2019/20 Leighton Baines.

[carlos21]

Is baines staying at Everton then guys.

 

[orly]

Is baines staying at Everton then guys.

Yes mate but one of his conditions has been that he has to be allowed to wear a Liverpool kit while playing.

 

[Kever10]

He finally bought his lad the new Liverpool kit, the £100 one no less.

Make of that what you will.

 

[carlos21]

Yes mate but one of his conditions has been that he has to be allowed to wear a Liverpool kit while playing.

Hahaha poor baines.

 

[Arteta10]

No that's cool. I am under no illusions that i am in the minority, as I lived through the Martinez era at the time and argued my case regularly back then as well.

As for disagreeing with virtually everything I say, which bit was it?

That Baines was undoubtedly our best left back for the last 20 years?

That his partnership with Pienaar was 2nd to none?

That he scored some fantastic goals for us but hasn't scored a free kick for 7 years?

That he struggled getting forward and back after 2013 and continually stopped on the half way line to check back?

That Mike Walker, who used to go and sunbathe on the pitch at Bellfield while the players trained was unprofessional?

That the fans hatred of Martinez was, at times, and to this day, over the top?

That Baines openly saying he was a red and changing his answer to blue only after he signed for us was disingenuous?

I'd love to know. Not in a confrontational way mind. I'm just curious.

I never understood this, but I don't think it particularly reflects the fact that Baines technique or ability to score a free kick declined....the fact is he has hardly taken any since!

I am a massive Baines fan and I honestly think he is up there with the best left backs to ever play in the premier league (that statement sounds proper outrageous, but please give me suggestions for any better prem left backs? Cole possibly? Not much apart from that). But my biggest 'problem' with him was that he didnt have a strong enough personality.

He should never have let Mirallas take that pen off him, he was an unbelievable taker, there shouldn't have been a debate. And I recon thats probably what happened with free kick duty too. Lukaku, Mirallas, Barkley all started taking free kicks more regularly than Baines even tho they didnt have as much success.

With regards the Liverpool fan stuff, that rumour has been around for a long time so I was always kinda aware that he was a turncoat even if he didnt explicitly say it himself. He strikes me as the kind of fella who doesn't really love the game of football much anyway, so I doubt he was a hardcore red in his youth.

 

[Kever10]

I never understood this, but I don't think it particularly reflects the fact that Baines technique or ability to score a free kick declined....the fact is he has hardly taken any since!

I am a massive Baines fan and I honestly think he is up there with the best left backs to ever play in the premier league (that statement sounds proper outrageous, but please give me suggestions for any better prem left backs? Cole possibly? Not much apart from that). But my biggest 'problem' with him was that he didnt have a strong enough personality.

He should never have let Mirallas take that pen off him, he was an unbelievable taker, there shouldn't have been a debate. And I recon thats probably what happened with free kick duty too. Lukaku, Mirallas, Barkley all started taking free kicks more regularly than Baines even tho they didnt have as much success.

With regards the Liverpool fan stuff, that rumour has been around for a long time so I was always kinda aware that he was a turncoat even if he didnt explicitly say it himself. He strikes me as the kind of fella who doesn't really love the game of football much anyway, so I doubt he was a hardcore red in his youth.

I agree with all of that. And he was a favourite of mine as well before the Martinez incident, which I just felt was a soft way of gaslighting a man who was already under increasing pressure.

But i think you are right, the Mirallas incident was a massive turning point in the squad at the time, and that he didn't have a big enough of a personality, which I guess is where a lot of this argument stems from with Dave and others. The Red/Blue thing is an extension of that in many ways, anything to avoid a conflict. And it also explains the way he dealt with the Martinez situation.

He was, undeniably, a fantastic attacking fullback, it goes without saying. For 4 or 5 years, he was practically untouchable in that role, his combination with Pienaar was perfect, and his record for assists and goals only strengthens the argument. But his personality, and tbf, that of the whole squad under Moyes tenure, was one of the reasons we always failed in the games that mattered and never truly made that next big step. Good professionals most of them, great players some of them, but just missing that x factor that all the true greats have.

 

[Papa Shango]

Baines unarguably the best in his position in Europe at one point

I'm not sure this is unarguable...

 

[Goat]

@davek

 

[Connor]

Everton are working through the "final details" on creating a role for Leighton Baines after talks with the former club left-back.

Baines turned down the chance of a new one-year contract at Goodison earlier this summer and following the end of the season decided to retire from playing.

Carlo Ancelotti made it clear the club would do all it could to retain Baines' services in an off-field role and, in a letter to supporters tonight, Denise Barrett-Baxendale has revealed the club are close to announcing an agreement with Baines.

Talks have been on-going between the 35-year-old, the chief executive and director of football Marcel Brands and Barrett-Baxendale has described the potential new position as "great" for the club.

"I can assure you we did everything we could to extend Leighton’s playing career with us - although we completely respect his decision and wish him well for his future," the chief exec wrote.

"As our Chairman said in his tribute to one of the best left-backs ever to have graced Goodison and the Premier League, Leighton knows the love and respect that Evertonians feel towards him…and that’s what really matters to him.

"Marcel and I have been working behind-the-scenes with Leighton over the last few weeks and are excited about how we might be able to continue a relationship with him in future.

"We’re currently working through some of the final details, which we believe will be great for Leighton and for our football club.

"While we’re not in a position to confirm this yet, I assure you that you will be the first to know – as I know how much Leighton means to you and how interested you’ll be in any role we confirm with him."

 

[ToffeeTim]

Penalty coach

 

[LEONARD]

Leighton is your cerebral (ex) footballer.

I've seen him in Bold Street Coffee reading books on 'management' and 'motivation'.

A coaching role looms I feel.

 

[davek]

Dear David,

I can assure you we did everything we could to extend Leighton’s playing career with us – although we completely respect his decision and wish him well for his future. As our Chairman said in his tribute to one of the best left-backs ever to have graced Goodison and the Premier League, Leighton knows the love and respect that Evertonians feel towards him…and that’s what really matters to him. Marcel and I have been working behind-the-scenes with Leighton over the last few weeks and are excited about how we might be able to continue a relationship with him in future. We’re currently working through some of the final details, which we believe will be great for Leighton and for our football club. While we’re not in a position to confirm this yet, I assure you that you will be the first to know – as I know how much Leighton means to you and how interested you’ll be in any role we confirm with him.

Professor Denise Barrett-Baxendale
MBE, DL, EdD, MBA, BA (Hons), FRSA.
Chief Executive Officer
Director
Everton Football Club

 

[AmericasToffee]

Is that a real email? Yeah, it's good that he's joining Everton in a staff role...but emailing supporters?

 

[AmericasToffee]

I also suggest we all address @davek from now on starting with "Dear David"

 

[tommye]

Everton are working through the "final details" on creating a role for Leighton Baines after talks with the former club left-back.

Baines turned down the chance of a new one-year contract at Goodison earlier this summer and following the end of the season decided to retire from playing.

Carlo Ancelotti made it clear the club would do all it could to retain Baines' services in an off-field role and, in a letter to supporters tonight, Denise Barrett-Baxendale has revealed the club are close to announcing an agreement with Baines.

Talks have been on-going between the 35-year-old, the chief executive and director of football Marcel Brands and Barrett-Baxendale has described the potential new position as "great" for the club.

"I can assure you we did everything we could to extend Leighton’s playing career with us - although we completely respect his decision and wish him well for his future," the chief exec wrote.

"As our Chairman said in his tribute to one of the best left-backs ever to have graced Goodison and the Premier League, Leighton knows the love and respect that Evertonians feel towards him…and that’s what really matters to him.

"Marcel and I have been working behind-the-scenes with Leighton over the last few weeks and are excited about how we might be able to continue a relationship with him in future.

"We’re currently working through some of the final details, which we believe will be great for Leighton and for our football club.

"While we’re not in a position to confirm this yet, I assure you that you will be the first to know – as I know how much Leighton means to you and how interested you’ll be in any role we confirm with him."

#OneOfUs