Drenthe thankful to Moyes

Hopefully Jimmy won't be suggesting the Prodigal Son must now return!

In truth, I value Drenthe more then the £9.25 million Bilyaletdinov who cost buttloads of cash, but delivered nothing to Everton, now that says to me there is quality in this guy..

What everybody seems to forget, had we had Drenthe in our squad right now, he would be the last piece of the puzzle, we could be ahead of Spurs. Instead let us all get behind the utter shit of Naismith, ha,ha,ha,ha,ha. e might as well be a drinker too.

I would like the grown up version of Drenthe back, if we are ever to progress to CL. I love Drenthe for his trickery, his pace and long range shooting, right now we have NO such players.

Obviously he'd be on a final warning...but he was something special. It's not like Moyes to go back on himself though. He'd see it as admitting he was wrong.

Come back Royston - offer to play for a month without pay. We couldn't turn that down!

This is exactly the problem with Everton. If this is what Drenthe was up to, then just tell the fans and they will back Moyes and not the player. Why did Moyes need to bullshit us by saying he had gone home for family reasons, why the need to lie to the fans, and what else are we being lied over

Breaking into Finch Farm with women.....gotta love that.

Instead he had to endure the usual TW group who are always quick to criticize him, maybe we should learn our lessons that he knows best. Still the MOB will soon get their wish if he leaves in the summer, mind that will allow us to appoint a manager who will regularly get us into the top 4 a place that should rightfully be ours with a better man in charge.

So, while I and many others will be sad to see Moyes leave, at least we have an even brighter future to look forward to if the MOB are right... I think they might find the reality may not be as rosy as they hope.

They will say: “I can only say that Moyes was right in every way."

"I tried to come up with all sorts of reasons to blame Moyes, but that was not fair on Moyes.

"I was living in a ­different world, And I realise I have ruined it all myself with my moaning and booing."

“I used to confront David Moyes, thinking I knew best and had the right to slag him off all the time. But in hindsight, he was so right about the team selection most times."

“Now I can't believe we blew it at ­Everton. It was one of the most fantastic clubs in the Premier League."

“Our ­attitude and poor mentality are the reasons we ruined it at Everton and now we have to play in League One.''

You never know that might well happen but if someone else comes in and does just a good job or even better while producing good attacking football and maybe winning a cup will you be coming on and saying "I can't believe I was conned by Moyes all this time."

It reads like some mad oul preacher in Alabama.

"They drunk, they went with women, they took drugs, they thought they was cool, but it was JESUS who was cool, it was JESUS who knew the way (wipes sweat from brow) and now they face the faaaaarrrs of HELL!!"

511 - a genuinely hilarious and imo, revealing post.

That this guy was without club for so long, when available on a free, illustrates his problems. He could have been great...but I expect it will be too late now, whatever miraculous character transformation he might effect.

Laudrup would be nice, based on this year. Di Mattaeo? Who knows. Hopefully we wont have to pay too much in terms of compensation.

Moyes probably see this first XI as the best he has had but due to the board shafting us again in January, the hard work at the start of the season is dripping away. We needed fresh faces, the players were saying this on twatter....but the usual happens, shit bids that were never going to be accepted and business as usual with no extra players to help try and kick on.

Not even a loan player to help the squad.

Moyes has given him a second chance, and the rest!

I've never heard of the saying you should always have a 42nd chance

I look at history and compare the outcomes of other clubs in similar situations but for 9 out of 10 it doesn't end well. I am fearing the worst and hope our other fans will see the light before we end up like the majority of other teams who thought they could bring in a manager to take them to the next level.

It's hard enough to move from a bottom half team to a top half team but to move from a top half team to a top 4 team is virtually impossible without huge investment that we don't have.

One way or another, he needs to sort out his shit. In the meantime, despite fond memories of him speeding down the wing in an unpredictable and thoroughly entertaining fashion, I won't be talking a blind bit of notice of what he says.

All you with short memories obviously don't recall how he didn't bother to turn up for training the day before the semi-final last year.

Some even talk about him as succeeding Fergie in the biggest job in football.

Fine.

My question is, given this - why do so many of those who praise Moyes's, shout down every name suggested as a potential manager, even though most of them have more experience/success than Moyes did when he arrived from Preston?

I mean it's (sort of) saying only Moyes could..um.. 'do a Moyes', which is ridiculous.

By the way Ian, I am not for a second doubting you when you say. - "I look at history and compare the outcomes of other clubs in similar situations but for 9 out of 10 it doesnt end well".

However if these figures are to be taken seriously, let's see them (nb: if they don't exist, don't use them)

Personally I see NO clubs in a 'similar situation'.

Ie: With a manager who has been at a PL club for 11 years, is liked my many, has won nothing and has started (three seasons ago imo) to look stale, out of ideas and even a little bored.

(Wenger might be the closest but he has won loads so not THAT similar).

I think the (famous) William Goldman quote - 'nobody knows anything' - applies as much to football as to films and (AS WITH MOYES!), there are no guarantees - you just have to go with what feels right.

Or in our case, what feels right to BK's missus who apparently had the last word on Moyes.

(1) What sort of machines and/or facilities do they have at Finch Farm which would make him want to break in there with one or several females?

(2) Was Fer’s meniscus OK until he followed Drenthe onto the equipment at Finch Farm?

(3) Is this story a reflexion on the quality female companionship available 1,200 miles South of Moscow?

As the man in the Clint Eastwood movie put it, I just has to know.

Clarke and Laudrup are the new kids on the block in the PL who are impressing in their honey moon first season but as I say, although it is a tremendous achievement to make a bottom half side a top half side, very few have taken the next step, Moyes being one of them and consistently looking like one of the most likely to do it again.

I wouldn’t mind Laudrup if Moyes stepped aside but I don’t think it is worth changing. if I had the choice I would keep Moyes considering he is still steadily taking the club forward. It's just unfortunate than Man City came on the scene with their billions and knocked us one place further back in the pecking order.

We were very lucky to bring in a lower league manager who took the club forward like Moyes, we would have to be incredibly lucky again to bring in another manager who can take the club forward once again when so many at other clubs have failed.

I’m not saying only Moyes could do a Moyes but Moyes is proven to be the best candidate for the job.

Off the top of my head, the other clubs that I compare Everton with in terms of being in a similar situation ie teams believing that they can bring in a manager who can take the club to the next level:

Newcastle when they got rid of Sir Bobby Robson, Bolton and Newcastle when Sam Allardyce left. Aston Villa when Martin O’Neil left. Wigan when Steve Bruce left. Blackburn when Mark Hughes left and again when Sam Allardyce left. Charlton with Alan Curbishly and Chelsea when Mourinho left.

Can't really blame Moyes at all on this one if he was behaving like that.

There is no-one on these boards who wants or wishes Everton to fail. Not one. If there is, give us his or her name.

"I’m not saying only Moyes could do a Moyes but Moyes is proven to be the best candidate for the job".

I disagree, I think that IS what you (and many others) are saying and I think it is nonsense.

Moyes came in, was new, fresh, gave us impetus etc and turned things around.

If he can, so can someone else (he's not superman ffs).

And HOW exactly is he the 'best candidate for the job - coz he's done it and the others haven't?

As for 'the next level', what exactly is it and how long do you have to stay there before you can say you've reached it?

Believe me, I am a realist - I DON'T expect Everton to win trophies and I DON'T expect us to qualify for the CL.

However I don't accept dumb/turgid/cowardly/Presbyterian football either and imo, Moyes has served up and been directly responsible for far too much of it.

My desire to see Laudrup or Martinez or some feller from Div 1 I've never heard of (nb: like Moyes used to be), is simply for the chance of seeing something and someone new.

We played some great stuff second half of last season and the start of this season and (on TW) I actually praised Moyes for this.

But it appears he's now wavering between the percentage shite he feels safe with and trying to play a bit of football.

The team look lacking in confidence and that's (ultimately) down to him.

To be honest, I actually think Moyes is bored of Moyes (certainly judging by the gob on him recently).

All enthusiasm seems to have drained from his already ashen face. There's probably a medical term for it, after all, he says he chats to B.K. on the phone every day.

I can just picture him in training now " doon the line Phil" as he thinks to himself " Is this fucking groundhog day or what?"

I think he needs a good rest.

All enthusiasm seems to have drained from his already ashen face. There's probably a medical term for it, after all, he says he chats to B.K. on the phone every day.

I can just picture him in training now " doon the line Phil" as he thinks to himself " Is this fucking groundhog day or what?"

I think he needs a good rest.

If you could be a little more concise and to the point I would gladly answer your questions but unfortunately I don’t have the time to read all your post never mind answer to it all, and if you would at least give me the chance to respond, you would see I have answered the question put to me by Eugene but your post was so long I managed to post my answer before you could post yours to tell me that I disappear and don’t answer direct questions, so you have been proven wrong yet again my friend.

"it’s a bit hypocritical to just blame me when it was Eugene who started these “discusting claims” in post 520 when he suggests I hope Everton fail to prove myself right".

Two things.

1) I did NOT suggest you hope Everton fail. I said - "You can almost hear Ian wishing for it so he can be right". Key word - 'almost' (nb: I accept, as Paul says, that no Evertonian wants to see Everton lose EVER, but I also know that some posters are desperate to be seen as 'the winner' and lose the run of themselves. That is why, imo, you could ALMOST hear that in your post). The tone of my post was clear. It was not that you wanted Everton to lose, it was that you were desperate to be 'right'

2) You know what snitches get? (taps nose)

"I’m not saying only Moyes could do a Moyes but Moyes is proven to be the best candidate for the job".

Then you tell me that’s not what I’m saying! So you know what I’m saying and I don’t? You can read my mind now?

You ask: “And HOW exactly is he the 'best candidate for the job - coz he's done it and the others haven't?”

Yes that is exactly why.

Then you ask:

“As for 'the next level', what exactly is it and how long do you have to stay there before you can say you've reached it?”

The next level is the top 4, when you get in the top 4 you have reached the next level. Once again, it is very difficult to take a bottom half team and make them a top half team consistently. Only Pulis, Moyes Allardyce O’Niel Hughes Jol Rednapp and one or two others have done it and maintained it for more than a one season wonder.

The list is shorter still for those who have taken it a step further and taken a top half side to a top 4 side. Sir Bobby Robson, Redknapp, Moyes. But non have been able to maintain the “next level” of top 4 statu.s So since Moyes took over it shows no manager has been able to take their side to the next level of the top 4 and stay there unless they were already in the top 4 status to begin with or in exceptional circumstances such as Man City or Leeds .

He choose to not play him because he was an arse... for non-footballing reasons. Probably because Moyes felt slighted.

Our match with Liverpool should've been the priority, not Moyes's ego. And not only that — he bullshitted the fans as well.

I can't believe anyone with our club at heart would interpret this as a feather in Moyes' cap. Bollocks decision then, and it's a bollocks decision now.

I don't hear voices screaming for the ball. I don't see heated arguments with officials. All we get are shrugs of resignation and a lack of true desire to win at all costs. ....and I'm not excluding DM and Mr Round.

It's even spread to the bench with Duffy saying he is not quite ready for Premiership football. Of course he may be right but youngsters should never think they're not good enough. Imagine the state of their nerves when they are eventually asked to step up to the plate.

I think what was different to appointing Moyes 10 years ago, and a potential replacement now, or in the near future, are the expectations.

We, as a club now, have been European contenders for a while, therefore should be able to attract more reputable names, than 10 years ago, when we were in the dire straits. But the problem now is that all of these "bigger names" are mainly foreign.

I mean, think about it, we have had replacement shouts like Lambert and Martinez, and Rodgers before he shipped off to Liverpool, and still people think it would be a huge gamble, despite all of them having at least a year of good prem experience. That's how far we have as come as a club since Moyes has taken over, to be fair to him. But 10 years ago, I wouldnt known we have linked with (maybe Megson??), but it seems proven managers had gone out of window, so we had to gamble to appoint an unproven manager, which of course Moyes was at the time.

Personally, I would like Martinez, if/when Moyes leaves, but I can see why people are so sceptical when names like his has been spouted on as potential replacements. It is a huge gamble to appoint, even Martinez, with 3 years of good prem experience, but it is shows how high expectations are now.

However, how anyone can criticise him for dropping Drenthe, and never playing him again after the episode with waster AvdM is beyond me. Get your lemon out of your mouth and say it was the right call, talent or not. Dysfunctional players get shown the door.

Football is littered with problem players, and closing a blind eye to Best, Gazza, Merson, got them where? Potless and a one-way ticket to the morgue. Yes it's funny to listen to the stories, but deep down its pretty sad, with a stat like 40% of footballers are declared bankrupt and rising.

Is Moyes the best we could have had for the last 10 years? Probably. I haven't seen anyone else with similar or less resources outperform him for a period of more than two seasons, and I have seen a lot more clubs spend more and achieve less. Happy to take any name. Does his failings win the Cup Final or close the points gap from the best of the rest? Hypothetical. Perhaps it does, but it would be marginal at best in my opinion. We still in my mind are a well organised group, but always lack world class game winners which usually cost or would be hard to retain. We have had two in my mind: Rooney and possibly Baines. We've had good players, but not enough where you'd pick 6 of our side against the competition's first 11, or 9 of ours from a squad of 18 or so.

Is he worth £4m a season. Hell no, but which footballer is? The point is Billy No-Mark earns £1-£2m, and Moyes is worth the premium to continue selling to buy, and maintain a decent league position with a track record. Is Everton going to fall apart when he leaves? On Day One, no. But it will of course depend on what his successor or successors make of it.

The years between Everton winning the league in 87, and finishing strongly under Joe Royle in 96, were undone quickly that we witnessed the big match debacle, Norwich at home (Efan Ekoku), Wimbledon, Coventry last day of the season etc from a number of decisions which were clearly taking us backwards.

The new guy could be great, and it will be David who? My guts tells me that it will not be that easy. Liverpool have spent in the last 2 transfer windows, best part of £50m, have a huge wage bill and are realistically going to need to spend a load more again. So it begs the question: what is the best we can hope for?

Where does it say he was drunk for the semi-final?

And even if he was as sizzled as a fuckin proverbial newt, he'd have still been more effective than some of the midfield dross that got the nod.

Is that simple enough an explanation?

You cannot be serious. In a team environment you cannot play someone who is not abiding by team rules. It creates disharmony amongst the rest of the squad and isn't fair to those doing the right thing.

He may well have played better than what we had but you have to have rules and penalties when you are managing any team sport.p>This is the most basic principle in any team environment. Bollocks decision in your opinion but I'm afraid that anyone who has ever played in, coached or managed a TEAM will tell you your comments are a joke.

A good manager would have sorted Drenthe out not just shut the coach door in his face and said "It's my ball. You can't play." — And before everyone says Drenthe was an idiot, well who signed him in the first place? And who let him drift into his self-importance?
Sir Alex would have sorted him, played him... and probably won the game.

I'd like to see Moyes breaking into Finch Farm with a striker.

Or is this just another example of looking for anything to have a go at Moyes even if Royston himself has said Moyes was right?

Couldn't disagree more; A loose cannon laughing in the face of team discipline...works so often, doesn't it?