2024/25 Kevin Thelwell

[Tony’s Carp]

I know I've said it before but it'd be a huge gamble to replace him imo.

Agreed, and it’s not just a huge gamble to replace him because he’s done a good job, and a new man isn’t guaranteed to do better.

It’s also at the point where the clock is ticking towards summer and lots of preparation needs to get done. The DoF decision should be influenced by the CEO and the talk now is that Kinnear won’t come in til the summer.

If he’s going to be replaced it needs to be ASAP, it certainly can’t wait til the summer, while at the same time the CEO should have a say if the process is done properly.

For me the only solution now is to renew Thelwell for minimum an extra year and give him the summer to prepare for and execute. That’s quite simply less of a gamble than either a rushed decision or a late decision throwing into jeopardy planning for a vital summer.

Let the CEO review staff performance including his properly over time. Thelwell is a perfectly safe pair of hands in the meantime.

 

[14_dollars]

Agreed, and it’s not just a huge gamble to replace him because he’s done a good job, and a new man isn’t guaranteed to do better.

It’s also at the point where the clock is ticking towards summer and lots of preparation needs to get done. The DoF decision should be influenced by the CEO and the talk now is that Kinnear won’t come in til the summer.

If he’s going to be replaced it needs to be ASAP, it certainly can’t wait til the summer, while at the same time the CEO should have a say if the process is done properly.

For me the only solution now is to renew Thelwell for minimum an extra year and give him the summer to prepare for and execute. That’s quite simply less of a gamble than either a rushed decision or a late decision throwing into jeopardy planning for a vital summer.

Let the CEO review staff performance including his properly over time. Thelwell is a perfectly safe pair of hands in the meantime.

Makes sense.

There’s a rumour that Thelwell’s departure is imminent along with Richard Kenyon, the Marketing & Communications Director.

Hopefully it’s nonsense as I think Thelwell has earned another year - his signings look a lot better under Moyes management.

 

[tsubaki]

Makes sense.

There’s a rumour that Thelwell’s departure is imminent along with Richard Kenyon, the Marketing & Communications Director.

Hopefully it’s nonsense as I think Thelwell has earned another year - his signings look a lot better under Moyes management.

I’d be really worried, for the first time under this lot, if the ownership ditch him.

Moyes has obviously had a huge impact but you cannot ignore both the success of recruitment since Thelwell took over or the complete absence of DOF-manager drama (like what Moyes had at West Ham) when he wasn’t being listened to.

He has to stay.

 

[Tony’s Carp]

I’d be really worried, for the first time under this lot, if the ownership ditch him.

Moyes has obviously had a huge impact but you cannot ignore both the success of recruitment since Thelwell took over or the complete absence of DOF-manager drama (like what Moyes had at West Ham) when he wasn’t being listened to.

He has to stay.

Yeah would be questionable judgement to pull the trigger on someone who I think it's becoming more and more clear has done a very good job. TBH I'm not even really sure why his position should even be in doubt.

And if you are even thinking about doing so, get the right person in place to make that call first, and ultimately that's the CEO.

 

[Simon Buttle]

Yeah would be questionable judgement to pull the trigger on someone who I think it's becoming more and more clear has done a very good job. TBH I'm not even really sure why his position should even be in doubt.

And if you are even thinking about doing so, get the right person in place to make that call first, and ultimately that's the CEO.

How do you actually know he wants to stay on though? His contract is running out so he isn't being sacked as such and I imagine the last few seasons have been highly stressful, he might just want a new challenge/change of scenery.

 

[Tony’s Carp]

How do you actually know he wants to stay on though? His contract is running out so he isn't being sacked as such and I imagine the last few seasons have been highly stressful, he might just want a new challenge/change of scenery.

I don't know that to be fair, I just would think that having had to navigate and endure the tough times he would be keen to be around for the rewarding part and operate without both hands tied behind his back for once.

 

[Dutch Toffee]

Guess I'm also in the keep Thelwell camp. Give him at least a chance to work without the very severe financial restrictions he had to cope with, since he took the job. Don't think there much to criticise seeing the players he did bring in during that time. I'm curious to see how he would do with the financial shackles (for at least a great part) removed.

 

[windymiller]

If the rumours about Moyes' contract are true, that he has another 2 years after this season, I would be inclined to extend Thelwell by the same amount.

Moyes seems to be getting the most out of players signed by Thelwell, where our previous manager could not. I'm thinking of O'Brien and Beto, obviously, but I think other players such as Lindstrom and even Harrison have looked improved too. Alcaraz looks a solid signing and, given the amount of players we will need to sign/extend in the summer, having someone who's already at the club and presumably already has a list of targets seems a sensible renewal to me.

 

[blueloon]

While much is made of Thelwell’s signings , and for some it’s the sole criteria for judgement , for me his work and impact has been significant in other areas too. Our Academy is at last moving in the right direction in terms of having a structure, plans and good personnel in place to deliver those plans. Though I do think we need to change a couple of coaches. The scouting structure is massively improved and we are now bringing in more good Academy youngsters from outside to improve our teams and this “ scouting structure “ improvement appears to mirrored at senior level when you think about the players we’ve brought in from Brazil, France (3) , Italy (2) , Portugal etc. If we are foolish enough to let him go I suspect he’ll have no problem getting another job. You could imagine the opening interview question” Tell us Kevin , Everton were a basket case when you first joined, what was it you did to contribute to their survival and progress?”

 

[Little Ralphy]

While much is made of Thelwell’s signings , and for some it’s the sole criteria for judgement , for me his work and impact has been significant in other areas too. Our Academy is at last moving in the right direction in terms of having a structure, plans and good personnel in place to deliver those plans. Though I do think we need to change a couple of coaches. The scouting structure is massively improved and we are now bringing in more good Academy youngsters from outside to improve our teams and this “ scouting structure “ improvement appears to mirrored at senior level when you think about the players we’ve brought in from Brazil, France (3) , Italy (2) , Portugal etc. If we are foolish enough to let him go I suspect he’ll have no problem getting another job. You could imagine the opening interview question” Tell us Kevin , Everton were a basket case when you first joined, what was it you did to contribute to their survival and progress?”

On the flip side of that though, most people looking at a recruitment specialist will want someone who did what Walsh did. Bought Mahrez and Kante for buttons and sold them for massive profits. Or whoever was signing the Brighton players that the rs and Chelsea paid millions for.

Thelwell's signings have been fair to decent at best. I can't think of anyone he has signed who people would be looking to give us a massive profit on.

I know people will argue about restrictions etc. but if someone asks him the question you posed, I don't really think he has great evidence for an answer. He might get a similar job but I'd be very surprised that he'd get a better one.

 

[Goat]

On the flip side of that though, most people looking at a recruitment specialist will want someone who did what Walsh did. Bought Mahrez and Kante for buttons and sold them for massive profits. Or whoever was signing the Brighton players that the rs and Chelsea paid millions for.

Thelwell's signings have been fair to decent at best. I can't think of anyone he has signed who people would be looking to give us a massive profit on.

I know people will argue about restrictions etc. but if someone asks him the question you posed, I don't really think he has great evidence for an answer. He might get a similar job but I'd be very surprised that he'd get a better one.

Onana is the stand out.

Is he still stinking the gaff out for Villa? Havent watched them recently.

 

[toffeeblue9]

Makes sense.

There’s a rumour that Thelwell’s departure is imminent along with Richard Kenyon, the Marketing & Communications Director.

Hopefully it’s nonsense as I think Thelwell has earned another year - his signings look a lot better under Moyes management.

I'm a fairly vocal advocate of the job Thelwell has done here.

For all the talk about Dyche deserving some credit for the job he did for 18 months, I don't think Thelwell gets anything like the credit he deserves for the job he's done since he got here.

He's had to deal with the fallout of a catastrophic regime which preceded him, which has resulted in cash flow being almost nothing, PSR issues, needing to sell players to keep the lights on and add to that and owner and chairman who were routinely interfering to suit their own agendas, not having the say about who the managers are he's working with, a youth system which is underfunded, a scouting system which has been cut to the bone and a fanbase who largely don't understand his job and just think he should be signing strikers because everyone else is.

I think, in the context of everything we know, he's done a borderline remarkable job. His signings have almost all been good (find me a DoF or manager with a 100% hit rate) and he's done it on a budget of fresh air.

But, all that being said, I'm a big advocate of the idea that if there's someone clearly superior available/attainable for a role then you shouldn't let sentiment come into it.

Frankly I think we should be naming a stand after the fella, but if an objectively better DoF is available and willing to come here, shake hands and part ways amicably.

Edit - I would, in no way whatsoever, be displeased to see Thelwell continue here. I think he's more than earned a chance at working in an environment where he could build rather than firefight, but equally if Guardiola suddenly left City in the summer and indicated a willingness to come here, I'd most likely be doing a full @davek and advocating for Moyes to be moving on after 6 months - sentiment shouldn't come into it if there's a very clear upgrade available and attainable

 

[Little Ralphy]

Onana is the stand out.

Is he still stinking the gaff out for Villa? Havent watched them recently.

I forgot about him, I guess you could put that argument forward. But bought for 30m and sold for 50m 2 years later, is decent but look at Brighton, macalllister for 8m and sold for 35-55m, Calcedo for 4m and sold for 100m+. They're standouts that you could sit confidently in an interview and a CEO's eyes would light up. I think Thelwell would be looking at a similar job rather than a step up if he left, which was my original point, nothing he has done suggests he can do more really. Hopefully if he does stay then with a better funding structure he can show what some people think he's capable of. But as toffeeblue just said, if someone better is out there, then Everton should go for the best man available.

 

[Goat]

I forgot about him, I guess you could put that argument forward. But bought for 30m and sold for 50m 2 years later, is decent but look at Brighton, macalllister for 8m and sold for 35-55m, Calcedo for 4m and sold for 100m+. They're standouts that you could sit confidently in an interview and a CEO's eyes would light up. I think Thelwell would be looking at a similar job rather than a step up if he left, which was my original point, nothing he has done suggests he can do more really. Hopefully if he does stay then with a better funding structure he can show what some people think he's capable of. But as toffeeblue just said, if someone better is out there, then Everton should go for the best man available.

Ive never really been his biggest fan.

But his signings are showing their worth currently, yes, no mega money profits yet, but hes been working with both hands tied behind his back and has built us a team undefeated in 7. Of course Moyes gets the bulk of the credit, but its not too shabby.

I wouldnt be against him getting a run in the Summer, but as you say, if theres somebody out there with a better pedigree, then get him in.

 

[MACCA75]

Onana is the stand out.

Is he still stinking the gaff out for Villa? Havent watched them recently.

Been injured for last month.