Kone will get his chance to shine

, 25 May, 70comments  |  Jump to most recent

Roberto Martinez has reiterated his desire to see Arouna Kone complete a full recovery from his serious knee injury and says that signing another striker is not among his targets this summer.

Due to the damage he suffered to his knee in the autumn following his arrival from in a £6m deal from Wigan Athletic in 2013 and the long road of recovery that followed, the Ivorian has made just 17 appearances and scored only one goal.

Concerns have been raised among supporters about whether, at the age of 31 and with no guarantees that he will find full fitness, Kone is a reliable back-up to star striker Romelu Lukaku but the manager is insistent that there is more to come from the man he brought with him from the Latics.

Asked during Friday's interview with the independent Everton fan sites whether he felt there was expecting more from Kone, Martinez said:

"Yes. The truth is, I feel that Arouna Kone deserves the opportunity to show what he can do. He had such a horrendous injury. I've seen many players retiring [from that]

Luis Enrique, the manager at Barcelona, took him two years and it was a smaller piece that came off his cartilege.

"Arouna Kone has showed a couple of good moments, a few flashes and you've never seen him be able to have the next step and that's match fitness. So, I'm sure that after a good pre-season we'll all see what Arouna Kone can do.

If we can have Kone fully fit, Rom [Lukaku] fully fit and desperate to progress... we've still got a couple of other players who can play in that 'number nine' role but I wouldn't bring in anyone else for the sake of it in that position."

Martinez explained that he felt Chris Long was not quite ready to be handed the responsibility of regular first-team action but that he will continue his development among the senior players over the summer with a view to greater involvement next season.

"I think Chris has done well while he's been out on loan but obviously he's only played a couple of full games so I think it's too early," the Spaniard said.

"Chris will have a specific programme. He'll do the pre-season with the first team and we'll take it from there."

 

Reader Comments (70)

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Colin Glassar
2 Posted 25/05/2015 at 18:05:58
Fat Ronaldo had a similar injury and it took him a few years to get back to his best.
James Marshall
3 Posted 25/05/2015 at 18:08:35
Kone has had an average career, perhaps due to so many injuries, but the fact remains, he’s had an average career and isn’t going to score a load of goals for anyone at this level. A waste of £6m or whatever he cost.

We do need another striker, but Martinez has to say all this because he bought him. If he doesnÂ’t big him up, then he looks an even bigger fool than he already does.

Which is saying something.

Dominic Tonge
5 Posted 25/05/2015 at 18:15:08
I say buy a new striker, please! Oh sweet Jesus, please. Not Kone.
Phil Walling
7 Posted 25/05/2015 at 18:18:33
Everton would never have signed Kone on his previous uninspiring career had he not been with Wigan. The price was extortionate and, no doubt, part of the deal which saw his manager join our club.

Given that Roberto says he is unlikely to sign another striker, we can only hope he eventually Â’comes goodÂ’. Unlikely.

Ray Robinson
9 Posted 25/05/2015 at 18:21:55
You canÂ’t run a football club based on sentiment. ItÂ’s not even certain that Sturridge will ever be the same player again after his injuries - and heÂ’s a far better striker than Kone ever was. Besides, even if Kone does regain full fitness, heÂ’s not likely to improve as a player at his age.

I want a manager who faces reality occasionally rather than this deluded fool.

Andy Crooks
15 Posted 25/05/2015 at 18:46:27
I think Kone has been desperately unlucky. Also, I believe has shown glimpses of being a decent player, his first touch, for example, is much better than Lukaku. With a good pre-season behind him he just might do a job for us.

Actually, a good pre-season would improve all the players.

Steve Harris
16 Posted 25/05/2015 at 18:50:25
How can you compare Kone with Ronaldo??? Kone was shite before his injury and always has been, don’t really think you can say that about Ronaldo, fat or not! £6 million for an average Wigan player was always the problem.
Denis Richardson
18 Posted 25/05/2015 at 18:55:47
Whilst I sympathise with Kone and his injuries, I cannot believe Martinez thinks we donÂ’t need another striker. Even IF Kone were fit we need 3 strikers not 2.

Fact is, he signed a 3-year contract and next season will be his last at Everton unless something remarkable happens. Given his injuries over the last two years IÂ’m at a loss to explain why weÂ’re not looking for another striker. Lukaku will go into the season with no real competition again (even a fit Kone is not competition).

I can’t think of another team in the league that only has one fit striker – and yet we have no less than 4 CDMs.

I can just picture it now, early September 2015 (transfer window firmly shut), Lukaku picks up an injury and Kone is (surprise surprise) still not fit and we have only Naismith playing up front Â’till Xmas.....

Jim Bennings
19 Posted 25/05/2015 at 19:03:44
These words from Martinez regarding Kone tell me exactly why nothing will be any different next season.

So basically a player who has nowhere near looked good enough for the league this season will become the answer to any potential striking dilemma should "Lumpkaku" lose form or fitness??

No ambition at all.

While the redshite are correctly in meltdown, would you hear them talking up the prospects of Borini or Lambert next year no??

We are talking up players who have contributed nothing whatsoever for over 12 months ..

Just pathetic really.

Jim Bennings
20 Posted 25/05/2015 at 19:10:32
I can safely guarantee under Martinez we will start the season with Barry as a regular again and the usual dross formation packed with defensive midfielders.

He will blame a slow start on the long haul trip to Singapore..

David Holroyd
21 Posted 25/05/2015 at 19:05:20
Martinez cannot help but put his foot in it, everytime he speaks.

Twenty months since we bought Kone, and letÂ’s face it heÂ’s never going to make it. Martinez should shut the fuck up, while not a priority we need competition for Lukaku. LetÂ’s buy the players he wants if heÂ’s staying which I for one hope he goes. Another season of that shite cannot be tolerated.

Paul Jeronovich
22 Posted 25/05/2015 at 19:14:03
A couple of good moments? This is where I canÂ’t give Martinez any credit. Kone has an awful goal scoring record, has shown no moments of promise and is over 30. If he was in my office IÂ’d be referring him for write off.
Tom Bowers
23 Posted 25/05/2015 at 19:15:27
The news we all wanted to hear. Yeah right!

We will have the same useless players kept, whether sick notes or inconsistent performers, to ensure yet another poor season next time.

I cannot believe this man Martinez.

Just to show how poor Everton were in his second season you have to look at the record against the top 7 clubs if you include Soton (who may get into Europa League).

Everton played 14, won 2,drew 3 lost 9 scored 12, conceded 26.

Pretty abysmal isnÂ’t it?

Paul Hughes
25 Posted 25/05/2015 at 19:28:22
We were told a few weeks back the manager had ample funds to spend in the summer so if he does then a striker is required because Kone is useless. If lukaku gets a bad injury we are in trouble. He scored over 20 goals this season.
John Daley
26 Posted 25/05/2015 at 19:16:08
"Martinez should shut the fuck up"

He was asked the question in a pre-arranged q&a session with representatives of various fan sites. IÂ’m sure Â’shutting the fuck upÂ’ would have gone down a storm.

KoneÂ’s been a pretty disastrous signing so far due to his prolonged recovery from injury. When he has played heÂ’s looked ok in a few games and not up to snuff in others. You canÂ’t expect his manager to come out and say Â’heÂ’s been shite and I wash my hands of the porcelain boned prickÂ’.

We obviously need another striker capable of putting pressure on Lukaku, but itÂ’s a question of priorities as it appears the transfer budget this summer isnÂ’t exactly going to be behemoth sized. We need another central defender desperately. WeÂ’re crying out for a creative midfielder and at least one, preferably two, wide men with pace. IÂ’d put all those higher up the list than another striker right now.

For the one forward position Marinez plays with weÂ’ve got Lukaku (who will start almost every game when fit), Naismith (a striker who seldom gets to play as one), Mirallas (who IÂ’ve always believed would be best utilised as an out and out striker) and, yes, Kone (if Chewbacca has managed to put him back together with his head facing the right way round). Not ideal, but unless thereÂ’s someone decent made available on loan or out of contract, probably what weÂ’re going to have to make do with.

John Daley
30 Posted 25/05/2015 at 19:37:48
"We were told a few weeks back the manager had ample funds to spend in the summer"

Paul,

Â’AmpleÂ’ could mean absolutely anything. Ample according to who? Ample in comparison with what?

In the same interview in which he spoke about Kone, he was asked about spending £28m again this summer and replied that he wouldn’t be able to as ’we don’t have it’.

When you consider the strengthening required, I would suggest it seems the transfer budget this summer is going to be anything but ample. Which means the manager is going to have to get creative in the transfer market. Something heÂ’s been more miss than hit at during his time here.

Ian Smitham
31 Posted 25/05/2015 at 19:41:00
Jim Bennings, I enjoy your contributions, thanks. Just for clarity, and I know everything is relative, but do you consider Lukaku is as fit as other Premier League strikers?
Dominic Tonge
32 Posted 25/05/2015 at 19:40:43
Seriously though, as much as I sympathise with his injury issue, Kone has only ever shown patches of form, he had a good game against us in the cup but, to be honest, he is about the same level as Beckford.

The talent is my issue: simply put, not good enough. He isnÂ’t good enough when fully fit to warrant a start, so sack him right off and get someone who would improve us. ItÂ’s not hard to see... is it?

Trevor Peers
33 Posted 25/05/2015 at 19:39:26
IÂ’m certain Roberto has a perverse sense of humour. ThatÂ’s definitely a piss-take aimed at us TWers. He never plays Kone anyway except when the big fella is injured, I get the feeling heÂ’s just a good friend of RobertoÂ’s and is being looked after.
James Stewart
34 Posted 25/05/2015 at 19:48:51
Problem is Kone was pretty crap before the injury so itÂ’s not like he ever really cut it before either.
Jim Bennings
35 Posted 25/05/2015 at 19:51:29
Ian

I have no idea at all how fit Lukaku is but I do know he always looks wrecked after 20 minutes.

Colin Glassar
37 Posted 25/05/2015 at 20:05:40
ItÂ’s called hyperhidrosis Jim, or in other words, excessive sweating and breathing. It doesnÂ’t mean heÂ’s wrecked or knackered after 20 minutes.

Steve, I’m not comparing (F) Ronaldo with Kone – I’m just saying both players who rely(ied) on explosive pace had to change their game to adapt to new physical realities.

Rob Dolby
38 Posted 25/05/2015 at 20:13:05
I shouldnÂ’t bite but what planet is this guy on?

He is coaching the desire and passion out of the players and boring the fans to death.

We have to get rid of him.

Patrick Murphy
39 Posted 25/05/2015 at 20:15:10
Colin - According to the NHS website you could be correct, as Lukaku certainly doesnÂ’t enjoy physical contact and it may well be interfering with his work he should seek medical help asap. Where do I book my next lesson in RobertoÂ’s school of unbelievable excuses / reasons for failure?
Gareth Clark
40 Posted 25/05/2015 at 20:07:15
No no no!

Sign up a quality youngster (Michy Batshuayi or Anthony Martial) or a good BPL striker (Hernandez from Man United or Charlie Austin)

Also, I would love us to sign up Nathan Redmond from Norwich, young English quality with flair and guts!

IÂ’d like to see Caulker at Everton, heÂ’s got and cold but still young, pacey, tall and strong, & finally a fan favourite, Deulofeu.

These four quality players will be about £30 mil at least, but it’s a good investment in young talent which we need!

We also need a quality 'keeper very soon, a German in my opinion! (Tim can start playing a role like Brad Friedel, given his age.)

COYB!

Joe Foster
41 Posted 25/05/2015 at 20:18:31
Is it contagious, Colin?
Colin Glassar
42 Posted 25/05/2015 at 20:23:01
I doubt it, Joe, as none of our other players seem to break into a sweat during games.
Joe Foster
43 Posted 25/05/2015 at 20:24:24
Ha ha... touché!
Joe McMahon
44 Posted 25/05/2015 at 20:20:22
Christ, can things get any worse, sideways passing, Alcaraz, McGeady, a complete dump of an antiquated stadium, our current Chairman and now this – Kone adding to our long historical list of non-scoring strikers.
Scott Mongomery
45 Posted 25/05/2015 at 20:30:12
So weÂ’ve one striker with hyperhidrosis and the other with hypershiteosis. Kone must owe Martinez a lot of cash, heÂ’s keeping him damn close.
Trevor Peers
46 Posted 25/05/2015 at 20:38:24
According to the O/Forum 25,000 season tickets have already been sold unbelievable! So it looks like we can look forward to many more of RobertoÂ’s gems. LetÂ’s face it the world would be a much duller place without his on going comedy show.
Ian Smitham
47 Posted 25/05/2015 at 20:54:13
Jim, top man, I am with you.
Patrick Murphy
48 Posted 25/05/2015 at 20:55:55
Just as well that Kone will be able to become the main man next season as this article doesn’t seem to think that our £28m forward will become one of the worlds’s best strikers.
Van Breukelen - Lukaku in decline
Gavin Johnson
49 Posted 25/05/2015 at 20:57:29
This translates to – we’re brassic so we’ll have to make do! I noticed an article on NSNO today where Martinez says we’ll have nowhere near the £28m spent on Rom last summer for new signings.

While not a huge surprise, I would have expected us to have between £15m-£20m before outgoings. So much for wishful thinking, eh!

Liam Reilly
50 Posted 25/05/2015 at 20:47:37
Sensible post, John (#26).

We play one upfront, so quality strikers are not going to be lining up to play stand-in striker for 11th place Everton.

Darren Hind
51 Posted 25/05/2015 at 21:03:41
25,000 season tickets may sound impressive but its still around 12% short of this time last season (well over 28,000). That's very bad news and would be for any business, but especially so for EFC. I bet no other Premier League club comes anywhere near to that sort of drop.

These figures were fairly predictable as we have witnessed a few people on this site saying they wouldn't renew. I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever that this drop is down to the standard of football we were served up last season.

People have simply had enough.

Karl Masters
52 Posted 25/05/2015 at 21:40:17
I took my daughter who is 9 to that Spurs match yesterday. SheÂ’s desperate to see some goals, shots on goal, saves, excitement, atmosphere, singing, the players giving it their all.

But what we got yesterday was an utter embarrassment and a disgrace of a performance.

I donÂ’t get why people say we are easy on the eye and play good football. We even had Spurs fans telling us that at a service station on the M1 going home!!!! The EmperorÂ’s new clothes....

I donÂ’t enjoy watching us one bit and havenÂ’t done all season. As for my daughter, she will lose interest of something doesnÂ’t change.

Patrick Murphy
53 Posted 25/05/2015 at 21:58:55
Darren - If your figures are correct that’s another £1.5m that we have failed to bank. A club such as ours cannot – even with the TV money – afford to lose a million here and a million there, which is why yesterday’s insipid performance was even more unacceptable.
Michael Winstanley
54 Posted 25/05/2015 at 22:05:33
It would be great if we could buy a £10-15 million striker but we can’t afford that, so we have to make do with Lukaku and Kone as back up with Naismith and Mirallas as options.

Leung Chi Ho
55 Posted 25/05/2015 at 22:18:12
Don’t forget – we sold Anichebe (£5M) and Jelavic (£6.5M) when you criticize Kone, he cost us £6M. He scored 13 goals the season before joining us.

What if we bring back Jelavic for not more than £5M if he is available?

Tom Bowers
56 Posted 25/05/2015 at 22:16:46
I can see we will have a long bitter Summer trying to second guess this man Martinez. If he is given money, which lower-league bums will he sign to compliment the lower-league standard he already has in the squad?

If he is willing to keep someone like Kone, who is way past his best (whatever that was), then God only knows what else he has in store for the Blues.

Does he know the Everton motto?

Patrick Murphy
57 Posted 25/05/2015 at 22:35:56
Leung (55) Jelavic has netted 12 times in 41 appearances for Hull and Anichebe has six goals for WBA; not prolific but rather more than Mr Kone although of course he has only appeared 17 times for the Blues.
Ben Hughes
59 Posted 25/05/2015 at 22:27:46
We need defenders and especially centre halves in the summer or it doesnÂ’t matter who's up front.

Anybody else realise we only kept two clean sheets away from home in the league this season? (Palace and WBA). The fewest we have ever managed since the Premier League formation in 1992. I have particularly singled out away clean sheets as that is where you are most likely to come under pressure given the onus is on the home team to attack.

I Personally think Jagielka and Stones are overrated as neither of them can attack a cross in the mould of say a John Terry, Carragher or even our own Dave Watson could. Whenever Everton have had a successful side, it was always built on not conceding many; this side wonÂ’t do that. I canÂ’t believe Martinez hasnÂ’t addressed this in two years.

Harold Matthews
60 Posted 25/05/2015 at 21:54:59
I tend to agree with JD. Our transfer funds will not be large and we have bigger priorities in other areas, especially with one or two of the older players being cast adrift.

Truth be told, we donÂ’t have a real No 9 like Benteke, Costa, Aguero, Suarez, Giroud or Harry Kane. Lukaku likes to feed off someone in a 4-4-2 set-up which is not our way of doing things and Kone likes to join people up so others can score goals. As he did when he played a vital part in Lennon's Swansea goal and Mirallas's Burnley goal.

Top priorities for me would be a fit Oviedo and a Pienaar who could give 60 minutes for 10 to 15 matches. I would also like one or two big guys like the monster Van Djk of Celtic and the classy 6Â’-5" Isreali Bitton, also of Celtic, who plays in the Gibbo position.

Patrick Murphy
61 Posted 25/05/2015 at 23:13:35
Harold, I agree that we need to add some height and weight to the team at the back and I wonder if we could bring in a left-sided CB and let Stones play in between Jags and the the new boy, it would mean he would replace Barry but with his ability on the ball he could do a decent job in there as he is pretty quick too.
Geoffrey Risebrow
62 Posted 25/05/2015 at 23:29:33
Surely someone like Danny Ings or Charlie Austin has to be a better option than Kone, if we are able to get either of those players (Ings is out of contract).

Kone did suffer a horrific injury through no fault of his own and who knows how well he would have done without that injury?

Peter Keating
63 Posted 26/05/2015 at 00:14:06
Patrick Murphy – is it just me or would Michael Dawson not be a be a bad signing? I was shocked when Spurs let him go. Way better than Alcaraz.
Eric Myles
64 Posted 26/05/2015 at 00:28:19
Kone needs a good pre-season to get fit?

DoesnÂ’t our pre-season start in July? During Ramadan?

We all remember the excuses why Kone wasnÂ’t fit last pre-season as being due to Ramadan.

Mark Andersson
66 Posted 25/05/2015 at 18:33:51
This is all too depressing. Words fail me. At 54 IÂ’ve seen it all from my first encounter on Scotty Road to see Everton return with the FA Cup in 1966 to the heart breaking decision to sell my hero Alan Ball.

Then to witness the golden years of Howard Kendall’s brilliant teams of the 80s, even our last trophy, the FA Cup, against all odds, I just knew we would win it.

But Martinez has taken me to my lowest ebb. I still canÂ’t believe that there are a few left who think next season it will just all come together.

Maybe they still believe in Santa and the Tooth Fairy. That reality TV is real and that Jesus will come back to finish his glass of wine.

Meanwhile, in the real world, as many more informed and intelligent supporters have written, everything about the team has gone backwards. The older players donÂ’t give a toss, and are happy to go through the motions. The younger players are trying and failing to adhere to Martines philosophy. The promising ones will be sold and replaced by utter shite because thatÂ’s all this manager knows.

David Holroyd
67 Posted 26/05/2015 at 05:50:07
Just a minute... £10 to 15 million, the season Tony Cottee came we spent over £4 mill. Nearly twenty years later and that’s all we have to spend on new players? God help us.
Matt Traynor
68 Posted 26/05/2015 at 05:54:21
Eric #64 Ramadan is from 18 June to 16 July, so he wonÂ’t have much of an excuse this time.
Seb Niemand
69 Posted 26/05/2015 at 08:03:30
Who here amongst us would not give serious consideration into putting Kone into our all-time worst Everton XI (or maybe on the bench for the worst XI) of the last 20 years?
Harold Matthews
70 Posted 26/05/2015 at 07:38:54
Patrick. Nail on head. Now youÂ’re talking. The Barry position is killing our left hand side, has worn out Baines and needs to go. The only way we are going to fill in the hole in front of Baines is a 3-4-3 set-up with the wingers doing a full shift. Van Gaal reckons it can only be done with top class ball players at the back. DonÂ’t know his reasons but this man knows a lot more than I do.

IÂ’ve always fancied Stones in that position but after watching Van Dijk stride forward with power, pace and skill, I think I might go for the mighty Dutchman. Believe it or not, IÂ’m getting excited already.

Trevor Peers
71 Posted 26/05/2015 at 09:12:17
Mark, I agree; the supporters are split into two camps: the realists and the optimists. Having worked with incurable optimists in the workplace, I found their insufferable chirpiness was nauseous and most people avoided them like the plague. Much better to take a more grounded level-headed approach to lifeÂ’s problems.

And so it is with the Blues;l they have real problems from top to bottom that aren’t easily solved. Hopefully a few shrewd signing will move us up the league but I’m not holding my breath where Roberto is concerned – he usually screws up.

Still we do have his daily sound bites to cheer us up; without a doubt, he would make a good comedian.

Paul Tran
72 Posted 26/05/2015 at 09:32:47
This is as much about budget and priorities than anything else. Like most managers in most walks of life, Martinez isnÂ’t going to tell us he got it wrong and Kone has been a waste of money. The priorities for me are playmaker, centre back (Van Dijk, please) and goalkeeper. On that basis, I can see why heÂ’s not screaming for more strikers.....yet.
Max Wilson
73 Posted 26/05/2015 at 09:33:45
The majority of us supporters want to see a good clear out of the players we judge to be unsuitable for the Premier League, for either fitness or skill. Kone is probably top of the list, Naismith is on the list.

RM in future should be carefully supervised when it comes to choosing new players, his acquisitions and loanees show too many mistakes. Lennon was an exception perhaps but it looks like we canÂ’t afford him.

Mark Andersson
74 Posted 26/05/2015 at 02:47:24
More and more depressing news every day. The Daily Mail has at least three articles about Rodgers being a dismal manager and his transfer dealings. But you could use the same article just swapping the name to Marinez.

We all know that, come next season, itÂ’s going to be just the same. Sure, there is a few deluded fans thinking that it will come good like a fucking magic trick.

Have we seriously sold 28,000 season tickets? I bet it’s a lie, in the hope that others will think, "Oh my, I suppose I should renew my season ticket – after all, 28,000 must know something I don’t.

Mugs if you have; the only way to be rid of this manager is for the masses to vote with their wallets.

Matt Traynor
75 Posted 26/05/2015 at 10:05:09
Max #73, you go on to say we need a good clear out, and then later suggest we canÂ’t afford Lennon on a permanent contract.

So, given that it has been suggested that one of the reasons we flunked this year was we didnÂ’t have a squad with sufficient strength in depth to cope with the demands of the league and Europe, how do you propose we fund this makeover you and the majority require?

Colin Malone
76 Posted 26/05/2015 at 12:11:16
One rule for the ex-Wigan players, another for the likes of Disten.
Clive Rogers
78 Posted 26/05/2015 at 13:58:03
Matt #75,

Most of the the other Premier League clubs will be spending more than us. That is the theme for Kenwright's rule. He has never got the financial side right, never provided sufficient transfer funds, never managed a ground move, and has presided over steady decline.

Max Wilson
79 Posted 26/05/2015 at 16:50:40
Dear Matt,

Thank you so much for reading my opinions. Most of the Toffees I know think Dynamo Kiev turned us over not because we didnÂ’t have a big squad but because quite a few of our players werenÂ’t up to playing against opposition of that standard. I refer to Alcaraz, Atsu, Naismith and Kone.

No doubt these players tried their hardest but everyone seems to agree they were sadly out of their league. Are we really going to go through another season with these poor guys in our squad? WouldÂ’nt they all be far better off in the Championship or in Italy or somewhere, where the pressures are less demanding? That is what I was trying to say.

Brian Porter
80 Posted 26/05/2015 at 17:14:33
Has to be the #1 in the Roberto Martinez Big Book of Football Jokes, "Arouna Kone is a striker of phenomenal ability".
Eddie Dunn
81 Posted 26/05/2015 at 17:10:21
John Daley,

"You can't expect his manager to come out and say â'he's been shite and I wash my hands of the porcelain-boned prick." — I would love to hear our manager say something like that! If we had Nigel Pearson, then there is a small chance that he would.

Mark Pierpoint
82 Posted 26/05/2015 at 17:18:21
Some of the criticism of Kone is harsh. He wasnÂ’t Â’shiteÂ’ before the injury, he got 13 goals for Wigan, four fewer than the much lauded Charlie Austin. He has scored goals in Holland and Spain for average teams as well.

Martinez is unconvincing in the transfer market. I am willing to put this down to bad luck. It looks like the injury has done for his career but you never know. I am not ready to wash my hands totally yet...

Clive Rogers
83 Posted 26/05/2015 at 18:08:26
Mark #82,

The problem is he is 32 in November. Very few strikers, even the best can still do it at that age. Look at Saha, Van Persie, Owen. Strikers should be replaced at that age anyway, so he is hardly likely to come back from 2 years out.

Mark Pierpoint
84 Posted 26/05/2015 at 18:29:43
Depends on the definition of Â’do itÂ’ I still think he can play a role. Obviously he isnÂ’t going to come back to play 30 odd games a season. Lukaku staying fit is so so important though, yes
James Byrne
85 Posted 26/05/2015 at 18:47:11
What does Martinez smoke prior to heading for these press conferences!

IÂ’m lost for words that this manager considers Kone as a top striker; what direction is this club heading in under this totally delusional manager. Martinez is so out of his depth itÂ’s laughable now.

He has to be the biggest football phoney ever!

Clive Rogers
86 Posted 26/05/2015 at 18:55:56
Martinez is heading for a squad next season in which a large slice are only bit part players due to being injury prone or are past it. Kone, Gibson, Oviedo, Pienaar, Hibbert, Osman, Barry, Howard and even Baines must come into that category after the season he has had.
Barry Jones
88 Posted 27/05/2015 at 19:43:07
"Kone will get the chance to shine".............the other players boots hopefully.

I have always been impressed with Shane Long when I have seen him. His pace and constant movement is always a handful for a defence. If he was available at the right price I would give him a shot. It may satisfy those who find Lukaku quite stationary.

Drew O'Neall
89 Posted 27/05/2015 at 19:53:39
IÂ’ve watched quite a bit of Kone through his career prior to joining Everton and I don't think you can judge him purely on goals.

He is an intelligent player and has become a specialist lone front man.

He is (was) fast, agile and strong and makes good runs and holds the ball up well.

His touch hasnÂ’t been as good as it will be when he gets his full match sharpness but I think he could come good for Everton.

At the moment heÂ’s worth more to us in the squad than sold after a long injury and relatively poor season so why create a rift by saying heÂ’s shit or surplus to requirements?

Good PR as usual by our manager.


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