EDITOR'S VIEWPOINT
The Gospel According to Joleon
Comments (39) : Best you read the so-called Matt Lawton Interview, in the Daily Mail.
As I read with increasing surprise at how much Lescott told of his ostracism, suffering isolation at the hand of David Moyes following the lame 6-1 home defeat to Arsenal on the opening day of the season, it reads as if David Moyes was deliberately and unfairly going out of his way to make Lescott the scapegoat for that humbling loss.
But crucial to this story, I believe, is not only the timing of the transfer request, which Lescott hints at, but Lescott's state of mind, which David Moyes had probably sussed out well before the events relayed here that followed the first match of the season.
Although Lescott says a lot — more than most Evertonians will really want to hear — more important, I suspect, is what he doesn't say:
"I won’t go into what was said between us in those private meetings because that’s not right."Sure... yet it was undoubtedly what was said in those private meetings that crystalised Moyes's attitude, which we know demands the highest level of commitment from his players.
All through this depressing interview, and indeed for much of the saga itself, it was increasing obvious to a growing number of Evertonians that Lescott had no intention of resisting the temptation and staying at Everton. And it is there were, it seems to me, Lescott is being somewhat less than honest in this kiss-and-tell piece.
If I cared enough, I'd reconstruct the timeline of the saga and compare it to exactly what was being reported and hypothesized (invented?) in the media, both the week before and the week after that opening game. But to be honest, Lescott is the past and I don't really care that much.
Yes, we have made a tradition of respecting our past players and at the time, we fretted over the thought of losing one of our better ones in his prime. But, as many have rationalised, it's happened before and it will no doubt happen again.
This interview confirms the fear that Lescott wanted a faster path to glory. I sincerely hope it does not happen for him.
Reader Comments
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No player came to his defence, he pretty much admitted his attitude was poor by telling Moyes he wasn’t in a fit mental state to play... condemmed by his own words.
As for not letting him onto the dressing room, well perhaps Moyes thought it was a distraction that he didn’t want.
Was Moyes being vindictive or protective by making him train alone?... we’ll never really know, but my guess is that Moyes felt Lescott was gone from an early stage in the game.
Lescott loved it at Everton, loved his team mates, respected everyone... or so he says, then tells us that he didn’t leave for the money but because he would win things at City quicker than he would at Everton... by inference, telling all those that he so called ’respected’ that City had better players and staff...
Joleon, better to have said that you left for the money... I can handle that just fine!
It seems that once Moyes has made his mind up on someone or something, then it’s set in concrete. One only has to look at our formation for last bloody 7 years.
I hope he throws a spanner in my theory by playing an attacking formation tonight. Somehow I just don’t see it.
He was a good player who we got a whopping fee for. He has looked decidedly ropey for City so far and his replacement at our club has looekd very good.
Rooney I was gutted about because of how good he was, how good everyone knew he was going to be and the piss poor fee we got. Lescott on the other hand is easily replaced and thats why no one is really arsed.
Sorry Joleon but your’e just not that good for anyone to care
It suited Everton’s ’selling-talent-to-pay-for-debt/Kirkby’ business plan, to offload Lescott at a huge profit and I’m quite sure if Lescott would have written in big bold capitals ’I’m desparate to stay at Everton’ - he’d still have been sold. As would Jagielka and/or Arteta had they been fit - It’s well known that Jagielka was Citeh’s first choice anyway and they only turned their attention to Lescott when the Jag got crocked.
To be quite honest - I think Lescott is a very good player, good defender, dangerous from set peices... but ’Sparky’ Hughes was done up like a kipper by Moyes as the real strength of Lescott’s defending came from working to a rigid game plan of Moyes’ defensive solidarity. Playing for Moyes turned Lescott from a decent defender to a very good one - Moyes made him - lack of Moyes (Or another defense minded coach) will break him.
As to Lescott training alone. Another of David Moyes strengths is his ability to build team cohesion and solidarity - Lescott threatened that - he was cut out the loop before he could threaten the team ethic... rightly so.
On the other hand the way the club handled the situation was a joke. If we were serious about not selling Joley would still be in an Everton kit, and we wouldn’t have had a summer long saga that disrupted the whole team and cost us points. I dont believe for a minute that we never encouraged City until we got the right price. Which is fine but why the need for the "not even for £30m" rubbish?
Joleon should realise it was HIS attitude more than anything else that changed opinions...I wont be booing him though..For three years he was mostly brilliant for us. A modern defender who is quick, stays on his feet and scored some great winning goals.
Thats just the way football goes nowadays..
The club probably got more more than Lescott is really worth by playing it the way they did, and for that I am grateful. As for what JLo says, if he is so blameless why did Hibbo have a go at him?
Thank you Kevin Sparke for renewing my faith in human nature.
I have wondered what we would have done in the transfer window this summer if Lescott had insisted he was staying with us. If we had little cash to splash, would we have sold Saha and Vaughan? There would certainly be no Distin and possibly no Bily. Looks like we are stronger now than before, but I hold no grudge against Lescott, as we virtually all agree, thats the nature of football, and if Moyes had not been offered £60000 pw or whatever it is, would he still be here?
Be bold today David, and beat Joleans old team by playing more than one up front!!
I agree with both yourself and other posters. It wasn’t handled well by either party, but in the end Everton got a massive fee for a good (but not great) player. The player got his move. Transfers in and out of clubs happen all the time, this one was more high profile because of the protracted nature of it (which actually started this time last year when Sparky Hughes tried to buy Lescott in the January window), combined with a media campaign to keep it in the forefront on behalf of the new media darlings at Sitteh.
This article falls into that latter category; a benign interview with Lescott because he’s a Sitteh player. Would he have got that kind of extensive coverage if he had gone to (say) Hull under similar circumstances? I doubt it.
The "top" clubs are now defined as five to include Sitteh. It’s unbelievable to me but true nonetheless. Without winning diddly squat they are being lauded as potential rivals to Manure and Chelski on the basis of financial muscle alone. Given the news yesterday from Brum’s new owner on investment for January alone, will they start to be included in this category too. Don’t get me wrong, money obviously counts, but my own personal wedge is on Everton to continue to defy the odds.
I think the context of Lescott’s article is better defined by his comments over the Emre incident. Unfortunately,smart lawyers got Emre off and what does an incensed Lescott do ? Lead from the front with a call to arms to renew efforts to keep this vile attitude out of the game and out of society ? Not let it rest and demand an appeal ? Not quite. Instead he refuses to visibly support the anti rascim campaign and remain unsmiling on photos taken for it. That showed ’em Jo !
The club obviously had a price they were willing to accept. Joleon also says he was in constant contact with David Moyes throughout the summer so it’s fair to say the club had an idea he wanted to go.
If thats the case why didnt we name our price and tell City take it or leave it, which is exactly what Aston Villa done when the R/S were sniffing round Gareth Barry. This could have been sorted out in june when the first bid came in and we wouldnt have had a disruptive saga running, got our players in at a good time and made a decdent start to the season instead of fielding players who dont ant to play for us AND DROPPING WHAT COULD TURN OUT TO BE VERY IMPORTANT POINTS.
I believed DM when he said none of his players are going anywhere, but lets face it once Kenright, Earle and Green got wind of a 20 mill offer It was all over.
Selling Lescott saved them the embarasment of leaving DM in the shit once again.
Look what you’ve done now Dick, another Kenright bashing artical.
despite SKY money, coming 5th 2 years in a row in the richest league in the world, an FA Cup Final appearance, on TV more times than the adverts, , Everton Football Club spent f’ all until we sold Lescott.
Coincidence, my arse!
All Premier clubs have expenses but all seem to be able to invest any winnings
Where does Everton’s money go, do you think?
City’s future is brighter than Everton’s. I would have questioned Lescott’s ambition if he didn’t want to move.
A lot of the abuse he’s been receiving is so predictable, even hypocritical. Get over it. We’re not an ambitious club, and many of us fans aren’t ambitious either. So stop all this pathetic sulking.
Dont tell me to ’get over it’ you patronising, unambitious sod
Speak for yourself, not ’many of us fans’
Not being a mind reader nor privy to BKs most secret thoughts I prefer to I am one of those poor souls that rely on factual evidence.
I find it strange that BK gets no kudos for our clubs relative success while the slightest mistep is all down to him.
I cannot respond further because
I’m off to the fridge for a few coldies before watching Villa beat Chelsea then hopefully, Sunderland beat the other lot.
Just one more point though, if your so dignified and innocent as you make out Joleon, why come out and do this interview?
He should still have given his all every training session and every game, as I would happily do for free!
He was made to train away from the squad for a reason, Moyes may be stubborn and at times hard headed but he does not make knee jerk over reactions.
I don’t know why we needed to see this interview, if he had true respect for the club the keep your mouth shut, just like Gary Speed did.
If you ever meet Tony Hibbert, ask HIM what he thinks of St Joleon
(although I think you’re right to be cynical about the Board being unwilling sellers
And Dick, I know your distance from Goodison colours your feelings about BK and the Kirkby slush fund but so does mine...I’m off to a vibrant, thriving city centre on a 5 minute bus ride for a couple of pints in some of the best boozers in the world, then, about 1430, a shared cab for £2 with total strangers to the match
I’ll enjoy it while I can
COYB
But now you come to mention it - it’s quite obvious if you follow the money, or lack of it that we need to sell players to keep our heads above water; we need to sell players because we can no longer pay the going rate regarding wages to attract the best; we need to sell players because if we didn’t we’d be really broke; we need to sell players to balance the books - who’s fault is that?
I’ll make it easy for you by giving you a multiple choice
A, The toffee lady?
B, The ball boys?
C, Those who control the finances at Everton FC?
Hint - it’s not A or B
Lescott has ambition. I genuinely believe that if Everton were ambitious he would have stayed. He’s not daft.
As far as I’m concerned it’s just the businessof football. I don’t think it was very well handled by the Moyes & the Board, but we got a decent deal in the end.
As the majority of Evertonians are over 30 and can remember when the club’s ambition matched its motto - yes, son, I do think most FANS are ambitious and, indeed, the manager and some players
The lack of ambition is at Board level and has been for 20 years or more - do not confuse the Everton Board with the Everton Family
You, as a fan, are symptomatic of this malaise
I firmly believe our day will come - otherwise, what’s the point - we’re betraying our heritage and limiting our future - that is, if you think we have one
1. Lescott is a good player, taken on by a good club who took a calculated risk about his season-long injury.
2. He rose to England player status with that club.
3. A massive amount of money was injected into a struggling PL club. The new owners told the manager to buy the Kakas of this world. They will have never heard of Joleon Lescott. In the end ManCity paid about £20m for Lescott — they offered about £80m for Kaka as I recall. He declined their offer. But Lescott didn’t.
4. Lescott, of course, did it for the silverware, not the money. This is recorded, and is simply a matter of fact.
5. Anyone who reads the Daily Mail, correction, pays to read the Daily Mail, deserves the world they get.
ps:- They describe Lescott as an England player. That is a matter of fact, but ex-England player might be closer to the mark for now.
He was a good player for one season and then went to bollocks; good riddance, let's not waste any more column inches on a man who will eventually end up playing for Dagenham and Redbridge.
So the argument is now whether Evertonians are ambitious. All I hear is apathy and excuses from our fans.
Where is the fight to demand that Everton’s stadium, wherever it may be, shall one day be able to be greater in size than the ultimate capacity of Liverpool’s proposed stadium in Stanley Park, and bigger than Old Trafford?
Shouldn’t we all be striving for that? Shouldn’t we be saying to ourselves that if lose the battle for Kirkby then at least we’ll fight to do everything to challenge the board’s ambition over that dreadful and unambitious stadium they’ve offered us?
Shouldn’t we say to ourselves, even if we move to Kirkby we should still strive to be the best in the world and look to overcome the obstacles that Kirkby has that are making this ultimate goal harder?
Mr John and Will Cuff must be turning in their graves at what recent Boards have brought us to. After the Arsenal debacle, it was the arl arses who were angriest, younger ones seemed to accept it — ’well, it WAS Arsenal’, ’we’re missing Arteta’ etc.
As I said at the time, 40 years ago there’d have been a riot and an angry mob in front of the Directors Box.
Lescott was made into an all too convenient scapegoat for Arsenal and our poor summer. A deflection of the real truth.
Also, while playing City, just try and get some paper to make an Argentina-type confetti display to signify Lescott's greed. But send this to everyone, just get as many beachballs in the Gwaldys or anywhere else for that matter, to wind up the reds.
ps: Distin was Man of the Match today. Against Joleon's former club, we showed what a real defender is like. Yobo should have done much better for the goal.
Joleon seems to be taking lessons on how to win back the people from Jordan and as Michael wrote, it seems to be what he didn’t say which seems most interesting.
Now Dick’s probably not going to like the next bit as it’s purely speculative, but if in those private conversations, David Moyes had made it clear in no uncertain terms that he wanted to keep him no matter what, he could see the board would sell but that he’d fight them himself to keep him.
If Lescott agreed before going back (which, given all the crap at the time being spouted by Hughes, Citeh, and fed out from somewhere within Everton, Moyes may have deemed "head’s not right") on his word, then I can see the manager acting as he supposedly did.
Moyes’s focus has to be the squad and backroom staff working as a unit. He is clearly ambitious in his career (if not sadly at home to Wolves) but then so is the unit he’s assembled. To manage all of their expectations, he has to be seen to meet at least their level of ambition.
Lescott seems to be pleading that Moyes acted churlishly, but perhaps Moyes also wanted to test the board’s ambition (well further than providing him personally with last year’s bumper contract). Given that he did not seem to have any cash 'til the deal was done, maybe he was right, or perhaps he simply got too involved and could think of nothing else... Perhaps even 24/7.
Moyes had publicly made it clear that he makes the decisions in regards to who stayed and went after Hughes said that they’d talk to the people who’d ultimately make the decision.
But all of this feels like arguing about who did what in a divorce. Frankly it was more Citeh’s attitude more than anything else that I found offensive.
At the end of it, we got 20-odd million quid for a player who plays better out of his natural position and Citeh got Harvey and made for what they are. Cunts.
But he’s basically said that he was going to move — it was just a matter of time before he upped the ante to get what he wanted. Again, no problem with that but, once he had decided to leave us, I’ve no interest in what Moyes did to him. Why should the club pay to train a player who will not represent the club again?
I criticise Moyes on many things but this all looks positive to me. Those that do not understand, don’t matter. And Lescott matters no more.
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1 Posted 17/10/2009 at 03:57:45
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So Moyes then makes a cunt out of him when he realises that the man he made into an England centre half (until the Jags gets fit of course) hands in the transfer request therefore fucking his plans up for the coming season!
Don’t fuck with the Moyessiah!!