07 Feb 2018 02:59:17
Although we've had the funds to pay big transfer fees in recent windows (and apparently still do) , it seems to me that it's the regulation about the size of the player wage bill (and how much we can increase it each year) that's a key issue.
I imagine that we could only bring in Tosun and Walcott because we first reduced the wage bill by moving several players out.
Restructuring the squad during the coming Summer will no doubt be subject to the same constraints. The problem will again surely be that, while we could probably afford the big transfer fees, the targeted players (and their agents! ) will want big wages to come to Everton - a club not in the Champions League, not in London, and clearly in transition on and off the field.
Do we -the fans - have the patience to accept that it will take time (maybe 5 years? ) and several transfer windows (because of financial rules) - plus time for our promising U18/ U23 players to develop and progress - before we are genuine and regular challengers?

1.) 07 Feb 2018
07 Feb 2018 10:39:25
I do, I was hoping Koeman would be given at least 3 seasons to get us to a good place, but there you go. He may have been the right man for the job but we will never know now. I can see my beloved blues turning into a side that continually chop and change managers based on short term results due to pressure from impatient fans and the prospective loss of revenue. The Sam out brigade will just move on to the next manager (when we get one) as soon as they start loosing games without really looking at the big picture or long term direction of the club. We used to be a big club now we are a mediocre club with a great history in the game. We are no bigger than the likes of Leicester Stoke or even Bournemouth. If you forget about our remarkable history what have we actually done in the last 10 years that the majority of mid table PL sides haven't done practically nothing. I would like to see some stability brought back into the management, under Moyes we had stability and you can improve over time if you are on a stable footing as he proved. Impatience is killing our club. Oh and for all those who think SA is a fraud can you explain why? As I haven't actually seen a job description of what he was brought into do and as far as I am aware he has not publicly made a statement about what he will achieve while at the club.

2.) 07 Feb 2018
07 Feb 2018 12:59:04
I have never called Sam a fraud, BUT some of the decisions and team selections he has made is the reason most people have negative posts about him. I was willing to give him a chance once he was appointed and give him the benefit of doubt. He will probably achieve what he was brought into do (keep us up) . He done really well at the beginning and has had not the easiest of situations with the unbalanced squad he inherited. I understand some of the things he has done ie not putting so much pressure on our youngsters.
Long term Sam is not the answer although I agree with the recent post about stability and stop the chopping and changing of our manager. We need to begin as soon as we are safe, identify our number 1 target who is available, appoint him ASAP, thank Sam for all he has done and move on for the long term. Sams football is negative fullbacks never push forward etc. Direct football at times is all well and good. If we have a golden generation of youngsters coming through and money to invest, moving into a new stadium I want the team to play attractive football and at the very least play with passion. Martinez possession attacking football with Moyes discipline and set piece drills.

3.) 07 Feb 2018
07 Feb 2018 14:45:20
I am with you sa90. It does seem we Evertonians are split right down the middle. Ones who appreciated that Moyes was doing a great job . and since we have struggled and lost our continuity. Others thought he was too negative and are now saying the same about Allergy. I couldn't believe a poster earlier suggesting that Arsen Wenger was an example of how keeping a manager in for a long while does not work? 20 consecutive years in the top 4, numerous trophies and a team that went a whole season undefeated. And all the while clubs like Chelsea, Liverpool, Man Utd, Man City and Spurs chucking money at their respective teams in order to achieve Champions League qualification. Each one of those teams has failed to qualify during that 20 year period. But yes I guess we will have yet another change in the Summer without giving the guy a chance. I am not saying he is perfect. Nor am I saying all his decisions have been sound. However, to say that when he arrived he had an impact and since we see his true colours does not take into account the fixtures. When he first arrived we palyed teams around our level. Then we had a run against top 6 sides and other teams like WBA who have since proved that they can also battle out a win (ie at Anfield) . I fear for our club just as I did when Martinez was allowing the squad to age and relying on Lukaku and Barkley for goals. I was shouted down then and no doubt I will be shouted down again here. But I think the ability of some of Koeman's signings was over estimated. It says something when Niasse looks like one of your most productive players!

4.) 07 Feb 2018
07 Feb 2018 15:44:41
Degsy. you just need to compare what those other teams have won compared to Arsenal. Chelsea, man u and city have titles, champs league and europa league trophies between them, not to mention the domestic cups they have won. All of them have been more successful than arsenal in recent times.
Take a minute to read the arsenal rumours posts and you will get an idea of how far behind, the fans think they have fallen.
Im sure Wenger supporters will, be happy with only winning 3 fa cups in the last 13 years despite what they have spent as i am sure you are.

5.) 07 Feb 2018
07 Feb 2018 17:38:52
Your missing the point. The football (if you can call it that) is bloody awful, and the team selection is baffling. It is clear to anyone with a basic knowledge in football that this man is out of his depth.

6.) 07 Feb 2018
07 Feb 2018 20:12:48
Personally, Walsh has been the biggest problem at the club. I think if Koeman had the ability to sign his own players he would have got a quality striker, left back and a left sided CB in. He moaned about it all summer but Walsh failed to deliver. Instead he 4 no 10's.

Moyes was a complete failure. He steadied the ship but never took us on to the next level. In 11 years he never looked like winning a trophy and was never a winner type manager. Managers who take chances and go only for the win, erm, win.

Sam is the in mentality but worse than Moyes in style play, slightly.

If we want this club to move forward we need risk takers with an arrogance and attitude that can put them same attributes into the team.

If I ever, ever, hear another Everton manager play down who we are as a club or say knife at a gun fight again I will run onto that pitch and punch him full in the face myself.

Moyes, Sam and the like are losers. They'll never win anything.

Conte, Wenger, Ferguson, Pep and Jose have an undying belief in their management, style and ability to get the best out of the players that success is always just around the corner. We need a manager with that same belief.

Otherwise we spend another 11 years with a manager who's a knife instead of a cannon ball like Jose.