Now in his third month in his role as the Blues's Director of Football, Steve Walsh has been laying out his initial plans at Everton as he familiarises himself with the club and, specifically, manager Ronald Koeman.
Walsh was tempted back to his native northwest of England by Everton in July as the second significant personnel hire of the summer after Koeman's move from Southampton the previous month. Widely credited with recruiting the star players who underpinned Leicester City's stunning march to the Premier League title last season, the acquisition of the sexagenarian was seen as a significant move by new major shareholder Farhad Moshiri.
Given his track record in player recruitment, much is expected of Walsh and expectations of his ability to transform Everton's squad in just six weeks between his appointment and the end of the summer 2016 transfer window were perhaps a little too high. Many supporters were left frustrated that key positions in the team — most notably a creative midfielder and another reliable striker — were not significantly strengthened before the deadline but, as he himself says, it is going to take time for him to get onto the same wavelength with Koeman.
"I'm getting to know Ronald,” Walsh says in the latest edition of Everton Magazine. “He's very driven, he's very positive and he has high standards. He's been a great player and understands what he wants. He knows systems and structures of play and knows how to get the best out of players.
"It's forming that relationship and getting into his way of thinking in terms of what he wants in a player. It's got to be a joint venture — there's no point in me bringing players to him and then he's not going to play them. I've got to make sure we are on common ground. And so far, so good.
“How I see it is to get involved first of all with first-team recruitment and make sure that area is good. Once I get an opportunity, we will look at what's further down with the Under-23s and the Academy.
“Because most of my expertise is in recruitment, that's taken up all my time,” Walsh continues. “I've got to get that right and make sure we have got a squad that is fit and capable to go forward.
“Obviously, I'm here for the long haul, I'm here to lay foundations but my initial business is actually making sure we've got the right people in place. I intend to immerse myself gradually."
Attempts to sign the likes of Rachid Ghezzal — seen as very much a Walsh-identified target and dubbed in some quarters the new Riyad Mahrez as a result — Manolo Gabbiadini, Lucas Perez and Moussa Sissoko all fell through in the closing days of the window but Walsh's ability to spot a player was illustrated when Everton zeroed in on a cut-price deal with Aston Villa for Idrissa Gueye.
Arguably the Toffee's most impressive player in the early weeks of the 2016-17 season, Gueye was snapped up for just £7.1m and, if comparisons with former Leicester and current Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kanté are any judge, he could be one of the most significant acquisitions the club has made for many years.
The Senegalese midfielder has been a revelation in central midfield alongside the veteran Gareth Barry and he already looks to have been the bargain signing of the summer.
“I told the manager to have a look at this lad (Gueye) because I think he can do all the things we want him to do,” Walsh explains. “We earmarked the fact that we were looking for a bit more energy from that part of the field. He moves the ball quickly and runs with the ball. He is good at pressing and good at intercepting.
“Don't put too much on his shoulders but he is a little bit like Kanté. You'll see that when he presses. He just needs now to show a little bit more discipline and he'll be a really good player for us, we believe.”
With his settling-in period over, Walsh is busily planning for the January transfer window, one that isalready being viewed as crucial to the team's prospects of qualifying for Europe and/or finally landing silverware this season.
“Once the window closes, it's information-gathering time again,” he says. “You are out and about. I'll be at all our games but I have to go where my job dictates.
“If I have to miss a game because we have got to make a crucial move on a player, I'll do that. Otherwise, I'd like to be at our games, getting a feel for how we play.”
Walsh was tempted back to his native northwest of England by Everton in July as the second significant personnel hire of the summer after Koeman's move from Southampton the previous month. Widely credited with recruiting the star players who underpinned Leicester City's stunning march to the Premier League title last season, the acquisition of the sexagenarian was seen as a significant move by new major shareholder Farhad Moshiri.
Given his track record in player recruitment, much is expected of Walsh and expectations of his ability to transform Everton's squad in just six weeks between his appointment and the end of the summer 2016 transfer window were perhaps a little too high. Many supporters were left frustrated that key positions in the team — most notably a creative midfielder and another reliable striker — were not significantly strengthened before the deadline but, as he himself says, it is going to take time for him to get onto the same wavelength with Koeman.
"I'm getting to know Ronald,” Walsh says in the latest edition of Everton Magazine. “He's very driven, he's very positive and he has high standards. He's been a great player and understands what he wants. He knows systems and structures of play and knows how to get the best out of players.
"It's forming that relationship and getting into his way of thinking in terms of what he wants in a player. It's got to be a joint venture — there's no point in me bringing players to him and then he's not going to play them. I've got to make sure we are on common ground. And so far, so good.
“How I see it is to get involved first of all with first-team recruitment and make sure that area is good. Once I get an opportunity, we will look at what's further down with the Under-23s and the Academy.
“Because most of my expertise is in recruitment, that's taken up all my time,” Walsh continues. “I've got to get that right and make sure we have got a squad that is fit and capable to go forward.
“Obviously, I'm here for the long haul, I'm here to lay foundations but my initial business is actually making sure we've got the right people in place. I intend to immerse myself gradually."
Attempts to sign the likes of Rachid Ghezzal — seen as very much a Walsh-identified target and dubbed in some quarters the new Riyad Mahrez as a result — Manolo Gabbiadini, Lucas Perez and Moussa Sissoko all fell through in the closing days of the window but Walsh's ability to spot a player was illustrated when Everton zeroed in on a cut-price deal with Aston Villa for Idrissa Gueye.
Arguably the Toffee's most impressive player in the early weeks of the 2016-17 season, Gueye was snapped up for just £7.1m and, if comparisons with former Leicester and current Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kanté are any judge, he could be one of the most significant acquisitions the club has made for many years.
The Senegalese midfielder has been a revelation in central midfield alongside the veteran Gareth Barry and he already looks to have been the bargain signing of the summer.
“I told the manager to have a look at this lad (Gueye) because I think he can do all the things we want him to do,” Walsh explains. “We earmarked the fact that we were looking for a bit more energy from that part of the field. He moves the ball quickly and runs with the ball. He is good at pressing and good at intercepting.
“Don't put too much on his shoulders but he is a little bit like Kanté. You'll see that when he presses. He just needs now to show a little bit more discipline and he'll be a really good player for us, we believe.”
With his settling-in period over, Walsh is busily planning for the January transfer window, one that isalready being viewed as crucial to the team's prospects of qualifying for Europe and/or finally landing silverware this season.
“Once the window closes, it's information-gathering time again,” he says. “You are out and about. I'll be at all our games but I have to go where my job dictates.
“If I have to miss a game because we have got to make a crucial move on a player, I'll do that. Otherwise, I'd like to be at our games, getting a feel for how we play.”
