Nev: Blues needs a leader and a defensive coach

"If you look at the squad – and it's a good squad – we're missing one special player who doesn't have to be a world-beater, but someone like Steven Gerrard..."

Class

It's obvious the manager has to improve our defence if he wants to succeed. The players are all internationals, so replacing individuals is surely not the answer. It's the system at fault.

Based on his record in management, the manager's weakness is defending. The goals against records tell you that. We need a defensive coach, like Wenger has Bould at Arsenal.

If we can get one, we are not far away from being a top side. Over to Roberto...

We trail the very top teams in midfield, Ross is growing into the player he's always threatened to be but there's more to come, Cleverley and Besic are good players but what a difference a midfielder the likes of a Silva, an Ozil, a Willian would make.

Just take a look at the players the usual top 4 teams have to choose from in midfield, we are not even close!

Make him Captain.

If we compare big Nev's side to the current team, then really, there is no comparison. There were no passengers (okay, maybe Sheedy at times but he could do and regularly did do extraordinary things with the football). There were no poor excuses for deficiencies and they worked bloody hard to get the ball back when they lost it. It's like comparing chalk and cheese. Martinez would have to completely undergo a total revamp of his strategy and philosophy and that, I'm afraid, is never going to happen.

Truly a great. I remember one game in particular, away to Chelsea, can't remember the year, but it was Hullit's first game for Chelsea, big Duncs last game before visiting HMP. I was in the top tier and heard Hullit's shot cannon off big Nevs chest. Worth the entrance fee £25 (expensive at the time) also Hullit was worth the entrance fee.

However, why has Nev never been snapped up as a coach???

Adding a defensive coach couldn't hurt and could only help.

For Roberto's own reputation and in the interests of building his image / public relations:
- it would show he's much more "open minded"
- it would deflect the spotlight away from him were there issues on the defensive side and more onto a new defensive coach tasked with improving our defensive game
- it would placate discerning fans

This happens a lot here in the NFL. If a team is having issues stoping the opposition from scoring, often times the defensive coordinator is changed or takes the brunt of the criticism.

I don't know how you can argue against this idea.

Managers are paid to study the opposition and set their teams accordingly but Martinez sticks to the same system. There are a lot of supporters who want Martinez to stay but reading the comments even some of them are changing their minds with his rigid views of how the game should be played.

I doubt that Southall is the only ex-professional saying these feelings and will not be the last but will Martinez read this or take notice? I doubt it.

I unfortunately never saw the man play. More's the pity to be sure. But I've read, in my time as a long distance Blue, so many things he's said about Everton and I've never once disagreed with him.

He clearly loves – and I mean loves – the Club. And he absolutely tells it like it is. He's a refreshing breath of fresh air who continually cuts through the bullshit and tells it like it is.

For lack of anything but a kindergarten descriptor, it's pretty cool. It's just awesome to see someone who's such a massive part of the history of the Club and someone who is beloved be so openly honest and show how much he cares. Awesome. It just sucks to high heaven writing this as I wish I could have seen the man play. Personally tragic.... I know I missed something so special....

Must cling to the "no crying over spilt milk" mantra.

If only, Robles would have been No 1 a long time ago.

Tim has been a very good keeper in his time, however, his sell by date has expired.

Big Nev and Big Dunc, no prisoners, if only!!!

Martinez is not a good manager and most certainly not good enough for EFC and the chances of him bringing in a defensive coach are zero. Even if he did, quite how it would fit in with his rigid/selfish philosophy is another question altogether!

Big Nev is my all-time footballing hero, alongside Ferenc Puskas but for very different reasons, and I have always agreed with everything the man says – a true legend of the game, and true-blue-Evertonian legend for me.

The reason he's never been made a coach is due to his outspoken nature – he'd be a tough man to keep down and would bend the ear of any manager, director or chairman big-time. This is the real reason I believe he's never been given a job with a top club.

I also think he's right that Martinez is a good manager, but he has a stubborn streak which I believe is his undoing. He wants to play the right way, and that should be applauded, but we all know he also needs to be more flexible, especially during games. I'm not going to bleat on about that too much, it's like a broken record on here!

Big Nev for life President!

I don't mean this in a "they were the good old days" kind of way, rather that a good manager is prepared to have leaders on the pitch, allows them to take decisions, is confident enough in himself to let this happen, yet still be a strong enough character for those players to truly respect you.

Have I seen any evidence of this in Roberto Martinez? Nada.

I'm hoping to see this team before too long:

Robles;
Coleman, Jagielka, Funes Mori, Baines;
Besic, Barry;
Lennon, Barkley, Niasse;
Lukaku.

Subs: Howard, Stones, Baines, Dowell, Deulofeu, Mirallas, Cleverley

Let's give him another season to see if he can realise that a football team requires balance. Extraordinary.

Imagine Big Nev coaching Robles!

But.

'Martinez has the team set up to attack'...Not so.

Martinez has the team set up to 'The Philosophy'...The good attacking AND the defensive frailties are mere by products.

This 'Philosophy' is like a footballing version of 'Asimov's 3 Laws of Robotics'.

Where, the 3rd law automatically prohibits any danger to human life, that application of 1 or both of the first 2 might cause.

Same with the Philosophy... any change to it...like the appointment of a Defensive Coach (danger Will Robinson!) ...which WILL cause a serious life threatening change to the Philosophy, automatically invokes this 3rd Law / Catch 22.

The man is in his own little closed loop...philosophy=right; right=philosophy; philosophy=right; right= etc. etc.

Short version; Not going to happen.

When he (rarely) played for us his record was poor. Talking about Rom many of us say he’s the best forward we’ve had in decades/Sharpy and they’re correct. The following was published by a national newspaper in 2003 about Ferguson. He never sued, ’nuff said, and some of us still revere him?;

’That deal is regarded here at Everton as the worst in the club’s history. When Peter Johnson [then chairman] sold him behind Walter Smith’s back to Newcastle the fans went ballistic. But in hindsight, had that been left alone, it would’ve been one of the best pieces of business the club has ever done. It was a huge fee - ٥ million. But to buy that man back does come to represent the one truly great mistake of the new era. The basic truth is that since he came back to this football club he has done nothing but drain away resources.’

So speaks a senior Everton insider on Duncan Ferguson, keen pigeon fancier, cult hero among the fans and, of all the multi-million-pound earners in 10 years of Premiership football, arguably the biggest waste of money of all. And Peter Ridsdale was not involved.

And this is the guy some see as the way forward! Give your heads a shake.

Is it one of those records that has an alternative (seemingly always satanic) 'message' if you play it backwards or something, because you seem to have the events a bit arse about face there.

You could say that football reputations are fleeting but I prefer to call it what it is... ridiculously fickle.

You need the team to have the same mindset, not for the defenders to do one thing and the attackers to do another. That requires a singular approach, which is why there's one man in charge of the team. He can take on advice but he's got to have full control of the reins.

"The team is missing a real leader in the midfield – a captain's captain – to change the game,"

I am not sure whether I am misconstruing what Neville is saying but like Brin # 10 - we have in Mo Besic the perfect "captain's" captain? But what about the captain?

I think Phil Jagielka needs to be given more authority on the pitch to organise the defence. In the long run I would like to see John Stones take over from him because I think that young man would be this teams natural leader and Mo Besic would be the perfect foil for him.

"He feels that Martinez is a fantastic manager with the potential to succeed at Goodison Park with the right changes in approach."

I must admit that bamboozled me a bit but I'd have to say Neville Southall almost certainly knows more about footballers and football managers than I do.

Having watched our defensive set-ups, we are not doing much wrong. Think individual mistakes, given Tim's now past best and never was great at commanding box, plus young players making mistakes coupled with playing too much at the back when not up to it yet etc.

Staff changes – Goalkeeper: Tim out and new one in (Robles an improvement).

Central Midfield – It is not a Premier League winning one. Barry is a great servant, great season for him etc. However he is slow to recover at pace – the Nevas goal against City big example; lots of others where he cannot make it back.

McCarthy – is okay, but not as destructive as we need, not a turner of games.

Besic – If fit could make a difference with one other.

The one other is not Barry. Gibson – gone but a shame ... probably gone! McCarthy – Okay... maybe.
Move Ross to central midfield with Besic covering him.

New signing!!! This is the last piece of the jigsaw for me

Change the goalkeeper and fix central midfield with two athletic destroyers and creators That would make a big difference

The teams that Neville Southall played in never lacked bite, leadership or big characters. The team that lifted the 1995 FA Cup may have been limited technically but they possessed a big leader in every single position on that pitch from Nev to Watson to a young David Unsworth to Barry Horne, Parkinson, Ebbrell and Stuart to Big Dunc. Every man knew the requirements of playing for Everton.

We miss that bit of nastiness, I recall a crunching tackle from Joe Parkinson on Man Utd's lynchpin Paul Ince early in that Cup Final, it set the tone for the day and let United know they were in for a hard day.

The Charity Shield against Blackburn, a lesser game but we still had a nastiness, a ruthless streak where we wanted to win the battles before the war, I remember Barry Horne using Tim Sherwood as a doormat to get up, much to the dislike of Sherwood's team-mates. But we didn't care, we had hard men who didn't shy away from a battle.

I look at us now: yes, they look like talented lads but I just wish there was a bit more "win at all costs" mentality there, players who wanted to win their own personal battles and be a bit more nasty, fair but nasty.

For me that's no doubt where we'll let ourselves fall short again probably in winning the Cup this year.

Spot on, mate. I agree with every words and that is the reason he is not taken fully into the fold, they just couldn't cope with him.

Southall does not mince his words, and neither does he feel the need to kow-tow to the old boys alumni set up at Goodison. I suspect that the manager and chairman, however, both regard him as an irritation? Truth hurts sometimes, eh?

Anyway, isn't that Dennis bloke supposed to be a "defensive coach"? Or just another of Bob's Wigun mates stealing a living?

There is not going to be a takeover – it should have been done by now.

The word from those who reckon they know is that the takeover is a done deal.

We shall see!!

As for the takeover, I guess the new owners are waiting till Premier League football for next season has been guaranteed, before signing on the dotted line.

I'm dreading the summer once the Euros finish – who stays, who goes, who comes in??? This summer will determine our fate!!!

Look at match days – he stands on the touchline barking orders for 90 minutes.

Not once does he turn around and consult/chat with his coaching staff. Not once do they step forward and talk to him either.

He's Captain Ahab and he will have his whale.

At the club, we have Besic, who has the potential to become a driving force in midfield, but there are questions about his injuries that hopefully are just a temporary setback. I am not sure if we have any youngsters that may come through to be this type of player but, as Southall is saying, we need one now.

The other problem is whether Martinez will want this type of player, who will definitely stand up to him and tell him what he thinks the problems are? I doubt that he will as there have been enough comments from media pundits and it appears he ignores them.

If Martinez were to appoint a specialist defensive coach it will show what a poor Manger he is, as it will have taken nearly 7 seasons in the Premier
League to realize the problems he has had with the defensive side of his teams.

Now that he's bankrupt (and millionaires like him know they're in the doo-dah well before that axe drops) he'll do whatever it takes to keep getting a salary.

On the other hand it may be, I suppose, that he really has turned away from the life of skiving thug, and it may be that if Martinez gets the bullet he'll turn out to be a tremendous coach, and, and........oh hang on! There's a pig flying over, I'll have to get me gun!

Take a look at this link if you want the low-down on our "legend";

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2003/aug/17/sport.comment5

We can all provide qoutes to paint whatever picture of the player we see fit.

You label him a 'skiver', the doctors labelled him someone who had played through the pain barrier for years with an undiagnosed sciatic nerve problem.

"That a player could find himself so besieged with injury was baffling for all concerned and many efforts had been made at diagnosis and long–term repair. The eventual discovery of Ferguson's compressed sciatic nerve brought a degree of understanding to his inability to maintain fitness. Medical suspicion was that Ferguson had been harbouring the condition for the previous four years, undiagnosed, and that this would have caused extreme discomfort and pain from simply running, much less competitive football"

You label him 'a thug' and make repeated mention of him being declared bankrupt (a decision that can be reached for any number of reasons). There are many on Merseyside who can personally testify to his longstanding charity work and generosity with both money and time.

It's not a Ferguson thread though, so why keep banging on about him? What is the point you're trying to prove beyond your personal distaste for the man?

At the risk of turning this into a Duncan Ferguson thread, whatever anyone thinks about Duncan Ferguson now or in the past, the link you have goes back to 13 years ago and obviously looks at his career prior to 2003.

I am assuming he may have changed his behaviour between those days and now – 13 years ago, I was different to how I am now.

His coaching skills/prowess seem to have impressed both David Moyes and Roberto Martinez, as this link suggests from more recent times, 2014:

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/feb/20/duncan-ferguson-Everton-coach-Roberto-Martinez

However, it would be interesting to see what he actually does, as has been mentioned on this thread and before, none of the coaching staff seem to say or do much on match days..

Getting back to Neville Southall.

Shame for all those that didn't see him play at all. Look him up on YouTube!!

He was immense!

I'm heartened he feels as I do, as per his last quoted sentence.

I know OFM and TIO seem to rate him but after the years Duncan Ferguson's been coaching we've yet to see the glimmer of a forward having come through our coaching system getting more than one or two games in the first team, and in his third year Rom is now alluding to areas in his own game that need improving. I don't believe the lad is idle, I think good coaching could have improved him, and us.

But to say RM is a 'fantastic manager' is ludicrous. His record suggests that isn't the case. RM will not change. Maybe Big Nev is touting for a job at the club.

Anyway, I hope the Blues beat Chelsea in the cup but I have a feeling that Hiddink will have the tactical measure of RM.

Does anybody out there know when this tie is being played? I know it is the weekend of 12th March but when exactly?

Thanks.

The FA haven't set a date for any of the Cup Quarter Finals yet... what takes so long when the draw has been known since Sunday is beyond me.

But he seems to have been a divisive character at clubs. Gut feeling that he'd cause bother and, while we might like to see some deficiencies outed, I doubt it would be good for the club.

You have to ask yourself, Why hasn't he copped for a good job in football? He knows plenty of people; it looks like they know Nev...

He has criticised Kenwright, and his stewardship of the club, and we all know if you don't say wonderful things about Bill, either in public or in the press, you are no longer welcome.

I'll give you the actual quote, which was also a dig at the Ginger One while he was here: "They've brainwashed you into thinking finishing 6th is good; is it fuck!" – Neville Southall, 8 June 2013.

I know how Nev feels about how the club is run by Billy Boy and I agree with him, he was great at a Blue Union meeting at the Casa in Hope Street.

I love big Nev, I'm just saying why he hasn't got a big job ANYWHERE in football.

I started my first visit around 1975, through those times seen some great and not so great players.

I always remember going to Birmingham City midweek away and Southall played in one of his earlier appearances.

I went home that night and said to my dad, Southall is going to be a top class keeper.

I really feel for anyone who never saw Nev in his prime, in all the players ive seen, Southall is still the best I've seen in an Everton shirt.

Don't agree with all Southall has to say. Is Martinez really a "fantastic"manager. Two mid table finishes(unless something dramatic happens). Hardly fantastic. And getting Wigan relegated. Again, hardly fantastic. But no arguments about getting this team to defend better. And to get a real hardnose captain in place. A Joey Barton type player. Please note I said a Joey Barton(type player), and not the actual Joey Barton. Nev Southall has the correct ideas on how to move Everton forward. But will Martinez ever act on anything that Nev ever says. I don't think so.

Off topic here, but I once had a drink with Duncan Ferguson. And he was buying. Thought all Scotsmen were supposed to be tight. Again , enough said.

Just a wee last question. Who was the opposition the day that Nev Southall refused to go in for the half time team talk. I remember it, but the opposition has completely skipped my mind. Was it Coventry?

Spurs away around February 85. Everton won 1-0 I think and Nev was MotM by a country mile. As Spurs were our nearest rivals around that time, that result and Neville's performance as good as won us the league. At his peak, nobody else came anywhere near him. The best in the world and he was ours!

These days, he's way to blunt and straight-talking for any club — ilet alone Everton to take a chance on him!! Plus at his, ahem, size not sure he's in any condition to coach!!!