Toffee Soccer: How Everton Plans To Conquer The United States

Better late than never, I guess.

I can't see the US getting too excited about Everton until we start bringing in US talent, get some success and / or have an impressive stadium.

Otherwise, what is to like / identify with for US audiences?

Mike G has mentioned Darryl Dike as a possible US hero. We seem to be linked with Hoppe at Schalke, too.

Other than them, we seem to be behind Bayern, Leipzig, Salzburg and others in the queue already. But the logic is good.

As ever, we’re 10/20 years too late. We should have done this when we had Joe Max Moore, McBride, Howard, Donovan etc.

Nice little article in Forbes. Well said, Dr. France.

Danny, I only partly agree with you. Nobody in America was paying much attention 20 years ago when Joe-Max was doing his thing, and McBride wasn't at Everton long enough for a decent bowl of scouse.

But you're right about the 10-years-ago time frame, when Howard and Donovan were doing their thing at Goodison. The club did nothing with a golden opportunity then, and that was criminal marketing negligence.

If they're making an effort now, grand, but I won't believe it until I see an Everton shirt hanging on the rack at Dick's, or at least Big 5. Even the Active rack at Ross, I don't care. I've been waiting 35 years.

Robert, just saw that Hoppe link. Interesting.

Mike -

The active rack at Ross cracked me up. Yup, we'll take unsold overstock or a few years old designs!

The Hoppe link is very encouraging. I've watched this kid in the Gold Cup and for me he's been (keeper aside) our best player. If not the best certainly the one with the most potential.

He's a fighter, a hustler, and the kid has burgeoning skill.

USA on right now if you want to get a peek at him. Oh, and we're playing Mexico. We can't lose. I sincerely hate the Mexican national team as much as the Yankees. Hate them.

Jamie, and I hate their obscenity-chanting fans even more.

I'm a bit less optimistic about Hoppe being ready for the Prem at this point, and he's not the natural goalscorer Dike is, but he's a more complete player right now and has certainly stepped up in this tournament.

BTW, for those of you tuning in to the game, no, you're not having a flashback. That's not our old Argentine friend Ramiro Funes Mori playing for Mexico. It's his identical twin brother Rogelio, a longtime Liga MX striker who just got his Mexican citizenship and hopes to challenge the recovering Raul Jimenez for his starting job in the WC qualifiers.

Mike -

What bothers me about the chant is the disruption in the game. Plus it is a nasty reference / insinuation / etc. I agree. I just hate the Mexican team because they dive constantly, over-embellish, bitch at the ref continually, etc. They embody everything I hate about soccer - I mean the way some play the game. It's embarrassing and annoying.

Hoppe is by far a more complete player, and he may not be ready for the Prem now, but man I'd kill to see Everton buy early and save a ton of money. I think Hoppe's future is very bright.

by the way Mike, I could see Hoppe playing up top in the World Cup.

Zardes just isn't good enough, and Pulisic will play on the left, not Hoppe.

I'd consider him up top when the full "A" team is playing.

Jamie, Hoppe is the rawest of rookies. He's played exactly 22 top-level professional games, plus 4 for the US. No idea if he can actually score goals. No question he has a quality set of skills and an unbelievable engine -- the guy never gets tired -- and he's shown remarkable poise and professionalism in this tournament. But he has exactly 7 goals in his life. Let's not get ahead of ourselves.

If he continues to mature, I like his chances of making the '22 team as a backup forward. But what I really like is the prospect of him playing as part of a two-man front when we will be genuine contenders -- in '26 here in North America. What a quality, experienced lineup of 26-year-olds we will have then.

And did I mention that I REALLY like Miles Robinson?

USA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOOOOO HOOOOOO!!!! The Youngins win the Gold Cup.

Our young kids are talented. Our B Team just announced our resurgence.

Qualify. Then watch the US get a couple giant-killing scalps.

Seriously you two, why get so excited?

USA winning the Gold Cup is akin to us winning the Florida Cup. The Gold Cup is a meaningless tournament where a bunch of seventh-rate footy nations - a fair few of whom the US has invaded - play USA and Mexico who inevitably get to the final.

Might as well make it a Mexico/USA one-off 'Gold Cup' game. 'Gold', jeez

And, unless I'm wrong, why is it that the final is in the US? Mind you, the passionate Mexicans outnumber the YOOSA fans by what 2-1?

Congratulation Mike and Jamie.

I did double take when I saw Robinson scored the winner but it was not our rejected reserve left back Antonee and then a further double take when I saw Funes Mori and thought, he was Argentinian.

And Jamie, to misquote W C Fields, a man who hates the Yankees can't be all bad.

TBF - baseball leaves me cold, especially when compared to T20 cricket. But I do support our local team in the NFL.

I think having a current USA player in our squad would earn more fans than a few preseason friendlies and some fancying marketing.

We can’t go back 10 year's and promote Everton with Tim H (or Tim C in Aus) but I do remember successfull loans for Donovan and McBride.

Would it still be a realistic option, loaning a couple of big name players in their off-season?

Option 2, allow promising youngsters who may or may not be in contract to train / trial with us, even if it's more a marketing stunt than a pre-aquisition?

Also, the James Rodriguez PR machine is massive in the Americas. We are certainly more noticeable with him than without.

Mike/Jamie
Hibs have got a guy on a pre contract from Orlando City, Chris Meuller?
Seems he’s lined up for January but they’re hoping to get him up there sooner
Any idea/info?

John -

I honestly don't know anything about Chris Meuller. The only Orlando City player I know about is Dike. He's a striker who's got a ton of potential, but didn't really overly impress this Gold Cup. Meuller I don't know a thing about.

I would say well done to Hibs for recuiting out of America, as I truly believe soccer is on a massive rise again here from a talent perspective. For smaller European clubs, America would be a happy hunting ground.

Phil - I simply don't watch cricket, as I have baseball. I don't have time in my life for both, and honestly have no interest in cricket at all.

I do think Everton can gain a lot of market share in the USA with frequent trips over. But they'll need to win to really make a splash here. Americans love a winner, and they are disgustingly band wagon jumping their way across the sports landscape. If you want fans, win something.

Quick aside - I was shocked at the number of Columbians in Orlando watching James. Shocked. The man has serious pull.

Hi Jamie thanks for that
The only thing we know is that he’s a speedster with a very good goal/assist ratio
Hibs are an openly attacking team especially on the counterattack. Defensively average so this lad sounds about right!
Fingers crossed

Hey John #17... just chipping in here... I've seen Mueller play a couple of times, but despite his superb stats he didn't make much of an impression beyond his ferocious work rate. Not sure how much of his success is due to playing in a front three with Dike and Nani. His coach now says he will not be leaving early for Hibs.

Phil #13, check my post #6 for the info on Funes Mori. Your eyes were only slightly deceiving you. And don't worry about our friend Antonee -- he's got a clear shot at a starting slot for the US at the World Cup. We'll see him a lot in qualifiers.

Justin #14, it can't just be any old Yank in our lineup to attract US attention, it would have to be one of the stars. And most of the big US names are already at bigger, richer clubs than ours. I'd have liked to see us go in for Konrad de la Fuente from Barcelona, but Marseilles snapped him up.

Always been a bit confused whyEverton never chose to come to the States for pre season, They came to Houston in 04 (I think) and Denver in 09 (maybe) and I was fortunate to catch them both times. Soccer is growing here in the US, would have been an ideal time to exploit the market when we had Timmy in goal.

"It's the kind of fan engagement, brand exposure and business development that Everton wants to cultivate to attract a new generation of fans in the United States"

"Today, you service a fan at that level, get to know him better and provide him with engaging content so that he can interact with the club. It is all about that meaningful connection, when you understand that market place, then you interact with the Everton brand."

"This starts with a fan engagement strategy that develops the market place to then go up in other brands. It doesn't start with an office on the 24th floor on Park Avenue, selling sponsorship packages and broadcast rights. No, it starts from the bottom. It is that brand awareness, that presence, that meaningful interaction.”

Wow, they can do all that without having a single footy jersey on sale for the American fans that made the effort to travel to those matches?

Our marketing department must be the best in the world at what they do!