Everton - The Beginning of a New Era

Everton FC - The View From My Seat

Everton - The Beginning of a New Era

New shareholder, new hope! Money to attract higher profile players, money for a new stadium? It's all happening at Everton FC, FINALLY!!

I can't honestly see any negatives. I've been saying to my Dad for the last few years that I'd hate a full takeover by foreigners that don't have any Premier League knowledge. Some consortium or whatever coming in and changing everything, slowly smudging the fantastic reputation we have as a proper football club who do things the right way. Throw tonnes of money at the club wanting instant success and having a hold over the club that they can pull the plug at any given moment. 

Well it seems to me from all the details we've all read to death, that this deal is the best of both worlds. Whatever anyone says about Kenwright no one can deny as a club we have a fantastic reputation and we are largely stable. Now don't get me wrong I know this doesn't exactly follow the club motto, Nil Satis Nisi Optimum but at least we aren't Leeds Utd for example. Having said this times run out on Kenwright delivering a glowing off the field operation in EITC and the 'It could be worse' view a lot of fans have been forced to have. It's now time that he indeed continues to prove we are 'The People's Club' in our off the field activities but now also delivers on the pitch and in that very dusty trophy cabinet! 

Spurs, West Ham, Palace and even Leicester are now looking likely clubs to move onto the next level and challenge for that top 4 on a regular basis. Money for players and new stadiums are proving their worth for these clubs. We've sat around for the last 6 or 7 years thinking, we're spending next to nothing and still competing with the other lot and Spurs for a top 6 finish. While we've been happy doing that, calling it some sort of achievement the others have been plotting their future and are now moving on a level. 

Farhad Moshiri has Premier League pedigree. He's been involved with a very good club in Arsenal. He's filthy rich! If everything we read is true..... Scrap that, if half of what we've read is true, which is more likely, then he's ticking all the right boxes. Mega deals for our current crop of stars mixed with £100M transfer kitty to bolster the squad AND even murmurs of a new stadium! If we're being realistic, this guy isn't throwing £200M at us and buying almost 50% of the club to sit back and let us carry on as we are in a stadium that is no longer fit for purpose. I love Goodison, you love Goodison, we all love Goodison.... But we're mad to think the Old Lady can last forever. A new mega stadium 50k+ capacity to begin with sounds alright to me. Moshiri in time will complete a full takeover you'd expect but for now I'm more than happy with the current deal. 

I play Football Manager, the amount of times I've jumped into the editor and given myself £100M and a new stadium at Everton is crazy... Now it's very close to becoming reality! If you're interested I always call the new stadium Goodison 1878. 

I guess that leads us nicely onto transfers. I put out this very question on my Facebook account. Name 3 players, realistically we could look to sign in the summer. Yarmolenko definitely had the most mentions, followed by Butland. Both realistic I think. I'm not totally convinced yet however about Yarmolenko, I know he's had a long-term contract and Kiev don't want to sell etc, but at 26 surely if he's that good someone could have stolen him away? Wouldn't say no though! One player that didn't get too many mentions was Payet. I think as direct competition for Barkley he'd be a fantastic signing. Unless of course he's a one-season wonder?! Yet to be seen. Mahrez and Vardy had a few shouts, Mahrez will be at a massive European club I'd bet and Vardy is already 29, Leicester would be wanting crazy money for him, is it worth it at that age to get probably a season or two out of him? Rooney, Rooney! As much as my heart tells me seeing Wayne Rooney scoring again in an Everton shirt would be fairytale stuff, my head say's it's not a deal I think will happen. Is he passed his best or has he had enough at United? Would a return home spark life into him and see us win a trophy? If the deal was there and money is no longer an issue you have to take a player of his calibre. Imagine the things the younger players could learn from him and you simply can't brush aside the experience of winning every major trophy brings to a squad. 

Yarmolenko Stats 2015/2016 - transfermarkt.co.uk

Competition
total: 15/16:		23	13	8	2	-	-	1.933'
	Premier Liga	15	8	5	1	-	-	1.285'
	Champions League	6	2	-	1	-	-	468'
	Ukrainian Cup	1	3	3	-	-	-	90'
	Ukrainian Super Cup	1	-	-	-	-	-	90'

There's a couple of foreign wonderkids who's names have popped up but, I think if we do get our current stars signed up and keep them, then this summer we need to make statement signings. If we say to Stones and Lukaku for example, sign a new deal, stay with us and promise big things, we can't go and sign a 19-year-old who's done well in Belgium. We must sign a player that's Premier League ready, first 11 ready. Maybe look towards a Bony, Oxlade Chamberlain, Payet or Butland. A couple of decent names that would stir up some real competition within the squad, players with winning mentalities. What about Ibrahimovic, free in the summer I believe. I think there's a few that aren't doing it at the minute but given a fresh challenge could become much more. Look at Lennon, he clearly needed some new scenery and he's looking as sharp as ever. I'm thinking of Bony, Walcott and maybe even a Chambers at Arsenal. Not quite working for these types at the minute but a new challenge and a club like ours where everyone is now filled with optimism could be win win. 

Asmir Begovic - Decent....

Homeward Bound?

Just writing this post and the fact we're finally playing again tomorrow night is getting me very excited about what's around the corner for our great club! If you're not sure about this new guy, if you're not sure about Kenwright's continued inclusion, if you're not sure about Martinez being trusted with a large budget, just sit back think about the last 30 years (That's my entire life by the way), a few too many relegation scares, an almost this, a nearly that and an, oh not quite this time, surrounding a single FA Cup trophy 20 years ago! For once, let your imagination just go, see what it comes up with, push out your chest a little, raise your chin... What if, just what if... Roberto's dream, our dream, the holy trinity's dream, the school of science's dream of Everton being once again a dominant force in the world of football is right around this very corner. 

Thanks as always for reading, really enjoyed the recent chat's thoughts and ideas on Facebook, Twitter etc... Keep them coming. 

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