Fans Comment
Ian Bonnar

Gearing
29 December 2005

There's a concept that I've been struggling to articulate - but I think I've finally got to it after last night's match.

I think football clubs are 'geared' a certain way - a level of being and achievement that permeates the entire club, and while first team performance might vary a little either side of the defined level eventually things will settle back to the way the club is geared.

The gearing of the club is defined not only through its finances, although they're probably a key driver of this gearing, but also through its culture, its approach to being a club.

It seems to me that Everton has managed to slip from top 6 to bottom 6 gearing in the space of 15 years. During that time, our finances have descended to the level of a bottom 6 club - primarily through comparatively low turnover, our stadium being one of the poorest in the league, our squad and training facilities mediocre at best, and our commercial operation also mediocre. But more than that, the workplace culture is also mediocre - Howard's line of 'think Champagne, drink Champagne, think pale ale, drink pale ale' is very apt. For the last 15 years, we've been thinking pale ale. We've seen good quality players come in, but the culture of mediocrity has dragged them down.

This mediocrity now permeates every level of the club. As illustrated by the stats about number of games lost by DM and WS, the first team coach makes pretty much naff all difference. Joe Royle did ok for a bit, but towards the end his team was also serving up terrible, dire, losing football that would see us down in the bottom six. He couldn't change the gearing, nor could Walter Smith, Mike Walker, Howard Kendall II or III, nor, does it seem, can David Moyes.

Actually, I think Moyes has come closer than any manager is ever likely to come to changing the gearing, both financially and culturally. But two events scuppered that — the sale of Rooney and then more crucially the sale of Gravesen. The Gravesen sale told our players that we're never going to be serious about being more than mediocre — we'll never be a proper big club again. We took the money and shrugged our shoulders — mediocre was okay.

People say that our form has been terrible since then, but actually all we've done is return to the level the club is geared to. In fact, if we'd barely stayed up last season, as many only even dared to hope, we'd probably be pretty happy with the way this season has gone.

So change the manager if you want - who cares. Under a new man we might have a slight upward turn for half a season, or even a whole season, but eventually we'll return to the level we're geared to. The first team is the final product of everything else that happens at the club. Last season was a miracle, but it was a blip.

There are only two ways this can go. Number 1 is a complete change from the top down. That's the only way we'll change financial gearing and the workplace culture.

Number 2 is acceptance that we're geared to barely survive and that's about what we'll achieve most seasons.

I hate that this has happened to my football club. It has nothing to do with Nil Satis Nisi Optimum, but while the current ownership is in charge, we'll stay geared for mediocrity.

Otherwise, it's option number two I'm afraid, as the manager can only influence a little until our gearing forces us back to how we're set up to be.

Anyone know any rich Russians.

Ian Bonnar

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