catcherintherye
Player Valuation: £80m
What if a fit and firing Lukaku doesn't play for us anymore?
Well all the more reason to sign some forwards!
What if a fit and firing Lukaku doesn't play for us anymore?
I know people don't want to hear the "be patient" line. It has been trotted out, used and abused by the previous regime of the club to justify inaction, lack of planning and at times selling prized assets without replacing them. Some will understandably think the inaction is just a continuation of this.
I don't. I think Moshiri has a vision of where he wants us to be but that is a long way from where we currently are. In that context you can do one of two things. Lower your expectations or aim to buy players who can move you in the right direction but who may take a bit longer to get over the line.
I think it's clear we are not doing the former. We could have easily gone out and bought solid players like your Joe Ledleys/Andros Townsend/Dwight Gayle's to make up the numbers. We'd have spent money and signed players. Would it have made people happy? Maybe, I suspect people would still have moaned.
If we are going for the second option it is a hard sell. There is a gap between where we want to be and where we are. That can be filled by ambition and money. Moshiri pumping money in is a short term kick start while we work on some longer term things that hopefully have us as a top 4 club in every aspect over the next decade or so. In the mean time expect these standoffs, expect longer negotiations and expect player to be sceptical at first.
We are also not targeting young players either, who may view Everton as a stepping stone. That's in essence what the Liverpool mode has been. They signed early 20's players and have shown is they come good they will move them on. It works well but you are always losing your bets players and ultimately lack the experience to win things (no major trophy in 10 years for them, and 1 top 5 finish in about 7 years) since moving to that model.
We are looking at lads who are in their late 20, in their prime years. They do have to think carefully when choosing to come to Everton. A project that will be great in 5 years won't work for them as they will be over the hill as top players. They need to be convinced that in all honesty we will be playing in Europe, if not the champions league the season after next.
For those who have played football manager, we are essentially starting at the top, trying to sign players, knowing many will ultimately reject us but some may on consideration choose to come. It is a brave move. The easy move is to go and get 3/4/5 lads in who are available and stand behind Koeman and say he has all the tools needed to succeed. What is harder is to set amore challenging target.
I would everyone to try not to get too downheartened. If things go wrong by September by all means be critical. However for now I do think we need to give the new board the benefit of the doubt.
Five![]()
Any rumours on possible transfers out of the club.....I thinking / hoping here McGeady, Kone, Niasse. I still can't believe Gibson was offered a new contract, but I don't suppose that means he is guaranteed to stay. I wonder if Oviedo is also under threat, nice player and has a good attitude but isn't quite one thing or the other as either LB or LW.
We need to clear out more spaces in the squad, no?
I think they're all the vulnerable candidates. I still believe Stones will leave once the incomings are confirmed.
Any rumours on possible transfers out of the club.....I thinking / hoping here McGeady, Kone, Niasse. I still can't believe Gibson was offered a new contract, but I don't suppose that means he is guaranteed to stay. I wonder if Oviedo is also under threat, nice player and has a good attitude but isn't quite one thing or the other as either LB or LW.
We need to clear out more spaces in the squad, no?
I was wondering along the same lines but also though that Ron may edge his bets slightly and keep the squad fairly large until the January window just to see how any of the new signings settle in adn realy give him the time to take stock of what he has got. Possibly also more chance of off loading the more fringe/squad players at that stage as other teams start to feel the pinch of injuries or being in the wrong places in the table.

I think they're all the vulnerable candidates. I still believe Stones will leave once the incomings are confirmed.