Lukaku talks of players' "broken" relationship with Martinez

Let's stop chucking our toys out of the pram when he says stuff like this and start thinking like him.

He cant blame the friction between manager and player for him missing 4 sitters in a semi-final which would have given him an opportunity "to win prizes"

Whilst I agree the atmosphere was likely toxic it doesnt permit the players who just didnt make an effort like him and Ross...

Weeeeell if you get your finger out over the next three seasons, three seasons when you're contracted to Everton and will be playing for Everton should THE CLUB not wish to sell you, then you might win something with Everton.

When you field a group of seasoned pros like Jags, Baines, Coleman, Barry, Lennon, McCarthy, Cleverly, add in young but experienced players like Stones, Barkley, and Lukaku and it just looks like a "bunch of guys" out on the pitch, something's really wrong.

By the way, while appreciating his keeping it "in-house", it's Distin's comments I'd like to hear.

I do appreciate that he is a talented player but only under the right circumstances and he has stank the place out for the last 3 months.

He has no class away from football which is demonstrated by his constant drivel about wanting to play in the champions league etc.

He disrespects the club and every one of us supporters when he talks about the problems at EFC and his desire to get away, but is more than happy for his wages to hit his bank account every week, despite not wanting to be here.

Whilst I agree with you that we need winners in order to adopt their winning attitude/beliefs, this guy talks too much about personal matters and needs to let his football do his talking for him in order to get his desired move.

Let's get the deal done quickly and put an end to the disrespect he is showing towards the club and us.
Thanks for your Goals Rom but it's high time you and your dad stopped treating our club like it is beneath you. It isn't.

I don't like the way Rom habitually comes out with his utterances when away on international breaks. It almost smacks of cowardice.

He's burning his bridges by the day. PSG will be a good fit for you and as long as we get £50m a move will be beneficial for both parties. A really top striker wouldn't fear Italy defences though.

Player repeats his desire that he wants to win trophies and TW rages with indignation.

He also reveals (from the inside) what most on here commented on for many weeks, that all was not well 'twixt players and manager.

So Mike @ 1 - seconded.

He has exactly the age, profile and ambition we should be seeking to recruit and retain if we seriously wish to compete for trophies, as is his oft repeated desire.

We need to appoint a new manager as soon as possible. Then maybe the new manager might say the same thing as Van Gaal did last year " sorry mate but your going nowhere and you can play in the reserves until your attitude changes".

I think most of this upset was cause by Roberto bringing Niasse in on such a high salary.

Player says he wants to win trophies and compete at the highest level. ToffeeWeb posters slam said player and want to sell him. I just don't know anymore.

I do rate rom personally but he is maturing like a bad curry and stinks the place out with his dellusions of grandure, though to be fair he has an agent and a dad blowing smoke up his arse so you can see where he gets it from.

Onwards and upwards

What it does show however, is that we need that new managerial appointment sooner rather than later - but better later if we get the right man (ie Emery or De Boer).

I see reports are coming through that we are speaking to Pelligrini. Let's hope it's about buying his house for the new manager.

Openly wants to win trophies I accept but the player needs to perform to that level every week instead of going missing until he's presented with a chance.

He's got the tools but questionable attitude which could ultimately be his downfall when the top clubs come calling.

We didnt need the players to see he had lost the dreessing room but by that point it was obvious to a blind man except Bill that he should have gone months before.

The problem with the likes of Lukaku is players like him totally disrupt any team spirit.

He accuses his team mates of letting him down and then blames the manager.

The other players nor the manager missed a penalty at Wembley.

The other players and the manager were not wearing his boots for the last 10 games.

You don't see this sort of nonesense spouted by Vardy or Kane or Aguerro for that matter.

The guys ego is much bigger than his ability or desire.

I don't care how good he thinks he is or indeed he actually is, he can go asap, he is not an Everton player in the sense that he cares more about himself than his team-mates, the fans or his manager.

There is a way of being ambitious and leaving the club on good terms and there is the Lukaku way, I'd always prefer the way other players have left the club as most of them didn't down tools half-way through a campaign or pout and point out the failings of their team-mates or manager.

The club and its supporters would love champions league football too and would be more than grateful if Lukaku came out and stated that he wants champions league football and to win trophies with the club he is currently contracted to, EFC.

We all know there has been problems at the club this year and that it has got in the way of progress but there is no need to talk about it now as the root cause has been sacked.

Whatever he wants privately he should be talking up the new campaign at EFC and his desire to win trophies here, whatever his personal desires are.

However, If he wants to move then he should discuss it privately with the club and not through his dad or the press.

Well, M8 there's no chance of you getting you hands on it in Paris, so shut up and start thinking straight for a change and have a brilliant Euro so that IF Everton decide to let you go at least we get a top price for you.

Now, having got that rant out of the way, Everton FC have a philosophy of making it a good place to be for players, you only have to hear how so many past players have such a high regard for the club to realise we have something special. But the ego of a few undermine the heart of the many. Lukaku should be sold immediately because of his statements if intent to leave. He should have been disciplined by Martinez (aka Baines) suspended or dropped, then sold. No player is bigger than the club.

So, the Leicester model worked, once.. It will not work for Leicester again.. but getting the right mix of players is critical to success, but then it depends on your version of success. Buying individually great players who add little to the team, is not the way forward.

He now is aware he made a big mistake mouthing off and is now trying to reconnect with the Everton fans by deflecting the blame onto the manager and team mates for HIS inability to score a penalty, control the ball or generally stand up and be counted.

Had he done this we may have had FA Cup Final which I would have fancied us to win.
He was not alone, but be a man and take responsibility.
The one thing that we know about this guy is that if he comes against centre halves who like the physical challenge he goes missing, so off you go Rom and let's see how good you are in the heat of battle !

By the way someone at our club should tell him to keep his mouth shut .

It's irrelevant what players we have when the board can not accept its mistakes and enact change. Glad Rom has spoken up.

The very few lines Romelu has uttered as reported here on TW in recent days do not, IMO, denigrate or disrespect the club, his team mates or the fans in any way.

He has never spoken ill of the club or his team mates, or the fans. On the contrary, he has spoken in praise of all 3 on a regular basis.

The rage and indignation expressed by many which, I can only presume from your post you support, loses all credibility and perspective in my eyes when it completely distorts Romelu's capabilities as a footballer and denigrates the man for simply having the termerity to have ambition in his chosen profession.

You ask "What's he done in the last few months?" A question you could legitimately put to the whole squad.

Nor do I agree in your charge that "he cares more about himself than his team-mates, the fans or his manager" or that he has "downed tools half-way through a campaign or pout and point out the failings of their team-mates or manager."

Again, you over-egg it. That is the interpretation that you and many others wish to put on his words because that's what you want to believe.

It's not an opinion I share.

I am very happy to remain in the minority on this one, so I'll repeat again, with some embellishment:

Romelu Lukaku is of the age and profile we should recruit and retain at Everton if we genuinely harbour ambitions to be a trophy-winning club again.

He is far from the greedy, selfish, self-centred mercernary many are trying to paint him as. He has consistently presented himself as an eloquent, thoughtful, intelligent student of the game, ever-willing to improve.

My hope may already be a forlorn one, but I for one would be very happy to see him turn out for the Blues again next season, under a new manager with the ability to prepare a fit, disciplined and organized team that plays to the players' individual and collective strengths, rather than some Utopian philosophy far removed from the demands and realties of professional football.

Oh really? Pity he never had the balls to tell this to the press when 95% of the fans would have wanted him to

I've got nothing to 'get over' Kevin. My support for the club is eternal and will never be extinguished whilst I still breath.

I've expressed my opinion of a player I like and (as I wrote) a possibly forlorn hope that he stays.

I haven't been on this forum like a bad rash for the last week, seething with rage in countless posts at Romelu.

I think we 'got it' about 50 posts and 4-5 days ago 'pal': you don't like Romelu the player or the man.

I do.

Someone at the club needs to gag him or fine him.

But ultimately its just Lukaku trying to justify why he was shite for 15 games and bottled the semi final.

Hope he bags a few at the Euros then f**ks right off the warm PSGs bench for £50m.

He's exactly the type of player that needs a good slap every 2 or 3 weeks.

Yeah, let's give that a go.

'I'm a fantastic supporter and fully believe I have the potential to mingle with a better class of paying punter. In fact, I've proven it already by really, really getting behind my side for (some of) the first six months of a nine month season.

I might not have been in best voice since the turn of the year but I'm reliant on my fellow supporters getting the fucking songs started while I just join in with a bit of 'do wop' style backing; something like "youcandoit bloooooooooooooooos. OH FUCK OFF ROSS!".

I'm 37 years old now and I'm ready to watch a 'big club' competing in the Champions League and lifting trophies. I'm dead ambitious and that and want to watch a team win stuff straightaway. There are many sexy super clubs out there who I would be willing to watch win trophies and whose supporters don't settle for supping Chang and taking a piss in something resembling a post-apocalyptic bike shed, or that little smelly room Leatherface dragged his victims in before slamming the door shut and skewering them on a meathook.

In my head, I've already decided which big club's seat I'll be parking my ambitious arse in next season and (Wink, wink), you never know, we might even have done a deal on a discounted season ticket already, but.....I've said too much already.'

I don't want any player who is happy to come 11th, and I don't think it is anything like Rom's fault that we came 11th and lost two semi-finals.

It's been ragingly obvious that 'The Martinez Way' of pointless, negative possession is the exact opposite of what will bring the best out of him, but he's patiently applied himself to learning how to play with one hand tied behind his back and still shown his class in scoring goals, despite the lack of attacking intent and chances created.

He's a top class player who's been suffering under a third class manager, who promised him one thing and spectacularly failed to deliver it. We need to get a top class manager in and show Lukaku that this is a place where he can win trophies and play Champions League football.

He realises that his place in Belgium starting line-up, as well as his chance for big move to another club, is in jeopardy as a result of his disgraceful performances of late.

Make no mistake, Rom gives zero fks about our club and fans. I also think his ambition to win trophies comes below his greed for money and personal glory.

I have long been an apologist/supporter of his contribution, but I've had enough and I'm beginning to wish him the worst of luck once we cash in and get rid.

That's a paradox, as his ambition is to play for another team!

I've no doubt that, if we had won the league, he'd be spouting something like, "there is nothing more fr me to achieve at Everton, I have gave the fans the league, and I want to play for a team with a genuine chance to win the UCL."

Let the new manager sit down with him and tell him HIS ambitions and see if they match up. As I've always said, if at the end of the day he insists on leaving and we get what we think he's worth then he can go. Simples.

The horse has already bolted on this one. A new manager is imminent but I don't reckon Lukaku is too interested he just wants out regardless.

Well, thanks for the goals now let's get as much as we can via his agent.

"Beloved..?" No man-love going on from my corner, Kevin.

"Rom's support for our club doesn't match yours and definitely is not eternal."

Kevin catches on: players are transient, supporters are eternal. Are you going to tell us something new any time soon, Kevin?

"Unlike you, I don't want big time Charlies with inflated egos... anywhere near the club."

A couple of presumptions there, Kevin. Guessing what YOU mean by a 'big time Charlie':

1) I most certainly don't want players at the club with inflated egos who can't walk the talk and who rarely perform.

2) following on from 1), I disagree Romelu is a 'big time Charlie' in the terms you describe.

"I prefer Ranieri's stance, don't want to be here? Fuck off, seems like a good recipe for success, right?"

De Gea desperately wanted out of United at the start of the season. They took a different stance to the Ranieri model you offer (which, in truth, has not been exercised or put to the test yet by Ranieri. Only next season will offer evidence of that).

De Gea stayed, was voted player of the year (again!) and has a cup winner's medal for his 'pains.'

That's the problem with absolutist positions such as your own Kevin. They can easily be disproved with a single counter example.

Form is a bit like that it seems, you need to treasure it when it's there and work hard at keeping it going. The same thing happened with Torres across the park a couple of years ago.

I've always overlooked his international utterings of ambition, etc, while he was doing the business on the park for us.

However, he has been pure pish, whilst picking up his £70k per week. His comments are disrespectful to the club and supporters at best.

The guy is a prick and I'd take anything over £40m. I'd like to see us play with strikers who pressure defenders and work to get the ball back.

"Openly, nakedly ambitious to win trophies and play in the Champions League. Exactly the sort of player we need at Everton.

Let's stop chucking our toys out of the pram when he says stuff like this and start thinking like him."

So you're happy for him to constantly talk about playing for ither clubs when employed by us? But when fans object to this they're apparently 'throwing their toys out of the pram'. And we should think like him? What think in an arrogant disrespectful manner...no thanks.

I see your point, but you didn't articulate it well.

Anyway, conspiracy theories aside, what the hells wrong with just coming out and reminding the lad he is contracted and going nowhere? Very, very Publically! It would either shut him up, or he'd end up looking like a huge trouble maker if he still comments after that.

In any event, I'd have zero issues putting him in the reserves for a year if it comes to it. If he has 3 years left at least there's a World Cup he'll need to play his way into in 2 years, so he can't stay there forever.

We need to be strong, like we where with Stones (who showed ten times the respect of this bellwhiff by the way), and show we are not a walk over for anyone!

I don't buy the Moyes drivel from many fans for a second. Any manager, if given the money, will spend it. Moyes clearly was working with a 'plucky little' budget. However, he gets called somebody with no ambition and his replacement was seen as having it in the bucket loads because he spent £28m after 12 months.

Let's all adopt Lukaku's attitude and not accept mediocrity. Let's not accept poor results, let's not accept defensive mistakes, but lets not drive out the one player who clearly has the ability (and desire) to be world-class, just like our club has the same potential too.

Always someone else's fault, eh Rom. If only you could turn your keen and penetrating insight towards yourself.

Interesting we haven't heard Stones or Barkley or any of the rest of them come out and blame their team mates or the management situation for their equally abysmal 2nd half to the season.

I don't wish the guy any ill will, he's gone, he's a footnote in our history. We need a good replacement and with the money we have this summer that should be more than possible. Also sounds like the new manager will have some work to do to rebuild morale and unity in the squad, that's what matters now.

Rom talks about transfer "he's being honest, he's ambitious, he's been mismanaged"

It's the same people who have called this lazy ego a "beast" for the last 3 years...

Stop making excuses for him.

Get rid, good riddance. Sign a player who understands Everton.

Baines talked discreetly about a lack of chemistry in the team, Rom openly blames RM. Rom will now have fallen out with his last two managers, José and RM.

Rom divides, criticises too many and too often, and should learn there are ways of discreetly discussing a transfer which is not in the public eye.

He is disrespectful to the club and his big gob will not help him attract another manager wanting to spend big on getting him. He's probably lost a few million off his value with his niaive indiscretion. I doubt Fergie if he was still around would entertain bringing an individual like Rom into his squad.

Good luck to him. Let's hope we can build a united squad with the money we get from him with players happy to give their all for the club.

The club has remained silent while, Rom, his dad and his dog have spoken all sorts of crap about not feeling fulfilled at our club, yet when Bainsey spoke of a "lack of chemistry" he was hauled over hot coal.

This is all BK's and Martinez's fault, showing double standards and being cowardly in front of their star player. I bet if Ross said something similar they'd bloody crucify him. Our club is run by brainless shitheads.

Leicester have shown what a team can achieve with the right spirit, application and talent. With hindsight it was poor management not to get a grip of Rom when he was playing so badly and show the rest of the squad that players are picked on form.

"Jay, if you believe point #1, my question to you would be, why the hell do you want Lukaku at Everton?"

Sigh...

You either didn't bother reading point #2, or chose to ignore it as 'inconvenient' to the (erroneous) claim you are making, in which I wrote:

"following on from 1), I disagree Romelu is a 'big time Charlie' in the terms you describe.

1) corrected your presumption that I want 'big time Charlies' (copyright, Kevin Rowland) at the club. I don't.

2) told you I don't consider Romelu a 'big time Charlie.'

Ergo ...? I'm guessing you may still need some help reaching the correct conclusion, Kevin.

And (BTW), he was not 'fucked off' by Chelsea. He had a full season's loan at Everton before Martinez landed quite the coup by signing him a year later at just 21 years of age.

Again, at no time at Chelsea was he a 'gobshite.' He actually won plaundits by choosing to leave the bloated squad at Chelsea to have a better chance of playing more regularly at Everton.

There is a legitimate argument to be made as to why he should be let go, Kevin.

Stick to that instead of continuing to embellish your opinion with unsubstantiated claims, total invention and out and out prejudice which has been your standard fare for almost a week now on the subject of Romelu Lukaku.

Nice cropping and reworking of the actual quotes in another attempt to justify your position.

Full quotes on the transfer, first from Romelu:

"Choices were made by me. By me. Not by them. Everyone says it is Mourinho's fault [I left] but it is not his fault because I made the decision. I went to his office to ask if I could go. He was the first one to say: 'Good luck.'

"I signed the deal with Everton at 11 o'clock and the first text message I got on my old BlackBerry was from Mourinho saying: 'Good luck, do your best and I will see you next season.' He was the first. Nobody knows that and that is why for me he gets immense respect."

Now Mourinho:

"He wanted to play for Chelsea but clearly only as the first choice striker and at a club of our dimension it’s very difficult to promise a player that status.

"After that Everton came with an important offer and because we want to be inside the Financial Fair Play rules, you have to analyse these situations."

Mourinho also wished Lukaku good luck at his new club. "The important thing is he is happy and things work out for him. He is a good kid."

What a gobshite, eh..?

I appreciate you used the word many fans however most fans (including me) would rate him as potentially world class and a lot better than most of our other players.

Rating how good a player or not does not destroy the credibility of views which are different to yours though?

Pointing out he didnt play aswell for the majority of the last 3 months is as valid as saying the 2nd and third quarters of the season he was excellent.

Damian, my main point is that Lukaku is right. Everton aren't good enough and he's saying so. We should get better, not criticise him for saying so.

Christopher Wallace gives the game away a bit earlier (46) when he assumes, with no evidence whatsoever, that even if we won the league Lukaku would want to leave. That's as clear a case of 'projecting' as I can think of, and I believe many of the others criticising Lukaku are doing the same.

That and a bit of the classic 'dump her before she dumps you first' mentality. You think he's rejecting you so you want to reject him and convince yourself he was no good anyway.

Well he is, and if we lose him it's because Martinez's stupidity cost us dear over the last two seasons. We should have come top four this season, it wouldn't have been that difficult, but we've played the last two years with at least one hand tied behind our backs, sometimes two. It's no wonder an ambitious, young, top class footballer is frustrated. He should be.

The decision is not his, not at all. It will be made by two other men, one of whom does not yet even work for the club (the new manager) and the other a new owner about whom we yet know very little.

Yes, Rom wants to leave, but he is under contract. If those two people decide he is staying, he stays. Period.

I am not trying to suppress debate. I am offering a (minority) alternative view to the majority populist one.

I am not saying alternative views to my own 'lack credibility' per se.

I am challenging the more rabid posts which completely distorts Romelu's capabilities as a footballer and denigrates the man for simply having the termerity to have ambition in his chosen profession.

Such posts DO lack credibility and perspective in my eyes when it is claimed he only scores goals off mis-hit and scuffed shots and headers fluked in off his shoulder. Oh! And of course, he's a mercernary gobshite, dissing the club.

I have a higher opinion, evidently, of Romelu Lukaku the footballer and the man than the majority on TW. That opinion ain't changing any time soon.

Or ... are you saying I'm wrong to offer such an alternative minority opinion simply because it is contrary to the majority...?

Both Simeone and Koeman lost some of their best players yet it didnt stop them both having great seasons. So lets hope that Everton appoint Koeman to do what he has done at Southampton. He has bettered Pochettinos record after losing his best players.
So instead of worrying about Lukaku, lets hope our board make an offer that Koeman cant turn down.

ITNMICIT!!! (in the new men in charge I trust)

2) following on from 1), I disagree Romelu is a 'big time Charlie' in the terms you describe"

Jay,

To be fair to Kev, when responding to his "big time Charlie" assertion, you did conveniently miss out a key reason he gave as to why he chose to level such a charge at Romelu:

"I don't want big time Charlies with inflated egos who aren't as good as they think they are, and also think their too good for Everton"

It's that last part that truly pisses people off and has caused them to turn their wrath toward the player. The rest they could probably put up with, no problem, or at least let it go once he went on a little goal scoring run.

Lukaku and those close to him have continually let it be known that he is destined for bigger and better and Everton would have absolutely no chance of keeping him long-term. It's not just this one occasion.... or even just three times in the last three days.

As far back as the beginning of 2015 (a mere six months after signing him 'proper') Lukaku was openly stating he wanted to play for 'a big club again' and would be assessing the situation that summer. We had his agent saying, if he had been handling his career just a little bit sooner, then his client would never have joined Everton in the first place. We had Round 1 of Rodger The Talking Todger telling us all about the many clubs who were lining up to sign his son for his goalscoring might and which move he wanted his boy to make. The man himself letting it be known that he would have to look at his options if Everton didn't qualify for the champions league. His agent again. His arl fella again. Lukaku again.

You really don't believe it's disrespectful to the club he is currently under contract to, for Lukaku (or those who look after his affairs) to be continually mulling over his future in the media, talking about clearing off somewhere else, naming clubs who are wanting to sign him, and saying he's reached a decision about which club he is willing to let buy him?

Having flagged up the missing 'key reason', again, I have to question the presumption that Lukaku considers himself "too good for Everton." Has he really said that ..?

Being ambitious in one's chosen profession and striving to scale the career ladder to the very top is not the same, IMO, as considering yourself "too good for (insert club name)."

As Erik Dols recently informed us in an insightful post, there is a cultural and linguistic interpretation that needs to be taken into consideration with the utterances from players from the lowlands of Western Europe when interviewed by their national press.

I'm neither deaf nor blind to a succession of utterances from his agent, his father and Lukaku himself.

I just don't give them as much weight or fess over them as the vast majority on TW evidently do. In truth, the most noise has come from his new agent when he made the switch, and his father.

Lukaku has not "continually been mulling over his future in the media, talking about clearing off somewhere else, naming clubs who are wanting to sign him, and saying he's reached a decision about which club he is willing to let buy him" as you state.

It's only the most recent utterances by Lukaku himself - not previous ones - which imply he is looking to move on from Everton.

So ... in answer to your final question, no. I don't interpret Romelu's actions and words as 'disrespecting' the club.

As I've said previously, he always conducts himself well in club interviews, praising the club, the team, the fans, even the former manager.

He is exactly the age and profile we should be looking to recruit and retain if we seriously want to challenge for trophies.

I rather think it's a sad indictment of the club that, as many feared, the state of affairs got so bad under RM that it led to his inevitable (too long delayed) dismissal and a decline in performances and league standing that would naturally lead to talented ambitious players reviewing their options of whether to stay or go.

Hopefully, the new manager will be of sufficient standing to retain and attract the necessary talent to lift us up to the heights we all desire for the club.

And I for one would be delighted if that would include Romelu Lukaku in the Everton squad for next season.

I don't like these comments but he's going to be asked every day by the media so get used to it. It does Rom, personally, no harm to float the idea of a move and figure out his worth in the market. So he'll do it. So will his agent and so will his Dad.

Up to Everton to figure out whether we sell him or not.

I couldn't give a shit about his loyalty. If he's playing in our shirt I just want his goals.

Define 'recent' Jay. If you mean those from the last few days then I'm afraid you're forgetting the similar noises he was making just a few short months ago

17th March 2016 

“If something happens, it will be for the good of the club. I don’t want to leave in a fight, if it happens. I won’t say this or that. It is going to be good for me personally and for the club."

25th March 2016:

“I am 23 years old now, it is time for me to compete with others at the absolute top of football. For me, things are going well at Everton right now. I can become top scorer of the Premier League. But, yes, I could be leaving the club in the summer."

31st March 2016:

"Lukaku? Of course, Juventus as a solution could go well, but keep an eye on PSG and Real Madrid too for the Everton striker"

(ok, that one was his agent but I don't make a distinction between Lukaku himself and someone given full authority to act for him in such a situation).

I'd have more respect if instead of saying "I've made my decision", he just frigging had the guts to communicate to the Everton fans first. It's not that hard to show the fans respect, but I honestly don't think these type of players really care about the average fan. Some do and hence you won't hear this kind of stuff in the papers from them.

I'm projecting fk all - that comment was tongue-in-cheek, in case you didn't catch that.

As I said, I was very happy when we signed him pwrmanently, and I've defended him a fair bit on here.

I've overlooked his comments on international breaks - if he keeps scoring, he can say what he wants, and eventually we'll cash in big...

However, his attitude and effort lately has been a disgrace. He obviously didn't want to get injured coming up to euros, and gave up trying for Everton a while ago. These comments are an attempt to deflect the focus away from how crap he's been, with his place for Belgium (and the chance to whore himself out to other clubs) in jeopardy. He realises that instead of PSG, he may now end up at someone like West Ham, so he now blames the manager and his team mates.

We have been paying his wages while he has given nothing back these past few months. Ask yourself, when have you seen real passion for the cause, or Rom going above and beyond for the jersey and the fans? He may get to a big club, but it will be on the back of the opportunity Everton gave him, on the back of a massive gamble. Also, as others have mentioned, Martinez building the team around him, and his colleagues putting chances on a plate for him. If he's taken as many chances as he should have, maybe Real would be knocking our door down with an £80m barge pole...

The guy is a selfish C word, on and off the pitch.

What a crying shame we gave Gary Speed so much stick, even with all that abuse,he would not tarnish his belovered Everton, or openly slate our manager.

Lukaku has in my opinion, stopped playing for the manager and looks like a player who wants bigger things, fair play to the guy, but have no fear, we will still be Everton, long after he has gone.

I have faith in our new share holder, he will bring the right manager in, and I have no doubts, we will find a replacement striker.

If half the prima donnas put in as much effort as Mick, we would have been up there challenging, who instead of sulking around the football pitch, with hands on hips.

"I'm not sure what part of he wants to leave Jay doesn't understand, fine if you want to defend his ability but his rabid defense of the lads obvious intentions, words and actions is ridiculous."

Firstly, I'm not the one rabidly frothing at the mouth over Romelu's reported comments.

Secondly, as my posts in this thread demonstrate, no confusion on my part that Romelu is expressing a wish to move on.

Jay Wood @ 32: "My hope may already be a forlorn one, but I for one would be very happy to see him turn out for the Blues again next season."

Jay Wood @ 37: "I've got nothing to 'get over' Kevin. My support for the club is eternal and will never be extinguished whilst I still breath. I've expressed my opinion of a player I like and (as I wrote) a possibly forlorn hope that he stays."

Jay Wood @ 66: "There is a legitimate argument to be made as to why he should be let go, Kevin. Stick to that instead of continuing to embellish your opinion with unsubstantiated claims, etc ... etc."

Jay Wood @ 80: "I'm neither deaf nor blind to a succession of utterances from his agent, his father and Lukaku himself. I just don't give them as much weight or fess over them as the vast majority on TW evidently do."

Jay Wood @ 80: "I rather think it's a sad indictment of the club that, as many feared, the state of affairs got so bad under RM that it led to his inevitable (too long delayed) dismissal and a decline in performances and league standing that would naturally lead to talented ambitious players reviewing their options of whether to stay or go.

"Hopefully, the new manager will be of sufficient standing to retain and attract the necessary talent to lift us up to the heights we all desire for the club.

"And I for one would be delighted if that would include Romelu Lukaku in the Everton squad for next season."

Rather debunks the claims in your post @ 90, doncha think Kevin?

Nah! Probably not...

Would love to hear what the likes of Ross Barkley, John Stones and Kevin Mirallas have to say too.

Looks like Samuel Eto'o and Sylvan Distin were right as well then.

John Daley has addressed this; "As far back as the beginning of 2015 (a mere six months after signing him 'proper') Lukaku was openly stating he wanted to play for 'a big club again'"

John got it ever so slightly wrong there, he actually said 'top club'. The quotation in full, dated February 2015; "“It was brilliant to play at Chelsea and I had a good reception, they know I’m a good player but that I want to develop so I can eventually get back to playing for a club like Chelsea. I don’t have a secret ambition to rejoin — there are other clubs in the world. I just want to grow as a player and eventually arrive at a top club again.”

Do you not remember that? Did you not understand the implication? Do you consider 2015 recent?

I consider the above disrespectful to the club and it has happened so often it is tedious.

I could understand if Bobby was still here, I could get that from Lukaku wanting away, no question he dropped a bollock saying I know where I will be next season, now hes trying to save face, saying what he has about Martinez to get back onside with the Evertonians.

I thought his attitude should change after the sacking of Martinez but, unlike Man Utd, with a replacement for Van Gaal almost through the door and Pellegrini being seamlessly swapped for Guardiola, and Liverpool bringing in Klopp to replace Rodgers, we sack our manager with one game to go, then create a media circus surrounding umpteen managers, until they come out and turn us down (back to the Revie, Clough, Robson fiascos).

The club is an embarrassment to it's fans, and as long as that gobshite clings to power, players of the calibre of Lukaku, Rooney etc will exit Goodison Park.

So who knows what will happen with a player under contract and where he plays next season?

Of course, all those on this thread who KNOW he's some version of want-away, selfish, twatish, cuntish, etc. THEY know. Me, I don't.

And he's not the only young talent we have to worry about departing. In fact, he's not the ONLY one still currently on the books who HAS put in a formal transfer request.

Kenwright et al no longer have power. The Rooney/Lescott situations are over. He has 3 years left on a contract. And yes contracts are worth the paper they're printed on; ink-signatured ones at that.

First things first, let's see who our new manager is and how our new hierarchy see the future.

We'll all find out over the next several weeks. If he's stays, I have no problem. There aren't a bunch of other 23-year-old, proven goal scorers in the queue waiting to take his place at Everton. There aren't any.

And he STILL hasn't put in a transfer request.

We'll see.

He would not play for Martinez towards the end, if we refuse to sell, every chance he will not play for the team, until he gets his wish.

Seriously Peter, does that really equate to him believing he is "too good for Everton?"

It affirms a belief in his own ability to play for a 'top club', certainly. And as painful for some as it may be to admit it, but for more than a quarter of a century Everton can no longer be considered a top club.

I'm not playing semantics here when I say his words are far removed from him categorically stating, or even merely alluding to, the belief he is "too good for Everton."

In my opinion it is a big leap to conclude from that he is a 'big time Charlie,' 'mercenary', 'gobshite' etc (and worse...) as many have called him in recent days.

The content (and context) of those words in 2015 are very different from his more recent utterances in which he is more clearly stating he is likely to exit the club.

You consider such statements as disrespectful to the club, too frequent and tedious. I don't.

I repeat, yet again, if we have genuine ambition to becoming a big club once more, Romelu Lukaku (and his like) is of the age and has the profile we should recruit and retain.

Then such players would not be seeking pastures new so readily and we would increase the likelihood of once again landing a trophy.

Another interpretation of that is that he's waiting to see who Everton signs as next manager. Could be. Not like he can just up and go.

I'd go so far as to say his simply putting in a transfer request is the worst thing he could do. He has no leverage.

He could flat refuse to play, of course. Even THEN, he has no leverage.

I'll wait to see who the new manager is and how things play out. If Rom is gone, it will be on Everton terms, not his or some other club's.

He goes, he goes and we move on. He stops playing for Everton, I stop caring about him.

But, no mistake, if Lukaku is playing for Everton next season, fine by me. I'll view that as EFC has signed a first-rate manager.

Oh, and if Stones is still here, too. Let's not forget Stones, the guy who put in a transfer request.

We get in a manager who actually coaches TEAM; defending and attacking. And, forgotten at Everton a season or two, FITNESS.

The basics of the game emphasized by the Club. Call me a dreamer.

Perhaps they'll both stay.

Moshiri "Bill, what do you have in mind for manager, goalie and Lukaku."

Bill "Moyes, Howe or Hughes whichever is cheaper. Robles as goalie but we can get Steve Harper as back up. Lukaku we will sell but we will blame the bank and I'll say my aunt cried ... They always fall for it.

Moshiri "OK ... I was thinking more in terms of Joe Hart for 40 million, maybe Pelligrini and a new contract for Rom? But I'm sure we can find some middle ground."

He stays or he goes.

For sure, he doesn't just go. He's got three years left on a contract. At a guess, if we see he's put in a transfer request, the deal is done and dusted.

His only "leverage" is . . . . . . .he doesn't have any.

I'd prefer he stays. Better the goal scorer you know, rather the goal scorer you don't.

And for sure we don't.

We get a manager signed and see what happens.

1. Pick a marquee manager. Players stay and flourish and meld with upcoming younger talents, which we have many of. Build a new stadium on the docks and we will have the beginnings of a dynasty. The phoenix will rise.

2. Pick a non-marquee manager and we are finished.

Nail, Head

We saw a glimpse of the real Everton on the last day of the season. Baines smiling and joking, Stones lumping the ball 60 yards down the pitch. Even Tim Howard looked a class act (well almost).

Thankfully the Martinez experiment is over and we can look forwards and start winning things.

That said, I take a more pragmatic view on his quotes for two reasons. First, the absence of a manager means there is no one to sit him down and outline a new footballing vision which the player can buy into. With no manager in place, and the window upon us, it comes as no surprise to me he thinks his ambitions will be better fulfilled elsewhere with a transfer this summer. I would love to see him here next season, motivated and fired up, but it will take a strong managerial appointment to do that. Until then, the speculation will rumble on.

Second, selling Lukaku does not necessarily smack of a lack of ambition, provided we have a plan to properly replace him. No one is bigger than the club, and several major European outfits (Atletico, Sevilla, Dortmund) have sold their crown jewels but identified and brought in top replacements.

Again, however, it needs a managerial/DoF appointment to implement the recruitment plan.

I also disagree with your thoughts about Everton being an embarrassment. Agree that we should have sacked Martinez earlier but I prefer our club to have some dignity on these matters.

The way Van Gaal and Pellegrini have been treated by their clubs has been ridiculous and disrespectful to the managers. Man City stated their replacement about 4 months ago and it seems to be am open secret that Mourinho would be Van Gaal's replacement-not yet confirmed. Both situations leading to a media circus.

I am happy to wait for the correct manager.

Personally, I would prefer not be thinking about Moyes coming back. I would like someone different and who didn't treat us the way he did the first time round. But who is to say, given more money for transfers, and hopefully an attacking assistant manager or coach to help him, he isn't the one to lead us forward. He may have learnt a few new tricks since he left!

The only loyal people in football are the FANS – that's us! It doesn't mean we don't support Everton til we die but the players don't feel the same way unless they were die hard fan anyway (but as we saw with Rooney, that always doesn't apply).

I don't blame Lukaku as, like all employees, he moves on for a better deal. I should think 90% of the players would if they were wanted by a richer (not bigger!) club.

Still massively disrespectful to his employer, even if it is in your eyes just praiseworthy and ambitious. Also I would suggest he has plenty of work to do before he could even be considered too good for Everton but we probably won't agree on that.

If we have any ambition we should do what is necessary to keep Lukaku, Stones and Barkley. Three top players who can be the basis of our future. Stones will ,in my view, be the best central defender the premier league has ever seen.

You're dead right.

As regards the work he has to do I would suggest his Dad or his Agent gets a large bin bag ( one of the strong ones not one of those you get on a roll from B & M ) and fills it with wet shite.He can then practise trapping it.

If they're struggling to find any wet shite then they can just hold the bin bag under his mouth.

Boil down to more empty words.. except that he wants away, for what, who, he thinks he 'deserves'!.. from a player who all too clearly played his own part in that fractious dressing room and lack of effort by too many players all-too-happy to be handed an excuse NOT to turn in the pre-requisite performance of a man wearing the 'Nil Satis..' Blue!!!

No 'I'll show em on that pitch!' response, just starry-eyed, bottom-lipped, self-pity. Yep, great stuff, that. Big blubbering kid looking at the tin car in the toy shop window style, then! (Seen the old movie, too.. 'But it was all Norman [Wisdom's] fault, he promised me it!!')..

Looked so good at times, but always looking for an 'out'.. well, hopefully you've got it now! Bye Bye.

The man has just made millions out of our club, yet claims to have Everton in his heart. He's a phoney Ian, and even if he is ill, it hasn't kept him away from the limelight.

I personally believe he has held Everton back for years by refusing to sell up, and this season we've had players revolt, banners, fly pasts and fans on the pitch, but still, he leaves it until the last minute to remove a man totally inept at his job on the eve of the player's presentation! What must the players think?

Agree with everything you say there.

Their paid a kings ransom each week to do as their told. No doubt Martinez informed most of them that they were playing crap and offended some of the little darlings, what a shame.

Players that want to play elsewhere, ship them out pronto. Let's face it they have been pampered since they were children, with the consequence that they're very likely to behave like children.