to move on.

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