Fans Comment
Colin Gillbanks

Concern
01/08/2005

On Transfer Windows: they make  you make your mind up!!!

I am not a professional football coach (although an avid watcher for over 50 years) and flatter myself that I can spot a likely performer. It doesn't need genius to decide that James McFadden isn't good enough for the English Premier League; that Richard Wright is a waste of space; that Kevin Kilbane is a scuffler totally lacking in real talent; and that both full backs are just not good enough. And that's just for starters.

Now I accept that DM will not have a huge budget to turn things around in one fell swoop but I maintain there has been sufficient to improve both quality and quantity on an an incremental (gradual) scale given the imagination and determination to succeed. I refuse to believe, as do numerous others, that there has been a lack of quality out there. Much as I am loathe to mention it, this does not seem to have deterrred our loveable neighbours from adding to a squad that already outnumbers ours by a considerable margin.

What then is the problem? Do we as a club lack status? Do we not pay as well as other clubs? Is there a lack of funds? Or is the manager unwilling to take a gamble on any player other than those he considers a bargain? Again I am willing to concede that there are elements of truth in all statements but I am beginning to believe that the major problem is DM's unwillingness to compromise.

No one who reads the website will know the truth of it but the tortuous manner in which every transfer is conducted does seem to lend credence to the dithering Davie image. I just happen to think that it is nothing short of disgraceful that we have virtually no options to replace unavailable players just 3 days before the CL transfer deadline and that we face a humiliating exit at such an early stage after all the high hopes and hard work of last season.

To those however who are expecting some last-minute activity I say - get real. If the manager has been unable to achieve significant transfer success in the last 3 months, what realistic hopes are there in just 72 hours?

You know shortly after he arrived at Goodison he was quoted as suggesting that transfer windows are a bad thing because "they make you make your mind up." Well, Davie I guess that is what you get paid for... although there has been precious little evidence of it this summer!

Finally to those who dare to suggest that the Fenerbahçe game was just a friendly and is of no account; well, I take a somewhat different view. These are the type of games that build up a reputation and the prestige of a club. If we are incapable of providing an adequate challenge then I think we should forget about it. Something I and, apparently, a goodly number of your contributors are finding hard to do at this moment.

Colin  Gillbanks

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