2019/20 Marcel Brands

[Dymak]

Bit of a difference between those 2 leagues to be fair.

I could point out some amazing signings that have come from the Dutch league and others could point out some total flops.

Just like when we signed the Spanish u21 number 9 who ripped up la liga last season I thought we’d struck gold. Didn’t quite work out that way though.

The Scottish League 2 and the Dutch league are quite similar in terms of quality, to be fair.

 

[Dymak]

Do we really want to be signing more players from the PL? What happens if they turn out to be just as crap as Cleverly/Bolasie?

Do we really want to be signing more players from La Liga? What happens if they turn out to be just as crap as Sandro?

Cleverley and Bolasie are good enough to play in the Premier League tho, whereas Klaassen can't even make the bench and he was supposed to be the best player in the Dutch league.

 

[catcherintherye]

..had a look at both players earlier, Ste, and both have quality and are at a good age. I suppose the standard of the league is a factor but they can do no more than they are. Ziyech looks a good runner with the ball in central areas which is what we need and lefties just give you something different. Both have decent statistics from what I see.

As you say, the Raiola links are very interesting given the players at his disposal. I suppose he’ll be wanting a step up in standard and salary for his clients as well as a % for himself and I have no problem with us facilitating that if we have an ‘in’ on a productive market.

The age profile is very good for both, we bought a lot of lads in the 22-25 age bracket under Moyes and turned them into top players. I know it's to the inly way to recruit, but probably the most successful period of recruitment I'd seen at Everton was based upon buying this age group. You think Cahll, Arteta, Lescott, Baines, Jagielka, Peinaar, Fellaini were all in that age group when we signed them and formed the bulk of our squad for many years.

In some ways that's whats been missing post Moshiri. We've gone for a lot of lads sort of 27-31 in their prime and a lot at the other end who are 16-20. It's given the squad a bit of a disjointed feel, where we have players at both ends of their career and not enough in those prime years for me.

I haven't seen a lot of either player, other than Ziyech a little a couple of years ago, I was always surprised we didn't go for him when Koeman came in. Both have a similar feel to them as Peinaar in terms of profile, if not performance, in that they are highly acclaimed young players, initially operating out of Holland who have probably stalled a little in the last 12 months (in Ziyechs case) and probably now need a move away. I like getting players in who have gone a little stale, they normally have a bit to prove and you get much better value.

I'd be happy if they were our first two signings. We lack pace and we definitely lack creativity, the sort of players Osman, Arteta and Peinaar were and what they gave us. It's striking how much Baines stands out in this regard now, and he is not the players he was 5 years ago, but there is such a drop off in this type of player it's striking. I do think those two lads would help address that a little bit.

 

[FTY]

Don't think there's anything in them quotes, they're not new

 

[catcherintherye]

If the first two signings he green lit where Lozano and Ziyech it'd be a great start mate, wanted Ziyech when he was still at Twente - he was the lad who came in to replace Tadic there and exceeded him - when still only about 22.

Kicked on since then as well, both him and Lozano are good on the ball, both hard working and both have pace, get those two in - and I'd actually be surprised if we didn't see Klassen given a genuine shot next season btw, they are the types of players (one the exact player - and Lozano a better player than the one at Ajax he had) that he had around him at Ajax when he played really well.

Lozano just signing with Raiola - if true is a very interesting development also, worth noting that the Raiola links to the club could imo have some serious traction behind them - he has basically through his actions over the years - pissed off some managers and teams, don't think any of City (Pep), Milan (Donnaruma stuff), Madrid or Barca will effectively deal with him these days, probably a fair few other clubs as well that i haven't seen as public a falling out as with those ones.

I think you are right re Riaola, I might have read somewhere United have banished him too. It seems we have a good relationship with him, he seems to like Moshiri and I do wonder if the u-turn was really the work of Lukaku on his own and not Riaola as subsequent evidence has emerged. It looks like Wenger and Fonseca are heavily linked, one is a very well connected manager (arguably the most connected in this country) and the other's agent is Mendes. So bringing Riaola and Mendes in is a big statement for Moshiri. I also think re Wenger, it will only cement talk of Usmanov's involvement.

I do think we will see a re-emergence of the different strategies to recruitment that we briefly saw in the first summer but little came of. When we went heavily after Witsel, Mata and Koulibaly but ultimately couldn't quite get them, I suspect with further involvement of Riaola, Moshiri (and more likely his people at board level) and any of Mendes, Wenger and/or Usmanov that approach may be dusted off and brought out again. We will have had consecutive top half finishes, and spent a tonne of money, so people will see we are serious, agents will view us more favourably and Moshiri may have his people involved more to influence strategy.

I think Brands will likely fulfil the role alongside that that we hoped Walsh would do. Scout of value signings, set the budgets, negotiate properly, buy players ready for the first team and manage the coaching staff. A lot will be taking lads like Lozano/Ziyech, IE the best players in Holland, possibly some young talents from leagues like Germany and also some occasional young protege's like he did in Holland from areas like South America. I do think this aspect of the job will be a lot less than with Dutch clubs though, but will help raise funds both in an actual sense but also for accounting purposes for the club.

Walsh if he's kept on I suspect will do scouting. I know most want him gone but I'm happy for him to scout as he seems to do ok with this (lads like Lookman, Vlasic and DCL are good buys for me). I think his focus will entirely be on young players who can add value. It's clear he can't close deals, plan, manage people and develop an overall strategy. I suspect he will continue to aggressively target players aged 16-19 for the younger sides and also the occasional domestic talent he sees.

In theory it all works well but will need to be properly balanced by a strong CEO and a competent DOF (Which Brands is).

As for Klaassen, I agree he will be involved more and he should be. Look at his record of games he's played this season, his points per game, even from a small sample is good. Yes he struggled a bit, but given the rubbish we've seen since, he absolutely deserves his chance.

 

[Bud McBlokeski]

As is always the case here, I will believe all of this when I see him with the Everton scarf on the homepage.

Until that day, it's all mince.

 

[kithnou]

I think you are right re Riaola, I might have read somewhere United have banished him too. It seems we have a good relationship with him, he seems to like Moshiri and I do wonder if the u-turn was really the work of Lukaku on his own and not Riaola as subsequent evidence has emerged. It looks like Wenger and Fonseca are heavily linked, one is a very well connected manager (arguably the most connected in this country) and the other's agent is Mendes. So bringing Riaola and Mendes in is a big statement for Moshiri. I also think re Wenger, it will only cement talk of Usmanov's involvement.
I do think we will see a re-emergence of the different strategies to recruitment that we briefly saw in the first summer but little came of. When we went heavily after Witsel, Mata and Koulibaly but ultimately couldn't quite get them, I suspect with further involvement of Riaola, Moshiri (and more likely his people at board level) and any of Mendes, Wenger and/or Usmanov that approach may be dusted off and brought out again. We will have had consecutive top half finishes, and spent a tonne of money, so people will see we are serious, agents will view us more favourably and Moshiri may have his people involved more to influence strategy.

Respectfully mate, I am going to have to say I don't see any of the above names you mention at Everton. Possibly one.
I fear the football world has seen through all the Moshiri fluff and subsequent Summer transfer failures, along with the on field struggle. We will most probably be rejected by all those names and have to settle once again for the current dross already here, or similar dross with different names.

Edit. I can't tell you ho much it pains me to write this. Fingers crossed I have it all wrong.

 

[Kinky Koeman]

If the first two signings he green lit where Lozano and Ziyech it'd be a great start mate, wanted Ziyech when he was still at Twente - he was the lad who came in to replace Tadic there and exceeded him - when still only about 22.

Kicked on since then as well, both him and Lozano are good on the ball, both hard working and both have pace, get those two in - and I'd actually be surprised if we didn't see Klassen given a genuine shot next season btw, they are the types of players (one the exact player - and Lozano a better player than the one at Ajax he had) that he had around him at Ajax when he played really well.

Lozano just signing with Raiola - if true is a very interesting development also, worth noting that the Raiola links to the club could imo have some serious traction behind them - he has basically through his actions over the years - pissed off some managers and teams, don't think any of City (Pep), Milan (Donnaruma stuff), Madrid or Barca will effectively deal with him these days, probably a fair few other clubs as well that i haven't seen as public a falling out as with those ones.

Raiola is a snake, but he could be our snake.

 

[Kinky Koeman]

Do we really want to be signing more players from that Dutch league? What happens if they turn out to be just as crap as Klaassen?

If Brands comes in, I’d expect any Dutch based players he would like to bring - he’d have an idea on these players being equipped to excel in the Prem. He’s has multiple years experience to draw upon from and I’d trust him given how how he has performed on a low budget, they might not all work out but can’t be as bad as the current model we operate.

 

[MrGrumpy]

To be fair though, he doesn't actually say 'I'm leaving and joining Everton' does he?

Seems like a reinterpretation of much older quotes.

Reported Everton director of football target Marcel Brands on joining Everton: “Saying goodbye to the people at PSV Eindhoven will be the hardest thing for me, but it is correct. The first contact with Everton goes back to 2016.” (Source: Mirror)

 

[BrendanGOT]

To be fair though, he doesn't actually say 'I'm leaving and joining Everton' does he?

Seems like a reinterpretation of much older quotes.

I'm pretty sure those quotes are selective rehashed twitter quotes. Could be wrong though

 

[Librarian]

He shouldn't really have any idea of what players he wants until he knows who the manager is and what way we want to play

 

[Brownie]

"Brands admitted". Did he? To whom?

Lol@tabloid journalism.

 

[brieverton]

Respectfully mate, I am going to have to say I don't see any of the above names you mention at Everton. Possibly one.
I fear the football world has seen through all the Moshiri fluff and subsequent Summer transfer failures, along with the on field struggle. We will most probably be rejected by all those names and have to settle once again for the current dross already here, or similar dross with different names.

Edit. I can't tell you ho much it pains me to write this. Fingers crossed I have it all wrong.

I think we will struggle in that respect, yes. Even in Moshiri's first summer, I think many of us were somewhat unpleasantly surprised at our failure to land the likes of Witsel and others. But it's about more than money, and lots of players will see through our offering. That is just reality.

I think knowing that, we can modify our strategy accordingly. I remain to be convinced about the DOF model at Everton, but if ever we needed someone like Brands to come in and unearth a few gems, now is absolutely the time.

We can still be hopeful, but I think the mess of this season has set us back 3-5 years, and that could have been worse, provided we at least start to get our act together in the summer.

 

[Eggs]

I think you are right re Riaola, I might have read somewhere United have banished him too. It seems we have a good relationship with him, he seems to like Moshiri and I do wonder if the u-turn was really the work of Lukaku on his own and not Riaola as subsequent evidence has emerged. It looks like Wenger and Fonseca are heavily linked, one is a very well connected manager (arguably the most connected in this country) and the other's agent is Mendes. So bringing Riaola and Mendes in is a big statement for Moshiri. I also think re Wenger, it will only cement talk of Usmanov's involvement.

I do think we will see a re-emergence of the different strategies to recruitment that we briefly saw in the first summer but little came of. When we went heavily after Witsel, Mata and Koulibaly but ultimately couldn't quite get them, I suspect with further involvement of Riaola, Moshiri (and more likely his people at board level) and any of Mendes, Wenger and/or Usmanov that approach may be dusted off and brought out again. We will have had consecutive top half finishes, and spent a tonne of money, so people will see we are serious, agents will view us more favourably and Moshiri may have his people involved more to influence strategy.

I think Brands will likely fulfil the role alongside that that we hoped Walsh would do. Scout of value signings, set the budgets, negotiate properly, buy players ready for the first team and manage the coaching staff. A lot will be taking lads like Lozano/Ziyech, IE the best players in Holland, possibly some young talents from leagues like Germany and also some occasional young protege's like he did in Holland from areas like South America. I do think this aspect of the job will be a lot less than with Dutch clubs though, but will help raise funds both in an actual sense but also for accounting purposes for the club.

Walsh if he's kept on I suspect will do scouting. I know most want him gone but I'm happy for him to scout as he seems to do ok with this (lads like Lookman, Vlasic and DCL are good buys for me). I think his focus will entirely be on young players who can add value. It's clear he can't close deals, plan, manage people and develop an overall strategy. I suspect he will continue to aggressively target players aged 16-19 for the younger sides and also the occasional domestic talent he sees.

In theory it all works well but will need to be properly balanced by a strong CEO and a competent DOF (Which Brands is).

As for Klaassen, I agree he will be involved more and he should be. Look at his record of games he's played this season, his points per game, even from a small sample is good. Yes he struggled a bit, but given the rubbish we've seen since, he absolutely deserves his chance.

...as I recall, DCL was a David Unsworth recommendation and Vlasic came on the back of us playing them so I don’t think we can attribute those to Walsh. I’m not entirely sure who we can say he’s effectively acquired other than Gueye. I think he and Koeman have set us a long way back but it will be interesting to see if he still has a role to play.