Allan leaves Everton for the UAE

25/09/2022 91comments  |  Jump to last

Allan departed Everton today when he signed for United Arab Emirates Pro League club Al Wahda.  

The Brazilian leaves Goodison Park in a permanent deal having signed a two-year contract with his new club.

Allan was signed for £20m by Carlo Ancelotti in the summer of 2020 as part of an overhaul of the Blues' midfield that saw Abdoulaye Doucouré and James Rodriguez also arrive.

He enjoyed a productive first season with the club and was deemed an important component in the side in both of his first two seasons at the club, a fact underscored when he was missing through injury and suspension at times during both campaigns.

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His advancing years - he turned 31 in January - lack of speed and dynamism, and injury record has seen him fall down the pecking order, however, since Everton brought in the likes of Amadou Onana, Idrissa Gueye and James Garner this past summer.

Wanting to play regular football rather than warm the bench, the former Napoli man has opted to make the move to Abu Dhabi.

It is unclear what the terms of the transfer are but it is speculated that Al Wahda have agreed to buy out the remainder of his contract at Everton, which was worth around £4m based on his estimated salary.

"Thank you for everything, Everton," Allan posted to Instagram. It was a pleasure to be part of the blue family. I will always be cheering you on, wishing you the best you deserve."

 

Reader Comments (91)

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Paul Kernot
1 Posted 25/09/2022 at 22:57:27
Let's face it, we got him too late.

I could see what Ancelotti was trying to do bringing in those 3 at the last minute & our season started extremely well. Right move at the right time for all concerned.

Christine Foster
2 Posted 25/09/2022 at 23:23:20
Wish him well, good leader just brought in too late to have a long shelf life... but good value I would say. Best for the club and the player.

Thank you, Allan, good luck in the sun!

Andy Peers
3 Posted 25/09/2022 at 23:24:55
I would like to know how we stand financially with the ins and outs after this window.

It feels like we actually may make money this year after getting rid of a lot of deadwood and loaning out players. Wages have surely been reduced and obviously cash money for Richarlison and most of our signings were in instalments. How do we find out?

Brent Stephens
4 Posted 25/09/2022 at 23:27:59
I loved this guy for his "in your face" attitude he brought to Everton. Leadership on the pitch. Confronting the ref. Something we never did but are now doing in spades, like all other teams. His loss of pace was not his fault, just a fact of life.

Best of luck mate. Nothing but good memories.

Ben King
5 Posted 25/09/2022 at 23:42:22
Christine #2,

Do you really think Allan was good value for us? £20M + reported £100k a week so c £30M for 2 seasons and then he leaves on a free?

Good first season, no doubt; 2nd season wasn't great but not bad.

Allan is a good bloke and seemingly a nice guy but good value? No chance (a bit like saying Walcott was good value when he had a decent first 18 months but never really achieved much and then also left on a free.)

I'd also suggest Tosun was crap value albeit he contributed less than Allan.

Bill Watson
6 Posted 25/09/2022 at 23:43:49
Full marks to Gomes and Allan for not just running their contracts down. I'd have liked to have kept Allan as defensive midfield cover but the plus will probably be a fair wedge off the wage bill.
Paul Birmingham
7 Posted 26/09/2022 at 00:33:47
No issues, this has been coming, but there's worse players, still in contract at Everton.

But finance concurrence, alignment is a target as well so all in all, a fair trade deal.

Good luck Allan, you had character, at a time when most of the squad had little, or had lost their footballing character.

Belief...

Christine Foster
8 Posted 26/09/2022 at 02:01:01
Ben, I guess it depends on what good value entails, financially no, but then that rule applies to most of the first team squad... on the pitch, was he good value? Yes, but he had a limited life span, we knew that when he came on board. But he didn't play badly, or lack effort... so in my books, he was worth a crust.

The problem is when you but a player towards the end of his top days, his financial value will always go down. The problem with us, as you point out, we kept doing it: Walcott, Tosun are only two of many...

Ajay Gopal
9 Posted 26/09/2022 at 02:35:29
When you consider that our midfield has gone from:

Delph, Allan, Gbamin, Gomes, Alli, Sigurdsson (in absentia), Iwobi, Doucoure, Davies

To

Onana, Gueye, Iwobi, Garner, Doucoure, Davies

That is a pretty radical overhaul of the midfield in my book and I would say Thelwell has done a terrific job in his first transfer window.

And good luck to Allan – he was a fighter, but the injuries started building up, and we can't afford to carry passengers in the new Everton that Lampard and Thelwell are building.

Dupont Koo
10 Posted 26/09/2022 at 04:39:33
With the fee that we paid to get Allan at the tail end of his Apex as a player, the return at the back-end of the deal &/or the fee that we would recover from his departure would never look rosy.

Putting the financials aside, Allan was exactly what we need in an Everton player: mature (a dedicated father off-the-field), tough & professional with all the veteran tricks & know-hows that our squad lacked so much of previously. He is a walking textbook of how to be a Top Tier Midfielder. Every time I watched Tom Davies making sillly mistakes on the field that Allan would never have made, I was mad that TD never has the Football IQ (&/or the hunger and drive) to have observed Allan enough and learnt a few things from him, considered the time that they have spent at Finch Farm together.

His injuries last season unfortunately robbed him the pace that he never had and that was the last straw for Frank to move on from him.

His intangibles as a compatriot of Richy might also have helped getting the moody-at-times Richy through some of the abysses in the last 2 seasons, IMHO.

If only we were able to attract a young Allan when he was 25 or 26, but he was flying high with Napoli in Champions League back then. Otherwise, I wish him nothing but the very best and hope the money he would make in the Middle East set him & his families up for life.

Nicolas Piñon
11 Posted 26/09/2022 at 04:45:42
Great player, great character, and a real leader. I think we're kind of short in midfield now but financially it should be good.

Would have kept him because he also had experience and lots of class. Not up to the Premier League rythm maybe but his character football intelligence and winning mentality were attributes we lacked. But he wasn't gonna play much so fair play and enjoy his last footie years. He was a loyal servant. Good luck Allan.

Bill Gienapp
12 Posted 26/09/2022 at 04:58:25
Ironically, I think Allan might have had some success operating within our current midfield setup, particularly with Gueye there to be the defensive shield... but there's no real point in playing someone who's leaving at the end of the season unless you *need* him... and he was probably our 7th choice midfielder at this point, so – we didn't.

Ultimately an ill-advised, short-term buy, but he was professional, always gave 100% and certainly didn't pout when Ancelotti split. Two respectable years of service. I wish him well.

Squad's almost starting to look downright svelte. I feel like the only current players most people would just as soon not see on the pitch are Rondon and Keane.

Danny O’Neill
13 Posted 26/09/2022 at 06:08:04
I promised to cut my contributions down to allow others' views to be conveyed but had to comment on this one.

A favourite of mine. As Christine and Brent have said, as well as being a very good player, leadership on the pitch when we were lacking. A continuous wasp in the ear. Not just the officials, but his own teammates if they needed telling.

Reading the report, you can see what Ancelotti tried to do. Rip out and replace the midfield. Frank Lampard has pretty much done the same, benefiting with a much improved Iwobi playing in a different position. Midfield has been a problem for years now. As has centre-back even though hardly anyone would listen to me. Not that they have to. It's all about opinions.

We got him too late in his career, unfortunately. I personally would have liked to have seen him stay. I think that Bill G makes a good point, he could have done a job when needed to, surrounded by the midfield we now have, so would have been a useful option. But it's down to what the manager and DoF want and their vision for this squad.

But as Bill Watson points out, credit to him for wanting to go and play football, wherever that may be. Best wishes and thanks for at least those 2 defence splitting passes at Brighton!!

John Burns
14 Posted 26/09/2022 at 07:24:46
Danny (13). Don't cut down your contributions. You or Christine or John Mac et Al not publishing won't add any value to the site in my opinion.

I liked Allan too, but probably it is the right time for him to move on and hopefully a younger, cheaper, one for the future Allan can be brought in in January.

Peter Warren
15 Posted 26/09/2022 at 07:36:46
Surprised how people are remembering him. He was always average to me and extremely slow.
Ian Bennett
16 Posted 26/09/2022 at 07:37:26
I am glad we found a solution for a player that couldn't cut it. I get it that he wasn't a pain the arse, but it's slight revisionism to say he was any kind of success.

I didn't rate him as a defensive midfielder, and he offered not much else in terms of goals, assists, box-to-box play. The highlights reel will show McNeil cutting past him in season one, and a dodgy red card for tripping the Newcastle player in season two. The Brazilian Besic?

£25M for two seasons is exactly the type of business that got us into the mess in the first place for an average player. Thankfully Thelwell seems to be doing better than that.

Kunal Desai
17 Posted 26/09/2022 at 07:51:56
Now down to only one South American players left, out of the initial four that we had some 18 months ago.

Mina will be probably gone in the summer to.

Dave Carruthers
18 Posted 26/09/2022 at 08:05:45
Ajay 9. Then look at those first five names. Massively injury prone or just plain unavailable or, in Alli's case, simply an enigma.

Hoping the six we now have are more robust. We also have Warrington and Mills as highly promising back-up. Probably still one creative midfielder short with fingers crossed Iwobi continues his step change.

Steve Little
19 Posted 26/09/2022 at 08:15:06
I really liked Allan and am sorry to see him go.

It's less than two years ago that we were sat in 2nd place with Allan and Doucoure the two-man central midfield. I couldn't understand why he wasn't getting more game time towards the end of last season.

Having said that, if Lyndon is correct and we pick a fee of £4M, saving a big wage of the next nine months, that is effectively £8/9M that can be reinvested in the squad.

I would have preferred to keep him as cover for Gueye but we only have a few weeks to manage until the break and then a younger cheaper back-up could be signed in January if deemed necessary.

All in all, probably a sensible decision from the head, overruling the heart's emotions.

James Hughes
20 Posted 26/09/2022 at 08:24:13
I liked his attitude and as others have siad started adding some bite to our midfield and being a nuisance with the ref.

Letting him go for free is not good business but we have a track record of that. Klaassen, Tosun, Walcott, Sigurdsson, Delph, Gomes, Allan, Gbamin. What's that close to £200 million on transfer fees out and sweet Fanny Adams back.

Steve Shave
21 Posted 26/09/2022 at 08:24:13
Undisclosed fee, what do you think we got for him? Pack of chocolate buttons and a bag of rhubarb and custard?

I liked Allan, Frank obviously didn't as a player and his minutes have been significantly curtailed under his tenure. Wish him well.

Dave Abrahams
22 Posted 26/09/2022 at 08:51:08
Steve (21), being honest it looks like we have saved over £4M on wages so his stay here worked out at costing about £25M overall.

I liked most of his first season but as others have said we bought him about 5 years too late.

Martin Reppion
23 Posted 26/09/2022 at 08:57:00
All the doom and gloom merchants writing up until the last week of the transfer window must by now be delighted.

We have had a complete revamp of the squad. Apart from an out-and-out striker to cover for Calvert-Lewin, all the bases have been covered with a mixture of players for now and the future.

As a squad, we are younger, less expensive and just more exciting.

The targets for the glass-half-empty brigade are all but gone, and those that remain will benefit from playing in a better team once it beds in.

Allan was never going to be a regular player once Gueye, Onana and Garner were added to Doucoure and Iwobi. So he has done what every real player should do. He has left to play elsewhere. (Besic, Tosun take note.)

Fair play to him. We always looked better when he played, but that is partly because the alternatives were not very good. Now he can work to a deserved retirement in the sunshine.

Tony Everan
24 Posted 26/09/2022 at 08:59:16
Carlo wanted him as his trusted midfield lynchpin. But really his best days were behind him when he arrived. This was brought into sharper focus being in the faster, tougher Premier League.

I liked the player, a tough street fighter with a good battling attitude. I think he was no shirker and tried his best for us but this was hampered by his slightly declining speed and physical prowess.

Also, as has been said, he has been proactive moving rather than sitting on his hands collecting free money for training. I expect the fee is minimal, but this move is more about getting his £5M-a-year wage off the books and giving us more leeway for future reinforcements. First and foremost, a quality back-up / challenger to Calvert-Lewin.

Good luck to him for the future.

Kevin Molloy
25 Posted 26/09/2022 at 09:05:35
This signing and the others show the absolute short-termism of Carlo Ancelotti. In hindsight, he was never building for even the medium-term.

"Let's have one good season, I can them move on. Who cares if the £50M in transfers on three 29-year-olds is money down the drain? Not my money." Thanks Carlo.

Allan started to creak within weeks., Started like a train but, after a couple of months, we were wide open. One of our most disappointing signings given the expectations we had for him.

Christopher Timmins
26 Posted 26/09/2022 at 09:13:14
Another small step in Frank's quite revolution.

Good luck to the guy.

Lee Courtliff
27 Posted 26/09/2022 at 09:31:28
Good luck to him. Never one of my favourites but he did always give 100%, just a shame we didn't get him 2 years earlier.
Bob Parrington
28 Posted 26/09/2022 at 09:35:18
Strange what can happen when we get a fresh, younger but experienced eye on the organisation of the team.

Clearly Allan is not the right player now and has either decided or been persuaded (and so decided) to move on. I like Allan as I think he has some class and, with this, goes character.

Good Luck in the Middle East, Allan. We wish you all the best for your future.

Lee Robinson
29 Posted 26/09/2022 at 09:59:15
Looked like a nice guy and a great professional but let's be honest, he was out of his depth at this league, we overpaid too late in his career.

In his debut at Spurs away, he was outstanding and I looked forward to more of the same but it looked like his legs were going and, after that hamstring injury, I don't think he could cope. A liability in a positional sense, never far away from a yellow and no assists or goals.

If we want to progress, this is the type of signing we need to move away from and I'm glad to see that we already have. WIsh him well though.

Rob Dolby
30 Posted 26/09/2022 at 10:26:33
He was exactly what we needed at the time.

Ancelotti wanted a midfield enforcer and tried to bring in Hoiberg, when he joined spurs we moved for Allan.

No doubting his ability but the pace of the prem caught him out. He needed legs around him and only had Doucoure. The Brazilian Peter Reid!

Time to move on. I want to see what Garner is made of and wouldn't be surprised at some point if we played a 4 man midfield entirely of centre midfielders with Iwobi, Gana, Onana and Garner.

Dale Rose
31 Posted 26/09/2022 at 10:26:42
Best of luck to him.
Steve Brown
32 Posted 26/09/2022 at 10:52:58
Signed as a ready now, tough midfield leader to bring personality on and off the pitch. I never thought him and Doucoure were a good combination as they were both average passers, but if I had to discard one of them it wouldn’t be Allan.

Thelwell and Lampard seem to be focusing on athleticism and health, therefore Allan is probably less mobile when compared to Gana. If we had signed him when he was 25 or 26 years old, he’d be a Goodison legend now.

As for building for the medium term, it’s about balance in the squad. Benitez signed Rondon, Lonergan, Begovic and Townsend with an average age of?

Michael Lynch
33 Posted 26/09/2022 at 10:58:29
Good player, but indicative of our short-termism at the time. I'm much happier with the way we're doing business now, it's sustainable and realistic.
Pat Kelly
34 Posted 26/09/2022 at 11:12:36
Another of Ancelotti's old cronies along with the Prima Donna waster James. How did Everton let that happen.
Brian Murray
35 Posted 26/09/2022 at 11:49:09
Pat. Any hope of James prolonged Everton career was finished with van dykes pre meditated assault on him in the derby. Never really got going after that. Although I doubt Frank and his staff would put up with his attitude either. As for James he done a job but players like him siggy sniderlin tosun Walcott and so on can never get us to the next level. Give me Onana James garner any day
Brian Murray
36 Posted 26/09/2022 at 12:08:50
Correction meant to say as for Allan, the next level etc not with the likes of him
Terry Downes
37 Posted 26/09/2022 at 12:40:07
As it said anywhere how much he's gone for? I can't find it anywhere.
Mick O'Malley
38 Posted 26/09/2022 at 13:23:46
Peter and Ian, I’m with you on Allan, far to slow and you can count his good games on one hand, I won’t miss him one bit, so long to the “Brazilian Peter Reid” a laughable comparison to an Everton great
Jim Wilson
39 Posted 26/09/2022 at 13:47:13
A very difficult season for him last season but he did quite well and thank god we had him as there was no one else to break up opposition play. I wouldn't have minded keeping him as back up but we do have Garner now.

I wish him well with thanks.

Anthony Dove
40 Posted 26/09/2022 at 14:46:17
I wish him all the best. He had a lot of Peter Reid about him and always gave his all.
Jerome Shields
41 Posted 26/09/2022 at 14:58:01
Allan was a good player for Everton and did the short-term job he was brought in for. He had a great attitude.
Eddie Dunn
42 Posted 26/09/2022 at 15:23:47
Well, he tried hard, earned very good money and cost £20M. He was average at everything. He seemed decent value because of the utter overpaid shite around him.
Jamie Crowley
43 Posted 26/09/2022 at 15:51:22
Good luck to Allan. I was surprised to see this, as I didn't think players could move outside the transfer window? There's a logical explanation I'm sure, and it's my naivety / lack of knowledge to blame, but the surprise is welcome news.

Allan wasn't playing at all while we paid him handsomely. Happy he's moving on - it's better for the player and better for Everton. He always gave his all, so I wish him good health and happiness as he moves on.

Ajay @ 9 -

Yes, Thelwell has done a terrific job as DOF thus far. I was very excited when we hired him and after I did research on him. He's transformed the midfield and backline, in a massively positive way, already in such a short time! He's the real "Super Kev" in my book.

Mike Gaynes
44 Posted 26/09/2022 at 16:16:58
Nothing but respect for Allan. A pure professional who filled a vital role when we need it most, and never let down the side or the fans. May the final years of his career be rewarding for him.

Jamie #43, I knew it all along! Thelwell is why I was never part of the angst here about how long it was taking to do our business in the window. The guy has been focused, decisive and fearless in his dealings, and he hasn't put a foot wrong yet in my view, although McNeil and Vinagre have yet to bear out his judgement on them.

And a hearty well-done to Moshiri, who finally realized in the wreckage of the Benitez disaster that he needed to get the fuck out of the way and bring in some experts. His hiring work since then has been brilliant.

(BTW, Onana did a club site interview the other day and was asked who had the most powerful shot in the club. I almost did a spit-take with my coffee when he instantly responded, "Dwight!")

Gerry Clarke
45 Posted 26/09/2022 at 16:24:42
Good luck to Allan, he was one who always gave his all for the cause. Unfortunately his legs seemed to have gone last season, although I read somewhere that, like Coleman, he was carrying an injury towards the end of the season.

I don't think we'll miss him with Gana, Iwobi, and Onana playing well at the moment and Doucoure, Davies, and Garner on the bench.

I watched Belgium and the Netherlands last night. Onana had a really good game and was unlucky not to score. He looks awkward at times, possibly due to his height, but he is very effective. I think we've got a really good player in him.

He just needs to get used to the pace of the Premier League and not dwell on the ball too long like he has done once or twice. He'll pick up his fair share of yellow cards and maybe the odd red because of his aggressive tackling but I guess we'll have to live with that.

Tommy Carter
46 Posted 26/09/2022 at 16:31:56
Kevin @25,

That may be the case but I'm sure Ancelotti's brief was to probably get us Champions League football and then build from there.

Despite the ill feeing toward Ancelotti, he finished only 8 points behind 4th place Chelsea. Basically we were 3 wins from Champions League football.

The roaring success of the Roberto Martinez debut season which everybody goes on about… we were 7 points off Champions League football.

In the years that preceded that, Moyes was:
10 points
13 points
14 points
9 points
9 points
11 points
10 points
17 points

So basically, the only guy to get us closer to Champions League football since 2005 than Robert Martinez in 2014 was Ancelotti in 2021 and there was 1 point difference.

So short-termism, you may feel, Kevin. But he had an objective and was not a million miles from achieving it.


Joe McMahon
47 Posted 26/09/2022 at 17:02:19
A good pro (unlike James). I liked his passion on the pitch, but like others have said, he came to Everton too late.
Tommy Carter
48 Posted 26/09/2022 at 17:09:40
Joe @47,

Can you please cite some examples with evidence of the lack of professionalism from James Rodriguez compared with Allan?

Joe McMahon
49 Posted 26/09/2022 at 17:12:46
Tommy, smiling in his private jet while Everton have a match and getting thrashed.

Smiling with bikini babes on his yacht while he is injured (again during the season).

Everton were paying him nearly a million a month for him to be so "in your face" with his superstar lifestyle.

Mike Gaynes
50 Posted 26/09/2022 at 17:20:06
Joe #47, if you think James wasn't a good pro for us, all I can say is that I vehemently disagree. I couldn't care less about his lifestyle. He got it done on the pitch.

Gerry #45, I looked up Onana's record when we signed him, because I had the same concern, and I think I found that he's only had one red in his entire career, and it was last year at Lille. His tackling technique is really quite excellent.

Joe McMahon
51 Posted 26/09/2022 at 17:23:15
Mike@50, it's all about opinions. I do however agree with you on Onana, we could have a Gem!
Barry Rathbone
52 Posted 26/09/2022 at 17:33:40
Should never have signed him. He was yet another "name" past his best, designed to appease FIFA manager supporters. What an amateurish transfer policy this club has.
Dale Self
53 Posted 26/09/2022 at 17:38:00
Good to see the decent goodbyes for Allan. This was one of those deals that comes with the manager chosen and no one expected that to evaporate and leave Allan stranded. Did what he could but was found out in a tougher younger league.
Clive Rogers
54 Posted 26/09/2022 at 17:40:34
James only played 23 Premier League games for Everton in his one season, just over half the games, with only minor injuries supposedly.
Gerry Clarke
55 Posted 26/09/2022 at 17:50:12
Mike @50.

Thanks, I wasn't aware of his previous red or yellow card record but if he's only picked up the one red, that's reassuring. I agree his technique and timing seem good as long as he dosen't get caught out with the pace of the Premier League.

Mike Gaynes
56 Posted 26/09/2022 at 17:57:45
Clive #54, overall James played about 2,000 minutes for us (league and cup) and scored or assisted on 15 goals.

What wouldn't we give for a player with that kind of productivity right now?

David Currie
57 Posted 26/09/2022 at 18:04:13
Everton are doing better with transfers and moving players on: James, Allan and Dele Alil were all good players who produced in high-level leagues but not anymore.

Looks like no top level clubs wanted any of these 3 players, which tells the story. We now have a better midfield and saved money on big wages.

Simon Dalzell
58 Posted 26/09/2022 at 18:23:36
I liked him. Obviously past his best, but had a good attitude and did a reasonable job.

Good luck Mr. Allan.

Peter Neilson
59 Posted 26/09/2022 at 18:29:11
Another good move by Thelwell. Best of luck to Allan, gave his all but far too slow. Personally I wouldn’t compare him with Peter Reid, it’s not fair as he’s not even close.
Tony Abrahams
60 Posted 26/09/2022 at 18:41:16
Mike @50,

I think Onana's tackling looks great when he slides and wins the ball. One tackle in the first half of the derby which stopped Liverpool breaking away, and put Everton on the attack instead, was truly exquisite.

But appears like he can only tackle with his left leg, (it's early days, I haven't watched a great deal of the kid) and it worries me that he could seriously hurt himself when tackling on the wrong side.

He overstretched against West Ham tackling like this, and supposedly went to play for Belgium with a slight injury, which he probably did during this incident.

The kid looks like he's going to be a very, very good player though, so I hope I'm wrong with this observation.

Jay Harris
61 Posted 26/09/2022 at 18:45:10
I agree with all the complimentary posts.

A classy player who always gave and demanded 100 %.

Good luck Allan.

Danny O’Neill
62 Posted 26/09/2022 at 19:21:02
I think we've spoken on other threads about this, Tony. Tackling with the wrong foot. I wince when I see players go in with the outside of the boot rather than the instep. Maybe it's just me.

I too see a lot in Obana. Maybe one day he too can be US President.

Damn that auto type / predictive spell!!!

Agree though, a we seem to have a real player in the making on our hands.

Tommy Carter
63 Posted 26/09/2022 at 20:09:54
Mike. @56

Some people don't know a good player when they see one. They can't appreciate what players like this do or that bravery takes on many forms when playing football other than screaming, running around aimlessly and flying into tackles.

Put it this way. If you added the James Rodriguez we signed in 2020 to this team, then he would improve it.

I cannot comment on his injury record or reasons for not making the starting XI because I do not know the facts, much like everybody else.

However, it is interesting that the point is raised on a story about Allan Marques as they played exactly the same amount of games as each other in the 2020-21 season for Everton, yet I do not see the same accusations being levelled at the Brazilian.

In terms of minutes played, it was the prerogative of the manager to bring Rodriguez off in as many matches as he did.

Dave Cashen
64 Posted 26/09/2022 at 20:30:20
I understand Carlo's reasons for signing Allan. He had done a sterling job for him previously.

You never can know when or how a footballer's legs will go. Some to in stages making the occasional or even regular rallies – see Seamus. Some just go out like a light. Lampard has clearly not been impressed by what he has seen of Allan. Best for all concerned that he moves on.

On the subject of tackling. I believe it has more to do with timing than which side of the foot you go in with. We all remember "that tackle by Moore" which sent rampaging Jazinho spinning over his shoulder while he came out with the ball.

Joe Parkinson was brilliant at tackling with the outside of his foot, although his early retirement may add strength to the argument against.

Mike Gaynes
65 Posted 26/09/2022 at 20:31:04
Tony and Danny, agreed, and I'd also add that he goes to ground for his tackles a bit too often in my opinion, even though he does usually manage to avoid fouling.

I've predicted in previous posts that a few months of study at the University of Gana Gueye will definitely improve his ability to win the ball on his feet. Professor Allan would probably have helped him with that as well.

But yes, I think we potentially have a major star on our hands.

Christy Ring
66 Posted 26/09/2022 at 21:10:10
I wish him all the best, he always gave 100%, probably got him a couple of years too late, but a solid professional who insisted on being on the bench carrying an injury, and waited until the season was over before having an operation.
Will Mabon
67 Posted 26/09/2022 at 21:22:42
He was fantastic early in his time here, and at other times. I think there might be even more to his injury position than we know. Ability wise he's as good as anyone we have in the midfield at that job, but it looks like he just can't deliver it now; pity.

Best of luck to him.

Conor McCourt
68 Posted 26/09/2022 at 21:49:30
Some unreal posting here.

Allan was a dreadful signing. Schneiderlin, Davies, Gomes and Delph have continually been the subject of more derision than the worst defensive midfielder I have ever seen for us.

Throughout his tenure, we lost more games when he played the holding role, conceded more goals and were so easily to play against as he continually went AWOL and was one of the least disciplined players I have ever seen.

Thankfully Frank jettisoned him from the team as we were heading to the Championship before that decision was made. In the six games Delph played as holder, we took 12 points which was no coincidence.

A dreadful signing which was brought to satisfy the ego of Ancelotti who told us he was the best defensive midfielder in the world.

Conor McCourt
69 Posted 26/09/2022 at 22:01:27
Tommy Carter – are you having a laugh?

The top teams that season were all hampered by a congestion from Covid in a unique league. We finished in between two Championshp squads in Villa and Leeds. Embarrassing.

Tommy Carter
70 Posted 26/09/2022 at 22:19:10
Conor,

I'm not having a laugh, no. I'm presenting the facts, as unpalatable as you may find them as they show that Ancelotti finished 8 points off a Champions League spot in his first and only full season.

Clearly this does not fit any anti-Ancelotti agenda you have.

He is also the only Everton manager in 23 years to take a team to Anfield and win. James Rodriguez played in both derby games that season.

With a nod to the original story, Allan incidentally did not feature in the win at Anfield.

James Flynn
71 Posted 26/09/2022 at 23:15:41
Good player. Too bad we didn't get him at 25 years old.

Wish him luck.

Jim Bennings
72 Posted 27/09/2022 at 07:44:58
Based on the player that I remember at Napoli, he was far more adventurous, ran forwards with the ball and actually used to shoot.

The player we witnessed at Everton was far too restricted in my opinion, sitting in that defensive midfield, but you could see he wasn't cut out for it in the way say Gana is.

Allan always wanted to roam and at times that came across as a lack of discipline but really it was just the true reflection of what he should have been signed for.

Anyway, good luck to him.

Tony Abrahams
73 Posted 27/09/2022 at 08:20:33
Timing is everything, Dave, and when you get it right then it does look exquisite, but when you tackle from the outside, coming across your opponent's body with your closet leg, then I don't believe you can produce the same power.

If your opponent anticipates this, and then decides to tackle himself, rather than try and skip past you, then you are in big trouble imo, especially if their tackle is strong.

Danny O’Neill
74 Posted 27/09/2022 at 08:52:47
It's an interesting point, Jim. In my opinion, there was / is a misconception that Allan was a defensive midfielder. He wasn't. That's what we were lacking and caused us a gap.

Gueye sat behind Allan and Doucoure would have been a different thing.

I think Allan did want to go forward. But he didn't always have options in front of him. As many an Everton midfielder over the years have found.

Dave Abrahams
75 Posted 27/09/2022 at 09:40:41
Dave (64),

Yes, timing has plenty to do with good tackling... also, keeping your eye on the ball. Bobby Moore was very good at it as was Peter Reid, both slow in action but speedy with their football brains.

Robert Tressell
76 Posted 27/09/2022 at 09:46:20
Jim # 72, it's fair to say that Allan was playing in a much better side at Napoli. It makes a difference.

Danny # 74, your post highlights Allan's strengths and limitations. A central midfield of Allan, Doucoure and Gueye has bite but nothing much else. Allan is probably the best passer, Gueye the best presser and Doucoure the best chance of a goal. But the three together would be a pretty grim watch.

Danny O’Neill
77 Posted 27/09/2022 at 09:57:25
Dave(s), that' a key point. Footballing brains. Anticipation and ability to impact the game.

I know I've said this time and again, but as much as we talk about Adrian Heath's goal at Oxford being a turning point, watch Peter Reid's pressing in the build-up. He didn't make a tackle. He didn't make a pass. But he forced the now famous backpass through pressing the ball.

It's not always about tackles, passes or screamers. It's more often about how you impact the game.

Dave Abrahams
78 Posted 27/09/2022 at 10:23:59
Danny (77),

Very true – and your idol was very good at it, Kevin Sheedy. He seldom tackled but made his opponent go backwards or part with the ball on plenty of occasions. A good football brain is worth a 2- or 3-yard start on your opponent.

Tony Abrahams
79 Posted 27/09/2022 at 10:33:26
Whenever I watched a replay of Heath's famous goal, Danny, it took me years to appreciate how well Adrian actually did by going around the goalkeeper to score, on a very, very hard and bobbly pitch.

This was because I always had my eye on Peter Reid, who actually turned away and threw his arms up in frustration, thinking Brock had got the ball back to the Oxford keeper before Heath stole in.

I probably never appreciated Adrian Heath either until my later years, and probably because he once put two fingers up to the Evertonians at Maine Road. But, looking back, what a great little player Adrian Heath really was.

Brian Murray
80 Posted 27/09/2022 at 10:47:01
Tony,

In that half-season before Heath got injured, I have never seen such fast one-touch football like a pinball, it was breathtaking.

As good and different as Andy Gray was as his stand-in, we were probably a little more direct. Ironic that, with the world class striker Lineker was, it changed again and everything was directed to him.

History says it failed at the last hurdle but Southall's injury was the turning point. Loved Inchy and arguably his semi-final winner in the FA Cup really put us on the map.

Danny O’Neill
81 Posted 27/09/2022 at 10:57:08
Two things there, Tony.

Anticipation and gambling. Something Heath was great at when you look back. The goal Brian alludes to at Highbury demonstrates that goal sniffing instinct that sent us wild. Hasn't Peter Reid also since said he threw his arms up and was about to give both barrels because he thought it was a shite corner?!!!

Fortunately, he got lost in the subsequent pitch invasion.

I'll bring it back on thread, because I do think Allan brought some of that in his time with us. He shouted at his teammates as much as getting in the ear of the Ref. We didn't have enough of it. Too many meek and compliant individuals, not enough leaders.

Adrian Heath probably had to convince a lot of Evertonians at the time as he wasn't a traditional centre-forward that many had grown up on. In hindsight, would we now call him a modern Number 10?

A shame that tackle and injury cut him short. No pun intended.

Brendan McLaughlin
82 Posted 27/09/2022 at 11:06:53
Brian #80 and Danny #81,

I remember reading a newspaper report at the time which suggested that Heath and Sharp were well on their way to becoming the most prolific striking partnership English football had ever witnessed – but of course Marwood's shocking tackle put paid to that.

I always expected both Heath and Sharp to score in every game... the only doubt was who would score first!

Good times.

Brian Murray
83 Posted 27/09/2022 at 11:16:35
Even Degsy Hatton spoke on Question Time, trying to get Heath an England cap, which he surely would've.

Marwood and Whitehurst (the fucking donkey who crippled Bracewell) helped derail us really.

That one-touch football… Alan Ball would've thrived in that spell. He was the master of it.

Danny O’Neill
84 Posted 27/09/2022 at 11:45:36
See it, play it, Brian. It's often that simple.

Unless you are Sheedy and can slow the game down to your own pace. (Apologies for my token Sheedy plug.)

On the flip side, game management and keep the ball. Sometimes you take the sting out of the game and control things.

It was great to watch and we went expecting to win.

Brian Murray
85 Posted 27/09/2022 at 12:00:10
Biggest compliment I can give Tim Cahill is on the very rare occasions I found myself in the company of them shower. They was genuinely worried about him, like they was Bally.

As for your Sheedy plug, Danny, his balance and shot for a left-footer Had no equal even Brady who comes close but never achieved half as much except the odd cup win.

Still a soft spot for the Gunners aka Schalke with you. Michael Thomas… but that's another story.

Tony Abrahams
86 Posted 27/09/2022 at 12:29:35
Watching the Arsenal documentary, and how they had to go to Anfield and win by two clear goals, is definitely one of my favourite shows.

I especially like the bit when Michael Thomas ,who must have been the calmest man in the stadium, burst through and composed himself, and sent what looked like about 8,000 Arsenal fans (in an area that should have only had half that number) absolutely berserk.

Danny O’Neill
87 Posted 27/09/2022 at 12:41:11
If you like football documentaries, I recommend 2 that I've recommend before.

Mi Ciamo Francessco Totti (My name is Francessco Totti).

And the one about Tony Kroos.

Both in native language so most will need to follow the subtitles.

Great watches.

Phil Smith
88 Posted 27/09/2022 at 14:02:10
Shame because I really like Allan as a player.

Sometimes he looked a little off the pace in our league but he always gave 100% and he led by example. We have a few leaders in the team now though and, with Richarlison gone, maybe it's time to let him get his last big payout. Good luck to the lad.

Justin Doone
89 Posted 27/09/2022 at 16:59:18
Despite the last few rubbish seasons, it was clear to me that Allan was a very good player.

He just didn't quite have the pace to run midfield, especially without a good midfield partner as we often got over-run.

A shame we didn't witness him and James in the flesh. With a now (or new) inform Iwobi as a midfield 3.

Thanks and good luck. Another big salary gone too.

Brian Wilkinson
90 Posted 27/09/2022 at 17:30:15
Tony, that was a great moment, live on one of the main channels as well.

If you thought those Arsenal fans were celebrating, me and two of my brothers watched it in his house, all three of us Blues, with his son-in-law a Red.

When that Thomas goal went in, all sentiment towards his son-in-law went out of the window and all hell broke loose celebrating.

I think it was the Steve McMahon one minute finger pointing that fired us up another few notches.

In that split moment, I could picture Bryan Hamilton, Mick Lyons, Sandy Brown, and others, doing a big conga past Clive Thomas, Emlyn Hughes, Jimmy Case and all the other shithouses, who have conned and ridiculed our club, with Brian Clough at the back of the conga, sticking two fingers up to Aldridge, who could not resist running a good 20 yards, to ruffle the Forest defenders hair, who had just scored an own goal, in the rearranged 89 semi final.

That Thomas goal will stick with Evertonians.

Charles Brewer
91 Posted 30/09/2022 at 10:07:07
If it was pretty certain that Allan was known to be going, maybe Frank should have put him on for the last two minutes to visit some career-limiting revenge on Van Dijk?

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