Fans Comment
Dan Catton

The State We're In
21/02/05

James Beattie: suggestions he got sent off on purpose are ludicrous

This season, Everton have managed to exceed all expectations by maintaining a Champions League position for so long. They have done this by utilising a high intensity pressing game. This approach will take a greater toll on players' fitness levels over the season. Everton have the smallest squad in the Premier League, which does not allow them to rest players as other clubs do. Realistically, the team will perform less well once this workload – exacerbated by heavier winter pitches – overwhelms their reserves of stamina.

It would have been ideal if David Moyes could have brought more new faces in during the transfer. We do have funds and we are challenging for Europe, which would seem to make us an attractive proposition for players. However, clubs are aware of the available funds and seem to have raised prices in response; Everton haven’t qualified for Europe yet and may not; Everton may not be an attractive proposition to many players too young to ever remember our last period of sustained success. It seems affordable players who were keen to sign could not be found.

So did Everton capitulate on Saturday? No, of course not. Everton did not capitulate, they were outplayed or, more specifically, out-passed by a team who exploited their near exhaustion. The team couldn’t respond after the first 15 minutes because they had nothing left. It is that simple.

Is there a conspiracy involving Everton, Glazer’s lovable Mancunians and the Rooney transfer? No, of course not. Man Utd are a plc. Any shareholder can demand they open their books and show how they do business. This makes signing “you’ll capitulate every time you play us”-based contracts a touch risky. Imagine what would happen were this to be revealed: the docked points that would result could jeopardise Champions League qualification and that is not an option for them.

From Everton’s point of view, why would they sign such a deal? The Board are trying to bring in fresh funds. Kenwright’s negotiating position would be non-existent should any potential investor discover such chicanery. And the likelihood is that a potential investor would uncover such a deal. It’s a non-starter.

As for suggestions such as that Beattie got himself sent off because we couldn’t use a player bought with the Rooney funds: they’re ludicrous. Why would the player agree to it? We hear a player’s moans quick enough when they get dropped yet we can believe Beattie would raise no objection to missing 3 games (when he’s desperate for match fitness) and 2 weeks’ wages. This is aside from the fact Bent played, as did Arteta and United have no way of knowing if his wages come from the transfer of Gravesen or of Rooney.

Moyes is trying to achieve a lot with a little. Perhaps the team over-achieved last autumn: perhaps a few more low-key games then and the players would be able to offer more now. As it is, they are exhausted and that doesn’t bode well for the remainder of the season. The manager must have been aware that this would happen and must have been desperate to rectify the situation but, due to circumstance, was unable to.

Moyes will be as aware as anyone of what happened two years ago: if he could have avoided it, he would have done. He’s a relatively inexperienced manager and may have missed a few tricks but what else could he have done? Anyone able to name the affordable, talented young players keen to join that he didn’t bother to sign? He has a limited budget and wasn’t willing to waste it for potential short-term gain. That’s the Leeds way and it’s too risky. Moyes is building for the future, which is also risky but less so.

This analysis may be less exciting than the conspiracy theories and all the ranting that are being aired at the moment. I apologise for that. I trust the fact that it has even an iota of plausibility might be some form of recompense.

Dan  Catton

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