Season 2011-12 Fan Articles

The Future

By Fran   Mitchell  ::  20/12/2011   45 Comments (»Last) The recent Rodwell link to Chelsea got me thinking. My initial response was "No chance, don't sell him." Which is still my current feeling. However, why? What do we expect him to achieve? Or Barkley, Fellaini, Hope, Green or any other talented youngster that we have? What is our goal?

We all want a takeover, that much is for sure. But whom? What sort of person will take over (if ever)? I'm pretty sure it won't be a sheikh, an owner of a giant oil conglomerate, or any other multi-billionaire money launderer. So whoever it is, things will not dramatically change. We won't have a £70 million war chest every transfer window and we won't be bidding for Europe's top talent. So can this team progress in this money means all 'league'?

I believe yes we can. Mainly becasue I am a blue and, despite having no faith in the manager or 40% or the playing staff, I still feel each week that a performance will come and everything will be rosy. But beyond those blue-tinted glasses, there is another element to my confidence in our potential: Youth.

This alone is what makes me think the future can offer something. Often on this board the idea is that money alone is what will help you progress. But this is not true. If you have a team of useless donkeys, then yes, you will only progress via huge investment. But if you have a good, solid academy then you can progress. Maybe to make that step up to title challengers that extra £70 million is necessary. But this brings me back to an original question.

What do we want? To win the league? Well, of course; however, I'd also like to spend the rest of my days with Gisele Bündchen on a tropical beach with never ending Mojitos. Is that necessary for me to be happy? No. So what will make us happy Evertonians?

Well, for me, it is simply to watch a good football team play well on a Saturday afternoon. To enjoy what I see in front of me, not what I read in the newspapers or even the league table for that matter. The occasional jaunt into Europe to watch the lads, and the occasional excitement of an FA Cup run (I am not really bothered about the League Cup). And for me, this is a possible achievement because we have one heck of a youth system.

Our youth set-up is revered by others. Since Rooney, we have developed Rodwell and Barkley and, were it not for sheer bad luck, James Vaughan should have been that elusive striker that we need. From what I've seen also, Green and Lundstram look like talented guys and in Hope, Bidwell, McAleny and Baxter, we have players who, if nurtured, have the ability to succeed. But for this to work, those young players must stay. They cannot be sold off to appease the banks. We should hire a reserve/youth team manager who has knowledge of good quality football. And these teams should play as the senior team does.

Our senior team must be built around the big talent we have now ? Rodwell, Fellaini, and Barkley (with Drenthe added imo) ? not around a talent that is on the wane (Cahill), as it is now.

And then we must not sell them. Sell anyone else, but not them.

If that elusive buyer does arrive, then we should continue with this focus. Buy that bit of experience, but continue the investment in youth. In my opinion, it is our only chance for Everton to provide us with football that we will enjoy.

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