Good decision making from the top basically. We’ve cocked up but the owners and DOF admitted and learnt from their errors.
But when you are clubs like Everton and Leicester, a couple of errors in recruitment or on players can knock you for six for several seasons.
The money and squad quality isn’t there to work around the errors easily. It’s taken several years of transition post title win to come back as we had to replace near enough the whole ageing squad.
We are in a good position now, but if we lost a player and mucked up a replacement, and you picked the right manager and got a top quality centre forward, then suddenly things could look different.
The question is, will the people at the top admit and learn from their errors. Silva looked like one of those appointments based on media reputation than cold hard facts.
Getting in Walsh was a good appointment (don't laugh), making him a DOF wasn’t as he had no experience in that role.
Doesn’t feel like there is much joined up thinking at the top at the moment. The bones of a decent team are there to build on though.
I’d go all out to bring Benitez back.
Thanks for coming on and giving us your perspective on things in a thoughtful and reflexive manner. It's fair to say the majority of us are pretty down with the team at present, and while it's only football it plays a big part in all of our lives (rightly or wrongly). So hearing an opposing perspective is always interesting.
I think there's a lot in what you say. It probably takes most owners a bit of time to really cement what they are looking to do. As you've said Walsh as DOF (not as a Head of scouting) was a mistake but I'm not sure he'd have left for anything of that nature. Oddly, had they have paired Walsh with an up and coming young European coach he may have got the best out of the young players and may have been able to close on more deals.
He really wanted both the Sessegnon twins, he liked Gray from yourselves (when he had that release clause), Haller, Brooks at Bournemouth etc. Throw in Lookman, Vlasic, Davies, Holgate, Kenny, Stones, ukase and Barkley and you had a very strong nucleus there to build around. But again it was rather jumbled thinking.
The point you make about Puel resonates with me too. Sometimes you sack a manager but he kind of helps move you on as a team. Even though it fell apart under Martinez at the end, he had still left Deulofeu, Barkley, Stones and Lukaku and also blooded Galloway and Davies.When Koeman and Allardyce left we were all over the shop.
The follow up with Rodgers for yourselves was a logical choice. You could see Puel had gone as far as he could, but was a solid pair of hands to steer you to secure ground and Rodgers could then be more expansive. I think it's what we hoped Silva would be, but in truth I think we were wowed by 10 good games in the PL.
I don't think Rodgers has cracked it yet either. If you look at his record he tends to have a great first year and fall away, it will be interesting to see if he can convert this good start. If you don't make top 4 it's likely there will be some disappointment amongst fans and it will be hard to cope with.
I do think Leicester could go all the way this season. It sounds bizarre but you've had experience of winning the league which will stand you in good stead and there isn't that sense of pressure that exists with other clubs. Rodgers is streaky. We'll see.
As for us, what separates us, I suppose logical joined up decision making. At Everton I don't think the Chairman, Owner and DOF are entirely on the same page and it shows.