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Final Countdown

By Mike Oates :  12/01/2011 :  Comments (39) :
This was the season, this was the one were Everton were in a position to finally challenge for a Champions League place, even talk of being good enough for 3rd place never mind scraping in at 4th place. The best squad he?s ever had, says Moyes; Kenwright made the monies available to tie up most of our key players with lucrative long-term contracts... most but not all, as we are seeing with Pienaar currently.

Well, I believe it was meant to be a last stop attempt, a once-and-for-all, win-at-all-costs, go and get us into the pot of gold the Champions League delivers. Get a place and we?ll perhaps add to the squad with one or two extra quality players in the summer, with monies bound to be lent to us on the back of the pot of gold. Our better players will also stay; there would be no likelihood of Pienaar, Rodwell, Fellaini wanting to leave with the CL round the corner...

It was a last stop attempt for both Moyes and Kenwright and I suspect a few of the players as well.

If we start with Kenwright: he is clearly broke, down to his last penny, with no backers left around him willing to provide any more support for further loans. You only have to look at this shambles we are in this Transfer Window ? we have to get people out on loan or ask for meagre transfer fees to provide some small amounts of monies to pay loan fees and the space to provide the loanees' salaries.

We now must rank somewhere near the bottom of the Premier League in terms of financial clout; our perennial closest challengers like Man City, Spurs and Aston Villa have left us for dead and even the likes of Sunderland, Stoke, Newcastle, West Ham, Birmingham and Wigan, have overtaken us. We now rank with Blackburn, Bolton and Wolves, and I actually suspect one or two of these will pass us by shortly.

Moyes, after this shambolic transfer window ? together with also knowing that he?s still three or four quality players short of challenging for a coveted CL place ? will finally realise that he can't take this club any further forward whilst Kenwright is in charge. He?ll realise that his own reputation is getting seriously damaged and will resign. (I do actually believe there?s enough substance in the man to resign and forego any redundancy he would get if sacked.)

The younger better players like Rodwell, Fellaini, Coleman, Baines will also decide that Everton will not provide them with the success they crave and we will be back to a squad of vets, notably Neville, Cahill, Arteta, Howard and Distin.

I know this article is pretty damming and pessimistic, and that we could well recover some form this season to allow maybe, just maybe, a chance of Europa League next season. The trouble is the Europa League doesn?t bring in the monies to cure the Kenwright problems, and ultimately this is where the major issue lies. A Premier League club, like it or lump it, needs to generate sufficient excess funds to allow the manager a modicum of capital ? £15M a year ? with which to add to his squad. How you generate these excess funds is the constant discussion topic on this site: billionaire, multi-millionaire, new ground, better marketing, higher prices ? whatever... it doesn?t matter to us as we don?t participate at any of those topics.

Kenwright?s and Moyes?s gamble to use whatever cash they could find last summer to support the current staff has failed miserably and I await the fall-out with interest. I wonder if the Everton supporters will react with the same vigour Liverpool supporters have just shown as regards Hodgson?s ability to manage their club. The trouble is, I suspect that we?ll be after two heads instead of one and who the hell will come in and save us? It's not just a team issue but one about Everton Football Club lock, stock and barrel. According to Bill he?s been trying 24/7 to find someone...

Reader Comments (39)

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer


Michael Kenrick
Editorial Team
1 Posted 12/01/2011 at 18:35:13
Sheesh, Mike... Build-up to one of the biggest matches of the season... couldn't ya have sat on yer hands, lad?

Still, discussing these issues while we are on the back of a relative high might ensure (haha!) more balanced contributions instead of the potential bun-fight.

The future is somewhat worrisome... and to aproach it, we might be better positioned if we had more knowledge of the recent past in terms of fiscal stuff. The absence of the Annual Report and Accounts of Everton FC Co Ltd, now SEVEN MONTHS after the end of the financial year, is unconscionable. But the more I try to make sense of them, the more I am convinced they are in any case very cleverly constructed to hide what is really going on. That's what the auditors are for... right?
Jimmy Changa
2 Posted 12/01/2011 at 18:55:17
Spurs have just let David Bentley go on loan to Birmingham of all people, so we may see a shift for Piennar in this window.
KPR Williams
3 Posted 12/01/2011 at 18:57:06
Did this get stuck in the Christmas post?..TW have been discussing this stuff for months and months and to be honest it's becoming like a broken record... same stuff different arrangement of words
We all know, let's just talk about something different shall we...
Sam Hoare
4 Posted 12/01/2011 at 19:23:49
More doom and gloom huh, just as things were looking up a bit.

Have to say if there is one thing that worries me it's how we're placed in the accounts rather than on the pitch.

Our transfer dealings are pitiful and I struggle (despite being the perrenial optimist) to see how the people running the club are justifying their position.
Fran Mitchell
5 Posted 12/01/2011 at 19:38:30
What do you want to talk about KPR?

4-4-2 or 4-5-1... done
Transfer spec.... done
Who should play against Liverpool.... done and to be done again
Confidence ahead of next game... done and to be done again
Future of the club.... nah, talked about before, we all know everything there is to know now. Why bother?

In fact, why not shut the website down. Only open up when something 'happens' and strictly no talk on anything we've talked about before. Moaners hey, like my girlfriend moaning about the mess. She said it once, why keep going on about it.

Anyone see Corrie last night?

Jon Cox
6 Posted 12/01/2011 at 19:32:08
Love Moyes or loathe him, Moyes has just a bit more than one eye on the beginnings of his Everton Mk. 2 era.

This has been going on in the background for quite a while. As an example, Billy. He was never meant for this current line up. He will slot in for Arteta when his days are up. Could see that a mile off.

There are others.

If on the other hand he leaves, so what? We, and the club are bigger than any manager or player and dont forget the only thing relevant to do with 24/7 is us and our support for the best club in the world.

We will take Anfield by storm!

COYB
Fran Mitchell
7 Posted 12/01/2011 at 19:45:28
On the post...yes the club is screwed, Bk will continue to try and pull the wool over everyones eyes.

Essentially, Bill has gambled with the future of this club. His gamble was that Moyes could take Everton into the Champions League, then sell the club for a huge profit (leaving him with enough money to pay of green and co and still have a good wod o change). This however looks to have backfired, Kirkby didn't happen and our chances of 4th are gone. The arrival of City's billions and Spurs's multi-millions eventually starting to work have de-railed the plans.

The only way we can make any money now is to sell, but all that will do is make Moyes leave and reduce the club to nothing.

So what will he do? My opinion is wait, and hope until he is absolutely sure no-one is going to pay him the £200million or so he wants for the club, before respectfully stepping down before we go down, with the British media calling him a 'great chairman'.

The man is a prick, always has been always will be. I know people who have worked for him in the teatre, he is a horrible person. He is an actor, and all of this is for him, not Everton.
John Ford
8 Posted 12/01/2011 at 19:53:52
Groundhog thread day again. We're skint, its a pisser, ho hum (for now)

Let's just beat Liverpool.
Christopher McCullough
9 Posted 12/01/2011 at 20:10:49
Beige.

Should have sold Arteta then?

There's a derby on Sunday. Kenwright out. COYBB.
Jamie Zeqiri
10 Posted 12/01/2011 at 20:54:44
We're dooooooooooooomed!!!!!!
Charles King
11 Posted 12/01/2011 at 20:39:44
Excellent article Mike Oates, I agree we're seeing the death-throes of a failed gamble and like yourself I'm more concerned about the long term mess rather than the odd unexpected win ? Liverpool included.

The truth hurts and judging by some of the smartarse remarks above you won't be thanked. For what it's worth, I think there's a burgeoning majority of the same mind.

Brian Connolly
12 Posted 12/01/2011 at 21:27:33
I can't believe this rubbish. There is a lesson to be learnt from Aston Villa on how quickly it can go wrong when a top manager leaves.

The biggest problems Moysey has had this season is having faith in the form of Arteta, he has been awful, Rodwell has taken a massive step backwards and all the forwards have let him down.

Kenwright is someone that we should thank for the way he has supported our club. We can always dream and whilst we have Moysey and Kenwright we know we can beat anyone.

Jamie Zeqiri
13 Posted 12/01/2011 at 21:40:16
I know this is off topic but has anyone seen how Liverpool are getting on? So, so good.
Ian McDowell
14 Posted 12/01/2011 at 21:18:00
Couldn't disagree with you, Mike; I'm a very worried Evertonian.
Mike Oates
15 Posted 12/01/2011 at 21:52:57
The article was not intended to join the hue and cry to get rid of Moyes or Kenwright, just a simple view that we are broke totally broke and the strategy to build a "CL entry" team on peanuts has failed.

The team is clearly miles better than it was when Moyes joined and we are so close to winning something but we haven't got the financial support to take it further. Life has moved on big time for the other 12-15 clubs in regards to their financial position and we have been left high and dry.

Mike Hughes
16 Posted 12/01/2011 at 22:02:31
Listening to the Radio Merseyside after-match moan in.

Blackpool 2 RS1

Dalglish! Out! Out! Out!

We must win on Sunday.

Eat their liver with a nice chianti.........
Ian Mullin
17 Posted 12/01/2011 at 22:06:52
King Kenny .... My Arse ...... Well done Blackpool the double over the red Shite ... now its our turn ... COYB !!!!
Frank McGregor
18 Posted 12/01/2011 at 22:00:01
Mike ? Why worry, be happy ? whilst watching the Blackpool v Liverpool game: 2-1 to Blackpool at the moment I read your article. Everton will carry on and hopefully achieve what we all wish for. By the way, we should all remember that Mr Dalgliesh along with that agent Stretford was instrumental in the unsettling and ultimate transfer of Rooney to Man United. Hopefully Sunday he can get some pay back.
Rob Teo
19 Posted 12/01/2011 at 22:02:43
Brian Connolly #13: "Kenwright is someone that we should thank for the way he has supported our club. We can always dream and whilst we have Moysey and Kenwright we know we can beat anyone"

I've heard some blinders on this site, but this one takes the cake. What do you mean by "beat anyone"? Having the occasional win against a top-4/5 club (which, by the way, happens far less regularly than you think - our away form at these clubs is a prime example)? Or do you mean beat them to the title/FA Cup/Europa League, etc (which hasn't happened or even come close to happening at all, apart from the one-sided loss against Chelsea in the FA Cup a few years ago)?

I would say instead that it is precisely because we have Kenwright (and to some extent, Moyes) at the club that we will NEVER beat anyone.
Tim Rydings
20 Posted 12/01/2011 at 22:14:36
FFS!! Blackpool double over the red shite!!!

We are Everton, let's lay into this misguided bunch of mercenaries like there's no tomorrow! We'll never have a better chance of doing what BLACKPOOL have just done, with their talisman in the stands!

Canny King Kenny's bubble has already burst, up and at 'em Moysie, let 'em 'av it!

COYB!
Dick Fearon
21 Posted 12/01/2011 at 22:38:09
Is it really neccesary for anti-BK venom to intrude into every topic? How many million more times will we suffer his critics repeating and repeating and repeating again and again the details of their inside knowledge. It must be reaching a point when ToffeeWeb decides to set up a section just for BK whingers.
Alan Clarke
23 Posted 12/01/2011 at 23:28:42
What I reckon is this:

Kenwright took a huge loan from Green on the basis Kirkby went through. Green would forego repayment of the loan with the money he'd make from the Kirkby retail park. Kirkby failed so Green now wants his money back and until he gets it, he's the puppet master.

I suspect no players were sold in the summer because the money raised would be used to pay back Green rather than be spent on new players. I think Kenwright thinks he can ride the storm whilst paying back Green then keep control to take Everton forward.

The stagnant situation we're in is because the sale of Bellefield was held up. The money now from this will go some way to paying off Green. Once Green's gone, we'll either see more money become available or some investment.

This is purely speculation from my own head but I bet I'm not far off the truth. The way Kenwright has gambled with our club's finances is scandalous and I hope the end is nigh for him.

Kunal Desai
24 Posted 12/01/2011 at 23:44:33
The writings been on the wall for a while now, got away with it once when we finished 4th and failed to build on it but to try and swerve it a second time round just doesn't happen. The downward spiral kicked in after the FA Cup final and there is no sign of the ship steadying any time soon.
James Flynn
25 Posted 13/01/2011 at 00:02:03
18 games to go and only 10 points away from the Top 4. Put the ball in the net gents.
Gavin Ramejkis
26 Posted 12/01/2011 at 23:57:13
The trouble is Alan, that ? even if BK does pay Green off ? he is finished, not because the fans will turn on him as he is thick-skinned and already shown he doesn't give a shit for the shareholders of the company, never mind the fans and supporters, but because he is a small-time blagger/fantasist and hasn't got any more big-time friends to call in favours from. He's probably burnt the only bridges he had in Green and Gregg and Grantchester.

The sale of Bellefield won't provide as big a fix as it should as the economy is still pretty fucked (unless you are a banker) so the valuation and actual price from its sale will be a lot less than it could have been.
David Hallwood
27 Posted 13/01/2011 at 00:22:53
We are a 1/3 of the way through the transfer window and, apart from the Manc arabs, no team has spent any money. Now either that must mean that Chelski, The RS and Man U are happy with the squads (yeah right) or they are as skint as us, and it would seem that most prem teams are on their uppers. So maybe it should we ALL dooooooomed...
Michael Kenrick
28 Posted 13/01/2011 at 00:27:30
Dick (#21) ? the solution is remarkably simple, but since you seem unwilling to exercise your own constraints regarding pointless moaning about topics you don't like, I'll be glad to help you out. That goes for the rest of you who can't actually contribute anything to the topic.
Alan Williams
29 Posted 13/01/2011 at 08:03:27
BK has no more mates left to get loans from now so he is dead in the water according to you lot. Please start facing facts about our club we love very simple to understand if you allow your brain to take in the conundrum.

EFC pays out more money than it receives, simple isn?t it? So unless we generate more revenue via player sales then we will slowly increase our overdraft year on year. Increasing tickets prices and shop sales whilst adding to the P&L again comes no where in filling the black hole we have.

In credit card terms we are at our limit with no new cards on offer it?s very easy, you can slag off BK as much as you like but nobody, yes nobody is even remotely interested in Everton FC Ltd because as a business it?s flawed. Expectations totally exceed the reality ? that?s why we are not an attractive purchase. Limited growth prospects and very parochial fans base doesn?t lead to massive investment unless you have some connection with our great club.

The money we have and its limited is now all going to the players, they are the ones benefiting from our negative revenue streams not BK. COYB

David S Shaw
31 Posted 13/01/2011 at 09:59:08
Kenwright is broke but chairmen don't use their own money to run football clubs anyway.
Matthew Mackey
32 Posted 13/01/2011 at 10:00:33
Mike ? your cup is obviously half empty at present. Mine is half full. Do you get what I'm saying here?

Oh... and by the way, we play the turds from across the park on Sunday where the first double could be acheived since the '85 season. So why not just forget the Kenwright (boring) soap opera for a few more days and enjoy the banter and build up.
Phil Martin
33 Posted 13/01/2011 at 11:36:33
Guess who:

1) I bought (well along with a few others) a famous football club.

2) I re-mortgaged my house to afford the shares from the previous owner.

3) I have not put a penny into the club since the date of purchase 10 years ago.

4) Due to #3 I instead borrowed money to pay back previous debts and offer some meagre transfer funds. Therefore I increased the club debt three-fold.

5) I employed an asset stripper to sell all accountable items and raise a short-term cash boost. With that cash now spunked, I borrowed against future TV rights.

6) The banks will no longer lend to me and I've fallen out with previous backers.

7) I won't reveal what I'm asking for although I expect a fucking profit and the club has always been up for sale.

8) Despite not putting a single penny, not a fucking dime into the club, the club is in safe hands. Did I tell you about the Boys Pen?

9) Kirkby is the only option. We have no Plan B. Goodison will be condemmed in the next few years and we must leave the city.

10) I am trying to sell up ? honest. Only no-one is interested. Aside from the 6 investors per year I speak to.
Denis Richardson
34 Posted 13/01/2011 at 12:41:44
Re Moyes, I'll wait until the end of the season to make my judgement. The last couple of games are a step in the right direction but we're not off the black road just yet. Also will be interesting to see what he does with TC if the Saha/Beckford combo keeps getting goals (probably go back to 4-5-1 with TC back in).

Re longer term, it would be interesting to see what the accounts say. No doubt we will get them at the latest possible date. Wonder if the delay has anything the the auditors having doubts on giving a clean opinion? As cash goes and nothing new of significance comes in, there will have to be a change, what that will be only time will tell.

Let's beat the RS first and discuss later.
Christian Yandell
35 Posted 13/01/2011 at 13:32:12
COME ON!!! It could be worse eh, just ask Kenny & Co

0-3 on Sunday come on you blues!!!!
Jamie Rowland
36 Posted 13/01/2011 at 22:05:27
I disagree with the first paragraph as it's a load of crap. Challenging for a CL place? No we weren't and no Evertonians' expectations came close to such a statement. We were shit last year and we didn't improve ? why would anyone think we'd challenge the top 6 even?
Chad Schofield
37 Posted 14/01/2011 at 00:29:36
Well, there were a few hopefuls Jamie... In the break I remember quite a few mentions of odds around and Everton top 3 finish.

I'd suggest Alan's theory sounds very likely from what I've read... But perhaps that's because i've spent so much time reading people's opinions on these fair pages.

Perhaps Dick should be made to wear Phil Martin's #31 10 commandments, so that he has something Bill related to bemoan.

Even if the economy wasn't as fucked as it clearly is - and it looks set to be noticably worse come this time next year - Bill's 24/7 search has to be coming to an end as post-Kirkby there had/HAS to be a change in tact. Sitting tight and hoping Platini's going to radically change things sometime soon is only detrimental to the club he loves so dearly. There's not been a Wenger-style single minded long term strategy, there's arguably been no strategy at all other than hope, prey, beg and borrow. And while other clubs have cottened onto our cunning 'x million doesn't mean x million', pre-priced loan deals only to devalue them further if you were dumb enough to pay £18million for them... We now seem to have little to offer potential players in terms of remuneration, experience ? given we have players currently being ignored or only minor runouts ? or accolades. So while, yes, other clubs around aren't spending, they are attacting players as they make a fresh bid to bypass the other pretenders through the glass ceiling and into the Champions League.

Moyes always had the assembling The Dirty Dozen/Inglorious Bastards thing going, but even some of our more battle hardened troops must be casting a jealous eye at some of other squadrons' resources, while their expected to dig in and weather the firestorm with only a Swiss Army knife and the memoirs of Bombadeer Bill.
David Hallwood
38 Posted 14/01/2011 at 00:58:32
Jamie Rowland (#34) "We were shit last year and we didn't improve" In fact we were the form team of the second half of last season, and it was only in the last five games did Chelsea & Man U overhaul us. Short memories...
Louis Then
39 Posted 14/01/2011 at 02:32:45
Bk looking for investors 24/7. He thinks he won Burger King just because he has the same initials.... More like Burger King open 24/7, where you can get a set meal for peanuts... BK OUT!!!
Darren Dempsey
40 Posted 14/01/2011 at 03:10:04
We all need to wake up and smell the coffee... our club is in the crap: no money, no investment, almost no chance! The whole board needs booting out not just Kenwright! The R/S got rid of there clowns, why are we just lying down and taking all the usual B/S? Is it because the R/S care more about there club?! I hope not!!

Why haven't we done anything, why aren't we making a noise, why aren't we forcing the board out? It's going to be to late soon and we'll be sorry if we aren't already!

SACK THE BOARD THERE DESTROYING OUR CLUB!!!!

James Hollister
41 Posted 16/01/2011 at 14:06:18
Darren its a sad indictment our fans in general. Most fans have accepted mediocrity and they really don't care about what happens at board level because they believe there is nothing they can do about the situation.

In part they are right simply because of the way the share holding is worked out. How do we kick the board out when quite clearly someone needs to buy those shares in the first place?

Its a catch 22 in my eyes...we need someone to buyout out the owners, but at the same time we need to kick this shower off the board yet we cant.

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