McCarthy signs new five-year deal at Everton

Very happy he's committed to Everton long term.

At least Jamie Redknapp (ssn) had the sense to say Stones should stay at Everton for the foreseeable future although Jim White had to put in his little dig with "well he's still an Everton player for now". Twat!!

Well done, Roberto, for pulling this one off.

Oh, I realise Roberto is shite / Catalan Clown / Tappy Tappy (delete as applicable) on TW, but for once just a tiny bit of credit, a mere nod of the head in appreciation wouldn’t go amiss.

As it stands, this window has been good business for our club.

Rio Ferdinand’s assertion that John Stones should go to Man Utd rather than Chelsea because he would play every week was outrageous, implying it is one of only two possible outcomes, and ignores the fact that John plays every week for the club that holds his registration, and again assumes that we have no right to expect to keep him.

I really hope that John comes out and puts paid to all of this rabble rousing by committing himself once and for all to EFC, an outcome that would be met with perplexed indignation and puzzlement, no doubt.

He’s far from being the finished article but displays everything I want from an Everton player and being only 24 will only get better.

The fact he’s decided to commit some of the best years of his career to us shows he believes in what RM is trying to do so let’s all get behind the team and get stuck in to Watford on Saturday.
COYB

Distin was rumoured to have had a bust up last year, but apart from him, and Chris Long who signed for Burnley, every other player wants to sign longer contracts and stay at the club. We have also stated today that 3 players are needed, and I think we will get the right players, even if they are late.

We haven’t had -- in my opinion -- a brilliant pre-season, but let's wait to see how the season starts to unfold before the wailing and gnashing of teeth commences.

Great news that our most committed player on the pitch has shown commitment to the club.......and the manager.

Will be even better if we see a good performance and result on Saturday followed by the customary late transfer action from our club's paymasters.

Re Stones. I have also said that whilst I don't want him to go, I could be persuaded if over £30 million plus a player or two were offered as well. Saw comments from press conference. Whilst it was stated that he is an Everton player, it would have been great to state that he isn't for sale at all.

But I have noticed that you’ve been very saucy the last few days. What’s up?

Funny how the Mail broke it on their site and couldn’t resist a quote along the lines of "a player persistently linked with a move away this summer". Their "links" with never a quote or formal reference to give it credibility. Just pure lazy and optimistic journalism with no foundations in the truth.

I'm sure it won't stop rumours next, but at least it serves as a reminder not to get too involved in paper talk.

James is a great player who's not yet hit his prime... great stuff!

Imagine the scene. He’d been one of the most vocal champions in the media of Bainsey’s move to Man Utd. Almost on a daily basis he was writing about this imminent move and how it was going to happen in the next 24 hours. I think it was Henry Winter who pulled him up on this and the fella lost it completely. He was red in the face, almost fell off his chair and started hissing shite like, "If you were Baines wouldn’t you want to go? Which player wouldn’t want to go to a top team like Man Utd? Why do Everton think they can keep him? Everton have to be realistic when a big club come calling" etc... plus the above quote.

It was then that I realised there must be something more to this than just a desire to break the news. These guys are in the back pockets of their big teams. They aren’t interested in being objective or impartial -- they are hacks and they are corrupt.

Getting a bit concerned too about Roberto's quote that Stones may have had his head affected by the Chelsea and media shinanagans.

Hopefully Stones and Mirallas are going nowhere too.

It is about time some authority took control of these media idiots who make outrageous claims.

Surely some form of censorship needs to be applied to some of this bordering on libelous suggestions e.g. "McCarthy has told Everton he wants to leave". when the player himself says "he is delighted to be at Everton".

People are quick to slag off the press (and rightly so), but how many TWers got caught up in the hype? I saw lots of comments during the friendlies to the tune of "playing like he wants away", etc.

Too much knee jerking that only further fuels the fiction peddled as news.

Unsurprisingly they were wrong far more times than right.

I love the Mirror being ve made to look stupid & remember how they tried for months to move Bainsey to Man Utd -- now they’ve got Dopey "I forgot" Rio trying to shift Stones that way; I hope that ends the same way too. Stones will be a lot better than Rio, and doesn’t need to leave EFC to achieve that.

Some of the journos are certainly in the know, but it’s great when they get it wrong, eg, they were all telling the world ’Arry was nailed on to get the England manager’s job & Moyes to replace him at Spurs, when Roy Hodgson then got the England job!

Keep Stones, get Mirallas signed up again and sign 3 good players for the team and things will start to look a lot more rosey at Goodison.

Mirallas will be announced soon, but hopefully not to soften any announcement of Stones leaving. If McCarthy was sold on the idea that RM is building a team for the future then surely that means Stones stays. If not, McCarthy has been sold a lie.

Don't forget the Barnsley fans weren't exactly happy about a certain central defender's media stories a couple of years ago.

The media sources its back page stories from agents and PR companies acting and be paid fo,r by players. I reckon Stones prefers to stay up north rather than go to London and to get this message out he's used the media. He is clearly ambitious having left Barnsley for a much bigger club. If he feels there's a bigger club than Everton then clearly he is going to be interested.

I think Stones is very happy where he is and has no need to move for the foreseeable. He’s got a lot of decent young talent around him, some old donkeys as well... but a few decent signings and everything to play for this year.

We need to win Saturday. COYB.

BBC, BRENDAS BUM CHUMS

Meanwhile, in the real world, a player who has signed twice for the same manager has, err, signed for him again.

Not that surprising, is it?

I don't think I could have stomached seeing James McCarthy in a Spurs shirt lining up against us on August 29th, it would have hurt, so it's nice for once to hear some positive news.

Lyndon, OP this hasn’t been going since the end of the season, but since the end of season 2013-14, well over 15 months.

Nevertheless, I’m absolutely delighted that James has signed a new contract, his name should be the on the team sheet first, every week. Now how about some more good news before the end of the transfer window?

Don’t forget, the press really started to declare how "unhappy" James has been since Cleverley arrived which was July; I mean, they were stating how he’s had "showdown talks with Roberto", "feels disrespected that Cleverley is making more money", "feels disrespected that Everton haven’t offered him a new deal", "wants a move", etc.

Then it went quiet for about a week during the John Stones media feeding frenzy. A McCarthy story would pop up here and there, but there wasn’t really anything until about a week ago, when Tottenahm announced they have moved on from JM and were now chasing a Bundesliga player. The contract negotiations between Everton and James must have just reached an inevitability point for Spurs to bail so quickly.

It’s starting to look like we might at least be able to hold onto to all the players we want to keep, at least for this season. Although I’m reluctant to celebrate too much until the windows closes.

If Mirallas signs a new contract -- and the board can blow the cobwebs off the check book and bring in 3 players of quality -- I will feel a lot more positive about the new season than I was a few days ago.

That being said, it’s just papering over the cracks, this club will not begin to move forward until we have new owners & board.

Off the field -- we’re not even treading water anymore, we’re falling further and further behind.

Has anyone seen images of the banners someone has stuck round Goodison?

Matt @ 70, what is the story with these images?

(Even though you never "went" in the first place... unless you believe the Daily Mirror and its top hound-dog journos who said he was deffo signing for Spurs.)

It’s silly season isn’t it? Just to add a tad of perspective here, McCarthy cost us about £2 million less than the net loss that Man Utd have shipped on Nosferatu just now, in his sale to PSG and the spunking of what, £15 million for a handful of games? It’s barely merited a shrug in the media.

You have to see the funny side? It is time for Jimmy to really show his full potential though, we do need him let off leash.

Great news on the progress in protecting our players but I wished Besic was playing.

I only read a few days ago on here that when the majority have an opinion on here that they can’t all be wrong, well here’s an instance where the majority were wrong. It was being dealt with professionally behind the scenes and his contributions last year have been rewarded.

I think the board’s ability to attract and keep players has improved significantly under Martinez and I hope that we’re able to pull off a few more cracking signings before the window closes to add some much need creativity into the side.

Keep the faith, better things to come this year

We now need Super Kev to sign his and I would also reward Stones by giving him a new deal too, to give Chelsea and the Press another two fingers.

Just the two backup centre-halves and the No 10 to sign up tomorrow now....

I even spoke to a mate of McCarthy's who claimed I would be wise to bet on him joining Spurs as his agent had already agreed a deal with them, trebling his wages to £105k per week.

Goes to show that bullshit is everywhere.

There is a counter-theory that we've probably given a substantial pay rise to a player who already had a decent time to go on his contract. And we've done that to ward off interest from clubs that we or the player perceive to be "bigger". That doesn't feel like success, even if it's just the way things are I guess.

A counter-theory to go with your counter-theory is that signing existing players to longer contracts, even with pay increases, makes a lot more sense than paying transfer fees for players to come to our club. There is then an inevitable "bedding in" period, especially if said player has come from a foreign league, before he is up to speed and we see the best of him.

It’s time to put all the negativity aside for a while and I must admit I too have been guilty of it.

It’s understandable given the let down of last season and the apparent lack of activity and results during the last few weeks.

One hopes that even if Lukaku doesn’t show against Watford that the team will still get a victory as a good start, particularly at home is essential.

I would love to see Ross start and turn on the style we all know he is capable of and with Cleverley backing him up they should have the strength to control the midfield where I believe most games are won and lost.

Being a box to box style player he needs to add a few more goals and assists to his game and help us move the ball forward quicker, although one assumes it's up to the manager to give him this license.

Wonder if this wave of optimism on TW could catch on?

Hopefully he will strip fairly fit for the weekend. Normally gains a few pounds during the holidays and struggles through pre-season but he didn't look too bad the other day. Nowhere near his best but probably ordered to save a bit.

His instructions are usually governed by the ability of the front players to keep the ball. We're much more dangerous when Lukaku and Naismith play but we're also more likely to be hit by sudden counter-attacks. Let off the leash when they were both missing away ro Swansea, he continually pressed forward and combined with Jags, Barkley, Baines and Kone to provide the assist for the Lennon goal. One of the best moves of the season.

Deulofeu has brought into it. Garbutt and McCarthy have both been convinced. Youngsters like McAleny, Dowell, Browning, Ledson and Galloway are coming through. I do think Martinez needs to improve himself as a tactical manager and learn how to play the press game more shrewdly, but I still believe his long term plan is the right way to go.

Everton are not in the position to expect immediate success. We can't throw money at the transfer market to take short-cuts. By gradually adding layers and keeping hold of our best young players the foundations for future success are being laid. If players like Stones do eventually leave it should be for a huge fee that can be re-invested in adding more depth and quality to the squad. We don't have to sell just to balance the books.

I think the key to our season will be if Martinez can learn from his mistakes of last season and if key players like Lukaku and Barkley can improve. If this can be achieved then the dream will be back on track.

This means a) There are some transfers imminent, or b) They have cash problems.

Take your pick. I know which one I am going for.

Anyway, I suppose my point was that two of those guys were touted as replacements for Martinez on here -- it’s obviously not that straightforward.

As an aside, condolences to the Neville family for the loss of dad, Neville Neville.

This way I don't get infuriated, disheartened or propagandenised. I watch football with the sound turned down and rarely watch MoTD 'pundits' analyise a game.

It allows for a much calmer and simpler life. I highly recommend it :)

I'm made up McCarthy has signed up again. He's a good midfielder, not great, but good, and is probably the best we have. Mirallas re-signing is slightly more important and we can wait with baited breath.

I see Leroy Fer just failed a medical at Sunderland. The guy appears to have some inherent problems with his knees.

I’m actually quite glad to see it as the suspicions/conspiracies it raised about the way Everton’s board run things was very worrying!

Great news, and also Mirallas -- it would seem odd to me if Stones was sold now.