Sean Dyche's Disjointed and Misfit Football

Also, neither Baines nor Carsley have any real club management experience. Big Dunc and Unsworth have shown it’s not enough ‘knowing the club’. Would be a massive gamble, which I don’t think we’re in a position to take, especially given our squad.

Personally I’d prefer someone who’s had nothing to do with the club, and brings in fresh ideas. Clear out half the players and start with a clean slate so to speak. Would take Van Nistelrooy and hope his connections get us some decent Dutch players. Also, as a world class striker hopefully we score more goals!

I think there is too much at stake for the potential owners and the club to gamble on a fresh face. It's either continue with Dyche or appoint Moyes, not a great choice for very many of us, I'm sure. We'll see what unfolds in the coming weeks.

Management in my opinion is overrated. Get the basics right and things will be fine and, with Carsley, I think we are on a winner.

Nistlerooy could be a good choice though, I agree.

We sank quite badly three times under his watch. But he did steady the ship when he arrived after Walter Smith. So not sure on him.

But imagine Leicester have Van Nistelrooy, and we still have '70s ale house football limited Dyche, the sacked Burnley manager…

However, at the moment, it's possible that, when Santa comes paying his annual visit, we will be in the Bottom 3 — and that is not a circumstance that calls for a fresh face.

So for me, it's Dyche until the end of the season or a manager with proven Premier League experience to guide us through to the new stadium as a Premier League club. As to who that might be, the obvious candidates are Potter and Moyes.

The stakes are too high for the new owners to take a punt!

I'm not convinced Leighton Baines is the answer. A fine manager, but this team is so lacking in belief, game management, style of play, passing ability and attacking threat.

There are games you watch, and it's just not clear what we are trying to do. It's either no shots at all, or from areas of the pitch that you just don't score regularly.

Same with crossing. It's either non-existent or from angles that are easy for defenders, or where we don't have numbers.

We don't push numbers forward, as we are that worried about losing it and being done on the counter, out of positon, lacking in pace.

What's our style? A team that gives up the ball, doesn't counter, and scores from the occasional set-piece or long-range effort. £5M a year for that.

I think the owners will come up with their own ideas.

I just don't get this conclusion.

Doubtless mistakes have been made; none are infallible. Carlo is on his way at Madrid according to reports and Pep is trying to lose every game at Man City and these guys have top-drawer footballers.

We have a group of aging barely capable players who keep trying but give the ball away and miss easy chances far too regularly – not because the manager tells them to but because they're just not good enough. However, as uninspiring as it is, we are still alive.

It's going to be a huge gamble when he goes and the new guy will have to hit the ground running like peak Usain Bolt to not invoke a disaster.

Dyche must have the prayer mats out hoping this Broja guy can do a Kevin Campbell.

It is about the players.

Liverpool had some dreadful players in the '70s but, because they had a good system, players like Joey Jones won trophies.

It is the manager, and of course, the better the players, the more potential there is. But it will all fall down without a good system and sensible management.

Denis 1: Can't disagree with most of what you say but I think Baines as manager would be a disaster. He doesn't seem the manger type to me, which requires some ruthlessness. I could be wrong.

You're not wrong, Denis. I've always thought the same about Baines. Remember "No probs, Kev, you take the penalty'?

Christopher 8: "…a manager with proven Premier League experience to guide us through to the new stadium as a Premier League club? As to who that might be, the obvious candidates are Potter and Moyes."

Do you really think that either Potter or Moyes would sign a short-term contract 'to guide us through to the new stadium as a Premier League club'?

Potter would not give a minute of his time to this; Moyes, perhaps 10% chance given past history.

I'm all for putting a smile on their faces rather than the "Gaffer's Day" Grimace

Sorry, but all you're saying is "some people" at the time were knee jerking then proven wrong.

Be interesting to hear who you think from this present squad have the potential of those below from the 82/83 squad.

Southall, Bailey, Mountfield, Ratcliffe, Stevens, King, McMahon, Reid, Richardson, Sheedy, Heath and Sharpe.

Not a one as far as I'm concerned.

So, the real question is: are there any players in our current squad who have potential and/or are, shall I say, good accomplished Premier League players.?

Hmmmmmmm… Pickford, Branthwaite, Tarkowski, Iroegbunam, Ndiaye.

And, now I think of it, Calvert-Lewin, despite all his shortcomings. There are a few others on the younger side who could come good but that's a wait-and-see.

I think if he plays then it has to be as a midfielder. But there aren't many occasions when I'd play him at all. Maybe bring him on with 10 minutes to go to defend a lead with a bit of effort.

But that's not a position we've been in very often.

In some ways, the continued selection of Doucouré at both No 10 and now midfield defines Dyche. He picks him because he'll get effort, and the concept of positively impacting the attack is a distant second consideration.

I'm making the point that the players we have now would improve with the right management.

Most of the players in December '83 (83-84 – I don't think McMahon was there) when they got booed off the pitch were not rated but they most certainly were when the management got their act together and the team started winning.

Backline: Tarkowski, Branthwaite and Keane or O'Brien
Wing backs: Patterson and McNeil
Two central midfielders from: Gana, Garner, Iroegbunam and Mangala
Front 3: Broja, Calvert-Lewin, Ndiaye

Interchange Lindstrøm, Beto or Harrison and press from the front play, aggressively from the start.

I am not suggesting this is necessarily the answer but this repetition of forcing in Doucoure and playing long ball is killing us. He has options.

The problem is TFG are likely to complete their takeover before the end of the season and want their own man. Hence any appointment made now would need to be on a short-term contract.

That would seem to exclude Baines, Carsley, Potter etc. Who presumably would want a more long-term contract. But I personally wouldn't have any of them. Who else is available then?

Moyes is the only name that jumps out at me and, under normal circumstances, I wouldn't ever consider him, but what are the alternatives?

Persist with Dyche and his dire brand of football and baffling team selections and hope against hope that he manages to scrape us enough points to survive… or take a chance on Moyes saving a sinking ship?

We could of course hang on for TFG and whoever some people believe they have up their sleeve. But will that happen while there is still time to turn things around? Your guess is as good as mine, but I'm getting more and more despondent by the day.

As for Doucoure, the question for me isn't where to play him, but why play him? He had a brief spell a couple of seasons ago where he looked quite good going forward, but then injury struck. Otherwise, he's been rubbish.

I've never known a midfielder make so many misplaced or poorly weighted passes. It's infuriating, and so many of our moves (if you can call them that) break down because of him.

We all know it is the interest payments rather than transfers that are crippling the club but, at the end of the day, the authorities are not interested in why, just if we breach the limits again.

A third consecutive breach will surely see us hit with the maximum points deduction possible, leading to likely relegation. This means the club simply cannot afford to sack Dyche and his team as it would likely mean breaching the limits in paying them off.

We therefore just need to hope that Dyche and his team can repeat their feat of the last couple of years and keep us in the Premier League. Then, in the summer, when they are out of contract, and when the debts are (hopefully) restructured, can we think of a reset, a brighter future at a new stadium, and about who can take us forward.

Not because 5 at the back is the answer, but because playing Myko is quite clearly the wrong answer.

He seems a good guy. He's not bad defending 1 v 1. But he can't use the football and that is a massive factor in a team that struggles with the ball.

Doucoure is the midfield equivalent. Incredibly for a time he was the Number 10 equivalent, which continues to blow my mind. Who would choose a number 10 for their defensive qualities?

I don't buy the idea that Dyche doesn't have options. There are always choices to be made. He has consistently chosen the defensive approach... while claiming he is trying to find ways to score goals. Then he hangs his attackers out to dry in his press conferences because they struggle to score while also operating as the first line of defence.

And the new ownership team that will choose the next manager will give absolutely no weight to previous club affiliation. Which eliminates Moyes.

Denis #1, no clearout is necessary. Nine players' contracts expire in June and four others are here on loan, two of whom would certainly be returned to their clubs on current form (Harrison and Lindstrom). The urgency lies in getting players in, not out.

John #24, won't our new ownership have negotiated a PSR solution with the league in the course of the approval process? And won't Friedkin's legal team be tracking City's every legal step in fighting PSR? Keith Wyness was quoted by Football Insider saying the appeal process for the City case could extend into 2026, and the Premier League has no teeth for penalties unless it wins. Think that looks likely at this point?

Most managers in the Premier League can pick a team and practice the tactics against Everton 2 weeks before they play them, and will not be interested who is in the team.

I'm kind of hoping the new guys have a different vision for the club.

Absolutely spot on, this thread has produced some particularly bizarre managerial suggestions.

Leighton: one of the very few great players we’ve had in the miserable last 30 years but manager material after a couple of seasons coaching the under 18s?

Carsley: six matches as England manager, five of them as boring as Southgate, one an absolute disaster. Probably happy to coach England U23s for life.

Van Nistleroy: underwhelming short managerial career in Holland, Leicester are welcome to him.

Moyes: I’m losing sleep at the very thought of him. Incidentally if Bell and Downing do get the rumoured board positions after the takeover why would either of them be stupid enough to have any inclination to suggest Moyes?

Two Friedkin groups apparently, with nothing whatsoever coming from the group on this side of the ocean, but little whispers coming from the other side about how complex it has become, dealing with the way too many people who are involved with Everton.

If this doesn't go through, my prediction will be that Everton will have the best ground in League One in another 18 months, because there's not much fight left in us Evertonians right now.

We are royally screwed if this takeover collapsed.

Relegation would be a certainty this season with this negative moron taking us down.

I also know there is not a chance in hell he would be picked but I threw it out there to see what other ToffeeWebers thought.

It has distracted people from my other main point and I would be interested to know what you think.

Dyche seems determined to play Doucouré at the expense of messing up the midfield. Do you think Doucouré could play a wide-right role where his effort and unpredictability could actually benefit the team and where he could cut in and give some much-needed support to Dom?

I have stated who I would get which goes against what most other people think. This season, we are not looking for someone to try and get us near the Top 4; we need someone who can see clearly what Dyche is doing wrong and make the adjustments which will make a big difference.

At this moment in time, just playing Gueye with Mangala, and not Doucouré, will help the team.

We have four players on loan, including Broja, still paid by Chelsea and who has now at last played 45 minutes in the under 21s. We have not been able to replace the often derided Iwobi, a player who could carry the ball into the final third and find the right pass. Lindstrøm has been disappointing, yet to show anything which would justify a permanent transfer.

A loss during the summer was Alex Scanlon. Who? He was the set piece analyst who is now with the FA. Apparently we are trying to recruit a replacement. It may or may not be a coincidence there has been a significant drop-off in our set pieces this season.

We have not had the funds to sign players at the top of Thelwell’s wish list or even those at 2, 3, 4, 5. He has tried to sign Wilfred Gnonto in the last two summers to no avail. Instead it’s loanees and ‘buy now pay later’ deals for players like Beto and Chermiti. As Dyche says we have not been able to compete in the transfer market.

So for the time being he must try to find solutions to our goal scoring problems with what he has available. If he can’t do so in December and we fail to pick up a few points plainly the new owners will have a decision to make.

Not exactly sticking your neck out when you know you cant be proven wrong.

Those who are absolutely certain Dyche will take us down can buy £350 for just 100 down at their local bookies. Any takers ?

He will not take us down, nor is his football any uglier than the last fellas, or the fella before, Or the fella.before ..Unless of course you are new around these parts

We need to get TFG group deal over the line so we can rip this shite up and start again

I'm actually wavering on that now. It's getting pretty desperate.

And the football isn't just bad. It's getting worse with every passing month under him.

Mike 26 - sorry I wasnt clear. By clear out I simply meant loads of players to go. I‘m all too aware we have about 12 that can leave in the summer without cost to the club - assuming we don‘t want to keep any of them. A new manager coming in in Dec/Jan could also choose to off load some them, e.g. get some cash for DCL before he leaves on a free. Possibly send Broja back to Chelsea if he‘s still not playing/has another relapse. Maybe let Alli leave as, whilst not earning a salary, he‘s surely taking up resource on the medical and physio side of things.

Personally I think TFG will change manager soon after they come in, I cannot imagine they don‘t have someone already lined up. Dyche‘s expression’s that of a dead man walking.

Take over may be just 2-3 weeks away.

But I also know the "footy" has been unacceptable for 10 years.

I don't think Dyche will be sacked, but I do think he feels awfully hard done by and may actually walk if he can't turn things around in December. He would only have 5 months left and he'll get another fire-fighting job elsewhere which will cover a lot of his lost revenue.

I would actually support Leighton Baines with all my heart, but the only way he gets the gig is if Dyche walks out without notice and leaves us in the shit.

Plenty more sleepless nights to come, I'm afraid, mate!

More like 30-plus years, mate. There were a few glimpses with the Moyes team circa 2008-09 and Joe Royle taking us to lift our last trophy, but aside from that, it's not been great to watch mostly.

I thought the penny was beginning to drop with Moyes when Osman. Pienaar and Baines we finally allowed off the leash to express themselves. I thought Roberto's first year was promising too.

But yes, you have a point. We have been consistently last on MotD since Sky invented the game. There's a very good reason for that.

'If there isn't a chance in hell of Baines getting the job (and there isn't) Why put him forward?'

It would be stupid to put forward someone I don't want because I thought Baines won't get the job. And I am struggling to think of a realistic better alternative.

My logic is that Baines does not have to get Everton high in the table this season, just make the necessary changes to move us up the table a bit, which I am confident he would.

I'd like to keep him at Finch Farm.

And get Pienaar over from his U18s role at the Ajax academy!!

I can't argue with you, mate, and Baines could easily turn an offer to manage the team down, as he is probably as wise as you. I just think he has the ability to do the job.

Like you, I fear the responsibility would be a terrible burden. However! I have no doubt whatsoever that he would stand up to be counted if Dyche walked and left us in the shit.

I don't think there is an Evertonian who wouldn't get behind him heart and soul in the unlikely event of that happening.

Leighton appears to have a lot of respect and earning his stripes.

My favourite Everton left back of my time and I'm glad he's at the club.

We also have to remember that he is dealing with wide-eyed, eager-to-learn kids at the moment. A million miles away from trying to teach a bunch of tired old dogs a whole new box of tricks.

I'd like to think we can revisit this idea in 2-3 years

Potter and Terzic also in the mix plus Sarri.

Just cannot image Dyche being there once the takeover happens. Next few games feel a bit lame duck albeit takeover isn't 100% guaranteed….

Anyway – onto Man Utd away. 0-0 anyone?

Concecaio has not often been tested outside of Portugal but did well in his one season at Nantes, lifting them from second bottom to seventh. He's had an excellent time at Porto, other than a slightly stale final season, and looks ready to test himself in a different league.

Like Terzic and Potter (nice to see continuity of target), he plays a more possession-type game usually in 4-2-3-1 with build-up from the back and centre-backs expected to be comfortable in possession. A risky game to play in the Premier League, especially with our centre-backs!

Doucouré would presumably be first out the door!

I'm not convinced about Potter. He did a great job at Brighton, but crashed and burned at Chelsea. We may be in a different situation, but we are still a big club and the supporters have expectations, despite decades of attempts to have it beaten out of us.

I draw parallels to Mike Walker with Potter. Fine and done well at a provincial club, but didn't make the step up.

Ultimately, the owners will have their own ideas and decide. I just hope we try something different rather than the usual suspects touted by the English press.

Right now, all we can do is focus on the next match and the upcoming fixtures, because nothing is going to change before then.

Just use the players you have, Mr Dyche, and use them properly.

Everton owner Moshiri makes pledge over £451M debt if takeover drags on

He took over a limited but pragmatic Brighton after two seasons of battling relegation under Houghton. Potter turned around their style and won plaudits for making them a great watch.

He was slightly unfortunate to come no higher than 15th and 16th in his first two seasons but then took them to 9th and built the platform upon which they now thrive.

I think most of us would take that, right? I don't think any manager is going to turn us into a Top 8 team straight away. But, if we can solidify our position whilst attracting better players and being more fun to watch before pushing for Top 8 in a year or two, I'd be chuffed.

When the takeover happens, change will happen, but not overnight.

I just have reservations about Potter. We can be an unforgiving crowd at times and the most loyal at others.

Like I say, let's try something different. It's time for a reset, top to bottom. The culture of the club, the mentality of the club. It all needs surgery.

Time now is critical: games are dribbling away… and points are all that matters. It is absolutely vital that we stay in the Premier League and that to me is all that matters this season.

Yes, after that, the aim changes and we can try and attract better players, play more attractive football, and consolidate our position in the Premier League.

Denis @37,

Year end is to my mind not a long time to season end, about 17 or 18 games,and we may well be in the Bottom 3 then. A big ask for any manager to turn things around.

Any managerial change made before the takeover will need to be a short-term contract because, as you quite rightly say, TFG will hopefully have their own man lined up for the longer term and they will want to bring him in immediately. The big question is when will TFG be in a position to take over?

It's only 4 weeks to year end now with no sense of urgency apparent. Maybe it's just me panicking needlessly, but I've got this feeling that it's out of control and coming our way!

I'd be happy with Terzic, he's used to big clubs and knows the Premier League after his time at West Ham.

If we get to January in the drop zone, we'll still have half a season to play. A couple of wins and you suddenly shoot up a few places. I'm not expecting more than 2-3 points from the next 4-5 games in any case.

If that's what happens, I can't really see how Dyche keeps his job if the takeover happens before year's end, he's basically had a truly crap first half of the season.

Unfortunately, nothing will happen on the manager front imo until the ownership is sorted. Fingers crossed the lawyers are working overtime to get their Xmas bonus.

Perhaps it depends on where exactly we are in the Premier League when new owners come in. But I reckon the likes of Potter, Concecaio etc would fancy their chances of getting enough points with this Everton team to stay up and then they are in a far better position to know what the recruitment needs are in the summer to hit the ground running next season.

Perhaps it's a bigger risk but part of me feels that a stopgap short-term manager (probably another pragmatist) would be a sad way to say goodbye to Goodison Park.

Thanks for that. I hope you are both right and I am being much too pessimistic.

I think a nice single malt is the order of the day now!

Potter or Concecaio would be really risky, it might take a lot of time to implement their brand of attacking, passing football – by which point, we could be deep in the shit.

The plus side is, if the team can get some points on the board they will have had the second half of the season to get a real good look at the players and will know much more about preparing for next season in the new stadium.

A tough one.

There's not a prayer that any self-respecting match going blue would lay out £100 for us to go down, regardless of trebling their money.

The fact is the majority of us on here and elsewhere are sick to death of the turgid nonsense that's getting served up week after week under this clueless bully boy masquerading as a Premier League coach.

In case you've overlooked certain things, this is the Old Lady's last season and, come December, we've won one miserable home game.

Certainly not the way I or thousands of others wanted us to bow out, but hey ho – if he keeps us up (yawn), he's worked wonders.

I actually go to Goodison Park these days not expecting anything and mostly under Dyche he's kept his promise on that score. I'll go twice in 4 days next week and I won't go with one ounce of confidence whatsoever… how sad is that?

No, sorry, but Sean Dyche and his ugly style of football has sucked the life out of this lifelong match-going Blue, 65 now and I'm just about sick of it.

I thought Everton couldn't get any worse when we appointed Benitez, Moshiri has topped it off with this clown.

Sad sad days.

Id prefer Moyes over the likes of Potter because I would trust him to stabilise.

He has to rebuild the team to a consistent level and make the club credible again for signings and perception.

Also, it will take time to adjust to BM so next season is as critical as this to stay in the Prem.

Having seen the news that the board are backing Sean dyche to continue beggars belief at the moment, I strongly believe we will be in the relegation zone either near or at Xmas.Our next 6 fixtures  are so important & difficult I don't see any light in this tunnel, our recent performance against  Brentford was Awful at 1 point I thought  we were the ones with the 10 men. We had a football break & we played like we had just finished 3 games in 1 week , I will be at the Wolves game on Wednesday but with somewhat reluctants.

Phil.

Dyche's position will, by then or before then, be untenable.

They were exactly my thoughts when I read Moshiri's pledge.

Why would they be needed when it's obvious the Friedkins, have the name and the collateral to pass any PSR exam.

On the other hand having read up on Concecaio's life and career, I like the cut of him. Of all those mentioned above he would be my pick.

We the fans, alas well as the players, need a manager we can believe in. I think he ticks those boxes.

He did play them, brought them on, and played with a decent style.

But defensively his teams looked vulnerable, and his league placings weren't all that. Without the scouting team I am not sure there's a lot to write about.

He got found out at Chelsea, and I don't see him turning around this group.

I can see why Leicester are in for Van nistelrooy over Potter. I'd put Moyes ahead of Potter as well. I am not calling for either, but I think it shows that Potter would be a real, real gamble. We need better.

Potter has done good work at Osterlund, Swansea and Brighton and only really struggled at a somewhat basket case Chelsea with too many new players. Van Nistelrooy has only managed one full season for a team that was already well set up by Roger Schmidt.

As for his teams looking defensively suspect I’m not sure that is borne out at Brighton where his team conceded less than Hughton before him and De Zerbi afterwards.

Ruud van N seems an attractive option just now, but in reality he's barely been a manager and there's simply not enough to judge him on yet.

I really don't know who I'd want, but then I don't believe Dyche will get the sack unless things get even worse. Grim times.

You do need fairly intelligent players to do this, but I don't think our bunch are completely thick.

Watching Everton, there just aren't enough interchanges and there isn't enough effort made to create passing options into feet.

Dyche restricts us with his directness, which makes us overly reliant on counter attacks. Thus, we can have 20+ shots against 10 men but never look like scoring.

It would be really interesting to see what a modern tactician could do with our players.

Top 10 I think would not be unrealistic.

How many of our players get into an tacking side?
Pickford and Branthwaite?

Are you saying the rest of them are being held back because of Dyche?

I am fed up of the argument on here with Dyche restricting the players, we are better than what we have shown, Dyche is at fault!.

Wake up and smell the coffee, we have sold our best players and academy players year on year, we can't buy anyone due to ffp but people on here are expecting Patterson to turn into cafu once Dyche gets the sack.

We aren't in a good place, and it's not changing any time soon.

Rafa & Frank had better players available and did worse and the football was crap too

Carlo had James, Siggy, Digne, Iwobi, Ritchie & DCL and still played crap football at times (and finished 10th)

Sack Dyche and get someone in to do as well as, er….Kendall era 1 please

Complete nonsense

God I think we would all just give up if this takeover falls through.

This season, based on watchability and results we have a pig of a team, the same pig, more or less, he managed to put a bit of lipstick on to keep us up twice.

He doesn't even bother with the lipstick now!

Anyway, with or without lipstick, it's still a pig, what we need is for the new guy to come along and first job, clean off said pig and sprinkle a bit of glitter on it.

For collectively, if prepared correctly, there's heaps of good stuff in a pig, sausage, bacon, chops, blackpudding, roast pork, ribs, down to the more esoteric stuff like, Brawn, (welsh) Haslett, Trotters etc...and, begging your honour's dietary restrictions - who don't like a pork pie.

Dyche has butchered the team and made it somehow Less not more than the sum of its parts.

For the tacticians amongst us:-
Link

SD has the crowd deflated and creates an atmosphere of doom and gloom( just look at our posts recently)

If we recall Moyes appointment he immediately got the whole club behind him and the team.

This is why we need to change manager asap.

SD has lost the crowd and apparently some players so why persist.

Even if we fall foul of psr a new manager would make those points up if the right man is appointed and any points deduction would only apply to next season.

Look at Forest, they blew a hole financially under psr and are now reaping the benefits.

We've seen on the few occasions against Liverpool, Newcastle last season, probably Arsenal in his first game the only matches since he's been here when he’s seen what a 12th man the support can be.

Moyes knew how to do it brilliantly, even if at times it was a love-hate relationship, he knew how to get us going, almost wind us up into a raucous bearpit, and he also knew he fed off it.

Martinez in his first season did it too, very well, he knew what the Goodison support could bring to the table.

Sadly with Dyche, it's always been ‘them’ or ‘they’ when talking about the fanbase.

It's always felt rather detached.

I know a group of Life long Evertonians who have backed us to go down in both of the last two seasons.

They have all been watching longer than the number of years you boast about. So I guess they will consider themselves "self-respecting".

One of them can't get to the games anymore and sadly one of them passed earlier in the year. The only thing that keeps them going as Evertonians is their gallows humour when they meet up for a drink in town before going the match.

When I ask them why they backed us to go down, one of them said "It’s simple really, It's a bit like life assurance. It wont bring back your loved one, but it'll certainly pay for the wake!"

He is very detached, I watched him interviewed on MNF football and Talksport before we appointed him and I didn't get the impression he had any real love for Burnley, despite spending nearly a full decade there.

It's just a job to him, imo.

I was thinking about when we are great again and Sergio is raving on the touchline at Bramley-Moore Dock.

I thought that Lampard was trying to play like Chelsea but didn't have the players and was tactically naive, whereas Dyche is tactically stubborn in a different way.

As was Martinez in his second and third season.

Koeman wasn't interested.

I thought Silva should have been given longer.

Benitez wasn't wanted by most and it went toxic early. The most toxic I've seen in my lifetime.

Back to Dyche, I think we need to change, having originally thought he would be with us for the rest of the season. Maybe he can surprise us and we'll start playing better and pick up points.

Changing manager mid-season is always a risk. Like poker, stick or twist?

Most people would want to get out of the city, especially if those bastards across the park keep winning, and the rest would want to drink themselves into oblivion for a few weeks.

I'm hoping the sale is too far down the road, and our song for Everton….. is We Shall Not Be Moved! The only thing left would be defiance, something most of us possess by the bucket load.

We all know the mismanagement of the club, that has damaged us over decades. The takeover can't come quick enough.

They don't deserve us, but we keep going.

Surrounded by them London reds watching the Real match, they heard me talking and assumed I was one of them. Cheeky bastards!!

Yet another player who many wrote off as useless and yet he's scored goals consistently at the 11 other clubs he's been at with at least 10 goals for each club. The only place he struggled? At Everton of course with just 1 goal in 27.

I was thinking that the Wolves game next week might be the night that patience runs out and Everton fans vote with their feet, but maybe we are best waiting until the club has finally been taken over.

I hated Benitez but I could have probably a thousand-folded it with regards my hatred for Bill Kenwright, even though Bill was one of us.

Seriously, how could you make such a divisive – by 99.99% to 00.01% – managerial appointment and give the man coming in £1.5 million to spend, in the richest football league in the world?

It's all water under the bridge but I personally think a fit Rondon is a much better player than Beto – although neither of them are good enough for the Everton, I once knew.

Broja may make a difference and give us some hope of collecting points in a difficult run up until Christmas, but something has to change in front of goal, or else we may be on the end of goalless draws or defeats by the odd goal.

Only time will tell, and in the next few weeks, our season will be defined as yet another relegation battle or a more comfortable mid-table position.

I think it's possible having two centre-midfield players and two strikers on the injured list for the past few weeks might have something to do with the very limited and poor performances during this period, especially with the use of subs, there hasn't been a lot to use.

I don't think he has sorted the defence. I think he's just done a Moyes and turned all eleven into a defensive unit.

If the midfield went on the offensive the mind boggles at how easily our defence would be sliced through.

This is what killed Martinez's defenders from the Moyes era: they were exposed by a more attacking game plan and, though we shipped goals, he had forwards and midfielders good enough to score more.

Once injuries took hold he was caught between his own philosophy and indulging Baines and Co who preferred the Moyes cack and it all went to pot.

Let's hope that as a team we pick up points and ease the pressure on the fans more than anything else, but it does appear that Dyche is on thin ice.

His second season started with a draw away at newly promoted Leicester City, who were there for the taking because we had a much better team than them, but he never freshened us up preferring to leave a rapidly tiring Lukaku on the pitch, even though he had missed a lot of pre-season, when it was crying out for a change.

I think we conceded from two crosses that day, as we did the following week, when inexplicably surrendering a 2-goal lead against Arsenal, who threw on two extra attackers because they were losing, and we had to watch our team capitulate because our manager refused to counteract this.

Against Man City in the second leg of the League Cup semifinal was another incredible show of amateur game management when he replaced the rapidly tiring Deulofeu, who had protected John Stones at fullback, by keeping City on the back foot with a great display, with Kone, while choosing to leave a right-back's dream (from a defensive point of view, especially while protecting a lead), Aaron Lennon, on the bench.

Roberto had us dreaming, but it had unfortunately turned into a nightmare by the end of his reign.

Where there are legitimate excuses that impact on team selection and formations because of injuries, then fair enough it may throw the balance and intentions of the team in their style of play.

Every Evertonian wants us to win more games and progress up the table, with an entertaining style if possible, especially as it is the last season at Goodson and we are moving to pastures new.

But we weren't particularly broken in that area. When we hired him we were a team that had a decent defensive record and a poor attacking record.

He's turned us into a team with a very good defensive record and a complete neglect of attacking output. He deserves credit for the influence he had on the element he was focused on but he didn't fix the bit that needed fixing. He's broken it further.

I'm no fan of Dyche the manager, nor Dyche the character. But he is exactly what he is and has always been and the club presumably hired him with an understanding of that. This regression wasn't unpredictable at all – it was obvious.

For me, he's just another sad tale of the decision-making at this club. What would Everton do? Well, they'd typically cock it up. We wasted our financial windfall with a scattergun transfer policy, we put the club's future at risk based on optimistic (and dumb) interpretations of PSR regulations.

Also, we went for media favourites as managers as opposed to selecting based on some kind of plan (how did we land on a choice between Bielsa and Dyche? How are they in the same conversation?).

We all hope new ownership might mean things change... but the overhaul will need to be monumental. The identity and culture at the club is one of acceptable failure.

The kind of transformation that is needed may not take us forward in the short term. It will take a ballsy leader to oversee that. I'll live with that instead of the pointless existence we currently maintain.

In those runs where he has congratulated the team only 4 goals conceded in 8 games, the reality is that we haven't defended particularly well when you analyse those matches.

Fulham had lost 2 games in a row and missed a number of chances and were in control until Beto's introduction. Newcastle were without Isak and Wilson while the clean sheet was thanks to Gordon leaving his shooting boots at home as he missed a number of chances including a penalty. Their final ball was awful on the day rather than their inability to break us down.

Against West Ham, the clean sheet was thanks to a worldie from Pickford and the inside of the post that saved us. If Kudus had played, I think we would have had a different outcome.

Brentford had 10 men and still carved us open on a number of occasions. The only game where we looked really well organised was Ipswich.

For those who think we are defending really well, they will get a wake-up in the next month. When we played Brighton, Spurs and Villa, we were carved up on numerous occasions. The 4 goals conceded came against Palace, Ipswich, Newcastle, Leicester, Fulham, Southampton, West Ham and Brentford.

If the teams we play in December get the opportunities we have allowed the lower teams in the table, there will an entirely different view on our defensive capabilities.

Frank got it. It was the main thing that he brought to the club. I'll never forget him dancing on the roof of the execuive boxes after that match.

I really hope that he does well at Coventry. Anyone who lives in that shithole deserves some relief from their bleak surroundings… or get the feck out to Kenilworth.

Tony, correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the duplicitous nine-faced narcissist oppose bringing in Benitez?

Anyway, it's all water under the bridge.

But you need to realise that you need to toe the party line and blame Kenwright for every error in the last 30 years, starting with the hire of Mike Walker and then the resignation of Joe Royle.

Waiter under the bridge, Paul. I can still remember Keith Wyeness claiming that it would be hard to build a ground on the Bestway site that sits in between Greatie and Scottie because the club would have to build a couple of bridges to go across the Mersey tunnel access road.

I even heard that Bill Kenwright said he was glad that Everton & Tesco lost the court case that prevented us from moving to Donkey Fuckin Derby. What a bBlue!🤮

I remember being on holiday, waiting for Everton to finish the game against Bournemouth so I could go to bed for a few hours, because I had a middle-of-the-night flight home and everything was rosy, because the blues were playing some wonderful football, according to what I was reading on ToffeeWeb. Then, 10 minutes later, we had lost the game and people were demanding that Dyche should be sacked.

Losing Branthwaithe was massive, and cannot be underestimated but, unless something changes drastically, I can't see Dyche surviving for much longer.

But what the owner wants, the owner gets.

I try to put the odious one to bed Tony mate, as it were. But it's way too early to forget the many crimes he committed against – erm – "his own".

I actually thought the bestway site, would have been ideal in many respects Paul, but it was never in Kenwright’s plans because the man was simply a dreadful owner, and he never had a penny for such a scheme.

Ten minutes walk from Lime St, and in the district that is Everton, but those bridges would have been very expensive according to Mr Wyeness, even though Moshiri has spent over £100 million, on ground work alone

Chairman yes... owner, not so sure.

Pretty sure at the time of Kirby, Blue Bill wasn't the majority shareholder.

My memory isn't so good now.

I do seem to recall, however, it was Blue Bill and two others. None held an overall majority stake in the club.

Are you going to dramatically reveal something?

Phillip Green, aptly described as the Mozart of money, was probably a silent partner around that time, (not proven - just like Usmanov, has never been proven to be our owner now) and a man called Robert Earle?

Green was involved in retail. Destination Kirkby, definitely involved a lot of retail. Mr Wyeness actually said we would improve our footfall, and Mr Kenwright, definitely wasted a lot of time, money (not his own - no doubt) and effort after being told it had no chance of getting through by KEIOC.

Blue Bill, was an absolute curse, and how he lasted so long can only be a testament to the man’s great acting skills.

Your earlier reference to Tesco prompted me... Philip Green I presume.

So proud of myself.

Although if you had included the word "allegedly" I'd have got it a lot quicker!

(Seriously...got it before your post #117)

"It doesn’t have to be dramatic Brendan, but I’d love you to reveal some of the good things that the man you describe as Blue Bill, actually did for Everton football club."

What would I know...where I live?

But when a lot of players that I respect and are closer to the truth than I am, turn up for the man's funeral and some of our greats speak so, so fondly of the man...I can't accept I'm on the wrong side of the argument here.

Let's begin at the beginning: he lied when saying that he remortgaged his house to buy us in the first place. Have a look at his account of his childhood.

There are always well established narratives.

I'm sure you've knocked down a few...

Dyche is a relegation specialist, he would not make the adjustments in team balance, which could turn round the team as you suggest. Carsley may have merit, but Baines I doubt would be a Carsley choice.Everton will change and links to the pass will be I hope avoided.

While you give us your narrative, you could also answer Tony's full-toss question that you ignored: “ … reveal some of the good things that the man you describe as Blue Bill, actually did for Everton Football Club."

Turning up for an institutional funeral is hardly a sign of unmitigated support. All the people you turn to for your belief that you are on the right side of the argument all come from the said institution and were deliberately handpicked. (Would you have liked to hear our only post-1980 playing legend Neville Southall give his opinion of Kenwright at the service?).

I suggest that you nip into a boozer anywhere near the ground on a matchday and share your views with anyone you meet there…

"Turning up for an institutional funeral is hardly a sign of unmitigated support."

Of course not. Nor I suppose is eulogising Blue Bill quite to the degree that Peter Reid did, either.

But I don't believe people turned up for an "institutional funeral"...they came to pay their respects to a man they had great affection for.

A friend I likewise greatly respect (who does not post here) considered Kenwright a dear, longtime friend and the finest of men but a very poor owner. Most here decline to discern or make the distinction.

Laurie #82, thanks for posting that link. Confirms my impression of Conceição. He'd be a great choice.

Conor #104, no argument with your numbers or details, but I would suggest that many of those 17 goals and multiple near-misses could persuasively be blamed as much or more on blunders by players, including some of our best (Tarkoswki, Mykolenko Gana) than failure-to-sort by the manager.

Danny #89, there's a third choice to stick or twist... raise. I think we will likely go all-in when the new ownership arrives.

But as to your Silva sentiment, I know it is shared by others here, but I think it's retrospective based on his subsequent success. At the time there was a roaring unanimity that he had to go as soon as possible, and I remain convinced that leaving him in place would have produced utter disaster.

Probably not the same guy but I exchanged messages with a TC who worked with Blue Bill in the early days of his involvement with Everton. He spoke very highly of the man but advised him, more than once, to get out when Moshiri took over.

"While you give us your [new Blue Bill] narrative you could also answer Tony's full-toss question that you have twice ignored: “ … reveal some of the good things that the man you describe as Blue Bill, actually did for Everton Football Club."

What is a "TC"? The message of that little story, by the way, is that Kenwright does not listen to advice.

I couldn't give a toss what a couple of people say about Kenwright (even someone I respect as highly as Brian Viner). We have the narrative. We know what he did… and no memorial address by an Everton player is going to change that one bit.

Fuck me, if we went on the basis of handpicked memorials and funeral eulogies, there would never be a bad person in the history of the world!

And, while we're at it, what about some employee comments on theatre-land Kenwright?

It will always be thus. The clear majority on here believe in the Kenwright narrative (by the way, Mike, I do not "despise" Kenwright, even though he was a lying shyster narcissist whose legacy we unfortunately have to live with today); some others have a personal story which is a splash in the ocean; and still others fall for it, hook, line, and sinker, Brendan.

As I said, Brendan: "I suggest that you nip into a boozer anywhere near the ground on a match day and share your views with anyone you meet there".

His funeral was attended by professional players who before during and after they were with us were in it, and still are, for the money - end of.

They all got plenty off him, and paid their personal respects accordingly.

Never bite the hand that feeds you is the easy thing to do but at least one of our players had the balls to not fall in with his take-it-easy fraternity - and I mean a warrior to his core and the greatest goalie I've ever seen.

There were people here on TW who insisted even in the final weeks of Bill's life that his reported illness was fake, a ploy to generate public sympathy.

He was certainly a poor club owner, but I would suggest the possibility that among those who never knew him -- virtually everyone here and all those in Paul's "boozer" for example -- any perspective on him as a human being was lost long ago.

Staying on was pure ego and prevented a professional executive leadership being hired to run the club.

Kenwright stayed on as board chair, not executive leadership.

Moshiri should have hired a competent football club CEO the day he bought the club, and could have at any time thereafter. His failure to do so is 100% on him.

I knew some guys who were involved in Chairman Bill's theatrical productions and then all had a good word for him… "Cunt".

And second-hand stories suggest he was a tough businessman and not generally liked in the luvvy world; generosity must have been a trait in his personal life.

The only executive leadership in place at Everton was recommended or hired by Mr Kenwright – hence the hiring of our previous CEO. Unless we believe that Kornferry or other executive search firms would have produced a candidate short-list for a football CEO that would have included Denise Barrett-Baxendale?

I do agree though that the responsibility for permitting this to happen sits 100% with Moshiri – it will cost him close to £600M, so a very costly error, to believe Bill when he pitched the “I know everyone in football and I'm indispensable” line.

I am sure Kenwright persuaded himself that he was protecting the club, but really he only took on the role of Chairman due to his ego and refusal to let go.

He liked Bill more than me and believed that our chairman thought he was doing the right thing for the club. But he did find him to be a sentimentalist at heart which seriously clouded his judgement.

Anyway, the gentleman has passed away and we should all probably, hopefully, move on to a better future if we can get this takeover done and move into the new stadium while still in the Premier League.

Six more months of tension and sleepless nights to go.

I know nothing at all about British theatrical traditions, so I googled the subject.

The others so honoured there since 2021 are Maggie Smith, Stephen Sondheim, Michael Gambon and Angela Lansbury. That's pretty fair company.

Steve #135, yessir, agreed. Moshiri had never actually run an executive team, let alone an organization the size of Everton -- he was nothing more than a glorified financial caddy for Usmanov -- and it showed. Taking business advice from the outgoing owner of the troubled company he was buying was a perfect example.

He might have gotten away with it if Putin hadn't invaded Ukraine. Once the tanks rolled and the sanctions sealed Usmanov's spending, Moshiri was doomed.

Until you, with your reports of Brian Viner, and Brendan, with his contact from the early years popped on, this was not a discussion of Kenwright as, in your words, a 'human being'. You turned it into that. You seem to think that calling Kenwright duplicitous in his Everton life is a comment on him as a person.

Have you met people who behaved differently in their work-life than in their private or personal life, Mike? I've met loads.

Again, I don't give a toss what Viner or Brendan's contact thinks. Not a toss. We were and are talking about the deceitful narcissist gobshite in terms of his Everton narrative. He might have been a deceitful narcissist gobshite in his personal life. I don't know the answer to that.

As Eric said, there are theatre-land employees, and I know only one of them, who claim that Kenwright was a bit of a shit. But that is not an Everton thing. The part of his life that interests me, not least because I fucking hate musicals. As Tony keeps repeating – and I'd rather listen to him on Everton and Kenwright than you – there is a narrative of what Kenwright did to us.

"Us" … Everton. Our club. And Kenwright's custodianship. You are not talking about that. You are attempting to counter that with Viner and feck me lights out in the West End (you have zero or second-or third-hand knowledge of what Smith, Sondheim, Gambon and Lansbury were really like) and customised and highly crafted memorial elegies.

Your interpretation of what you think Kenwright was like as a human being has nothing to do with what he did to us. Nip into that boozer I mentioned when you are next over and let the lads and lasses know that Tony's view of Kenwright is bollocks because Viner told you he was a nice fella (but a crappy owner and chairman û Viner separates the two), had some nice funeral elegies, and the lights went down in the West End.

Your attempt to, what, give us a different view of Kenwright as chairman nd owner by bringing in bits and pieces of his personal and institutionally memorialised life is at best a completely misconceived irrelevant distraction.

I'd quite like to hear your opinion on Tony's view of the Everton Kenwright and how he did as a custodian of our club.

Like church and state in your country, it might be a good idea to keep the gobshite chairman and owner separate from the personal Kenwright.

Why not start a thread on how nice a person Kenwright was and respond to all the folks who leap on that with their views on him as a chairman, owner, custodian as being a completely misconceived irrelevant distraction for a thread on the, erm, "human" Kenwright?

I used to think that by blaming Kenwright for everything(!), some were letting the other freeloaders like Koeman, Walsh, Carlo (and his sisters and his cousins and his aunts) Rafa, Brands etc, etc off the hook. They all walked away very wealthy men after short stints of doing sweet fuck-all. Now I think it doesn't matter. They're all gone, last time I checked, Uncle Bill was still dead, and we're where we are.

We all dream of a brighter future, but how can that ever come about if we continue to cling so bitterly to the past?

Nobody has anything new to say. Perhaps it`s time to let it go

But I also feel that, for more than a few, it is too early as the felonies of his chairmanship, custodianship, and ownership are in large part responsible for where we find ourselves today.

Compare, for instance, Moshiri's reported intent to convert debt into equity with Kenwright's massive profit after putting not even a single penny of his own into the club of which he was the self-proclaimed greatest fan after lying that he remortgaged his house to buy us.

But fuck me, he showed his true colours there. Money streets ahead of Everton in his professional morality.

Having a statue of him anywhere near the dock would be like having a statue of Louis IX in the Languedoc.

Kenwright knew what he was doing, he was a clever man indeed. He kept the right people onside and these people were respectful in return.

He never did anything good for Everton Football Club, and he hung on to the bitter end. The very bitter end for people like Graeme Sharp, whose story of why he continued to stand by and also hide behind our Chairman at the same time would be very interesting to hear.

Kenwright must have been such a magnificent chairman if he got such a great send off, but because it's acknowledged that he wasn't a great chairman, then it's obvious he must have been a great friend to a lot of important ex-players who were connected to Everton Football Club.

Just hurry up and get here, TFG, and slowly release us from a curse that turned an English institution into plucky little Everton.

But gradually, it became apparent, he was out of depth and wouldn't let go, even when he eventually found a billionaire and his backer until the Ukraine situation screwed that up.

He should have stood down at least when Moshiri came in and the latter should have put his own people in place. But he was passive and let what was in place carry on with their mismanagement. I still can't forgive the accusations at the supporters.

There is no denying the damage done. Back to the 90s and near scrapes with relegation, going to the wire on more than one occasion. He and Moyes helped create the plucky Everton term and tried to take our expectation away from us. Wrong crowd.

Let's hope The Friedkin Group come in soon and change the structure of the club. My assumption is that Friedkin, like Moshiri, will be a distant owner, but will put his own people in charge of running and repairing our club. They will run it more professionally and business like, knowing how Americans operate through experience.

Kenwright - came into the club with virtually nothing invested. Value of club rose due to growth in PL revenues, clever dealings on players. Finds Billionaire who throws money at the club further increasing its value. Kenwright can walk away a far richer man that when he joined.

Friedkin - comes into the club in financial turmoil and will buy something in full valuation of around £2-3bn for around £500m (? don't know. Don't argue the figures, argue the principle). Brand new stadium. Revenues will grow significantly and in 6-10 years time the value will be what ? £4bn, especially after European Championships and stable team.

If at that point Friedkin sells up, will he be vilified in the same way as Kenwright for making a huge pile of money by buying in when it was cheap and selling when it was more valuable?

If he does that I'm guessing he'll be vilified too.

Regarding your point about The Friedkin Group. I agree, they will come in and change the structure of the club, making it more professional and business-like, but my question is what can they bring to the table from a footballing point of view?

They are a big financial conglomerate, but football clubs have a very different set of stakeholders than say a big car franchise, and therefore have a different set of needs.

You say they will bring people in with football expertise to run that side of things but their track record at Roma does not fill me with confidence.

Yes, they won a trophy, but three managers in 4 months? The latest being Ranieri, for Gods sake. Also, their league position is not great, the communication with the fans is allegedly non-existent, so definitely not a happy ship.

If they bring that sort of philosophy to Everton, I can't imagine the fans being patient for too long.

I expect Mike Gaynes will jump down my neck for doubting TFG's ability to bring us to the promised land of Premier League Top 6, Champions League, and attractive football which is probably the long-term aim of most supporters, but I don't doubt the value of the football club as an asset will have risen significantly, which is after all why financial organisations exist.

Now you mention Roma, I watched them the other night against Tottenham.

I liked the look of a couple of their players.

The sub, Zalewski when he came on. The right back, Mancini and even at 35, I'd take Hummels.

I only mention, as we could very soon have a relationship with Roma through the joint ownership.

A few loans / player swap deals a possibility? Just a thought.

Bill invested – and I don't really care whether that came from his own pocket or not. He was never obligated to put his own cash in. What do people think investors and businessmen do?

I'm hoping the difference is that The Friedkin Group will be astute in running this club and business where Bill, to put it mildly, certainly wasn't. But if the expectation is that they put their own money in (that basically means pissing their own money away, doesn't it?) then I think people will be disappointed.

They'll be looking to provide a return to shareholders. That's what businesses exist to do, no matter how much they tell you about their visions and values.

It's kind of ironic that we actually just had a benefactor type owner.

The Friedkin Group are buying Everton and they will invest in Everton.

A club's money comes from their owner/s. Or not, in Kenwright's case.

He sold off assets and saddled the club with debts rather than sell to someone who could afford to allow the club to flourish.

It was always presented – back in the heady days of True Blue Holdings – that Kenwright had bought his wedge of TBH shares, along with the other investors:

Kenwright 7,228,359 32.8% £6,992,691
Abercromby 1,613,978 7.3% £1,561,357
Woods, J 5,648,922 25.6% £5,464,749
Gregg, P 3,331,891 15.1% £3,223,261
Gregg, A 3,592,716 16.3% £3,475,582
Gregg, D 257,331 1.2% £248,941
Others 358,154 1.6% £346,477
Total 22,031,351 £0.97 £21,313,058

I know it became increasingly rumoured that he never actually paid for them with his own money… but how on earth could you ever be certain of such fascinating and divisive knowledge as fact?

Or is it just a question of choosing what we want to believe, as we will surely never know?

I have to admit I disagreed with a couple of well known posters on here who pointed me in the right direction as to where to get evidence and I had to change my stance. I'll always be grateful to the two of them for that.

In addition to that I "got to know" someone very involved with the financial side of the club.

I suppose a good summing up would be that he said "the place was run like a Sunday league team."

He's still in football at a club which is in a different stratosphere to us (and almost every other club in the prem) both financially and performance wise and I trust his word.

And of course there are those who, no matter what proof was provided, would choose to ignore it and carry on believing what they want, which is, of course their prerogative.

He was a parasite, and that is not meant as a criticism, just as a description of his behaviour towards the club. For him to have hung around as chairman until he was literally carried out tells you all you need to know.

Looking back, his tenure was a wretched one, a bellyful of lies. But, it's over now, and we can look forward to the future with much more confidence, once the Premier League approves The Friedkin Group.

I really hope Dyche proves me wrong and picks up a good few points before Christmas, starting tomorrow. Playing Mangala with Gueye is a must for me and Dyche should know this.

Surely he should have a determination to prove to the new owners he is worth keeping?!

And as a proud new Everton shareholder, I hope and believe you will be right about the increased enterprise value of the club.

I have no "interpretation" of Kenwright as a human being. Never met the man. Just pointing out that many people seem to have held him in high regard.

My interpretation of him otherwise is: "He was certainly a poor club owner".

That's it. That's ALL I said.

Everything else, with your "you seem to think" and your "You are attempting to counter" and your "Your interpretation of what you think Kenwright was like" and your "Your attempt to, what, give us a different view" is just invention and extrapolation and froth and fraud and bullshit.

I have said or attempted none of that. None. You have just made all that up.

And I couldn't give a fuck what people think in your imaginary boozer.

"The very bitter end for people like Graeme Sharp, whose story of why he continued to stand by and also hide behind our Chairman at the same time would be very interesting to hear."

Indeed it would and if he told it... I'd accept it. Other's on ToffeeWeb, however, would deny, deny, deny

Shouldn't every single Evertonian, want a better-run club?

Kevin, a much smaller scale with regards the money involved, but Kenwright and the Glazers both definitely have the very same debilitating strategy.

Five chapters are devoted to his time at the club. I, for one, am grateful to him for giving his account of this period when we had the opportunity to relocate to the Kings Dock.

When the book came out, it got a brief burst of publicity, some snippets were reproduced here and there and he did a few interviews, which can be found online. But it seems to have been overlooked since then.

I would strongly recommend reading at least the 92 pages on Everton.

Put it on your list when you write to Santa.

I don't believe in Santa... Paul Gregg,.. even less.

If you were able to spend more time in them, you'd know this, with respect.

And your opinion that he earned the same sort of post-funeral acclaim that famous actors recently did in theatre-land, meaning according to you that he gets a big tick as a good guy, is, well, more than strange to me… but then I've never had personal knowledge of the acclaimed late quartet, unlike you evidently.

All the best though, I'd also be feeling stressed as hell with what's going to be inflicted on your country come January and beyond from Kenwright cubed.

No, it comes from their revenue. That's what being a sustainable business means.

Owners can spend their own money as they wish, of course. But why on earth would they gift it to a football club? They'll typically loan it, sometimes on very generous terms.

I can't see The Friedkin Group gifting us large amounts of money. That would be buying a business and then guaranteeing that you make a loss.

You did not address this directly, needless to say. If you did, you might be in a better position to address Don's point about the boozers that you don't understand.

What exactly is your point, Mike, with your 'human being' irrelevance? I'd like to have it explained rather than your passive-aggresive failure to engage with my post that, quite frankly, put you in place.

So, perhaps you can answer mine about what the fuck Kenwright as, in your words, a 'human being', has got to do with the question of him as the disgusting chairman, owner and custodian of our club?

I'm still smiling that you actually Googled 'lights out in the west end'. What the fuck has that got to do with the narcissistic duplicitous liar who is largely to blame for the position we find ourselves in after his death and those dead accurate memorial elegies and Viner's character reference?

As pubs came into the equation, my favourite in town is Doctor Duncan's just behind St George's Hall. There is also a nice one just off Hannover Street called the Post Office.

Closer to what I call home, the White Horse in Woolton and the Childe of Hale.

Anyway, gloves off and let's get behind the Blues today, wherever we are.

When Evertonians gather, they tend to generate an atmosphere of noise and laughter. We all know that.

They know we are a shite football team. They know why. They actually do know their history. What they don't do is sit and fuel each other's hand-wringing frustration and misery by repeatedly regurgitating the wrongdoings of a man who has long since departed.

I watched a movie called Sunshine on Leith recently. There's a bouncy little number called It's Over And Done With

Have a few listens, guys… get your lives back

If you go on YouTube, there's a great rendition of Sunshine and Leith by the Hibs supporters when they won the Scottish Cup.

Our own Alan Stubbs proudly stood there and you can spot John McGinn, a player I rate highly.

I'm sure it was me who bought Bill Kenwright up. I think it was me - it usually is, sometimes because of the condescending nature I feel is afforded to the biggest ever curse on Everton Football Club, whilst remembering the old Italian belief about the enemy usually being within.

(I don't know if that was poor humour, Brendan, because It came across like it was a two-fingered answer to Mike, but this is the problem when people defend Blue Bill. This is how he is usually defended, in a kind of dismissive way by people who can't even tell me anything about the good things he might have done.

The good things that I remember are good because they have got a touch of humanity behind them, with Everton in the Community and the heartwarming way Everton seemed to adopt the very sick little boy from Sunderland, Bradley Lowery both showing this.

The bad things to begin with are the lies, and yet when some Evertonians took to dirty tricks to prove the man's ineptitude, they were treated worse than any liar, which is something that I've always found inexplicable.

I can't even be bothered watching Everton today, that's how much damage the last 30 years have inflicted on me, especially because I love my football being played like those sizzling steaks in the once-famous famous Bass houses, instead of the very cold dishes we are currently being served.

I will always be behind Everton but, if I'm being honest, when I get ignited these days, it usually lasts about as long as it does to boil an egg. Let's hope our egg heads have help making us happy today today though.

"I also see that Brendan, your only close cousin on this tread, Mike,"

Disagreeing with my view on Blue Bill is one thing... mimicking my Irish accent crosses the line.

Where's the "Abuse" button?

I actually feel like this now with regard to Everton Football Club because it breaks my heart to see what we have become on and off the field, and sorrow and anger are definitely what I currently feel the most.

I remember watching Hibs, finally win the Scottish cup, and seeing pensioners suddenly becoming teenagers, when that third goal went in, and the strength it gave me was brilliant.

Our pensioners have seen Everton win most things, so it's the thirty five year old fella's and their teenage kids, who I'm wanting the sun to shine on the most.

I'm sure it's the FA Cup draw this weekend, so maybe Everton can go and win the cup for all those fantastically loyal people who have really stood the test of time.

We're all Evertonians although we all live down near the South Coast now. Please, Everton, make our day and at least give us a performance to be proud of!

I love the concept, just holding my new grandson in my arms, is enough to warm my whole body, but I'm a bit of a grinch, they tell me in my house. But unknown to them, my heart always feels heavy at Christmas because, although it's a time of great joy, I can't help but think about the people who are suffering.

Sorry to be so melancholic, but let us know when you're going, Martin, because I've got a ticket waiting for you for Goodison (any game – next week if you are here) before it finally closes for good.

To continue the film/boxing theme... I'm going for the guy matched against the much heavier opponents look.

Keeps getting knocked down but keeps getting back up again.

Always works in the movies…

Tony, congratulations on your new grandson. Will he be a blue? I look at my lads in their 20s and feel sorry sometimes for inflicting it on them. They have never seen us win a thing but are still mad blues.

I don't know how their generation does it.

Superb seafood and stall food like Roti Chennai, Laksa, Mee soup. Howee! I can taste it now and that's to say nothing of the fruit like Durian.

Yes, the grandchildren are a real blessing. Mine are all girls and beautiful as many Eurasian girls are. So much like my wife who is Malaysian. I always thought it was only because of my dashingly handsome looks.

I am hoping that, when the sale of Everton is finally signed sealed and delivered, Moshiri will reveal exactly what happened at the club.

There are so many questions that need answering and I can't see any reason why he would need to remain quiet. There might be a lot of things he would want like to get off his chest too. It could make a good book.

Yes, fair enough, except the movies are the movies and in real life it's very often different.

For instance, a friend of my friend, both pro boxers were talking one night with me listening in. This lad had fought during the week and got stopped in the 6th round of an 8-round fight. My friend commiserated with the lad on getting beat.

He said "He was too tough for me but I could have lasted the eight rounds but I was getting the same money for six or eight rounds so I stayed down in the sixth and took the count."

True story, Brendan — he knew when he'd had enough and was fighting a losing battle!

It is what makes TW great and I guess we balance love of Blues, ( that we all share), our own good, mediocre and crap off-the- moment comments.

Been barred before.

Learned.

Me just a blue for 54 yrs.

X

The following day when Hibs paraded with the Cup was even more memorable
Although it was a sea of green and white it brought back memories of seeing our sea of blue and white in 66

The RS Norwegians can talk all they want about You’ll Never Walk Alone but for pure emotion it’s got no chance against Sunshine On Leith!

Tony Kelly a great Evertonian and former ToffeeWebber had the song sung at his funeral in SFX as he was clapped out of the church.

When someone lands a blow... I'll consider going down.

What they don't do is sit and fuel each other's hand-wringing frustration and misery by repeatedly regurgitating the wrongdoings of a man who has long since departed.

Any chance I can pay you to go round and paste that on Tony's fridge?

Most Blues know Doucoure cannot play in centre midfield and Mangala had been doing well with Gueye.

But Dyche thinks otherwise.

Old Trafford is not the place to bring Beto in but Dyche thought otherwise.

Patterson should have been back in the side weeks ago.

My suggestion to bring Baines and Carsley in was rejected on here but I still think it is the one thing the club can do, while we wait for new ownership, rught now if only on a temporary basis. And I think it would make a differeance.

We are walking straight into more hammering right now if nothing changes.

Let’s face it Everton have been frozen, ever since, and this is why I’m desperate for them to win something because people like my son, have been going to Goodison, for over 25 years and seen us win the square root of nothing.

Another dark day, another winter of despair, with memories of a supposed Evertonian, Sickeningly telling us about the regular phone calls, asking what Everton would do?

Liverpool are at Goodison, next week, and I’m sure they will be singing about us having not won a trophy, in thirty fucking years, so you keep bobbing and weaving Brendan, like Joe Bugner.

And if we perpetuate the myth that it's all down to one man... they'll be singing "40 years" a decade from now.

Haven't done that since the MOB days...

Feck I've grown old on these very pages...

Frank Lampard's Everton failed to register a goal in four consecutive league games in February and March 2022.

Jimmy Gabriel's run as caretaker manager saw his team fail to score in six consecutive league games between December 1993 and January 1994, out of the seven games he was in charge.

Everton have failed to score and lose by 4 or more goals on 21 occasions in the Premier League.

David Moyes's teams lost four times all away from home, apart from Bolton at Goodison, in December 2005.

Roberto managed to lose by 4-0, twice, Koeman also lost by 4-0 or more twice during his tenure, Big Sam once, Carlo twice, Frank Lampard once and Sean Dyche has overseen five such defeats so far in his Everton career.

All we are saying is give us a goal!

Maybe by the end of that next decade, you might be able to tell me all the good things Blue Bill actually did for Everton FC.

Better still, sung at the correct speed, together – our fans seem to sing our own choruses faster every season, as if they're just trying to get them over with.

I thought it was "one good thing". Now not unexpectedly... it's "all the good things" Bushwacker trial there... mate.

Very necessary result today. Delighted.

Sometimes!

What the…