Who Is Steering the Ship?

As I said in another thread, be careful for what we wish for. The last time we brought in such an influx of players from outside the Premier League ended in disaster due to poor leadership under Koeman.

Hopefully Carlo knows what he is trying to achieve and not doing a Mourihno with our club.

“Three Amigos”? Bit harsh on Rodriguez, his career downturn hasn't been as bad as Steve Martins. I can see the Allan/Martin Short comparison in that Allan is annoying to opponents and Short is annoying to human kind. Chevy Chase and Doucuoré is a weird comparison though.

These things take time - we have just spent 2 years clearing the wagebill and now we are going to sign a bunch of has-beens on huge wages? Makes perfect sense. There is zero chance Brands has anything to do with this.

Brands is clearly being undermined by Ancelotti and Moshiri. The manager should be having little to no say in terms of who we bring in; he can suggest a type/profile but it is up to Brands to find that player. Bringing in James, Allan, and Doucouré might help us in the short-term but they will not be a part of the team in 5 years. We have been here before guys: Bolasie, Williams, Schneiderlin, Rooney, Sigurdsson, Walcott – all *were* good players at some point but we clearly brought them past their peak (and on high wages).

It doesn't make sense for us to do this after just finishing 12th. We need to buy players who can be here for the next 5 years. The way Leicester have built their squad is proof.

I don't buy that we need "experience" etc; there are definitely players out there in that 22-25 bracket that can improve the squad and have potential to grow (ie. as we saw during the first window under Brands).

I can understand why Ancelotti wants James and Allan, but Doucourée makes absolutely no sense. Players like Sangare or Santamaria are obviously better choices and fit the Brands brief. This club is such a mess, nobody is on the same page about anything...

As such, far from being a dinosaur (which is obvious the writer believes Mr Ancelotti is) the signings to date seem impressive. Add to that, Calvert-Lewin, Gordon & Davies have all played lots – far more than any other manager have played them. Looking at Mr Ancelotti's career - trusting young players he has always done and indeed he has signed many. Clearly he buys established quality too - I see no harm in this.

I think the article is written with a perceived bias of Mr Ancelotti which is fine. However, saying Brands is both being usurped (or at best put in a peripheral role) is pure conjecture and I don't consider support the facts.

Doucouré clearly a long term target and not Mr Ancelotti's. To me, the signing of Allan is owing to failure to sign Holberg from Southampton (a lot of people say thats why we signed Doucoure but I disagree as totally different players).

In terms of Rodriguez he screams out as purely an Ancelotti signing. He also screams out as a gamble and indeed in all honesty a big mistake at the cost being mooted and not on loan. I consider most Evertonians whilst excited are concerned. This exacerbated by fact our managers have often favoured signing players who have played for them before, eg, Schnedierlin who was utter shite.

However, Ancelotti has been around a long time and from what I recall (but I'm no statistician) I don't recall anybody him signing from an old club to another. Indeed, the exception is Rodriguez which given seldom happened with Mr Ancelotti despite his long career makes me bow down to his expertise.

Anyway, all guesswork but I just think focusing on brands comment about Mr Ancelotti is wrong and pure conjecture. The comments to me appear innocuous and simply factual; the aura around Mr Ancelotti do not reflect the man who is quite simply working class.

Clearly you don't rate Mr Ancelotti and you consider the three likely signings as likely to succeed which is fair enough. However, to dress the article up as Everton being run as a risk-free for all and Moshiri running the show and but Brands I feel does not, in my opinion, reflect the reality.

The OP suggests others who could do the same as Allan. Surely his appeal is that his abilities are tried and trusted by our manager so he is less of a risk than someone he has never worked with.

I'm pretty sure there were targeted players that didn't pan out, but the three we are left with don't seem to merit instant right-offs. If they perform well they could easily be really positive influencers on the playing staff and get the project moving in the right direction.

This means Kenwright still has a major role, as befitting an adequate club chairman.

Unfortunately, Kenwright – throughout his dubious decades-long tenure – has consistently delivered only crap.

Bizarrely he's still chairman though, in a newly-enhanced role according to Moshiri.

And some of us fans still muse as to who's been responsible for our thirty-year demise, uniquely compared to the other six clubs who, like us, were actively courted by the powers-that-be that created the Premier League.

Here's a clue: he's still in the boardroom, occupying the top chair, in his "enhanced" role, ever vigilant as he is in employing 100% yes-men former failed players to our already wholly inadequate training ground.

Still, some will say three modest signings (compared to top teams) will in their late 20s transform Finch Farm and the whole team ethic, and deliver success.

Dream on, whilst that tool Kenwright has any input.

Strategy? So who sets the stategy for the DoF to implement? Who is going to tell egos like Koeman... and for all I know, egos like Allardyce and even Ancelotti... how to coach and select their teams.

Or is the DoF just a posh scout come negotiator?

Up to now he's been neither - Kean and Iwobi for £60M.

Brands successes will only be seen in hindsight (like the maligned Walsh - Gana & Calvert-Lewin) with the likes of Branthwaite and the French Left Back?

His failures will likely be seen alongside those two next week at Spurs.

As to who's steering? Blind Pugh by the look of it and he's taking the scenic route skirting the great barrier reef of FFP.

Disclaimer: Not a big fan of the whole DoF model.

The question is how patient are club and the fans willing to be. Which 'young, hungry players' could we have afforded that would have propelled us into the top six? Answer is none. Even if we could have afforded them, they would not have come. Don't think we could have competed for Werner, Havertz or Van De Beek unfortunately.

So, do we continue to exclusively sign younger, cheaper players in the hope they develop into a team in 3 years? Or, do we also sign experienced players who will move us closer now? Brands will still continue to source young talent, but when they join the club they will have a nucleus of top senior pros to learn from.

We have signed some talented players aged 26 or under over the last two seasons, but we finished mid-table for a good reason.

Looking at the transfer news since the end of the season, I can understand Martin's original posts. I do share some sentiments, and wonder what's next.

At the same time, I do think having a main or long-term strategy, does not mean that we cannot tweak them along the way. Or contextualize supposed deviations as part of the longer-term strategy.

For example, the concept of bringing young(er) players as the main pipeline works, from the point of building the team, if we have senior players, to guide them along. Else, we will be having alot of promise, without the stability of experience.

In our current situation, we have a glut of experienced players that are under-performing and need to move on. Thus, if we move them on (or not), we won't be able to have the experience to guide the younger players.

One way of looking at this, is the trio of older and more experienced players, to guide our promising ones, eg, Holgate, Branthwaite, Calvert-Lewin, Gordon etc. Even Richarlison is still young by comparison.

Or at least this is what I hope.

On the Academy side, Brands's changes have been on-going, supported by recent structural changes supported by Ancelotti. The age structure profile at the Academy has been reduced and a clear policy of introducing younger players into the first-team squad is emerging, with additional outside sources if necessary.

The midfield is an obvious problem and had to be dealt with by the introduction of experienced players who can recover and tackle and maintain possession and complete an effective pass forward. This has been done, with other positions still on the agenda, though the first-choice targets have not been acquired; such is normal in a transfer window.

There are still two weeks in the transfer window and FFP rules have been pushed two years down the road, as would be expected in response to the fallout from Covid-19. Deadwood will I expect be tackled in earnest, in the next two weeks, to help address Everton's worsening financial position, not helped by Covid-19, on top of more funds being introduced by Moshiri.

In the meantime, the preparation of the first-team squad has been subtlety changed, with the additional introduction of youth into first-team preparation.

I agree that Rodriguez is a risk and not ideal, but is a better prospect than existing midfield players, skill wise and injury-prone wise. I just had a look at Messi's injury record.

As I have said, Brands's initial policy has been put back on track, with an underlining financial plan to address Everton's financial weaknesses. The latter is reflected in transfer fees Everton are willing to pay and the moving on of surplus players in the next two weeks.

What is happening is a realistic attempt to address Everton problems, with the achievable objective of a top six position. It is the last chance to progress this aim forward. If it fails, there will be major changes to consolidate Everton's financial position.

The article does not offer a realistic alternative solution.

But it depends in part on having some reliable senior pros.

Our issue is that the senior professionals (Sigurdsson, Schneiderlin, Delph, Walcott, Bernard etc) we're simply not cutting it. They've not been good enough on the pitch or providing the leadership and consistency which younger players can then learn from and build upon.

What I believe we are seeing is Ancelloti bringing in high calibre, experienced professionals that he believes can anchor this team and allow the youngsters to flourish. Hopefully they can stay fit and add consistency and leadership at a high level for the next 3-4 years.

It's always a gamble but if it works then I think moving forwards we will see 2/3 younger players being brought in future windows, reverting to the Brands philosophy.

Three new players in midfield will need to be able to play with each other and integrate with the team as well.

We have bought individuals in the past and although talented never integrated with the team. No Tim Cahill types.

Hopefully Carlo can make it gel

The whole point of buying players with a resale value was to ensure financial sustainability. But we don't need it to be sustainable if Moshiri is going to cover the short-term costs for a ready-made top-six team. If he's willing to fund it, it makes sense.

We desperately needed new midfielders. Ancelotti no doubt told brands who his targets are and Brands bought them.

We have an older manager who is one of the most successful in European football history – doesn't it make sense to bankroll whoever he wants?

The ages are also not an issue; modern players look after themselves a lot more and have longer careers.

This is the first time I've seen a clear plan at Everton, possibly in my lifetime, but maybe that's because I don't want to pick holes in anything, and maybe because I want to be positive, after the way we have been ran for an absolute eternity.

It seems that Brands has really began to restructure the pathway for younger players coming through our academy, and Ancelotti has decided his team needed quality and experience, because the players he inherited, were simply not good enough to take Everton football club anywhere past mid to lower table mediocrity.

The squad is being overhauled, hindsight is wonderful, but hopefully EFC has learnt the lessons from the last few seasons.

This season the club with all that's happened must improve and achieve consistency and become dare I say a proper team whom are respected healthily by the opposition.

For too long now and myself included, it's with a very reasonable incline that you'd know where we could “Nick, or scrape, a win, or draw”, but generally, Everton, would get rolled over.

Getting beat whilst trying is not terrible, but playing like they can't be bothered is not acceptable.

I'm optimistic for this season, and a solid start, starting at Spurs is needed.

My biggest concern, in the basis these players do arrive at Goodison Park, is our goalkeeper.

I fear this could be our main point of failure, but hopefully will be reduced by a solid midfield and attack and defence.

But hopefully the fitness of the squad has improved as in most games last season we looked knackered by 35 minutes.

Loads of hope now let's get these deals done, and see what the next month could bring EFC, on the park and in the transfer market.

If Carlo thinks we need experience to improve then great - let's buy some experience and character.

The was we lost to the Anfield kids should never ever have happened. But it did.

We have been bossed in midfield by everyone and it's disgusting. Carlo addresses it and people add still not happy?!??

Carlo is the very best manager that would come to us. Are you suggesting that we shouldn't totally and utterly back him? Show us your medals and I might listen to you.

Truth is that us fans know about 15% of the game and the inner workings and how to make a successful team.

It's like us saying Picasso was decent but should have used different paint or different strokes.

Blues be excited for once. These signings could crash and burn. So what, what's new? Most of our signings tend to crash and burn.

OR they could be brilliant. It's crazy but it might just work. And, if they do work, then Wow!

Managers need to hit the ground running to gain time for building – see Klopp, Arteta, Lampard, Nuno, Solsklaer – has Carlo done that here?

Given the litany of previous disappointments it's easy to see potential disaster in signing another sick note.

Btw, the managerial hierarchy will sort itself out – they're all seasoned professionals.

We've put up with so much heartache and nonsense over the years, even lack of ambition it may be said, so is it not time to deliver rather than plan for the future? I don't know if the 3 signings will do it but at least it's a statement of intent.

We desperately need to make progress next season so maybe this is the way to go. Carlo may not be everybody's choice, but until I've won what he has in the game then I'll accept that he knows more than I do.

And I'm all for developing younger players but I think it's easier to do when you're on the rise and progressing; otherwise we tend to want them in the first team and invariably expect too much of them.

It's certainly a difficult balancing trick but as for the here and now; I'd be more than happy for our potential new signings to help us climb that league and do well in the cups.

I'm fucking fed up with the current whinge from some on here. The strategy has been tickled somewhat. Get used to it.

Good moves due to Brands and a new manager who is worth his salt. Be happy. If it doesn't work, have your say later.

Let's turn this around and get positive because this spending at a time of such prudence can only realistically mean one thing. Fuckin' shush, don't mention “The Uzbek” this is all Moshiri's doing, he's already spent half his fortune at Everton, and there isn't even a spade in the ground at Bramley Moore Dock yet!

Let's get behind the team and be positive, especially if it's the last throw of the dice...

I know this is a forum where everyone has opinions, and a right to them, but bloody hell – give the man a chance! He's bringing in players who he trusts will do a job for him.

Or should we make Brands manager, or the fabled Monchi or why not Raiola (super agent)? All of these geniuses must know more about football than little old, worn out, has-been, Carlo Ancelotti. Laughable!

By the way, Martin, didn't Brands sign Delph and Iwobi? Enough said.

If the aim of the article is to demonstrate that the strategy to recruit young and exciting, as opposed to proven experienced talent, then so be it.

One of the greatest strengths in leadership at executive levels is knowing when to change and do something different (and not giving a flying fuck what anyone else thinks) – so for one (non-executive) I am currently only seeing positives in the three signings.

Delighted, in fact – once I see them wearing the shirt!!

Some misery arsed ToffeeWebber would come along and say "View's not as good as I thought it'd be."

There will be success and flops, with the signings, along the way. Many more success stories than flops... but this is Everton so there are no guarantees.

Rodriguez and Allan are Champions League players. Assuming Gomes fits in here playing more deeper whilst the likes of Davies ane Sigurdsson become nothing more than squad players with the latter being phased out and moving on.

My point is we need a wealth of experience in that midfield and need it now to supplement two young forwards, maybe even three (Kean), the ammunition they need to build on from last season.

I took the positive, especially once I realised that mountain had claimed many lives. But I'm still fuming about the view, though, mate – it's what we do best!

Next!

Firstly to get there, James Rodriguez will have to stay fit and play 30+ league games for us. I think he has only done this once before in the last decade.

Secondly, We have not got an Aubameyang, an Aubameyang will be difficult for us to sign and we cannot afford Aubameyang, unless FFP and Moshiri help.

Moise Kean may well become one, but in a couple of years time, but we need one now to break through the glass ceiling. I think Carlo knows all that and will not be averse to Moise returning to Italy on loan to mature a bit, allowing us to recruit our best possible attempt at an Aubameyang.

One solution to this conundrum?

Carlo decides to use Richarlison, more like a Firminho role, centrally in a 4-3-3, his stated preferred position. Then he comes good big time with his increased maturity and experience. Also, with the better players and vastly improved stability and creativity around him, especially in midfield. He is the most natural finisher we have got and there will be more chances to finish this season. Logic follows that you want your best finisher putting away those chances.

It hasn't quite worked before, but it offers that real extra quality in an area where a team needs it if it a serious top 4 / 6 contender.

I am not dismissing the excellent Calvert-Lewin by saying this at all, he will have a massive part to play. It could be a case of horses for courses. There are many teams Calvert-Lewin could well be more effective against.

Brilliant comment – so true about a lot of the comments on here. Everything is speculation, we haven't a clue if there is a divide between our manager and Brands. Surely who we are bringing in will be better than what we witnessed in our midfield last season?

Also kicking Richarlison off the park will not be the answer for every other team now. We will have more of a Dogs of War midfield to help to protect him.

Let's give our new signings a chance to settle in before we make judgement. This is Carlo's first stab at trying to build his own team – let's get behind him. COYB

There is enough with the virus to worry about... for once, look on the bright side and take your miserable whining elsewhere.

These old hands will also, hopefully, take up the slack when, if, any of our "buy cheap, sell dear" youngsters leave for big money.

We're still tottering around the FFP quicksands though, without quite falling in, or, are we taking a chance that the FFP Covid-19 truce will, especially after Man City drove a herd of camels through it, hold for a couple of years until we get our act straight.

I see you’ve already been asleep on this thread and it can’t be because you’ve drank the twenty bottles of desperados that Dave owes you Brian!

Anyway the time for us all to reset is now, (imo) and I’ll definitely be drinking something stronger than water when Everton win the cup next May!

Yes, it would be great to bring in young talented players but we need an immediate fix that will help us form a longer-term plan. Without the experience alongside them to guide and motivate the younger players are at risk of failing before they have got started. We already have a number of good young players, now it looks like we will have the experience to help them and u fully expect Brands to continue bringing in future talent.

To me, Everton is finally getting something right. We have a manager who is getting things done his way and a DoF who is sorting the deals that Carlo wants. The pull of Carlo is astonishing, imagine who we could attract here if we actually win something and got into Europe.

For now, we should enjoy the ride and see where it takes us. For the first time in a long while the future is looking pretty good.

Totally agree. Ancelotti will be wanting a knock-on effect from the example and play from these three players on players around them. None of the existing midfield players were good enough and certainly would not inspire confidence in those playing around them, especially the younger players.

I once ran up Ben Lomond in New Zealand, glorious view, including Mount Snowdon in the distance. Not a big mountain, almost urban, but as I've got older, my ambitions and what brings satisfaction have been considerably reduced.

Similarly for this season, I remain optimistic with reduced expectations. But optimistic I am, and am really baffled by those with so much criticism even before a Premier League ball has been kicked.

I'm with you. Moshiri might have made a few mistakes along the way but he has got. 🏀 🏀

He is a determined character and we should back him – and Ancelotti.

It has clearly been tweaked though. We need an experienced midfield that can win games now. Not in 1-2 years time.

It's not like we aren't also giving youth a chance. Look at how many games the likes of Holgate, Davies, Calvert-Lewin and Branthwaite got last season. Although admittedly Branthwaite only got so many minutes due to injuries.

https://www.evertonfc.com/news/1808804/watch-allans-exclusive-first-interview

Dave Abrahams, please note!!! Even your own flesh and blood says it's 20 Desperados!!!

Yeehah!

Now, as then everything is focussed on making safe our seat in the Premier League. As I've said so many times, these days we must accept midway and hope for higher whoever is manager or DoF. Moshiri and Usmanov are all about Bramley Moore Dock, believe me!

Whatever you're drinking, keep drinking it. Just don't let Tony have any. His elbow still needs rest.

We also have a core of young potential first teamers (Nkounkou, Branthwaite, Gordon, Kenny, Kean). We also have a few players that could come good with better players around them (Bernard, Iwobi, Gomes) and the deadwood.

It is a massive job. Let's wait until the transfer window is over to cast judgement as surely we are judging it on incomplete evidence...

Assuming we do get all 3 across the line, I think this change in strategy moves us out of that and a top-half-of-the-table team this season. That will allow Holgate, Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin, and perhaps Davies, who are currently in the first team to mature. Hopefully for Kenny, Branthwaite, Gibson, Nkounkou and Gordon to grow into regulars.

Changing strategy for one window to allow the team to grow is better than sticking blindly to the strategy and finding ourselves in the Championship.

Superstar managers want to be on the training ground working with their players and go home in the afternoon, maybe watch a few videos of opposition or players or a game on TV, but that's job done. They don't want to be driving to watch Doncaster v Rochdale, like Moyes used to do. They don't want to watching the u23s train, and keeping tabs on promising players, never mind watching all the games.

Media commitments are more and more demanding too. The job of the 80s style English manager is simply too big. It had to be cut in half. One guy to coach and pick the side, the other to handle the rest, the scouting, the recruitment, the contracts, the negotiations, staff recruitment, the pastoral care of players and families, etc.

A bad Director of Football gives the coach players he didn't ask for and doesn't want. It doesn't make the role bad, it makes the incumbent bad. A good Director of Football gives the coach what he needs, whether that be a specific player or a type of player.

Marcel Brands was always going to deliver on specific players. Practically his first signing was Richarlison. Sure, Brands knew him, Brands rated him, and Brands agreed he would be a good signing, but he was always Silva's man. We got done, at least so it seemed at the time, on the price as Brands had no leverage. But subsequent deals have been less exuberate. Bernard might be on a pretty penny, but when it's all totalled up, he'll cost less than £20m and that's cheap for a mid 20s Brazilian international.

So who's steering the ship? Brands and Ancelotti both, in partnership. And as long as they are both in tandem, Everton will do well. If one or the other tries to take sole control, then we have problems.