Walter Smith's Excuses — A Reply
... from Gary Tan in Singapore

5 March 2002

I have always read the fans comments and articles with great interest and, on many occasions, find myself agreeing with the criticism of the club and tactics that Walter Smith chooses to employ.

As an Everton fan who started supporting the club in 1988 (I don't really have much to cheer about since), I may not know as much about the club as Mr Goeff Atherton but feel compelled to share my views about the issues he mentioned.

1. Walter Smith may have spent that amount of money but what about the amount that he have had to bring in to balance the account?  Also, £50 million in four years is not a lot compared with the other clubs who have enjoyed any small measure of success in the past few season.

2. Hutchison, Jeffers, Barmby, Collins, Dacourt, Ball, Materazzi... etc DIDN'T want to stay. W hat hurt me most about some of those transfers is how those so called "Blues" would only stay if they are the best paid player in the team.  Save for Collins and Hutchison, there aren't a lot of international caps between the ones I've just mentioned.  If it is true as reported (and I believe so), everyone of these were offered an improved contract.  At this financial stage, we just can't be throwing £30,000 per week to everyone who demands it.

3. I am just as puzzled as anyone as to why we suffer so many injuries.  Abel Xavier missing though a "virus" for half the season; Dunc is the biggest man around but suffer injuries everywhere from waist down.... the list goes on.  Is the coaching staff and management to blame?  Hardly.

4.Unfortunately, at the moment, we have only mediocre and has-been players.  Those players mentioned earlier left for better clubs with more money and a brighter future.  Why?  Because we have been mismanaged for years and Walter Smith and Bill Kenwright cannot be blamed for that.

5. What he has done at his previous club doesn't really matter.  It's his record here that counts.

6. Changing manager every couple of season is the last thing we need right now.  It is true that the club have not progressed a single bit since Kenwright's and Smith's arrival but at least they have stopped the slide.  When Smith spent the money he thought he had, he bought players like Collins, Dacourt, Materazzi, Bakayoko (a disaster but you could see what he was trying to do there).  With no money, he has still brought in Gazza, Ginola, Blomqvist, and Stubbs.  It is obvious the type of players Smith prefers to sign likes to pass the ball around a bit.  Give them and Smith a chance.  With money, time and luck, he can turn the club around.

7.I can't believe that George Graham is even being mentioned.  Even if he came, we would still not have the money to buy the players that he needs.  Dave Jones and Peter Reid are two managers I would like to see here but not now.  A new manager will want to sign new players and build up his own squad and we don't need that right now.

I want to put the record straight that I am as frustrated about our performance and fearful about the future of the club as any other Evertonian but we must not panic and look around for quick fix thinking that we can turn the club around in a season or two.  More often than not, it takes more time to rebuild than it takes to destroy.  Being in Singapore, I don't have the chance to be at Goodison Park to cheer the team on but hope that those of you who can do so, will continue to support the team and stick with the club.


"Painfully but Optimistically" Blue, 

Gary Tan
Singapore

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