03 Apr 2014 11:54:18
I have not posted for a while. But here goes with some info. re my worries and concerns that our lack of goals (if Lukaku leaves) will cost us and so far lack of signing of players who will contribute goals. I hear that RM is saying that nothing is finalised on Lukaku. it will be dealt with at the end of the season. He adds that he has been stockpiling the monies that came in for Felli, Anichebe and Jelly. This added to Premier League monies will mean that we need to create a squad of 21 players. If we qualify for Europe, that squad will need to be 27. That is an extra 6 players. RM says that some of these can be promising kids but the rest will be signings. I know this season is not over yet, but it looks like we are in for a very busy summer. let's hope he has some real quality lined up.

{Ed025's Note - your right degs, and lets hope this world cup does not inflate the prices too much, and that we get some business done early..

1.) 03 Apr 2014
Forget the premier league money as that goes straight to the bank like it does every season.

2.) 03 Apr 2014
Whichever way you look at it Mike S, he is saying we are going on a bit of a spending spree. He is also on about putting in an indoor pitch at Finch Farm and some sleeping quarters for youngsters and generally updating the place. He used the word stockpile and the figures for players we need came from RM's mouth.

3.) 03 Apr 2014
What I like is that RM is talking about improving the club's training facilities, the development of our young players, the deeper squad we need to compete in Europe and domestically - which all sounds like a man with a longer term plan who isn't going to move on if a so-called "bigger" club comes in for him. Of course, it'd be mighty difficult for him - especially being a Catalan - to turn down a club like Barcelona, but RM sounds like a man who'll see his work-in-progress at Everton through to a very successful (and well established) level. If and when RM does move on, then it seems odds-on that Duncan Ferguson is being groomed to be manager - whatever some supporters' views are of his behaviour and character. Anyone got any other insights?

4.) 03 Apr 2014
Your post was an interesting read Sid, I think Dunc could end up be a great manager for us in the future and we have a good set up for him to be groomed under

{Ed025's Note - im probably out of line here tony, but to me he does not seem to be typical management material..

5.) 03 Apr 2014
Degsy! Great to see you mate, look forward to locking horns again. Previously you were talking about our lack of goals this season. Well in your absence we have stuck a couple past Cardiff, 3 past Swansea, 3 past Newcastle and 3 past Fulham with 9 different scorers (although one was an own goal). In Roberto's first season we are on course to score more goals than we did in any one season under David Moyes. But youve now turned attention to next season and I agree. The inevitable return of Lukaku and Europe on the horizon means we have some work to do this summer. But isn't it much nicer to be worrying about whose coming in than the usual whose going out? (Other than the loans of ofcourse) Whose your shout to fill the striker void? I hope for Loric Remy

Cowpat I think a lot of this Martinez potentially being on the radar of other clubs has popped up at just the right time. We have a sniff of top 4. And the smell is quite nice. So the establishment need to destabilise us somehow. Few false rumours that the gaffer is on his way in a couple of rags I wouldn't wipe your a** with could work wonders. But we won't fall for that. Like you say I see Roberto here for the long term.

6.) 03 Apr 2014
Oli Jennings: I completely agree that the so-called "bigger" clubs have their propagandists in the media looking to transfer our players and staff. Those clubs can't bear the idea of Everton - or any other club - taking their place in the money-spinning Champions League. They must keep us outside the top four or suffer loss of finance, loss of prestige, and loss of their own quality players.
Like most pundits, if the lazy journos publish all of the claptrap then when one of the "stories" actually comes true they trumpet their predictions - it's funny how the deluge of false predictions and other garbage is swept under the carpet. Of course, the problem is that we supporters crave every bit of info and snippet of gossip and we love the craic - so the media will stay employed and newspapers will still sell and Sky and BT subscriptions will still be taken.