Debunkology
Player Valuation: £10m
Summer 2009 – Evertonians were celebrating progress under David Moyes. Everton had just finished a solid season in 5th place on 63 points. Bill Kenwright had told Moyes that Everton are not a selling club and that Moyes had full control over what players leave.
Everton had European football and lots to look forward too. Meanwhile 10th placed Man City had a new bilionaire owner who was willing to invest heavily. Despite Man City regularly finishing at least 10 points below Everton and sometimes fighting relegation. Now was a new dawn for them.
And then it came. Man City offered 24m for Lescott. And they wouldn't take NO for an answer. Forget leaking things to the press. They WERE in the press with Mark Hughes letting everyone know that City wanted Lescott. It wasn't short of disgraceful behaviour. Evertons hand was forced when Lescott handed in a transfer request....which was rejected..... but when he completely failed to turn up to play against Arsenal. Everton had no choice. It was simply best that he left the club.
Despite the fantastic facilities available at Everton and Lescotts hefty wages, despite the progress under Moyes, despite finishing 4th five seasons previous and always being "best of the rest". It just wasn't enough. There is aiming for the glass ceiling of 5th and Europa League football. And then there is billionaire owners who are willing to aim for the very top. Besides that, the old order of the Sky 4 were difficult to budge.
Everton v Man City league positions leading up until Lescott leaving for Man City
Everton
2005 – 4th
2006 – 11th
2007 - 6th
2008 – 5th
2009 – 5th
Man City
2005 – 8th
2006 – 15th
2007 – 14th
2008 – 9th
2009 – 10th
(Even when Everton had a blip in 2006, they still finished 10 points above Man City.)
Everton had shown in five seasons that they were capable upsetting the teams with money. Everton fans fumed when Lescott went, but they were under no illusion that Man City were going places.
Despite Everton being a bigger club than Man City. There was no murmur in southern dominated press that this was a sideways move. It was quite simple. Forget league positions over the past FIVE seasons. Man City had money and they were willing to invest that money.
But now in 2016 it seems the media all have collective amnesia. Koeman has left Southampton for the club who has a billionaire owner and willing to invest in the club. Like Lescott, Koeman leaves with a massive wage. Although the difference is that he actually leaves for a bigger club WITH money.
Ironically, Southampton finished 6th on exactly the same points as Everton in 2009, with 63 points. Whereas Everton finished on 47 and a very similar position to Man City. How eerie is that?
Southampton v Everton league positions leading upto Koeman leaving.
Southampton
2012 – In Second Tier
2013 – 14th
2014 - 8th
2015 – 7th
2016 - 6th
Everton
2012 – 7th
2013 – 6th
2014 – 5th
2015 – 11th
2016 – 11th
The group of players who finished 5th with 73 points in 2014 for Everton, are the same players who finished 11th in 2016. This is soley down to the failure of the manager and NOT the club as a whole. All that was needed at Everton was a swift change of management. If mostly the same group of players finished on 73 points in 2014, then Koeman must be rubbing his hands knowing he already has a solid group. He just needs to show them the art of defending, something they completely lost under Martinez. Forget the so called 150m war chest.
Despite what Ray Wilkins thinks, Southampton are not as strong a position now as Everton were back in 2009. They have no stability whatsoever and have proved that they are a selling club. Five years previous they were starting their league campaign in the second tier. Five years before Lescot moved to City, Everton were starting a season that would lead them into the Champions League. Meanwhile in 2009, Man City were not as strong as Everton are NOW. They needed massive investment in the playing squad. However, within THREE seasons they were champions.
One thing has changed though. The old “Sky 4” of Liverpool, Chelsea, Man Utd, and Arsenal dominated the scene back in 2009. But they were strong squads who were also dominating Europe too! Everton come with a new “project” knowing that they have to compete against Man City and Tottenham added to that list. However, the top teams are not as strong as they used to be. Why else are Leicester City champions? Why are Premiership teams so poor in Europe?
In my opinion, Koeman couldn’t have taken control at a better time. Man City, Chelsea, Man Utd, are all going to have new managers. Wenger will be leaving Arsenal within a year. And Klopp will be investing in his own players.
It is a time in the Premiership where all "projects" are new or in the first stages. Everton now have a massive opportunity. Who knows where we could be in the next three seasons?
Everton had European football and lots to look forward too. Meanwhile 10th placed Man City had a new bilionaire owner who was willing to invest heavily. Despite Man City regularly finishing at least 10 points below Everton and sometimes fighting relegation. Now was a new dawn for them.
And then it came. Man City offered 24m for Lescott. And they wouldn't take NO for an answer. Forget leaking things to the press. They WERE in the press with Mark Hughes letting everyone know that City wanted Lescott. It wasn't short of disgraceful behaviour. Evertons hand was forced when Lescott handed in a transfer request....which was rejected..... but when he completely failed to turn up to play against Arsenal. Everton had no choice. It was simply best that he left the club.
Despite the fantastic facilities available at Everton and Lescotts hefty wages, despite the progress under Moyes, despite finishing 4th five seasons previous and always being "best of the rest". It just wasn't enough. There is aiming for the glass ceiling of 5th and Europa League football. And then there is billionaire owners who are willing to aim for the very top. Besides that, the old order of the Sky 4 were difficult to budge.
Everton v Man City league positions leading up until Lescott leaving for Man City
Everton
2005 – 4th
2006 – 11th
2007 - 6th
2008 – 5th
2009 – 5th
Man City
2005 – 8th
2006 – 15th
2007 – 14th
2008 – 9th
2009 – 10th
(Even when Everton had a blip in 2006, they still finished 10 points above Man City.)
Everton had shown in five seasons that they were capable upsetting the teams with money. Everton fans fumed when Lescott went, but they were under no illusion that Man City were going places.
Despite Everton being a bigger club than Man City. There was no murmur in southern dominated press that this was a sideways move. It was quite simple. Forget league positions over the past FIVE seasons. Man City had money and they were willing to invest that money.
But now in 2016 it seems the media all have collective amnesia. Koeman has left Southampton for the club who has a billionaire owner and willing to invest in the club. Like Lescott, Koeman leaves with a massive wage. Although the difference is that he actually leaves for a bigger club WITH money.
Ironically, Southampton finished 6th on exactly the same points as Everton in 2009, with 63 points. Whereas Everton finished on 47 and a very similar position to Man City. How eerie is that?
Southampton v Everton league positions leading upto Koeman leaving.
Southampton
2012 – In Second Tier
2013 – 14th
2014 - 8th
2015 – 7th
2016 - 6th
Everton
2012 – 7th
2013 – 6th
2014 – 5th
2015 – 11th
2016 – 11th
The group of players who finished 5th with 73 points in 2014 for Everton, are the same players who finished 11th in 2016. This is soley down to the failure of the manager and NOT the club as a whole. All that was needed at Everton was a swift change of management. If mostly the same group of players finished on 73 points in 2014, then Koeman must be rubbing his hands knowing he already has a solid group. He just needs to show them the art of defending, something they completely lost under Martinez. Forget the so called 150m war chest.
Despite what Ray Wilkins thinks, Southampton are not as strong a position now as Everton were back in 2009. They have no stability whatsoever and have proved that they are a selling club. Five years previous they were starting their league campaign in the second tier. Five years before Lescot moved to City, Everton were starting a season that would lead them into the Champions League. Meanwhile in 2009, Man City were not as strong as Everton are NOW. They needed massive investment in the playing squad. However, within THREE seasons they were champions.
One thing has changed though. The old “Sky 4” of Liverpool, Chelsea, Man Utd, and Arsenal dominated the scene back in 2009. But they were strong squads who were also dominating Europe too! Everton come with a new “project” knowing that they have to compete against Man City and Tottenham added to that list. However, the top teams are not as strong as they used to be. Why else are Leicester City champions? Why are Premiership teams so poor in Europe?
In my opinion, Koeman couldn’t have taken control at a better time. Man City, Chelsea, Man Utd, are all going to have new managers. Wenger will be leaving Arsenal within a year. And Klopp will be investing in his own players.
It is a time in the Premiership where all "projects" are new or in the first stages. Everton now have a massive opportunity. Who knows where we could be in the next three seasons?
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