Is it really this bad?
Stephen Burton struggles with the realities of Everton's current problems...

16 May 2004

I dunno what's going to happen this summer but I feel something is brewing. Perhaps it's just coincidence that as the season has fell away, more stories have came out concerning Ferguson and Jeffers bust-ups with Moyes. Unsworth, Radzinski and now Gravesen's contract talks. Moyes apparently losing the dressing-room. The conspiracy theories are rife about the board selling Rooney two minutes after the season-ticket renewal deadline.

But is it really as bad as all this?

Frankly yes, or at least it seems that way. Massive debt, tired relic of a stadium, crumbling training ground and a board who run the club like a St. Domingoes XI gentleman's club. Worst of all however is the distinct lack of light at the end of the tunnel.

I've accepted the fact that the term "multi-millionaire Everton fanatic" doesn't exist (sorry Bill but you ain't no Steve Morgan). And when the board deny they have made any approaches to the Thai Prime Minister regarding investment you just know that is exactly the case.

So inevitably we will sell Rooney, probably this summer unless Wayne publicly states he wants to remain. He has been allowed to talk to the media so at least that's something to hold onto before he's gift-wrapped to the highest bidder after Euro'04. Of course this being Everton he'll be off to the reds for a knock-down £12M.

Several questions remain then if we sell Wayne just how much will the manager get to spend on much needed improvements to an already ageing squad?

Er, not much but surely the board can see the spectre of relegation looming on the horizon. Surely.

How much can we afford to spend on wages?

Er, not much given our current plight. Quality players start at Ј1m a year and at a time when our biggest outgoing is wages, twenty grand a week is just about the most we can afford to pay our best players.

How much will be going to the debt'?

Well if word is to be believed we'd need to sell Rooney, the entire squad and ALL property owned by the club and we'd still be about £10M short. Fact is we have to get this bloody debt under control otherwise we'll be in the same situation 10 years from now, treading water in the bottom 6. Can we allow this cycle of dross to continue? From outrageous wastes like Nyarko and Bilic to just simply shite players like Bakayoko and, dare I say it Claus Thomsen. It has to stop, this perpetuating cycle of big-money failures can't continue (What came first anyway, the wages or the debt?). Less Pistone more Parkinson. At least when Joe got injured I didn't mind us settling his contract - he earned it.

I suppose the club is slowly being dragged into the 21st century with the ingenious idea to open a shop in the city centre (cheap dig I know). If they could create an exclusive range of clothing with just the words ' the debt ' then I'd certainly be interested be buying, at least that way I couldn't get carried away thinking we were a mid-table club. Badly burned fingers and the realisation that giving ageing, injury-prone players long deals on high wages really isn't the proper way to do business should also serve as a warning. Or so we'd all like to think anyway. You have to laugh at the absurdity of it all really, one boy wonder + one Russian squillionaire = cash. The board of Everton Football Club + cash = more of the same.

As I say I don't know what will happen this summer or next season but you can guarantee one way or another something will definitely happen. Whether that be Moyes resignation, Rooney's departure or some ridiculous pantomime of Harchester United-esque proportions (see Kings Dock) we'll just have to wait and see. Money is tight, confidence is low but I'll still be there come first day of next season regardless. That's the really funny thing.

Stephen Burton

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