Ancelotti to Everton’s fans: Stay together while we work towards success

Hopefully this is the dawn of a new era for EFC, where we create new records, win trophies and no longer be prisoners of our past.

Forget the RS, this is Everton and is all that counts in football.

The fans are behind you, just avoid ToffeeWeb like the plague and you will be alright.

These are the long-term questions that the club needs to address and execute on. I hope we have finished with short-term thinking. But football isn't a normal business environment and only time will tell.

A centre forward like Ibrahimovic? A playmaker? A defensive midfielder?

The difference this time is that it is an appointment I support. I wanted none of Martínez, Allardyce or Silva.

In all seriousness, glad he’s keeping Dunc on the staff. He’ll finally be learning from a true great instead of Fat Sam.

For the first time, Everton need to provide the tools for the manager to deliver. The Director of Football needs to earn his money in bringing players in to take Everton forward. Yes, it will take time... but already I feel proud that we could convince a manager of Ancelotti's standing to come to us.

Ancelotti will walk if the board don't meet his ambition. His reputation will come before Everton. It's a new chapter but one that could lead to success.

He obviously isn't gonna come in and say "yeah, but shit are Everton like, 2nd club in the city, living off the success of 30 years ago, top 8 wouldn't be too bad but if we do finish in bottom half, who gives a monkey's, it's only a game ffs, and I ain't gonna struggle to pay the mortgage, that's for sure"

But Carlo Ancelotti is an unbelievable appointment. For ages, when debating potential managerial appointments, the general consensus was 'someone who plays good football, and who is a proven winner' we get the manager who is probably the dictionary definition of that, and people are like 'he's not proven himself at a small club'. Make up your mind!!!

A 'proven winner' or 'Sean Dyche-like'. who is it you want???

But I guess, given the chance, any one of us would take Moshiri to the cleaners if the money was burning a hole in his pocket, as it clearly is.

So, although I fear it will all end in tears, good luck to the guy and his flock, I so dearly want them to prove me wrong.

The fact you say that sums up why you've got the opinion you have mate.
Thankfully we're not all the same.

Man Utd will need a new manager at some point soon. Ole might be at the wheel, but he's driving like a drunk, and needs to be replaced. Maybe they would prefer a Pochettino but they'd have considered Ancelotti for sure.

Chelsea might have all but beaten Spurs, but they have been on a tough run for a while now. Lampard could have found himself below Mourinho if he'd lost when the gap was 12 points on Mourinho getting the job. Lampard isn't likely to lose his job anytime soon, but we all know Chelsea haven't kept the same manager for more than a couple of seasons since they sacked Mourinho.

Carlo Ancelotti would also get the job at Milan, Madrid or in China.

Sure, he's getting paid a shed load, but he'd get paid more in China and as much wherever else he went. The guy has chosen a tough job. These superstar managers have massive egos. He will think he can fix Everton. It's like when you see those great but troubled players (like Balotelli) keep getting moves to decent clubs despite not performing. The managers all think they can fix him. He will think he can fix us.

That sounds really negative, and usually I don't like to be negative. However, I see inexperienced Frank Lampard's Chelsea beating won-everything Special One Mourinho's Tottenham 2-0 at half time, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

I can only imagine the apoplectic response the moment we find ourselves in a similar position... and we undoubtedly will do.

I do hope we don't load the team with mercenaries. I have no idea how we will manage Financial Fair Play. I don't know how we will balance youth and potential versus experience and expected results.

We have been here before, excitedly looking at what might be in maybe three seasons - but all too often with the patience of a 3-year-old.

I don't really see what we could have done differently, outside of the Allardyce mistake... but there were those who feared we were on the brink of relegation then. I was more worried until Ferguson gave us some real bite. Let's see who arrives in January.

My biggest fear is we get in a host of players, older players in, in an echo of Koeman Walsh, but bigger contracts harder to escape the clutches of FFP. We push out the Unsworth and Ferguson's et al in a nouveau riche blitz. We get slapped with an unspeakable transfer ban and we disintegrate within 3 years.

That's all very negative I know... but in a season where Liverpool are running away with it and technology which is meant to level things has just exasperated problems, I'm just not the most optimistic.

We have landed an incredible manager though – and we will all have wobbles, but maybe it's time to really block out the negative nonsense.

Let's hope you're not like a kid in a sweet shop, as Koeman was, when he wasted £millions.

I hope you change the youth set-up by bringing in a continental coach to teach vision and guile, instead of crab play.

"Coming soon, Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Due to the band being skint and contractually obliged to do so, they have had to churn out another album, and frankly it's a bit pants. You know all that fannying around with 'experimental music' on Strawberry Fields (and how did that work out? Beaten to Number One by Engelbert effing Humperdink)...well, there's a whole chuffing album of the crap now. I dare say that some so-called 'fans' will lap it up, but let's face it, it's not exactly proper music, is it?"

Not at all, Chad. You end with "We have landed an incredible manager though - and we will all have wobbles, but maybe it's time to really block out the negative nonsense". In between, and overall, it's a balanced piece which has hope, for good reason, while pointing to some of the possible negative outcomes. At least it's not writing the guy off even before he starts.

What we need to do is give him and the team our utmost support. He will make mistakes sometimes which we will be critical of but, once he can realize that, correct them (not keep making the same mistakes) and move forward, we should see success in some form.

I think having reviewed the games he watched and along with the game yesterday, he already recognizes that we do need to change some of the players.

Although there wasn't a great deal to shout about yesterday on the pitch, he at least acknowledged the importance of the fans, and their contribution towards a successful side.

As someone mentioned before, the so called pundits have mostly suggested this appointment is not the right fit, reinforces my belief that it is the right fit, and I can almost smell the fear in them, that we may just be The Kraken re-awakened.

The next few matches will be interesting, and the Transfer Window even more so, the appointment has come at the right time in that respect, he will have adequate time to assess, which parts need to be brought in, to get the machine up and running properly again.

A lot clamouring for Ibrahimovich, which I am not sure would be the answer, he is in his late 30's and would be a very expensive sticking plaster. I would prefer to get an established younger man who will grow (hopefully even better) with the team.

We also need a rock in defence, preferably one who doesn't get injured easily, and a dynamic midfielder or general. Remembering of course that we are fairly well stocked in that department, but many are injured unfortunately, Gomes, JP Gbamin, to mention two.

I know I am asking for a lot and do appreciate it won't happen overnight, but I hope he still, with Dunc's influence, doesn't totally ignore our 'young guns' and introduces them gradually into the matchday squads.

Or, I fear many, who are nearing the end of their contracts, may just decide to move on, as there appears little or no prospect of breaking in to the first team plans.

Maybe the best thing to do would be to tell Moshiri to fuck off, and then we can get Kenwright back, giving David Moyes, £5 million a year to spend, and another £5 million in wages to keep us in the Premier League, at dilapidated Goodison.

Let’s roll the dice and go for it. A top left sided centre half, a temporary Gomes replacement, and that illusive goal scorer please.

Ancelotti is no certainty to work out, nobody suggested for one minute it's a certainty, but a man that's been to the clubs he has and has won the trophies he has. That does enough for me, and if I was a footballer I'd be delighted at the opportunity to work under a manager of this ilk.

Ancelotti's CV speaks for itself.

I can understand people feeling that, because he's not used to such a mediocre bunch of players, maybe it will be a shock to the system but the more I've thought about it, I know Ancelotti will be too clever and wise to let this stagnant under his feet.

People say he merely puts shine on top-class players by fine-tuning them with information, so what's to say that he won't make Richarlison a five times better player?

Why can't he bring the very best out of our French International fullback Lucas Digne?

Why can't he get Bernard playing well enough to win back his place in the Brazil team?

That's before we even think of him bringing his own players in, the contacts he'll have, the attraction he brings.

Saying Ancelotti has worked wonders with the big boys so won't suit Everton is like saying we should never have signed Andrei Kanchelskis in 1995, arguably the most exciting player in the Premier League back then, what on Earth were we thinking bringing him to a relegation-haunted Everton?

That didn't turn out too badly, did it?

And my prediction – a win at Anfield after Xmas (ah, "which Xmas?", you ask? – the one next week).

Please, though, Kenwright, put yourself into retirement, you are a millstone around the neck of the club. You need to be replaced by a professional. You've done wonderful things but it is time to go.

Clive @ 50, I wish Kenwright would read ToffeeWeb, never mind Carlo! :-)

I think he realises how horrendous the set-up here has been (and remains) but he has to somehow get a tune out of these overpaid monkeys for the foreseeable.

I'd be delighted if he binned the lot bar Digne and started again, tbh.

I think Ancelotti wanted to take on this challenge, he knows were we are in the league and where we have finished during the last 5 years. He probably thinks this is one of the biggest challenges he could have taken, but I believe he wants to see if he can build a side from nothing and challenge for honours.

I am sure he would have also asked what funds would be available to rebuild this club, so I am sure he was happy with the assurances that Moshiri gave him.

He will need time and patience and I know Evertonians have been asked for patience from previous managers and it all went pear-shaped. But none of our previous manages could hold a candle to Ancelotti.

Being a blue for a very long time I know that we are afraid to get too excited because when we have thought things are really improving we seem to get let down which makes it harder to get excited the next time we see this happening

But I have a lot of faith in Ancelotti and believe he can put us back competing with the very best.

Edit: Yes Brent, that's the clip doing the rounds.

So I suppose I'll just have to stick with a guy who's won too much in his career and give up my dream of a ginger resurrection.

* I made that one up.

Furthermore, when did you become one of the Editorial Team?

Jokes aside, with the position we're in, he needs to be picking up points during the transition period. I agree that at least one centre back and a forward are the immediate priorities in January. If I'm honest, I'd get what I could for Michael Keane and bring in two centre-backs.

The players and the fans will believe him and trust him to make the big decisions. I think he will get a good response from the players and will make signings that will have immediate first-team impact.

I can see us making incremental progress under Carlo's guidance over the next 6 months and, after the summer window, next season, we will be a club transformed.

What can change is the future of this club over next 5 years and beyond, and we have, at last, the man who can do this. The best that money can buy. And he's ours!

But, he needs us as much as we need him. We should support him unconditionally. It will be worth it.

What a fucking nightmare working environment now all his peers are Italians. He may as well go and work for Juventus!

One reason, he knows something we don't. Moshiri finally has his dream manager and has clearly said he will back him. Up until now, new sponsorship has been minimal. Expect a big change.

However in Keane's defence if there is one, he hasn't been a total disaster, and is capable of much better performances. I believe Ancelotti and his defensive team should be able to sort out both Keane and the defence, but do agree at least one quality addition is a must, even to keep the others on their toes.

I have read elsewhere that he is an admirer of Piotr Zielinski, currently at Napoli, and the 25-year-old midfielder is stalling on a contract at present (Hmm...) and Unai Nunez, a no-nonsense 22-year-old centre-back, currently at Bilbao, may be available in the January window, reportedly keen on trying the Premier League.

Which leaves a striker, hopefully not a short-term fix in Ibrahimović or Giroud, although at the moment we do need someone, but a striker Carlo knows could do a job for us for years to come.

He has no strength at all. He is slow. He cannot turn. His passing can be woeful. He shrinks mentally at the first sign of trouble. He is a confidence player. He can defend the 18-yard box well, which is why he shone for Burnley, but he cannot defend higher up the pitch unless he has a speedster like Zouma alongside him to sweep in behind.

You either sign a Zouma and keep covering for him, or you cut your losses.

He was certainly found out playing for England. He was sometimes unfairly the scapegoat, as Maguire had made errors too and a lack of midfield cover cost them both. Hence Everton's recent obsession with two holding midfielders.

It was great watching the Chelsea back three of Tomori, Zouma and Rudiger. They kept Kane and that twat Son quiet. Height, strength and pace.

His first priority is to get a back four that is mobile, can gel together and be dependable when they need to be.

I am still not sure about Holgate as a reliable central defender.
He was at fault for the first Foxes goal the other night.

It would be a real bonus if he could muster some good performances during the next month.

It was another Koeman & Walsh frivolous unresearched purchase, based on him being okay for Burnley, and yes you are right with a Zouma type player alongside he does look better.

I am fairly confident that Carlo knows who is available and what they can do for us, the January Window will be an interesting one, to say the least.

I'm excited at the prospect of a manager of this quality joining us. And yes, I'm wondering if he's past his best, if he can turn this water into wine and buy us some new vintage bottles. Ultimately, I'm glad we've got someone with his track record.

Is that hard for some people to take? It might be currently fashionable, but we don't all go for this binary bullshit of adulation or negativity.

"Ultimately, I'm glad we've got someone with his track record.

"Is that hard for some people to take? It might be currently fashionable, but we don't all go for this binary bullshit of adulation or negativity."

Amen to that, Paul. All the more so that Carlo has yet to take a single nano second of training or an actual game as Everton manager yet.

Too many have thought too small and limited themselves to a fate of everlasting mediocrity. Maybe the Board has to this point thought the same?

It should be clear if we can attract a manager of this type, players can be gotten too.

Despite Carlo's words, I fully expect an upturn in our results, maybe not style but that will come.

He is calm, affable and has a huge presence both from his playing career and managerial achievements. There's no doubt he can handle the ‘Park Enders and the Everton Da's questioning why Niasse will play right back!

He will undoubtedly get support where others would be lambasted; that will buy him time.

Come on, Carlo!

All chained together, thumping the ground with his staff, and singing, "Boys (and men) For Sale" "Boys For Sale"! The shopkeepers and street folk disappear indoors or out of sight.

Only Mr Sowerberry is interested, as cheap labour for his funeral processions, be cheaper than horses, and easier to feed he thinks!

On second thoughts, "Take 'em back to the Workhouse, Mr Bumble"!

I agree with the comments that he's a confidence player. In the right set-up, he's pretty decent. Obviously best suited to 18-yar- box defending – and we're better than that. But a good quality 3rd choice as demonstrated by quite a few England caps.

The trouble we have all over the pitch is a collection of players suited to different systems and not especially well suited to each other. Just a couple of very good quality additions could change all that. (And a timely return to fitness for Gbamin!)

I think Ancelotti has the expertise to iron out the weaknesses of Everton's current play, which would be an essential foundation. We all know that it will take time to sort Everton given the transfer debacles of previous managers prior to Silva and the risk of having to break injury-prone players since.

Being an Italian, a leaky defence will be a no-no and possession a must. If he can sort these two areas, it will be a great start.

Ancelotti may also change the current perception of Everton as a career move.

I've only been an Evertonian since 1999 so my club history is limited. Since and including Walter Smith, I believe our gaffers have been mostly acceptable to quite good but hardly on the level of Ancellotti. Let's start fresh and give him a bit of space. He wants what we want: silverware. COYB!

This to me feels like a very good appointment. I am 38, which is a terrible age to be a Blue, I was too young to properly appreciate us being brilliant, saw a tiny glimpse of success with our FA Cup win, and then have seen false dawn after ring-fenced money, after destination Kirkby.

For anyone who says Ancelotti is only here for the money... Yes, nailed it. But so is literally every professional football manager and coach, by definition. Dyche, Moyes, Jesus, Nuno, Emery, Jose, all take a wage. The only difference from normal is his wage is massive, but then so is his CV.

Is Ancelotti the right man? Dunno, but having taken managers from Watford, Southampton, Wigan and North End, one of Europe's elite is a definite change. He has managed huge players, massive teams, rabid fan bases, harsh media scrutiny, he has seen it and dealt with it. Successfully too.

He will, come January, get on the phone to players and be the name they work under. He will have some real clout, he's football royalty.

He garners respect too, a lot of individuals who he has managed refer to him in glowing terms. And he was a good player too, so he knows that aspect of the game.

It's more a case of are Everton right for Ancelotti, and the answer is, sadly currently no.

Bit sad really, we are languishing near the bottom of the league, we have a slightly unbalanced squad, out of one cup competition. But – and here's the but – we are finally looking like we want to be ready.

Planning permission has gone in for the new ground after a successful consultation. We have spent some money, and we now have more saleable assets regards players than we have had, we have money to spend, and if the rumours regards a certain Uzbeki steel magnate are to be believed, we will soon have a lot more.

I genuinely was happy about Ancelotti Not "meh", not "weeeell it's okay I guess and who knows it might be good", but happy that the club had actually gone by the ethos of the club, it's motto.

There is no argument regards a better CV among those available. He was the best. We will hopefully be moving into the best available ground, rather than spray-painting the running track blue, or spray-painted murals, or new flags along the Bullens Road stand.

I'm all for this. If he can't get a tune out of Everton, then he won't be the first or the last. But I tell you what, I believe he's got the best chance in a while of doing something special. It's time for us as a club to step up and act like we are a massive club again, be the best.

We have a cracking fan base, passionate, knowledgeable, and patient. We all loved watching Big Dunc on the sidelines, and Carlo Ancelotti knows football, so, if we give him time, back the team, and turn Goodison back into an absolute bear pit, then I think he will get us. And that's important.

Forza Don Carlo; forza Everton.

I know, we will never know.

The next level people have taken it to is mind boggling. Because Lampard is now better than Jose, because if one result, we should be worried because a less experienced manager beat a more experienced one in a single football match. Therefore, appointing an experienced manager is a risk!!!

Let’s face reality. Carlo isn’t turning Everton into Real this season or the next. But hopefully he can make a decent fist of turning this season around and get us into the summer transfer window looking healthier.
All this about him only being able to manage at elite clubs, does that mean average managers can only do well at average clubs? Therefore, we should recruit someone average because that’s where we are???better to be disappointed by someone we expect to be be disappointed by than by someone who could offer more. Or maybe, just maybe, an elite manager, who has had genuine success could, maybe, help get us back up and competing.

I'd prefer something along the lines of; a new manager is expected to bring instant change, there's a lot of hard work to be done first, players and staff to settle into new procedures but we are in a position where we must hit the ground running while seeking almost constant improvement.

Just as bland but it sounds more honest.

Sort this dickhead out.

https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/2019/12/22/21034000/video-jordan-pickford-binge-drinking-darts-world-championship-binge-drinking-everton

Make no mistake about this appointment: he is the real deal. Klopp took just on 3 years to get a team in his image, so the losers out there give the man time. He has a lot of shite to move out, punching the air only lasts for so long, then your technical and managerial skills need to come to the fore. Calm down, calm down and enjoy...

Don't know how much CA looks in to what 'his players' (sounds good that) do when away from the Club, they are human after all, but being filmed 'pissed' and distributed to all and sundry, by Twitter/Twatter or whatever can't be a good image for the Club.

Furthermore, it doesn't set a very good example to young fans, who may idolise him, and look up to him as a role model!

Or am I showing my age, and this is acceptable in this day and age?

Apart from being the lamest pint downing ever, what’s wrong?
You don’t even know what he is drinking!

Like Kendall, Keane, Robson, Mgrath?

I think we should get over it. Pickford drank beer, possibly. If he sucks on Boxing Day complain.

If we are going to call him the Don, then surely we can get it right. It was Don Corleone not Don Vito or Don Michael.

Equally he did not take any bait on who his targets were, but reading other sources it's amazing on who we have been linked with.

Although caution must be the key word as we don't want to be seen as a cash cow, as we have in the past, and got very little to show for it in terms of quality.

The interview was great. Ancelotti seems to have understood how the fans "pushed" the players and says he will play football to suit that. Came across great I thought.

They might not have done that in the Godfather but, unless one of us is part of the Mafia, we don't know really know whether or why they break that rule.

Edit - missed your second post, Steve.

They can't get the hang of Sir = first name and Lord = surname or place.

So they probably cocked up and went with Don Corleone instead of Don Vito.

Perhaps we will finally start getting rid of a problem that's been a big one at Everton for a long time, the mental fragility and lack of winner's mentality that have often made us look like a rabbit in headlights. That would certainly be a good start of great things to come.

I think he was also respectful to Silva in his words about luck and fans patience. Absolute spot on to be fair.

This was interesting to me, and betrayed the frustration that he is surely thinking:

“Well, it was supposed to be 5% of my time, not 95%. I think it’s just a very, very, one of the most difficult clubs. We don't have the financial base but the fans expectation is huge. I think this miss-match somehow needs to be resolved. We’ve put a lot of money in to give the club a platform to match fans expectation and sometimes, it’s just too much for a young manager that’s why we hope an experience manager can cope and deal with it better.”

What exactly does he mean by saying we don't have the financial base? is he trying to quell expectations that we will not spend big? Has Ancelotti really come here to carry on the way Silva was, with shipping out the deadwood before brining in new players?

Now, that does not make any sense with the manager who we just appointed.

I like the way he has exempted himself from blame for the series of catastrophic decisions he has made, and the massive financial cock-ups all on his watch, and is putting the blame for the state of crisis at the club firmly on the fans' shoulders.

But yes, what does he mean, "We've got to square off having no money with the fans unrealistic expectations"? Does he not realise that, in the last 48 hours, he has bet the farm on spending another massive wedge (which will be necessary just to keep Carlo happy, let alone the fans)?

I can only think he his shooting from the hip because Uncle Alisher has had to take over and he is now firmly on the naughty step.

I would be interested to know who the individual journalists were and who they represented because one of them failed to hide his incredulity that Ancelotti has chosen Everton, echoing a popular theme many across the media are trying to project.

I liked his droll response to the question if Zlatan Ibrahimovic is on his shopping list: "Zlatan is a good friend, but he is finished now in the United States and I have no idea what he plans to do. He is welcome to come to Liverpool. But only for a visit! Not to play!"

The most interesting and relevant comment he made was about Moise Kean, saying what a fantastic season he had with Juventus and that he and Napoli tried to sign him in the summer, but Everton beat them to it.

He spoke sensibly about how difficult it is for a 19-year-old to adjust to a new country, league and culture. Gives me hope that in Carlo Ancelotti Moise Kean now has the best possible manager at Everton to help establish him in our first team.

TBH, I found Farhad Moshiri's interview on TalkSport more interesting. Listen to it here (main photo of Big Dunc with a smaller circled photo of Carlo and Farhad. Click the play button below).

Link

He spoke of just how important a lift Duncan Ferguson gave the team and the club in his four games, giving Moshiri possibly his best couple of weeks in his time at Everton.

He believes we have a good foundation and with the wiser head of Carlo, together with the passion of Duncan, we can start improving things on the field.

But as Steve Ferns noted, he made very reserved comments about finance, so don't expect another spending spree in January.

So inneffectual under the Silva system. I've watched Sigurdsson closely when TV pictures allow and he works really hard to get into little pockets of space just off our striker, but the Silva system did not include passes to him, even though the pass is on. When the opposition have possession. Sigurdsson is the hardest working 'presser' in the Everton team. In my view, a worthy captain. On Saturday, he covered a huge amount of ground in the midfield and granted there was not much joined up passing, but that was as much down to a hard working Arsenal side as our own shortcomings. I'd love to see the Opta stats on ground covered. I watched Man City the other night and their running, chasing and harrying when Leicester had the ball was remarkable, way above our levels.

We don't lack fitness or energy levels, but we have been lacking good organisation this season. When there's good organisation and the team is a good unit, the running and general effort are far more effective, the ball being made to do more of the work.

Gana has been a big loss.

Last season, when he was playing better but nothing special, Icalled him the ‘nearly man’ he nearly wins a tackle, he nearly gets a pass straight to his man, he nearly gets theball under control but it bounces away from him. If anything he gets in the way of other players and they both lose the ball to the opposition, he wasn’t missed at Old Trafford, when a patched up team played very well and could have got a victory, he slows the team down.

For such an experienced international player he did little to inspire the team on Saturday, as the captain you might of thought he would be going all out to impress the new manager, he wouldn’t have impressed his best friend with that performance.

Now for his good points, his dead ball expertise, I haven’t seen much of them either, as someone said to a really outstanding footballer “ Where did it all go wrong” maybe the answer in Siggy’s case is, “ Not long afterhe came to Goodison”.

If he doesn’t improve significantly I can’t see him lasting long under this new, and hopefully, demanding manager.

In Italy it is normally correct to call someone by their surname unless and until you know them really well. So Ancelloti would be more polite than Carlo or Don Carlo.

Secondly I thought Moshiri was far too generous to Silva although his points were factually correct about the injuries and absence of required acquisitions. Maybe he was just trying to justify his absurd pursuit of Silva in the first place. Also Bill must have thought Xmas had come early when Mosh said he only anticipated minor involvement. Maybe the bell has only just ring as it did with Paul Gregg and not Moshiri has realized he cannot trust the family silver to Bill.

I also hope they haven't conned Ancellotti by telling him funds will be available and then attaching conditions to it like you have to sell to buy.

He may just be trying to say our hands are tied to go crazy on spending but look at the red shites latest deal with the japanese fella and its good to see clauses can be met at good cost for an international.

Someone above said that his red mates said Carlo wouldn’t come to Everton. Honestly, I was with the reds on that score - I never in a million years thought Ancelotti would come to Everton. Nor did anyone in America would be my guess.

Steve Brown, on another thread, pointed out to me that the Yanks who “joined up” in the Moyes years have a different perspective of Everton, and he was spot on.

I’ve only lived with plucky little Everton. I know they’ve been successful in the past, but haven’t seen it with my own eyes, nor lived through it.

This feels like a massive change for Everton, to me, amplified by my Everton experience.

Age brings wisdom. And all the contributors who are a bit longer in the tooth see this as a return to a rightful place, as Steve Brown so eloquently explained to me. I hope we get there for all whom have lived through this quarter century of mediocrity.

One thing is for sure, from my perspective. This is weird. It’s.not a hire where we think we bring in a bright, up and coming manager who can get us there possibly. This is a warhammer thrown down basically saying, “We’re sick of the experiments and waiting. We’re here, get the fuck out of the way.”

I truly believe we’re going to shake up the footballing world in the next 2-3 years. So all you old farts out there - enjoy the ride. ;0) I’ll be the Yank pip-squeak in the back row cheering in a high-pitched voice.

It really is exciting times. Don Carlo. Who’d a thunk it?

If they take the cheers for their good games then they can take the stick when they stink, and they stunk the place out on Saturday, three games in a week or not.

You are always so respectful and polite when you post, but I bet you can give it out with the best of them when you see players dropping below minimum requirement.

Spot on regarding Jamie by the way.

And Darren, Trump is spot-on for Boxing Day!

He's here for the long term and he obviously needs time to put his stamp on things. Who knows… we may be wonderful and play them off the park, but I'm not expecting miracles just yet.

I always read your posts as they are fair, balanced and positive despite the wringer Everton put us all through. It improves my mood to read them actually.

Evertonians are born not manufactured, we do not choose we are chosen, those who understand do not need explanation, those who don't understand do not matter

Darren and Paul, Dave is certainly a true gentleman in every sense, but having had the cherished experience of sitting next to him for 90 agonizing minutes at Mordor last year, I can tell you there is definitely a volcano of fire under that politeness.

Gerry #130, that's priceless. Love it. And Texas misses you.

Didn't even consider the likes of Ancelotti, but I knew it wouldn't be Moyes!

Incidentally, I was trying to connect with you on LinkedIn yesterday. Apparently I can't without joining the paid-for option, which I'm not! Over to you.

Just tried, but I can't even find you on LinkedIn to connect. Found 4 Paul Trans, but none in Scotland. I'm not on the paid version either, but we should be able to at least see each other. Odd.

Mike, apparently if you type in Paul Tran Highland, that finds me!

I was going to agree with you about the IQ level in Scotland, but it dropped when we moved here!

I always had it in my mind you were in Georgia not Texas but Happy Hogmany all the same.

A Billionaire from Monaco, buying a club whose stadium had holes in its roof, off a fella who used to have holes in his shoes, probably couldn’t understand why he had spent so much money and yet nobody was happy, and then he saw the main ingredient that has been missing from Everton, since before he bought us!

It sounds like only the stadium can bridge the financial gap, but I love to hear the words mis-match, because he’s now aware of how much the club means to the people, and hopefully a world class manager can make us competitive until Everton can get over FFP?

And I hope to God he's scouring the FFP rules. I keep thinking about Ancelotti building a great Everton team and then finding out that we're the first PL team to be severely punished under FFP rules! They'd throw the book at us wouldnt they?

Hope Farhad's doing his homework!

"We have discovered Everton in the last two weeks. I've had my most enjoyable time with Duncan and feel really grateful to him. This is the club. We need to keep this. That's the most valuable aspect of Everton. Not hollywood. This passion, the celebrations with fans and manager together. Carlo is a real football man. We hope with Duncan next to him we keep the passion and build on it."

Moshiri has had his money in the Prem for more than 12 years now, so he certainly knew about the club's tradition before he bought us, but the crowd noise the past couple of weeks has shown him what's truly possible.

Paul #141, that would be Brands' job.

He's stopped dreaming, and started seeing things the way they are, "singing, we are the boys, that make a lot of noise, and we didn't want that Divvy Moyes!"