Bracing For the Inevitable?

Conversely, that means that the defence is not under any great pressure. Realistically we are looking at the loss of Lukaku, Stones and Barkley and I for one wouldn't blame any of them for going. It's really painful as a lifelong supporter of this great club to think what could have been this season.

Lots of keyboards have been smouldering lately with people's thoughts and opinions on the subject of whether or not Martinez deserves another season. For me, the first step in our journey to mix it with the big boys again is to relieve him of his duties... sooner rather than later.

How about sacking Martinez and not letting Lukaku leave? The club will not need the money and if he does not like it, well he can keep the bench warm for a season or help the reserves. Until Everton stand up to players then the small club mentality will persist and a contract (as we know) is not worth the paper it is written on.

My hope? RM to go win or lose the FA Cup; Lukaku to stay or sit on bench for a season. We will see but not holding my breath.

He's improved immensely, but if you can replace his goals, maybe it will stop us from becoming a one-man team. How many times have you left the game thinking, "That Lukaku is some fucking player"?

If he stays he plays, and I am sure he would want to make his value rise even more by carrying on with his very impressive scoring record.

ps: You are right in saying contracts these days are 'not worth the paper they are written on'. Purely the basis for future negotiations.

Realistically, there are very few clubs who could afford him. As I see it, Man City, Real Madrid and PSG are the only viable options if he's leaving to play Champions League footy.

I personally want him to stay but I cannot see it happening with the manager we have and the agent he has. If he doesn't go this summer, he will next season, so as always with the euros this year, his valuation will rocket this summer.

I hate to say it but he wants to play at the highest level; let's get someone in who wants to play for our club and not use us as a stepping stone to bigger things.

(1) Who is in the market to pay in excess of £50m to Everton;

(2) Would we sell whilst he is midway through a long contract?

(3) Whether he himself fancies the move on offer?

I'm not at all sure Bayern Munich would be in for him, nor Real Madrid, and definitely not Barcelona: The most likely suitors would, I guess, be PSG, but would this young man really want to ply his trade in the "no contest" Ligue 1?

I think much will depend how Mr Moshiri sees the club developing, and whether he is minded to retain Roberto's services into next season. Sadly, Lyndon, the speculation will only intensify right through the summer, particularly around the Belgian contingent; it's a given.

Surprisingly out of all the games we have won in the Premier League this season, there is only one match we would not have won without Lukaku scoring, that was the 3-2 win against West Brom.

In all our other wins, goals have come from other players as well as Lukaku so the myth about being in the bottom 3 without his goals does not add up.

If the players want to go, and top clubs are waiting to buy them, then I think the club's best option is to get the best cash they can for him.

To me though, Rom will be looking at what we've done this season, including FA Cup run; and thinking about what's going to happen next season.

A lot could depend on what the Club's plans and transfers are like for the following season. And that depends very much on what Mr Moshiri intends to do.

If Rom sees us bringing in top class players, for an assault on the champions league spots, then he might stay. In other words, the club has to convince him to stay, as it won't be productive for anyone to force him to.

The role of Manager is equally important. If RM stays then that must be with Moshiri's blessing and that includes his plans for the team.

If, in the end, Rom makes his mind up to go, I think he's a lad who will be up front and honest with the club, so we could get top dollar for him and bring in top quality players with the funds.

I'd be sorry to see him go but his leaving on good terms would also benefit the club as well.

I think you are right though, because if his dad and his agent are both telling him to move, then I think it will be very hard for us to keep him.

We should hold out for top dollar – NOT the £50 mil being talked about. If Rom has a good Euros – then the skies are the limit.

I think even if we'd got a top four Rom would have fancied a 'mega club' after the Euros. Sad – but it's modern football.

As Martinez was the guy who signed him, perhaps he has some loyalty to him. If we sack him, Rom will use this as another reason to leave.

Either way, to me, he will sadly be off. Everything he is saying indicates that he wants trophies and fame with an established 'giant'. Take the agent (and now the annoying views of his dad) out of the equation and we might have had a chance.

He has at least 8 years at the top, coupled with the fact that the few top strikers about at the moment are not as prolific but will cost just as much.

How much for Costa, Benteke, Kane? This lad has been consistently scoring in the Premier League for the last three years in indifferent teams, put him in a top team and what could he do?

Top money for a top player or he stays.

Simple really.

You say "When the easiest and most honourable option would have been to simply deflect the question". I'm sorry to highlight a single sentence, but it seems to be a common opinion on this site. And well, that would be easy and honourable from an Everton point of view. And of course this is an Everton-fansite so I can see why a lot of readers think like this.

But fact is that Lukaku is not only an Everton-player. He is a player of the Belgium squad as well. As much as he is adored by the Belgian fans and seen as the best striker they had in decades; he has a love-hate relationship with the manager of the Belgian team (Wilmots) and has not been able to replicate his club form for his country.

He lost his starting spot during the last World Cup and only scored one goal in this tournament. Wilmots has criticsed him in the press in the not too distant past. I think Lukaku is not all that sure about his place in the Belgian team.

At the same time, players like De Bruyne, Kompany and Hazard seem to have a guaranteed spot in the starting XI. Players who play for teams that normally qualify for the Champions League every year – although Chelsea will miss out this year and even Man City are in doubt of qualifying. And even though I personally don't feel Hazard, Kompany or De Bruyne set the Champions League alight this season or previous seasons – I personally think that Kompany's very limited, static style of defending is the main reason why Man City always went out in early stages the seasons before this one – I can imagine that Lukaku, apart from all other reasons, sees the Champions League as the holy grail, the level of play that would guarantee him his place in the Belgian line-up.

It certainly is the case that in Belgium, playing for a team that is on Champions League-level (normally), is highly rated, considered to be the highest one can achieve in club football.

So if Lukaku is asked about this, pushed about this subject, the Belgian fans expect him to say he wants to play in the Champions League. His National Team manager even seems to expect this. Yet the Everton fans expect him to deflect the question. It is certainly not easy to give a response to this question that will satisfy the reporter and satisfy both sets of fans/stakeholders. Especially after your dad has been a little bit too enthusiastic about his favourite teams in the press and your agent has been babbling again.

Dodging the question will get him bad press; he is already known as a press-unfriendly player in Belgium because he always avoids the "mixed zone" after national team games. It will reflect on him as being a player without ambition and questions will be raised if Wilmots was right to drop him during the World Cup. ,P.Debate will rise if he is mentally up to the task of playing football at the highest level. Debate will rise if Lukaku should be dropped for France 2016. Ridiculous? Yes. But I have seen it happen before in the continental press. And so we come to the cultural difference again. On the continent, you are expected to be outspoken.

So if I was Lukaku, and had to balance all this, and was pressed to answer a question about wanting to play in the Champions League next year. I honestly don't know what I would do. From Lukaku's perspective, deflecting the question is not honourable and certainly not easy.

BTW, in this piece above, I didn't even mingle in his own feelings about leaving Everton. I think we can have a debate about that as well but I think you captured that piece excellent, Lyndon. I just wanted to add that the lad has to cope with more stakeholders than just Everton.

I do feel that we have been good going forward; Lukaku has had the second-most shots at goal in the Premier League. Many of which were fed by Gerry and to be honest the lad should be playing along with Lennon – not replaced by Lennon.

There is no doubt that Rom is a very talented finisher – that is his strength. We have seen them at Everton in Lineker, Rooney, Yak, and Cottee to a degree.

With the money that is being touted and the right scouting, I feel that we can strengthen the team. If Lukaku could replicate the all-round game we seen against Southampton and Liverpool more often, then I would not want him sold at any price. The reality is that, despite a good goalscoring record, I feel that he could offer the team far more than he does on a more frequent basis.

Unless we can go out and buy a midfield that is more universally dynamic box to box rather than "two defensive midfielders and one attacking midfiellder", which basically means we have only one central midfielder who has the creative spark, then we need an all-round forward – not a player who likes to play off the shoulder and have the ball served to him to run on to.

If Rom pressed the defenders, looked after the ball better, and bullied more, then he could be one of the very best.

As it is, he is the perfect man to play for Man City – not as a starter but as a last-30-minute striker who can take advantage of a tired defence that has had to contain Aguero. He would score 20+ goals in that capacity. I don't think he is a Guardiola player though. I think PSG will offer £60m for him, pay him well, he will live in Paris, play Champions League and score goals in a lesser quality league.

I have said it so many times on TW but I will say it again, that this is ALL down to the manager; his team management and his first team coaching staff. Not one of them is fit enough to be associated with EFC.

The really heartbreaking situation is that I also disagree with the article in that Martinez is not under the sort of pressure we believe he is. Kenwright believes in him totally – he is here for a while longer at least – unless the crowd at Goodison let the board know how they feel!

Cutting your nose off to spite your face.

As mentioned above, the club should just place a price out there so all clubs know what to pay. Also, the player then sees that the club is not standing in his way – as long as the price is met. Minimum of £50-60m.

With the Stones saga, we simply said he was not for sale at any price – in hindsight, this was not exactly a great idea, was it. The player then plays shit for the season, obviously in the fans' bad books, and we miss out on £37m (for a 21-year-old defender!).

ALL players will leave the club at some point and NO player is too valuable to sell. At the end of the day, if any club offers silly money (eg, Chelsea for Stones), we should accept, reinvest and move on.

When Lukaku leaves, most important thing is to bring in a decent replacement. Hopefully we have one lined up BEFORE he leaves so we won't be held to ransom when every club will know we're desperate for a decent striker.

We had a wretched last season and he stuck with us but I can't see him doing it twice with an even worse league position more than likely.

Like Ian Burns at #16, everything, repeat everything, re Everton's shortfalls comes down to one man: Martinez. He is the elephant in the room re Rom, Ross, Stonesy and every other player who sometimes delight but more often baffle us.

I hope this latest international break has once again woken some of our players up to the point that they realise that if they stand in unison at Finch Farm they, and not Martinez or his inadequate coaches, will prevail. It must be stark staring obvious to them too that success under him is a dream and – whilst there may be a few that are fearful of a new regime in terms of their own careers – they should all, to a one as professionals, want to maximise their achievements and entertain the fans in doing so.

However, I assume he wishes to play Champions League on a regular basis, and West Ham might not ne able to offer that to him long-term...

Or he might wait to see who win the Europa League this year... Liverpool perhaps. :)

My guess is that he'll follow our ambitious youngsters out of the door sooner rather than later, as Roberto doesn't look like he'll be going anywhere soon. We'll have a healthy bank balance but a poorer playing staff.

Thanks, Bob, for your magnificent, phenomenal legacy.

A good summation of, in my opinion, what the majority of supporters think and has been articulated on this site.

Since Martinez was installed you have been very "diplomatic"; however, it appears you are coming into the "Martinez has run his course" corner.

Your final paragraph is unfortunately one I cannot agree with in that I do not believe the final few games will shape the supporters' view of Martinez's future.

I, like many, wanted him gone midway through last season. Other posters wanted him to be given the full season. Others were prepared to see how the first 10-12 games of this season went. Then it was wait for Christmas. Now it's the last few games. The "wait and see" is becoming continual and I note a few are now talking of giving him the close season and the first 10 games of next season.

My belief is that Martinez may well have contributed to us signing Lukaku but he will also be the sole reason why he, and others, will leave. Martinez will not change. Martinez will slowly cause this great Club to become even more laughed at and to attract negative comment.

I believe Lukaku will be gone regardless at the end of the season but Martinez should be gone first.

I think he genuinely liked Everton and probably still does! It's just that the lad has ambition and he obviously will not fulfill it in the immediate future; if we are true to ourselves, we know that – if we don't win the FA Cup – this season is one to forget.

One hope is that Moshiri is just finding his feet and has realised that this season is almost done so why rock the boat. He has his man on the board and can control via a trusted right hand man.

He is not Boy's Pen Bill and doesn't have blue tinted glasses, this is a successful businessman and a billionaire. He must be able to perform a 'swot analysis' of our club and see the problems that we all constantly rant about.

You would imagine he has a plan and it doesn't involve going in the same direction as we have been.

I strongly believe it will not keep Lukaku at Goodison Park but it will have a massive effect on the future of the club.

I think it is imperative that Martinez goes, I hope Mr Moshiri understands and agrees with this point of view.

Recently I have been doing comparisons between the performances on the pitch between Lukaku and Vardy and quite honestly, Vardy comes out ahead of Lukaku in terms of all-round effort both on the ball and off the ball. Lukaku is not a hustler who will fight for the ball once he loses it or gives it up.

With regards the performances off the field, one gets the feeling Vardy feels privileged to play for Leicester whilst Lakaku's continual outbursts of wanting to play in Champions League are getting sickening.

My advice to Everton is to hold out for the best price they can get £70 million plus and use the money to strengthen the team in midfield ready for next season with a new manager in place.

I hope he stays but doubt he will. I'm just pleased we are in a strong position to demand huge fee! A winner in the FA Cup Final will also improve his Everton legacy. (He seems interested in this sort of thing!!)

Romelu has expressed an interest to move at the end of the current season. In view of that, and with him being under a decent length of contract, we will listen to market value offers in the region of 㿨 million.

We trust Romelu will in the meantime, as a professional footballer, give 100% effort to win the FA Cup for the fans who have backed him to the hilt.

My information is that Bill Kenwright will continue to call the shots on all things football whilst the new man concentrates on 'ground and commercial' matters. So please don't think our billionaire will get locked into talks with Romelu's agent anytime soon.

No one at EFC is even countenancing next season without Roberto – Cup success or not – but big things are expected of the Catalan in 2016-17 as ' the philosophy' goes into it's fourth season.

My bet is there won't be a fifth!

IMO, the club still have a strong hand in this, given the 3 years remaining on his contract and (apparently) there are no clauses that would trigger Everton to sell our very best player asset.

Someone has to pay absolute top dollar to wrest him from us, or ... he remains with us.

Of course, the danger in the latter is that he pouts and sulks and has a detrimental, rather than positive, effect on the team and results.

Romelu doesn't strike me as that type of player. Look at Suarez at the 'poo when he tried to manouver a move to the Arse which the owners simply refused. Next season he was sensational and almost won them the league single-handed.

I'm of the opinion that we won't see much in the way of radical decision making until this season is closed. But then, I'm hopeful that our new benefactor will start to give us a clearer indicator of what to expect under him.

Both he and Roberto have clearly stated funds will be made available which enables Everton to shop in a better market for players.

Together with Moshri's investment, the considerable monies from the TV deal and the infrastructure already in place at Everton (excellent training facilities and academy), this summer could be pivotal to Everton's immediate and long term future fortunes.

I would suggest for Moshri to stamp his mark on the club he has a very small window of opportunity in which to achieve this.

He needs to make an almost immediate decision on the manager, whether to retain or dispense with Roberto, and if the latter, to have an absolutely top drawer manager to replace him.

Such action will inform players and supporters alike what to expect for next season and will convince (or not...) the likes of Romelu Lukaku to stick with us.

Until then, speculation will continue, unrestrained.

"I think Cruyff should be in a mental asylum with Guardiola, so they can sit there quietly and play cards together. They would be doing Barcelona a great favour."

And that is typical Raiola talking. I do not really understand why a professional would choose to have an agent who expresses himself in public like this, but I advise to take nothing this guy says for real.

Isn't this really dependent on how determined he is to leave, though?

There's a big difference between the hypothetical "I'd like to play in the Champions' League" and an offer that would really excite Lukaku.

Sure, if there's an attractive offer on the table and a player is determined enough to basically "down tools", then it's tough to justify forcing them to stay. But there's no real sign that Lukaku is the kind of player who'll kick up a big fuss to try and force matters without that.

Lukaku came here for the money according to some, because it was his only option, according to others, and/or because he liked Martinez and/or Everton according to still others. Fine, but he has produced and improved each season. He has kept his end of the bargain, I think.

However, it goes both ways. Is it not reasonable for the player then to expect the club to take the needed steps to improve its position and squad? Can anyone honestly say that Everton have done so? Everton has not kept its part of the bargain at all.

If Martinez and the added parts all clicked we were "pushing for top 4" meaning it would take a bit of luck to get there. The club's aspirations must match that of the type of players like Lukaku, that are needed. Those aspirations sadly are not there. Lip service is paid to the "idea" of Champions League but are we really bringing in enough top quality players? Have our personnel choices really shown that desire?

Everton as a club would seemingly be happier with a player making the squad and saying, "I have reached my dream. I only want to play for Everton." No ambition, no drive to do anything further, just drift along wherever the tide may take the club.

I personally do not want that. Give me players that are attractive to other clubs and who will leave if the club doesn't play its part properly because their ambition and drive to succeed require it.

If Lukaku goes it is because the club failed to match his ambition and drive. Maybe a change of manager and a pledge of attracting four top quality (read bigger money and wages) players might persuade him. If it doesn't though, I won't fault him. I would actually respect him more because he isn't happy to just take the money and play in an essentially meaningless (internationally) local competition semi-final or final once in a while or Europa League games once every blue moon.

Instead, you see all this talk about "big clubs". That suggests to me it's about the money, not the challenge. Why would his father suggest moving to Man Utd? Where is the challenge in that, compared with Everton?

Really?

This 'bargain' then was presumably along the lines..

'I Romlington Fothergill Goalsworth Lukaku, do commit myself to Everton Football Club for a period of not less than 5 years. I understand that my signature is legally binding and I guarantee to honour it.

'ps: Obviously it will also be understood that said agreement won't be worth a fucking carrot should I fancy shooting off somewhere else at anytime for any reason.'

If we attract the likes of Mourhino and Gus Hiddink along with some top back-up staff that have actually achieved things, the players will look up to them and then I believe the dynamic will change and the likes of Lukaku, Stones, Barkley and Deulofeu may be motivated not only to stay but to put Everton back at the top table.

The alternative is Armageddon with Martinez left calling the shots, pissing all the players off, and Relegation Roberto back in town.

I doubt that we put a clause in Roberto's contract similar to what Man Utd put in Moyes's contract that he had to achieve Champions League but we surely have a case for poor performance of duties.

Like you, and I would think most supporters, we all would like 4 or 5 or 6 young high-energy players brought in during the Summer.

Thing is, whilst this clown is in charge, they'll soon become like the rest, unfit, boring low-energy losers.

We have to get the right manager in before we spend any money. Let the new guy bring in who he wants, not those Martinez has ruined.

In the same way, Everton did not replace Fellaini's goals (1 in every 3 Premier League games). It is going to be very hard to replace Lukaku's goals (1 goal every 1.75 games).

If we're brutally frank, we would admit that goalscoring apart Lukaku is far from being the finished article and may never reach that position: poor ball control, heading ability, constantly losing fifty-fifty tackles and laziness are just some of his faults which need urgent attention, in my humble opinion.

If he goes, so be it, as there is no such thing now as club loyalty; multi-year contracts are now full of 'conditions', just as there is no guaranteed lifetime employment for we who help provide footballers with a multimillionaire lifestyle, players will come and go but like life, the game will go on.

In my view, he is on his way because a drop in form, and value, and a subsequent massive sulk means he will almost certainly become a liability if we keep him against his will.

As for this latest development, it is the one thing I do not blame Martinez for. And I tend to agree with others that we will be lumbered with this continental clown for some months to come. It is obvious that the current regime preferred Martinez because he might be sidetracked away from matters on the field.

He won't go to Man Utd, Mourinho won't buy him, he would be admitting he'd cocked up selling Rom to us, and big head wont like that. The Spanish clubs and PSG are the only ones I can see him going to. Man City have Aguero, but I suppose they could still buy him because it's money no object.

Put £60m+ on Lukaku and I think Stones will want to leave also. It's hard to value John now, but say £50m+ and sell to the highest bidder if a deal can be done.

Let's face it, Stones has not set the world on fire for us this season. In a perfect world, we would keep them but, if they are set on leaving, it's best to sell. If we sell them for say £110m, that will enable us to buy quality players; who knows, we may end up with a better team.

Then there's Moshiri, what's his intentions as far as investing in the team is concerned? He has said he wishes to, the question is: How much?

I can see us cracking off with an exciting team next season, better balanced than the one we have now.

I also don't like your idea of Everton rolling over every time someone wants our better players.

Three thoughts I haven't yet seen expressed in detail here:

1. Expecting a 22-year-old kid to be 100% smooth with the press when both his father and his obnoxious agent are mouthing off is too much. Rom's going to say what he says, and I've seen nothing out of bounds from him. So be it.

2. Rom, his father, his agent and Roberto may have NO say whether he leaves Everton or not. He has a contract, and the new owner is the final arbiter of whether he can break it. And if Moshiri is as unflappable as we have heard, he may just ignore the windstorm and keep his man.

3. It's unfair to simply assume that if Rom requests a transfer and is refused, he will sulk and stew and allow his performance to slip. I've seen a rapid maturation into a classy young man who plays with heart and passion, and I really don't think he'll stick his thumb in his mouth and pout.

Erik's well-put points at #14 are well taken but my issue is less with Lukaku's need/desire to express his ambition to his compatriots and more to do with his specific assertion that he could leave Everton this summer.

I'm not sure that needed to be said at this point of our season, even if we Evertonians know it to be true deep down and most of us couldn't really blame him.

Robin (39): But there's no real sign that Lukaku is the kind of player who'll kick up a big fuss to try and force matters without that.

No, there isn't and, to his credit, he has already said that he won't cause grief in order to force through a move so I wouldn't expect him to "down tools".

He is only human, though, and just as there has been a perceptible change in John Stones's performances this season, I'm sure it would be difficult for Lukaku to just carry on at 100% if he really wanted a move to a Champions League club this summer and we stood in his way.

Yes, he is contracted to the club and should just get on with it but, like I say, we're dealing with human beings here, not robots. With him still being only 22 (nearly 23), we at least have his relative youth on our side but the main thrust of my views on the Lukaku situation at the moment basically revolves around one thing: what evidence is there that his career will progress by staying at Everton another year while we're in regression?

If one thing is certain to me, it's that Lukaku will be on the move and we will have to make the best of it. We have had better players than Lukaku leave and we have worked through it. It happens to every club – except Real Madrid. Even Barcelona had Figo wrenched away by Madrid.

It's just a fact of life that we will see him go probably to PSG and will receive a big wedge. We will then take the cash and do to another club exactly what has been done to us and take their best players. Same old game, same old rules, it's just that we used to be at the top of the pecking order in England regarding transfers and now we are among the also-rans.

Date Player New club Previous club Transfer
1988 Frank Rijkaard Milan Sporting CP Unknown
1993 Dennis Bergkamp Internazionale Ajax 㾸 million
2001 Pavel Nedvěd Juventus Lazio €41 million
2004 Ibrahimović Juventus Ajax €16 million
2006 Ibrahimović Internazionale Juventus €24.8 million
2009 Ibrahimović Barcelona Internazionale €46M
2010 Robinho Milan Manchester City €15 million
2010 Mario Balotelli Manchester City Internazionale 㿄
2010 Ibrahimović Milan Barcelona Loan (€24M)
2012 Ibrahimović Paris Saint-Germain Milan €20 million
2013 Mario Balotelli Milan Manchester City €20 million
2013 Bartosz Salamon Milan Brescia €3.5 million
2014 Mario Balotelli Liverpool Milan €20 million

I take it you accidentally left out a paragraph mentioning Martinez getting the heave prior to signing players to make our team not only better but more balanced?

Something at which the present manager has failed phenomenally.

That list is always going to be limited. Likely to qualify for the Champions League I think you're really only looking at PSG (most likely), Juventus or... potentially (given Aguero's injury issues) Man City who might a) want him and b) be able to afford him.

The likes of Man Utd and Chelsea are still in the running; especially dependent on their managerial appointments. Even if not qualified for next season, they still match that "potential to compete in the Champions League" more than we do.

The task of the club, it seems, is to work to limit the number of clubs that Rom might consider as being more likely to compete in the Champions League than us in the next few years. That means giving him confidence in the management of the team, in the maintaining of the squad, and in our plan for progression with our new investment and majority shareholder.

I think that might be a subtext but the inference (if not outright statement) was that he is ready and wants to be playing Champions League football as of next season.

If he is saying "I want to play for a team that have potential to compete FOR the Champions League (if not now, then soon)", as you say, then that puts more direct pressure on Martinez and (by extension) Moshiri and the Board vis-a-vis the manager's position.

As many have pointed out, there is no evidence thus far that Martinez's job is under threat but results over the remainder of the season could change that.

John K (#24), that's what I was getting at with my final paragraph. If our current poll is anything to go by, the majority of fans don't need much swaying on the Martinez question.

He could have said "I will do all I can to get my current club into Champions League, if not this season, then next..." but he hasn't and it's pointless believing that he will be wearing the Royal Blue of Everton past the coming summer's deadline day.

Add his own statements to those of his agent and, to a lesser extent, those of his father and this a player who has his sights set on plying his trade elsewhere. Hopefully none of this will impact on his goalscoring form for the Blues for the remainder of this campaign but I fully expect that Rom's last Goodison game for Everton will be against Norwich City and I'm hoping, if my reading of the situation is correct, that his last ever appearance in Everton blue, will be for the FA Cup Final at Wembley in May.

You seem convinced he will be given longer but I only see that happening if we win the FA Cup.

Moshiri has his representative on the board and, despite the apparent bon homi he is no fool, so if the current tidal wave of opinion continues, I honestly can't see him lasting – even if Bill is still around.

Moshiri has been quiet and I'm hoping that he will let us long suffering fans know what his intentions are for the immediate future.

When nobody says anything people will automatically put 2 and 2 together and get 5.

Come on, Mr Moshiri and Bill Kenwright, what is going on?

He was purchased to deliver, this he has done even under a faulty manager.

Unfortunately this is the downfall of persisting with an inadequate manager.

Many players playing in the Euros will also return to their clubs later depending on how far their respective countries fared in the competition. I don't think many buying clubs will wait till after the Euros are finished, as a stellar performance from their target could increase his price.

Everton's problem will be if Lukaku goes, how do you replace him, even if we get £60-70 million? Other top strikers will also want to play in the Champions League, so replacing like for like will be very difficult.

I am not for one minute suggesting Gary Neville should be our next manager. But I have to admire the guy, unlike Andy Gray who didn't have the balls to give up Sky and manage Everton. Neville went out to a country were he didn't speak the language or know the league that well. No, it didn't work out for him but, unlike our manager, he didn't hide from his mistakes and told it how it was.

I think, never having managed and to take on a club like Valencia, was a very brave decision.

Interest in Lukaku is win-win for him and his hangers on. He won't get booed at Goodison, he might get a pay rise with us, he might drive an auction for his services. He can't really lose by dropping the odd comment.

I agree.

Whatever anyone thinks of Neville during his playing days, he deserves some credit for having a go – unlike many pundits.

As you say, unlike our in-house clown, he said it as it was.

A contract is binding and limited to the four corners of the document. However, if fraud or some other material misrepresentation occurred in the inducement of making the contract, then it may indeed be voided.

As for Rom, if he was advised he could leave after this season if Everton did not qualify for the Champions League, then should your analysis still hold that he is tied to the contract if he wants out?

So just paying a player's wages should excuse the lack of ambition of a club because, screw it, we have the player's signature on paper? Good luck getting the next batch of players to sign when every other player winds the contract down at a any club that would operate that way. BTW, you then would have no objection to a player or manager running down his contract and leaving on a free so the club gets nothing in return?

So, if Martinez told Rom that he should sign an extended contract under the promise that players would be brought in and the Champions League would be achieved, or else Rom could leave at the end of the 15-16 season if they didn't do it,

If the player is indeed disgruntled and decides to put in half-assed efforts or cause a stir, surely the fallout of that situation would be the player simply either:

(a) Not putting up the same stats and numbers, or,

(b) Not playing as much (benched by the manager).

Either way, would the player's value not decrease, and would that not then mean the player is literally shooting themselves in the foot with their future economic prospects?

If a player plays crap, or doesn't play at all, their value surely will drop. So how then does it benefit the player to "pitch a fit" if the club doesn't let him go? He has to keep playing and putting up numbers to keep his value high and therefore reap the economic benefit of a big-money transfer, doesn't he?

A rhetorical question. But I'm just not sure any player whose transfer request is denied can just check out and play hard ball as his valuation would surely drop?

Someone educate me.

So, if he goes £50 or 60 million, we might see only £35 or 40 million of it, plus who knows what else was written into that transfer deal. Just saying!.

Obviously that throws up the problems you've mentioned but Everton did it with Stones. I'm struggling to see how this is any different, apart from Lukaku being a lot more difficult to replace!

A new manager will not be mullered on here. David Moyes got at least five years before there was much dissent. Evertonians realized that he was up against it. Martinez has been dealt a much better hand and he has played it, in my view, with utter ineptitude.

However, this is what we have got, so good luck to him and I hope I am wrong.

I can imagine Rom, a striker, saying to the new owner, "I will stay if you strengthen the defense"!

Given that we currently have three of the English defensive players, that is a terrible condemnation of the English set-up.

Okay, I know that the Everton failings begin mainly in front of the back four. God, imagine the chaos if we didn't have Gareth Barry there.

So, Belgium have a useful young full back, comes off the bench. I think we should sign him on a two-year contract with a substantial buy-out clause. ;-)

Just to make sure, I would not want him as the next Everton manager though.

I don't know if Stones's dropoff in form was related to the Chelsea bid or if he just hit a sophomore slump, perhaps in concert with his first injury issues. But, as I mentioned previously, I just can't see Rom folding if he's denied a transfer. Just too strong a character.

I think it's more that is a terrible condemnation of the Everton set-up. These same players were exceptional before our present manager took hold of the reins.

He should be told "We don't want to sell, you have three years left on your contract and we'd like you to honour that contract."

If the club REALLY wanted to keep him next season, they could, no problem.

Also, I've presumed that transfer windows were to deter players moving as and when they wished if clubs followed these guidelines (protecting their own interests?) and signing players who are out of contract was merely covering a loophole, for want of a better phrase.

Most topline European managers (clubs?) seem to accept players doing what they wished as contracts expired but England/Britain seems to have a problem grasping or working with this. Can any legal eagle with an eye to European legislation clarify?

As most clubs find, it's impossible to keep a player who really wants to go and the option of having a valuable asset not being used is not one the club could afford.

I'm sure not letting players go is against EU employment laws because it prevents freedom of movement in employment. If Rom wants to go, he'll go, and there's a quid pro quo for the club in that he will fetch a handsome price.

"However, if fraud or some other material misrepresentation occurred in the inducement of making the contract, then it may indeed be voided".

Followed by..

"As for Rom, if he was advised he could leave after this season if Everton did not qualify for the Champions League, then should your analysis still hold that he is tied to the contract if he wants out?"

Then..

"So, if RM told Rom that he should sign an extended contract under the promise that players would be brought in and the Champions League would be achieved or else Rom could leave at the end of the 2015-16 and then didn't do it"

Sorry but you're posting fantasy as argument – remove all and any 'ifs' from that post, then see what you've got left.

And your suggestion that Premier League contracts (worth millions) are signed with essential caveats missing is more fantasy.

"Yeah I'm deffo going if we don't get Champions League but no need to write that on the contract."

One more thing, you add: "...you then would have no objection to a player or manager running down his contract and leaving on a free so the club gets nothing in return?"

Presumably (in the case of Lukaku) by 'nothing in return', you mean three more years of a 20+ goals a season striker?

He's going to get battered regularly by defensive goons and even though he is a big strong chap, one nasty stamp (Ratboy-style), one "late" tackle (Keane-style) and he's earning nothing from then on. If he can get some major coverage by playing for a Champions League team (since I don't think I have ever watched a Champions League match, I find it as puzzling as interest in 'celebrities') then he can get himself into a position where he could move to punditry if necessary – in other words, a nice safe sinecure where he needs to product nothing.

My take is that he's pretty bright (maybe not even just "for a footballer") and realises that even though he's only 22, he's got probably little more than 6 years to go where he can be at the top – he's not a Cruyff or a Pele – playing where he does. He's fortunate that his style and physique are not likely to result in a crashing halt like Michael Owen did when some overtight hamstring – his main asset – decides to call it a day, but even so, time is not on his side.

Were I advising him, I'd go for somewhere that will:

(a) pay a fortune to Everton (being a £90 million player will get lots of favourable attention);

(b) has no competition in the local league (eg, France, where there is one team; Spain, where there are two; rather than Italy, where there are lots) so that even a mediocre season will result in 30, 40 or even 50 goals scored mostly against teams with no money; and

(c) guarantee lots of press & TV coverage. He may also want to avoid those places which have dozens of equally good or better players.

So PSG it is!

Sadly, if Martinez had kept the Moyes defence and realised that Liverpool's one-man assault (in two senses) on the Premier League was based on mobility, Everton would probably have won the league this year.

Exactly how much do you think he has got in his bank account at the moment? £16, 20 million maybe, if he gave half of it away and never earned another penny, he is a wealthy man.

'Time is not on his side'? – he is 22, for God's sake. If your post was tongue-in-cheek, I apologise; if not, then you're having a laugh aren't you?

It happened with Lineker in 86. Superb at getting goals, but our approach completely changed. Kendall put it back in 87 and landed us the title again.

With the Euros coming up, his agent will do everything he can, he will fill Rom's head with Champions League football, league titles, sounds like he's already got into Rom's dad's head.

Sacking Martinez, like someone else said, will give the player extra ammo to leave us if it's out of loyalty. We all want him to stay, but once the Euros start, and he gets teams chasing him, he will be away.

We could play hardball, but I push comes to shove, we may as well take top dollar and move on.

We should also not be surprised that, given the above, our young ambitious player would like to move on to a more ambitious football club. Unfortunately Martinez's Everton and performances over the last two seasons have not shown our young ambitious player that we can help achieve his ambitions.

Add that to the fantasy land that our current chairman lives in and we have a situation where we cling to the dream of a cup run or a good derby win. We live in a world of maybe we could win a cup and get sucked along on the ride until it all comes crashing down and the stars we idolise move on.

Unless Everton start showing real ambition, then we will continue on this cycle. Step 1 in showing ambition is to replace a clearly inadequate manager for a proven winner with a credible record in management.

So there we have it. We can stop fretting!

I notice that you hugged all the United players and staff before going down the tunnel and ignoring the away support...