Fans Comment
Martin  Doherty

No Mercenaries Please, David!
12 June 2005

Slaven Bilic: mercenary

One of my worst memories in my 42 years as a lifelong Blue came not on the pitch but just outside Goodison Park following a stadium tour I had just treated my then 8-year-old son to on his birthday.

I'll never forget the look of awe and bewilderment in his eyes as we were escorted around the ground, the dressing room and the Trophy room with Dave Hickson as our genial host.  He was still on cloud nine when, leaving the ground, we spotted Slaven Bilic.  Autograph book in hand, my son and his older cousin galloped towards him for a quick signature only to be gestured away with an indignant swipe of his hand.

What we didn't realise at this early time in his short Everton career was that Slaven Bilic was nothing but a mercenary.  He felt nothing for the club or the fans and it showed in his play and general attitude to playing.  He was only there for the money.

That still has relevance today when we are being touted with so many big names and it will be one reason I won't lose sleep should Scott Parker choose the money (Toon) over ambition (so-called Champions' League football).

The lad must surely realise that it's the World Cup next year and Carrick has moved in front of him following his impressive displays for England on their recent States Tour.  If I was bestowed the gifts from God that he has, I'd be doing my utmost to get myself seen by Sven as much as possible at the highest level (durrr .. that's not possible with those lovable fat barcodes, Scott!!!).  If that is his raison d'être, then we are better off without him.

Give me a fully committed Lee Carsley any day of the week and, by the way, I can understand what he means by 'no bigheads please'.  Let us not forget that our successful season was built on team spirit, hard work and a commitment to Everton.  Let's not dilute that ingredient when trying to add some flavour to the pot.

Yes, we want to be associated with world-class players — although anyone who remembers the eighties will recall we won nothing with Lineker, but we won the title either side of his one season at Goodison.  Methinks something was lost that season; could it have been the rest of the players weren't too happy with him having the largest salary at the club?  And is it just me who thinks that Bent is better than Beattie?  They surely have only got to work on the lad's finishing to reap the benefit of a player who has a phenomenal work rate.

So Davey, lets keep that well-intentioned caution in your transfer policy; we as Evertonians have seen too often in the past the dangers of the mercenary player (the list doesn't just include Bilic).  For the sake of our young blues... keep them away!!!

Martin Doherty

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