Pre-match siren expected to be dropped for City clash

They said Premier League clubs were supporting their Ukrainian players... Then went on to show Zinchenko, Yarmolenko and, Wait for it, Wait for it... Our very own Ukrainian (I bet he's as surprised as I was): Jonjoe Kenny.

What the fuck? What a bunch of amateur tossers.

A Ukrainian flag and a Stop The War banner fielded by both teams around the centre circle, in all UK and European games, would be more appropriate .

Meanwhile we've argued that the entity that sponsors us isn't really based in Russia despite carrying the same name and clearly being am Usmanov company.

1) Shit that's all sorts of wrong.
2) It just highlights the extent of Usmanov's involvement. Can we back away from him or does he really own us? In which case we and he have broken every rule in the book.

Forget the sirens. What are we doing with Megafon and USM?

Before EFC are told to throw away its sponsorship, let's see what the Premier League clubs are deciding to do. As far as I'm aware, our owner is Iranian, our major sponsor is from Uzbekistan. I would not think our club should do anything until, and if, the Premier League clubs meet and decide their way forward.

"What are we doing with Megafon and USM?" – thinking about building a stadium, for which the major sponsors hold naming rights!

Before being asked to impoverish the club, possibly discontinue the building of the stadium, I think the whole of this country's politicians, and sports need to come to an agreed policy of what to decide a course of action against this Russian dictator's monstrous aggression.

If the UK government include Usmanov in sanctions, then both ourselves and Premier League will need to look very closely at the relationship, and take appropriate actions then.

Until then, drop the siren and show support for Ukraine across the whole of football.

I'd like to see those who make some of the banners we've seen of late bring a huge Ukrainian flag today draped from or over the Gwladys Street.

Schalke dropped their main sponsors, Gazprom, from their shirts this week. They will play the rest of the season with "Schalke" on their shirts.

They have a close relationship and when they re-opened their old Park Stadion, in the shadow of the new stadium overlooking the academy, a fellow Gazprom sponsored team (Zenith St Petersburg) was invited to play the opening fixture. It is now their showcase academy pitch. Nice touch, but they are fortunate to have everything on one site, including the new and old stadiums.

It's a big moral shout from a club that has struggled financially of late. Sometimes it's more important to do what is right. Well always, but you know what I mean.

Should we walk away from Usmanov? … is one thing.

Can we? ... that's another. If we can't, well that's another can of worms.

The club's response was interesting.

The club have put out a statement saying that USM – now on the banned list in the USA – is a different company than the one who has sponsored Everton.

I am sure that there will be questions asked about Abramovich owning Chelsea and Usmanov being a sponsor of Everton. Although I would ask why are they considered now to not be fit and proper people to be involved in football, as nothing has changed – they have both been friends with Putin for decades.

I think, if Usmanov is put on the banned list and all his investments frozen in this country, then he would probably walk away from Everton. Also, we would have to return the £30 million he has paid to be first in line for the naming rights, as he would no longer be able to bid for the naming rights. I also think Moshiri would quickly follow suit and look to offload his shares, which may jeopardise the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.

That may be the price we will have to pay and I can live with that, but seems a bit ironic that they will be deemed unfit to have anything to do with any involvement in a football club. Yet the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, who ordered the murder of Jamal Koshoggi and had his body dismembered by chain saws and then put the body parts in diplomatic bags and then flown to god knows where, is a fit and proper person to run a football club.

You make a very good point. Putin's Russia has been around for decades and suddenly, a bit like the Western response to the current situation, it's all outrage after the horse has bolted when it's been bolting for years unchecked.

And to Saudi. A total "nothing to see here", head in the sand, fingers in ears approach from the FA.

But that doesn't change the situation right now.

If I look beyond the clearly more serious issues in the world and focus just on my club for a second, this is a bad, bad situation. And if we're honest, it's of the club's doing. Us and other clubs.

The song updated by Pete Seeger - - is from The Bible - - hile I am not religious I am fascinated by the history of religion - - here's a quote from "Ecclesiastes are the pain and frustration engendered by observing and meditating on the distortions and inequities pervading the world, the uselessness of human ambition, and the limitations of worldly wisdom and righteousness."
Personally I would prefer life at Everton without Usmanov and Moshiri - - but somehow we have to try to live in this world as it is and not hurt anyone along the way.

It'd be a good symbol today if the two Ukranian lads were to come out together before all the rest of the players. It will let us show our support to the Ukranian people and those lads who are trying to play football today, after what's happened.

I’m (and I believe Jim is) simply saying Let the Authorities do their job, and when they do we do what we need to do to support those decisions. If they do their job right, they will give us the tools we need to act.

Anything else is kangaroo court and Lynch mob. That’s not rhetoric, it’s simple fact.

Moral stands are fine, as long as consequences are accepted.

This invasion by a dictator is nightmarish for the people of Ukraine. Yet the leaders of Western Countries have provided differing responses to, first the threats from Putin and secondly the invasion itself. The German leader has been expremely reluctant in talking sanctions because of the threat of closure to the Russian Nord Stream 2 bringing gas to Germany. I guess that's because of the effect it will have on the German economy and the the German people's domestic gas supplies.

Yes, spin could be put on events and Abramovitch, Usmanov and most of the Oligarchs who've got lots fo their money in this country will be flapping like hell to try and distance themselves from Putin's regime, with out being targeted for assasination wherever they live.

So! Far from "Not seeing anything wrong" I detest the actions of this Hitler Mark 2.

The sanctions on the Oligarchs? well let's wait and see what the Prenmier L:eague come up with afetyer welcoming a Murderer to own a Premier league club.
At our level our club is in dangerous waters both on the field and in the boardroom. I don't want to see some looney scream Full Steam Ahead" like the captain of the Titanic.

Is it a tragedy to remain at Goodison?

Good riddance.

The problem is to unravel from Moshiri and Usmanov we'd need someone else to cough up a lot of dosh. Whose gonna do that? A Czech corrupt gangster Oligarch? A despotic Middle-Eastern regime? Moshiri and Usmanov aren't going anywhere until they get their money back.

Why would Megafon want their name promoted on a British women’s team shirt ? Same questions again? Nothing to do with them being owned by USM?

Very expensive sponsorships that gain the brands nothing as they don’t sell things in the UK. What’s the Russian viewership of Everton’s Women team? Basically nothing.

It’s clearly more of Putin’s money coming into the country via Panama and embedding itself into British institutions so it can’t be removed.

Sanction Ambramovich, Chelsea goes bankrupt.
Sanction Usmanov, Everton can’t build their new stadium and a huge Northern development grinds to a halt.

It’s disgusting. These people should not be involved in football clubs as no one can prove where their money has come from. Moshiri is just a puppet.

The soundtrack to John Carpenter's Halloween or the Exorcist just preceding Z-Cars... haha!