25 Jul 2016 03:34:14
I was thinking about how attractive Everton are to a player.
Negatives:
We are not in Europe.
We are not in London.
We don't have unlimited money like City.
We don't have a new stadium like West Ham
We have been mid-table for two years.
We don't have world recognized players like Rooney.
We don't have a global presence like United and others.
Positives
We now have a Manager who is recognized world wide.
We do have money to spend.
We have a great Academy.
We do have history if anyone can remember it.
Players coming in probably will have a better chance of playing than with the so called big teams.
We have a big disadvantage at present in trying to attract the best players. This whole process will take time and Steve Walsh is going to be key. Hopefully he and Koeman can persuade a few players to join this summer but I would think that paying over the odds both for the transfer and wages is the only way we will get the talent we need.
25 Jul 2016 09:40:39
I agree in total with your post mate. I know I get accused of being negative but would add that we Blues look at the club we love through blue tinted glasses and sometimes you have to take a step back and look at things objectively. Some facts. We were top 8 for the previous manager's reign in all but 1 season. Don't bite blues I am quoting facts. We have been bottom half last 2 seasons (only just I know. but that's what a player sees when he looks at the table) . so we appear to be a club in decline rather than on the way up. We have however made a very astute signing in Steve Walsh in my humble opinion. but his involveement will take 3 or so years to take any effect. The money for signing players has gone stupid. Niasse for 13 million is a bit of a gamble. He may come good. but when you consider Stones and Lukaku at over 50 million. are these complete players? No way. I believe Stones will one day be as good as Bobby Moore. Lukaku looks brilliant and unstoppable one game. The nexxt he can't get involved no matter how much he tries to shake off his marker. Yes football has gone quite mad. and our fans expectations may be a little too optimistic in my humble view. I personally believe we will do well to get top half this season. I will of course be delighted if we do. Now. did that come over as negative?
25 Jul 2016 10:37:00
Not negative Degsy. And your expectations are entirely realistic to your post. I personally think that we can attract better than you expect, I just think it's early days yet so there's a lot of stick or twist going on.
To be fair I think that We can attract a better player than 11th in the league dictates due to a combination of the player knowing that Martinez was not good enough, that our Club as a brand is associated with Europa league status and of course the higher wages we can now offer.
I'm not saying that we will get what ever player we go for, but I am saying we can improve our quality of signings enough to get higher up the table this season than we have over the last 2 years. Just my opinion mate.
25 Jul 2016 10:50:51
Good post Degs
Id cash in on Stones myself mate, some cracking players out there that are the finished article that we could spend the 50 million on, seems too much of a gamble for me hoping that he will turn out good especially for the 50 million price tag
Lukaku - you are right, unstoppable one minute then useless the next, I don't think Koeman will give him praise if he doesn't put a shift in like Bobby did, we will see a different Lukaku this season i'm sure of that, bit different when you have a legend as a manager who will not suffer fools lightly.
personally I think that even if we bought no one we would finish top 8 just with the new man in charge, you can see the players are happier and we have some great kids waiting on the sidelines, Ross won't be allowed to not track back and tackle, Mirallas will be quality again too.
Great times ahead mate you just got to keep the faith and remember, "its only a game"
25 Jul 2016 10:56:34
The major problem is that people expect us to make a marquee signing. Surely Walsh has been brought in to find us some hidden gems, as that is what he's known for.
I think it's obvious that as a club we are not on the decline. League positions have been poor for two years but it's obvious to anybody who bothers to look that things off-field have taken a sharp upturn. However I do concede that, due to the reasons Mike mentioned before, we are not as attractive a proposition as some fans would like us to believe.
For me personally, what's important is that any players we sign buy into what the club is trying to achieve. I don't want a squad full of mercenaries with no soul and no care other than their own personal gain.
25 Jul 2016 10:59:11
Also Degs I don't think we will have to wait 3 years for Steve Walsh to have an effect, he will be bringing his big black book with him mate.
25 Jul 2016 11:18:03
You are missing out AMBITION. This is what will drive a club to do great things and is a massive pull to players and agents.
Players want to know there is a plan or that stupid word project. Being in Europe is not a plan and nor is being in London. Striving to be in the CL or to win trophies, to take a club forward by building a world class stadium, bidding and buying players of a higher class, getting a manager who is sort for by bigger rivals, and keeping players that are sort by so called bigger teams shows what a club is about.
We are not the finished article and it will take time plus there will also be disappointments. Make no mistake we are not in the same position as last year or where we have been for the past 30 years to be honest.
Think of it as small stepping stones before leaping into the big blue ocean. Nothing is insurmountable as long as you commit to that plan of ambition. It's what happened at City, United in the 80's and 90's, Everton in the 80's, Liverpool in 70's and 80's, Blackburn in the 90's, Forest in the 70's and 80's, Derby in the 70's, Chelsea in the 90's and Noughties and even Leicester.
As for paying over the odds. It doesn't matter what you pay for players or the wages that go with it. If you can afford you pay it. we are not a bank or an accountancy firm. We are a football club and rather than money in the bank it is better buying players on the pitch. I've never known a club to win a trophy because it saved on spending money for players and keeping it in the bank. If a player is needed in a certain position and one fits it perfectly then you pay them the money for it.
25 Jul 2016 12:16:31
Well said BJU
Ed2 has continued to say the following over and over again for the past 2 months and I decided to adopt what he is saying and believe me it makes life so much easier:
Forget about how much a player is going to cost us and how much wages he is after, try it its so much easier, i'm not arsed if we pay 55 million for Witsel anymore.
25 Jul 2016 12:29:17
Good post John, I think that Blues are becoming too negative in general, and need to remember that for all of the negatives at the club (most of which are currently rooted in the last two seasons of the clown's reign as manager) there are overwhelming positives.
We have one of, if not the best youth academy in the country, loads of good young players, for the first time in my life we are not only secure but comfortable money-wise, we have an exciting new manager, new recruitment staff with a proven track record of spotting a hidden gem, we are finally getting a new ground with proper corporate facilities (possibly on the waterfront) , we have a good squad of players and the means and ambition to become a major power again.