The only ones who stayed silent were the directors et al.
Come on mate, how often do 'the directors' at Everton speak publicly about ANYTHING? Answer: Never.
Martinez made the offer public:
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/everton-fc-legend-joe-royle-7019891
Liverpool Echo, April 22nd, 2014:
Roberto Martinez says
Everton FC legend Joe Royle is “tailor made” for a new role he has created at the club.
Martinez wants Goodison great Royle to be the Blues new development director to monitor players out on loan and work closely with those graduating from the under-21s.
The Everton boss has held initial talks with Royle and believes the former title-winning striker – who went on to lift the FA Cup as manager – will be a “terrific” addition to his backroom staff.
And Martinez believes that Royle has all the key attributes to succeed in a job that he sees as vital to helping Academy graduates bridge the gap to the first-team.
"I would love if Joe could join us,” Martinez told the ECHO.
“It is a very, very important role we are trying to develop in the development part of a footballer.
"Joe brings everything that we are looking in that position.
"He is an Evertonian, he knows the football club inside and out, he has been a manager at the club who has won silverware and he can help give us a real winning mentality into the youngsters.
"And he can find those small percentages in players at the age of 18, 19, 20 and 21, that they are missing before getting into the first-team squad.
"It is a tailor-made role for Joe and we'll find out very soon if we can get that into place. He will be a terrific addition.”
Martinez explained: "He will look at the players who have gone through under-21 level and have been developed to their maximum potential with Alan Stubbs and his team.
“They will then go to Joe and find what is next for them.
“That could be out on loan, it could be individual programmes, it could be allowing them to fulfil what is needed as professionals and try to get as many of them in the first-team."
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Then Joe Royle wrote on his website on April 21st, 2014:
http://directoroffootball.com/royle-return/
THE national Press has got wind of a possible return to Everton for yours truly and I’m not going to deny that there is such a possiblity. I have talked with Goodison manager Roberto Martinez and chairman Bill Kenwright about taking up a role next season, monitoring the Under-21 players. Nothing has been decided, but I am excited at the prospect of going back, for a third stint, to the club where my career began nearly 50 years ago.
I left Everton as manager in 1997 with a heavy heart and I feel I still have something to contribute to the club I love, unfinished business if you like. Roberto and I agree that there is a place for someone who can cast an experienced eye over the young players’ progress, both within the club and while out on loan. All the more so as we no longer have regular reserve team football and, therefore, the capacity to judge a player’s development in regular, competitive conditions. I can’t say more at this stage, simply because there is no more to say. As they say, watch this space.
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For the whole thing to fall through, and then for Royle to go to Norwich in a consultancy role, suggests there has been a disagreement along the way over the past month.
I really can't see why or how the board or directors would block Martinez' recruitment of Royle, or any other backroom staff members. We're hardly talking massive money here. Even if Royle received the Norwich offer, he could easily have turned it down and said he'd already promised to take up a role at Everton.