Niasse must wait until next season for regular role

“It is a bit of a catch-22 situation” Martinez continued. “At this stage of the season you have to be very, very careful in giving players minutes because at the moment we are working towards achieving results and finishing the games strongly so it is a bit of a difficult situation."

Please get rid of this inept manager....

That makes no sense as look at the team that was put out against Southampton? Several fringe squad players who have hardly features this season and two debuts? Is there something we are missing here?

He may turn out to be a good player but he's not capable of fulfilling the much needed role he was bought for THIS season. Someone cocked up.

We needed some one who could hit the ground running. Why not look to the Championship for a reliable player who could do the job for half the cost?

It's a massive mistake by a manager who's reputation is in shreds after recording the worst home record in our history, what a cock-up.

Panic buy because the window was closing fast at the time. Very poor.

I bet his kids get an Action Man Deserter for Christmas and he tells them they'll get something better next year!

Oh, I do love a conspiracy theory !

Why hasn't Niasse been playing for the U21s? Or had any behind closed doors games arranged?

Martinez must think all Everton supporters are as thick as pig shit, if he expects us to believe the verbal diarrhoea that spurts from his mouth. Niasse is supposed to be a professional athlete – how long does it take him to get fit?

Have you noticed the expression on Niasse's face as he takes up his residency on the Everton bench. He looks lost and bewildered. Just like the fans.

Maybe he'll come good, maybe he is a very good striker who will score goals for fun but Martinez's handling of him has been so poor. Wrist injuries shouldn't stop you playing or getting fit, you don't run with your wrist. Vardy's copped alright all season.

U21s and more than the last 10 minutes of games would have helped the man get fit. I hate Martinez substitutions, they grind me down. I never see the point in bringing a player on for less than 10 minutes, it takes a least 5 to get up to speed with the game. For me subs time is on the hour mark, 20 minutes at the least.

If Rom leaves in the summer then we really need a replacement as this man's not it. Back up ok but nothing more. Kone has to go but I'm hoping Tarashaj will be a bright spark.

I wouldn't be all that surprised myself if we cut our losses and sent him back to Russia where he was relatively successful.

How on earth he can still not be fully fit to play some part really is beyond me, he has been at the club since January and correct me if I'm wrong but he did pass a medical didn't he?

Utter joke, complete utter garbage from Martinez.

13.5 million on a player that you are not 100% convinced on fitness wise?

What's going to change in summer?

I might be wrong but if Niasse is Muslim then will he be affected by Ramadan like Arouna Kone?

Another excuse for a fitness issue at the start of next season.

I have always believed that Martinez's training techniques do not build satisfactory fitness levels. There have been suggestions of this, initially by players saying that their fitness is achieved by ball work.

Additionally we lost physio and fitness coaches within Martinez's first 6 months in charge. It will all come out sooner than later... but will Niasse?

So if the guy had stayed at his old club he would have been needed to be fit enough to play 6 weeks ago and yet 10/11 weeks on from arriving at Finch Farm we have been unable to get him fit enough.

Perhaps we should either send him back for a week or two to get fit or bring the Locomotive Moscow coaches over here because they would get him ready to play a lot quicker.

Niasse has a sore wrist, you all know how vital your wrist is as a striker.

He claims this part of the season is crucial... wow, the league season is long over!

Please, can someone remove this idiot from our club.

It also seems to indicate that the fee HAD to be in the region of 㾹.5M to get round the new British Home Office rules whereby permits will only be granted for players whose fees are in the top 25% of transfers from 'the country of sale'.

Intriguing, hey?

Don't forget that he played for his country and scored in that period. Unlike Phil, I'm not one for conspiracy theories, but something else is going on here.

Mind you clowns are supposed to make you laugh.

Please don't anyone say we have Kone who is the worst striker I can remember for us. It's an insult to the #9 shirt to see him blundering around the pitch and his attempted bicycle kick on Saturday was like amateur hour in a Sunday league.

Yet more proof that Martinez is wholly unsuitable for the job. With our league season effectively a write off why didn't he give a debut to the lad in the U21s who's scoring goals for fun right now? Sorry, I've forgotten his name for the moment. It would have made more sense and given the crowd more of a lift than seeing Kone once again proving he is still impersonating a professional footballer. Investing in youth? Pull the other one Martinez preferably on your way out the door.

Niasse must be made up, he must be on money he never dreamed he's earn.

Niasse hopefully will turn out to be a great player for us – here's hoping.
But everything about this signing stinks.

The words "Roberto", "wool", and "eyes" come to mind. But does he think we are all daft? Well I'm not falling for his garbage. Is he still here?

Tell Naismith we need to keep him until summer at the same time telling Norwich they can have him once the season ends for 4 million if they were prepared to wait.

Of course it's all hindsight but we splash out a sizeable chunk of cash on a guy apparently not fit and with no Premier League experience.

At least Naismith whilst being limited, could crop up in the box and poach some goals in a blue shirt and he knew what effort the fans demanded.

We left all our business until the end of the window (totally inexplicably) and then the lad was signed to placate the supporters who had seen the side depleted by the transfer of a first team squad member.

I believe that it was a boardroom decision and Martinez is just a front to cover their arses.

We have done this at windows during DM's reign so it is nothing new!!

This guy should have also left Coleman out vs Southampton as it's the only position where we have no senior cover. And the shear reliance on Lukaku was so evident on Saturday, it gives us all an insight into next season where we will be bottom half all season – or lower – if this continues.

I don't feel they're insulting our intelligence by lying to us. What else could they really say? "We're going to try to sell him but don't tell anyone that we've realised he's shit" or "He's a twat of a bloke".

My guess is that he'll be sold for an undisclosed fee in the summer with an amicable story about how he and his family failed to settle in England.

Only enhances the fact the whole of Martinez and his cohorts need a massive overhaul.

It's all very fucking odd.

Has anyone else struggled to run with a sore wrist?

We really are a joke of a club...

Although I agree it wouldn't hurt to give a few more minutes on the pitch let's wait until he's got a proper pre season under his belt before we start the doom and gloom posts.

There has to be big changes and a new era has to be ushered in before this club goes the way of the Barcodes and Aston Villa.

We have a great track record with Russia don't we, Bily, McGeady and now this

Anyway, now that we are safe from relegation, after the derby and the semi, let's give the young lads a go in the first team. It will be worth going to see, instead of watching players who's only focus is getting on that plane to sunnier climates. Let's have a look at the likes of Kieran Dowell, Jonjoe Kenny, Courtney Duffus etc.

A big risk yes but at least it wouldn't take 6 months of settling in.

I have personally never understand why settling in takes so long, if you are a professional footballer, you are 26 years old and have moved from Africa to Russia to play football, why would it take so long coming to terms with the move to England?

I said it before, after I watched his Russian goalscoring cameo after he signed, while impressive, most of them were down to appalling defending by amateurish opposition. For £13.5 million plus, a VERY expensive bench warmer, not only should Martinez hit the road asap but Kenwright and his henchmen as well.

This guy scored 9 goals in 19 appearances this season for Lokomotiv Moscow before he moved to Everton. He made an appearance from the bench for Senegal against Niger on 26 March and scored. Just how unfit is he? Or how fit does he need to be? Surely Lokomotiv Moscow and Senegal would only play fit players!?! Did he not pass a medical/fitness test before we signed him?

I just don't get it... if he's not fit or not ready, then he shouldn't be on the bench, especially if there's no intention of using him. Lukaku could get injured and he's been having some poor performances, we need options. Kone is not the answer -– he played the entire game against Southampton and I don't recall him having one shot at the goal. If Connolly and Davies are ready for first team debuts, then we should recall one of the other kids out on loan.

How can a professional athlete not be able to get fit within 3 months?

Having a sore wrist (fucking puurrlease) didn't stop Vardy this seaon, it certainly did have an issue with Lineker in the World Cup when he scored 6.

The fitness team all need sacking, as I have never seen a more unfit team in all my days of watching footy, this included the days when the players would have a crafty Woodbine and a pint at half time.

Good post, Dave (#61) – made me laugh.

Please just do the right thing.

What a farce... and "What a manager" – squirming to save face.

I think we have bought another dud and our clown of a manager knows it.

Well then, what is he like to the demands of training at Finch Farm? I mean, he does train... right?

We often hear stories and see videos of players exploits in training. Sometimes they laud each other. So please, Roberto... can you tell us what he is really like... in training!

He may well have held back his secret weapon (Niasse) to form a formidable strike force with Kone when Lukaku gets bored half way through the semi-final.

No prizes for guessing who came out with this...

Not fit enough for Roberto but fit enough to play AFCON qualifiers (and score) for his country. I bet Bill is well pleased paying him half a seasons wages whilst he gets his wrist fixed.

Not fit enough but, if the Russian Journo rolled out by the Echo (can't remember his name) and the player are to be believed, he is a high tempo player with pace who never stops running, not your usual candidate to let your fitness slip in the Russian winter break?

With bearing in mind that they have to play the second half of their season post winter break, you would assume their clubs would keep them reasonably fit. RM's so full of shit, he's embarrassing his and our club.

That YouTube video Anto posted (always a danger isn't it) shows to me that even if he is not the second coming of Batistuta he is at least not a complete donkey, so I will reserve judgement on the lad until we see him in action.

When that will be is anybody's guess. It beggars belief that he isn't 'fit' enough for a game so something else is up.

Worth a punt up front? Martinez is always giving youth a chance I am lead to believe.

The Niasse transfer is as bewildering as RM's waffle.

Saying that, it was the family disdain for, and constant piss-taking of the guy that had me so disgusted with his appointment by Bill Kenwright. Believe you me, every Addics supporter knows and is amused at how the old boy stitched us up.

We know it now, of course. Just a pity Bill and Mr 49.9% can't see through it!

This is what Martinez said on the signing of Niasse (1st Feb)

“He is a very fit boy, the physicality he has will allow him to have an impact in any game” Martinez said.

“But you always work around a 45-60 session programme in order to peak. We could do that in three weeks and I want the games to be part of that preparation."

So, 3 weeks from February 1st eh Roberto, we are now 2 months past that "peak" date and he's looking like a total flop, fit enough to play 2 games and score for his country but still not good enough for the Everton Under-21s.

What annoys me even more is the continuous bullshit that Martinez spouts, when addressing the fans I truly don't believe a word he says anymore – it's pathetic

It is a remarkable story:

Many years ago Sheik Mohammed paid $9 million dollars at the Kentucky yearling sales for Snafi Dancer, a son of the legendary stallion Northern dancer. He was sent to John Dunlop to be trained as a future Derby winner. It became apparent that, despite his pedigree, Snafi had a touch of the slows. In fact he could not outspeed a Clydesdale. However, he was beautifully bred and rather than let him see a racecourse and damage his reputation it was thought wise to send him to stud. As it turned out, his stud career did not go well, he was found to be infertile. He ended his days as a hack on a Canadian ranch.

Traore reminded me of Snafi, I don't know where he is now but perhaps he is happily at stud. Niasse, I hope will get his chance but if he is not fit I would not want to see him come on for two minute cameos where desperation to impress causes injury. It wrecked James Vaughan.

I remember reading the original thread on ToffeeWeb when we first signed him. There was a report from a Russian Journalist basically saying Niasse was very hardworking, good in the air, unselfish (eg, passes to a player in a better position) and he had a good goal-scoring record.

A Locomotiv Moscow fan actually posted on that same thread. Here is what he had to say:

"Hi everyone. I'm a Lokomotiv Moscow fan and I want to congratulate you with this transfer.

I just want to tell you about his advantages and disadvantages. Oumar is very diligent, this is the first thing to know about him. For example, you can watch his goal for Loko vs Krasnodar. He is very fast, with good heading ability and good long shots.

But, the main problem is that he didn't study in football school, he began to play professionally when he was 18. So, he isn't good at dribbling. I can describe his game like "hit the ball strait and run".

He depends on game form, he needs to play a lot. And I have to say that last year he was one of the worst players in our team. And nobody believed in him before the season started."

After reading what the Lokomotiv Moscow fan and the Russian journalist had to say, at the time, I was expecting a Paulo Wanchope type that works very hard and scores a few goals. That wouldn't be such a bad thing if it turns out to be the case.

He will never make it in the Premier League.

The lad probably is not the real deal and by playing him Roberto will expose himself as a manager who paid £13 million plus for a dud.

I hope that I am wrong, but the evidence to the contrary appears damning.

Bye, bye Roberto.

I'm more than a decade older than him and have lurched between illness and injuries this year but still been able to get a marathon under my belt. On top of the working week.

I'm not asking for a 10 goal finish from the guy but to at least come on as an actual threat for 20 minutes by now...

Once upon a time £13 million bought you quality.

We never get original targets because we leave our business until the last day or two. Every other club in the division move quickly to get targets in before pre-season if possible.

Stop just blaming the punch bag and have a go at the board room.

Why pay the January premium? He did the same with McGeady also from Russia and a similar thing happened with Traore.

Lennon worked yet this is another example of the ineptitude going on at the club.

I just hope at Wembley our better players are able to play and go for it for personal glory.

I agree to some extent about business because the last minute stuff still happens. Under Moyes I can only remember a couple of transfer windows where the best business was done in time for pre-season.

2006 - Lescott and AJ
2007 - The Yak (although was he late?) Jags and Baines

Otherwise we wait and wait...

But my main complaint is the complete lack of professionalism running throughout the entire operation.

Try saying that with a gobstopper in your gob.

Looks as though this deal surpasses Bilyaletdinov, Krøldrup and Nyarko for wasting money. I wouldn't be at all surprised if we end up loaning him out to a club in Europe this summer and he never returns... Farcical!!

I have thought about that regarding Dithering Davey... yet when Moyes went to Man Utd, he was awful at making signings with lots of cash. Many blame Woodward.

Yet their current manager has been able to buy who he wants (and wasted lots in the process).

I suspect he was a ditherer but because he didn't want to fail.

Who knows? Without being in the club we'll never know. But all I know is, things have to change and sharpish because this season has been embarrassing.

Or if he had then stunk the place out at that level, would it be too obvious that Roberto has made a horrific error of judgement?

Our incredible one making a horrific error of judgement?

Take that back.

Niasse has looked a bit amateurish the little I have seen of him so far. Maybe he'll come good in time. I doubt it.

This man is being paid God knows what, and a signing on fee and after near four months he can't do the job he's paid for because the one basic requirement he needs – 'fitness' – he hasn't got.

Can't criticise him? I criticise you for saying that.

If he had been used in the same position Barkley is now then you'll remember the lad had a wand of a left foot and had one of the hardest shots I have ever seen at Everton...

Back to us, there is something fishy about this transfer. He's fit, he's raring to go, then he isn't fit and then he'll be great next season. Not the first time, either. I'd love to know the process that brought him to the club.

So with Roberto's record on player fitness, presumably he'll never be fit?

Niasse is different, he would appear to be fit enough for International football but not good enough for us. Something is very wrong here and it's not the players fault.

Slow, lazy, criminally unfit and positionally inept, his left foot only came into play when he had far more time than was normal. Superficially similar to Sheedy in some respects, in reality nowhere near the same level.

Grant R, I'd say £6M for Kone is a total waste of money and I'm not at all sure about £13M for a workhorse like James McCarthy. I think he pays way over the odds for players and irrespective of only paying small amounts of money (which may have been all that was available at any given time) he has signed some total turkeys and insisted on playing them (eg Alcaraz). Granted it looks like Lukaku will make a profit but you don't expect nearly £30M paid for a striker to return a bad player.

I don't trust him in the transfer market (or anywhere else for that matter).

I remember a great goal Billy scored against Man Utd. But there weren't many goals to remember!

He certainly didn't light up the team. I also think he was another one of those players never allowed to develop in the team. Never given a run of games to gain confidence.

How about Bilyaletdinov's goals against Manchester United or Portsmouth on the last day of the season?

A guy who probably in one season could have done behind the striker as much as Barkley has in the last two years but, for some insane reason, Barkley is looked upon as the new Paul Gascoigne!

I feel Moyes signed Bily without a plan of where he should play. He flourished for Russia in the middle and his best assets were suited to the middle but he came up against fine players in Cahill and Fellaini who were masters of playing behind the striker and offered greater strengths.

I don't agree at all. Bily actually played quite a lot in and out. He typified lack of effort in my opinion and I think Moyes did give him runs but he just never delivered.

He got decent runs in the team when Pienaar left. The crowd did get at him though because he committed the cardinal sins of not working. Another Drenthe type in my opinion. You can have all the skills in the world but a lack of application means that, overall, you're crap.

The fact that Moyes sold him, probably at a loss (an undisclosed fee) and at the peak of his career (27) speaks volumes.

Fair enough. Your knowledge of Bily is far better than mine.

Why not be honest, Roberto? It isn't fitness, he's just out of his depth.

"No prob's Kev" he said, "here – have a nice bonus," he said. Honest he did.

You'll all also be glad to know that our 㾹.5m signing will potentially be with us until June 2020 if he does a Heitinga and runs his contract down. According to t'internet, he was on about 㿏k/week at Moscow so presume he's on at least the same with us, if not more. Moscow also only paid about ٢m for him in July 2014, so not sure how good our 㾹.5m looks just 18 months later... then again Man Utd paid 㿐m for Martial after Spurs had a chance to sign him for just 㾺m 6 weeks before but declined the offer. Crazy world of football.

Looking at Niasse's stats, he seems to have scored fairly regularly wherever he's played. Only issue is that he's never played in a 'top' league. Scored for clubs in Senegal, Turkey (Akhisar?) and Russia (Locomotiv) so no idea how he'll eventually do with Everton but at least he knows where the net is, although he's probably never come up against defenders as good as in the Premier League.

It's a bit harsh to write the guy off before he's had a proper run but the fact he's no where near 'fit' enough to play now is a big worry. As well as reports from some players that he's a bit 'raw'. He's already 26 years old so if he really isn't ready for the Premier League now, I'm not sure he'll ever be.

If a new manager comes in I can see him being quietly shipped out in the summer, assuming we can find a club willing to take over his ٠m/year wages...

Really smacks of a panic buy but I hope he comes good, otherwise we'll need to sign at least two strikers when Lukaku goes this summer, as well as a new goalkeeper, right-back, left-winger and No 10!

Either he's bought an injured player, a crap player or he's failed to get him fit in two and a half months. If he's not good enough or fit enough to come on as a sub then he shouldn't be named on the bench at all and someone else, maybe a young player, could get the experience of being in the matchday squad.

Also, our league games are fast becoming 'pressure free' in the sense that we will neither get relegated nor achieve anything significant, so he should be getting the game time now. If not now, when?

I only hope, and this is not my usual position, that this mounts up as evidence in the case against Martinez and, as soon as is decent, he is replaced as the manager of Everton Football Club. Hopefully we do it a few days after winning the FA Cup.

Personally I think he did well to persuade Lukaku to come to us, although admittedly no other club was willing to shell out 㿈m at the time. However Lukaku was not exactly an 'unknown'. Deulofeu should be a good signing but something doesn't seem right at the minute. Funes Mori also looks like a good signing, even though the final fee mysteriously jumped from ٣m odd to ٧m on signing day. Robles came on a free I think and looks ok for a back up 'keeper but we really need to sign someone else as #1. Barry was an astute signing but the fact we still rely on him so much now is also damning.

Alcaraz and McGeady were punts that didn't work out but didn't cost anything (wages excepted), these things happen so I wouldn't dwell on them.

True failures for me are Kone (won the lottery getting ٤m for Anichebe then pissed it straight away). I also never felt fine with spending 㾹m on McCarthy. People go on about him not being appreciated for what he does but whenever I watch him play I cannot see what he does that a decent Championship player can't or doesn't do week in week out. Going forward he provides absolutely nothing, defensively we still leak goals – so what exactly did we get for 㾹m? Eto'o – only cost us wages and unfortunately we'll never know what happened but should have used his experience to get more out of him and to help the younger strikers.

Besic, Lennon, Cleverley – all too early to say if they will turn out good or bad as none have had a regular run starting games. I was underwhelmed by the Lennon signing but at least he puts a shift in. Besic looks like he could be slipping to the bad signing side, great passion but end product is questionable. Cleverley looks tidy but not much else so far. Niasse... who knows but not looking good so far.

Overall, I'd give him a 5 out of 10. Not disastrous but barely average at best. After 3 years, only Lukaku and Robles have performed as expected and the latter is a back up.

I agree with most of what you say, but surely you would have to say that Barry has been a success? He had a cracking first season and he's been one of our better players this year. At times last year he struggled, but Martinez absolutely flogged him, making him play every minute of every game until he got injured. When he came back, he was much better again, and has carried that into this season.

I also think Brendan Galloway is a fine prospect. Martinez brought him in, and he did well at the start of the season. I like his attitude.

Robles cost us ٢.5 million by the way.

It's very much a mixed bag with the others though. I'd give him 7/10 for transfers. I am puzzled about Niasse though – he was fit enough to come on in the 78th minute against West Ham. He has had a month's training since then plus an international game, and he's still not fit? It doesn't make sense.

I know he has only played about 20 minutes in total, so maybe I am being harsh, but I have seen nothing in that time – no good runs, no flicks, no headers, no shots etc – to make me think we've got a good player here...

If Robles cost us £4.5m(!) then that is money down the drain. I thought he was an ok signing if he was free!

7/10 seems pretty generous all things told. Not a lot of 'hidden gems' from Spain or South America in that list, given the garbage we were led to believe about RM's 'deep' Hispanic connections.

Still, the profit we'll make on Lukaku will probably cover all the other transfer fees paid, combined.

Jeez.

Football managers spout more cliched bullshit than politicians, and basic PR principles mean that we will only get the 'public' version – which will always be shaped to give the impression that everything is under control.

Martinez cannot be expected to criticise the player's quality or the club for allowing him to spend such a large amount of money on a player with no reputation, relevant experience or suitability. No manager, in whatever line of work, will ever belittle a member of the team, or the directors of the company in public – never mind in the hyper-scrutinised world of football.

The bare facts are that we spent a lot of money on a player who, after 10/11 weeks at a Premier League club is still apparently not 'fit/accustomed' enough to play in a second string team ahead of Kone!

However, the wrist problem is a complete misnomer and Martinez should be ashamed of himself for insulting our collective intelligence with it.

I never bothered Lineker or Richardson and doesn't seem to be bothering Niasse here either: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csr5dCCzgtA&ebc=ANyPxKpNdN8rpAlAeoIEcgx24U7crfcJoO5IEQ-I5kEJxwWEirwJU0YgSS9HtgEANNpdvEWavCpo

It is therefore not unreasonable to assume there's something very suspicious behind the deal in the first place. This has subsequently been exacerbated by the ludicrous situation that has followed.

If he's on the bench, he's fit enough to play – and certainly under our current dire circumstances and with all the players 'unfit' or rested right now. Absolutely nothing to lose too, now that we're safe from relegation?

Could things become any more ridiculous? But hey, that's Everton...

I don't believe for a second that Niasse isn't, to use one of RM's favourite terms, "medically" fit to play. What he may be is either less use than a chocolate fireguard or, as the quotes from the Lokomotiv Moscow player suggested, very raw and in need of some tactical and technical fine tuning.

In either of those cases, suppose Martinez knows he's on his way out. He wouldn't then want to damage his already broken credibility even further by playing a player he signed for a lot of money who is either not up to it at all, or maybe in future but isn't yet.

Far fetched I know, but I live in hope...

A Mail pundit says Oumar looks so far out of his depth he should wear a snorkel and wet suit.