Fans Comment
Gary Keey

Is it Half Full or Half Empty?
05 September 2005

Sir David Moyes

We fans set the tone of the club and the attitude henceforth of our friends and colleagues as to how we are progressing.

There seems to be a distinct divide in support almost to the point that we don't have any middle ground.  Things have descended into ear-marking fans under the 'Dithering Dave Crew' and the 'IMWT Brigade'.

Is this really necessary during a time of great promise and hope for our club?  It is clear from everything I read on here and elsewhere that there is no doubt SDM (force of habit some may recognise the name from a message board) has revitalised the club and turned around its fortunes.  But what I am dismayed at is the inability to see both sides of the fence and accept that we are in a transitional period.

I tend to border on the optimistic view, yet always enjoy seeing the pessimistic arguement as a grounding and discussion on what needs to be addressed.  Yet why are we all stuck within the confounds of our labels, so much so that this website is now being seen as a focal point of the pessimism amongst supporters?

We all agree we need a striker; we all agree we have signed some great players.  Did we fail in the transfer market? That is yet to be seen, but no-one can argue that we haven't tried.  Is SDM failing to get the players we need?  This season perhaps the answer is yes, maybe he didn't do what was needed to finish in the top 6 this season, but what do you want from your club?

I hope, next year, to be dealing with the concerns and questions we have had this year and hopefully continue to be asking questions of how to improve rather than worry about staying in the Premiership for years to come.  To do this I therefore feel Everton must buy sensibly.  Also note that we needed a striker last season and SDM bought Beattie, a move which hasn't gone down too well so far.  Who's to say it wouldn't have been the same this season? Perhaps SDM felt there was no-one available that could offer any more guarantees than Beattie currently does, and thus chose to wait.

We know of all things this guy will stand by his choices and will take the fall if they prove to be wrong.

Ok, so that was the optimistic side. The negative is that we did need a striker and our team will suffer without one.  We had no guarantees, if Keane or Kuyt came, that they would have made the difference but perhaps we should have tried.  Our formation will again be dictated by the players we have and let's hope that will be enough to see us through.

The positive of all this is that our squad is learning.  We have some players coming into their prime at 24, 25, 26... and that is promising for the club.  Furthermore, they are learning a style of play that before last season was a rarity and I feel this will bode well for the future as we recruit what is required to use a more conventional 4-4-2.  This flexibility will become a critical factor in our progression as a club and may mean the difference in 4th and 2nd in 4 years' time.

Alas, whatever you see from SDM, the Board, the players and the fans, there is one thing that cannot be denied at this moment in time: It has been over 10 years since our minds have ever been able to start considering the best way to progress and consolidate the club as a top-8 and then top-6 placed team.

Can I suggest a new label for those who like to look at both views and understand the merits of both camps we seem to have right now?

In Dithering Dave We Trust (IDDWT)

Gary Keey

Interesting thoughts there, Gary, and something we at ToffeeWeb Towers are not unused to doing because we review  a wide range of opinions and viewpoints as we process material for publication.  In part, you are addressing something that goes way beyond being an Evertonian.  Anyone who is passionate about anything develops fairly strongly held views on their chosen subject. 

And those views can be very hard to change.  Just look at any forum and see the internet identity/personality that unknown but regular characters develop and convey, then defend to the hilt when challenged.  I think it is something of a macho thing too, an aspect of human nature.  It almost requires that a person who is bold enough to present their views must then be strong enough to defend them against all-comers.  The irony is that a balanced piece like Lyndon's Falling Short article is lambasted for being negative, after he took pains to praise David Moyes for the great signings that he has made. 

My concept for ToffeeWeb has always been to provide a place where Evertonians can gain information, but it seems information cannot be disseminated without some sort of bias, colour or tint that distorts it by the time it is processed by the recipient.  As we increase the level of interaction with the fanbase, this becomes inevitable.  It puzzled me at first when ToffeeWeb was labeled as being negative, but I realised there are some fans who don't want to face up to the factual side of things, who prefer instead to have their news sugar-coated and presented in a wonderfully glowing and positive way.  Hollywood perhaps do know what they are doing after all, appealing to the masses by ensuring they construct a happy ending to every story.  I'm afraid that's not us, although we really do not accept the negativity label at all. 

The challenge you present it a good one: can we embrace a broader view that spans both pessimism and optimism?  Unfortunately , those terms are heavily loaded, but to claim the middle ground of realism seems equally conceited.  What is needed are commodities that are in increasingly short supply in this world: compassion and consideration for alternative views.  

The Editor

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