2020/21 Marcel Brands

[Barnfred 55]

Good posts @Barnfred 55 & @catcherintherye, i always respect both your views. Like i say im open minded, im just drilling into some of the nitty gritty of the varied role, decisions and impact over a cycle.

I think any determination comes down to your opinion on balance of luck, context and decision making. Im not sure everything can be wrote off on one of those three aspects alone.

Something went horribly wrong last season, i dont think i remember a season ever were fans hated the team, or were ashamed of them as much as last year. I think that is significant. Im not really slamming Brands, nor overly blindly have absolute faith him. something happened between May 19 - May 20, that id think had a very depleting and harmful effect on the club during that period, im picking the bones of that really and analysing angles of it as they may fairly or unfairly pertain to Brands.

Just my opinion, but to me it's the DoFs role to give the manager the tools to work with. It's then down to the manager to get the best out of those tools. You then have unknowns thrown into the hat such as injuries and refereeing decisions/VAR.

Last season, I believe we were very unlucky with injuries in that our whole midfield was unavailable for large periods. We then had the likes of Tom Davies playing alongside frauds like Schneiderlin and Siggy playing out of position. That's the engine room. You can see the difference it makes both defensively and offensively. We also had poor luck with decisions, and whether they be right or wrong, they have a terrible effect on morale when it ends up with us losing or even just not winning games. Last season we were the worst hit for injuries and the second worst hit for VAR decisions.

When morale and confidence goes, it's hard to turn it around and Silva, as much as I was once in favour of him becoming our manager, just wasn't upto managing the situation. Carlo, with the same set of players, got better results. He's the better manager and he showed that getting better results from the same tools.

This season, those tools are looking even better because they are playing alongside other superior players. Iwobi, for instance, can still become a good player for us. Siggy also has shown that, playing in his best position and with better players around him, is completely different to the guy people were running past in central midfield.

Last season was poor for a number of reasons, but personally i don't believe that poor player acquisition by Brands is high on that list. Invariably each player he brought in was better than the one he replaced.

 

[Neiler]

I think the concept you describe mate is a bit simplified. I think there is a broader accountable role there in term sof the overall commerce and economy of the club and the balance of that. incomings & outgoings, impact on the club etc.

But sticking to that premise on giving the tools. You look at risk. I mention the balance of luck, context and decision making. Certainly you can apply all three to regressiveness of last season depending on your opinion. But looking at risk, we took huge risky decisions on players potential - that for whatever reason due to injury, experience or lack of quality - didnt impact - you are lumping Delph, Iwobi, Gbamin, Kean and Gomes into one of those categories. I dont necessarily think they are all bad players, but the some of the whole was a risky recipe. more so when you consider the established players who left. The resources spent and wages allocated for outcome on the pitch. I do think its the job of of the DOF to manage those elements of risk and turnover to dictate a positive outcome. Obviously risk is a broad concept and i off course cant blame him for two bad injuries, but again they are known risks and in the context of the sum of the whole undermined other arguably risky recruitment. Resulting in a nightmare season really. Like i say its not wholly down to Brands but their was a role there to, i think.

I want the man to do well just to be clear, ive praised him elsewhere ein the thread for things hes done well, its good for Everton. My post in the last 24 hours are based on reflecting on the dirge that was last season and key elements as i analyse them as to the reasons why.

 

[Groucho]

I've moved on from that debate now. Contract Marcel is done. He's out.

My big concern now is that the ridiculous post of Director of Football is scrapped forever at Everton. It's been a hugely expensive failure.

He’s not Dave, he’s on the board.

 

[davek]

He’s not Dave, he’s on the board.

People are invited onto the board then they're not there anymore.

If he's not wanted as a DoF (his job) he'll move on elsewhere (and is probably secring a place elsewhere right now, as he did before leaving PSV). He cant sit on Everton's board then.

 

[Nymzee]

The January business. You can't say there's obviously no value in January because we've bought poorly, because we've also bought poorly in the summer. The time of year isn't the issue, it's just poor business full stop. For every Niasse in January there's a Sandro in July.

But Sandro, for £5m, wasn't poor value at the time. £16m for Niasse was.

So not a good point by yourself there.

 

[Lanolin]

But Sandro, for £5m, wasn't poor value at the time. £16m for Niasse was.

So not a good point by yourself there.

By not poor value at the time you evidently mean you didn't expect him to turn out to be poor value. He didn't suffer an unforeseen catastrophic injury or anything, he was poor value because he wasn't very good or well suited to this league. He was a poor signing, whether you called it beforehand or not is really neither here nor there. Little bit surprised that that needs spelling out if i'm honest.

 

[Groucho]

People are invited onto the board then they're not there anymore.

If he's not wanted as a DoF (his job) he'll move on elsewhere (and is probably secring a place elsewhere right now, as he did before leaving PSV). He cant sit on Everton's board then.

Ok, but what’s your case for slinging him?

We’re top of the league at my time of writing.

 

[Rob17896]

We did waste an enormous amount of moneyand time has been lost as well.
Hopefully, Moshiri has learned that there is no substitute for a quality manager.

Going back to the loss of money for just a little while.

I think the current day value of Keane, Digne,Holgate,DCL and Richarlison compared to their original cost would swallow up a lot of the money lost on others.

and some!

 

[Goat]

Ok, but what’s your case for slinging him?

We’re top of the league at my time of writing.

Seems to be cos he wears skinny jeans.

 

[Tel001]

No. Silva/Ancelotti signed those in bold. The rest - mostly duds - were Brands signings.

And you know this how?

 

[Nymzee]

No. Silva/Ancelotti signed those in bold. The rest - mostly duds - were Brands signings.

Yeh Ancelotti totally knew about Marseille’s academy LB didn’t he.

 

[Brisan123]

The January business. You can't say there's obviously no value in January because we've bought poorly, because we've also bought poorly in the summer. The time of year isn't the issue, it's just poor business full stop. For every Niasse in January there's a Sandro in July.

To be fair at the time Walsh bought Sandro it seemed like a great signing
Other clubs were in the hunt and he was an ex Barcelona player who had just had a fantastic season
99% of us were thrilled when we got him
Every club makes bad signings ,and some players just do not work out at their new clubs
Even top class players have had disastrous transfers
Shevchenko and Torres come to mind
Hindsight is 20-20

 

[COYBL25]

Yeh Ancelotti totally knew about Marseille’s academy LB didn’t he.

He also regularly travels to Carlisle on Tuesday nights, stops over and at a local Travel Lodge, to watch young League 2 centre halves, that no one had previously heard of.

 

[Lanolin]

To be fair at the time Walsh bought Sandro it seemed like a great signing
Other clubs were in the hunt and he was an ex Barcelona player who had just had a fantastic season
99% of us were thrilled when we got him
Every club makes bad signings ,and some players just do not work out at their new clubs
Even top class players have had disastrous transfers
Shevchenko and Torres come to mind
Hindsight is 20-20

I’ve said before, I just don’t really see what difference that makes. 99% of that 99% had never seen him play, they just liked the sound of him. I’m not sure about you but I expect scouts and directors of football to put a bit more thought into things than ‘he’s a Spanish under 21 who used to play for Barcelona let’s buy him’. I was one of the ones who was really pleased with it but I remember saying after seeing him twice that I had a horrible feeling he was a dud. Three years later it’s Very clear he was. Also funny how none of those teams who we desperately had to fight to get him were even interested in taking him on loan just a couple of months later isn’t? Almost as if it was just agents trying to get him a better contract.

 

[The binman chronicles]

People are invited onto the board then they're not there anymore.

If he's not wanted as a DoF (his job) he'll move on elsewhere (and is probably secring a place elsewhere right now, as he did before leaving PSV). He cant sit on Everton's board then.

All reports from the club say everyone is happy with him. Unfortunately here you are like a jarg clickbait hack making up stuff.

I doubt Moshiri will axe the DoF Role either, seems he wants that style and when done well it minimises risks of changing managers. Now we have a solid base to work from due to Ancelotti, we shouldn't have as big a problem getting in another decent replacement when the time comes. We'll already have good footballers so no need to try and rush buy for the new man (as per Allardyce), we just keep to the plan.