Ferguson's experience valued at Everton

We've played nowt and still look weak up front and midfield.

ps: How does Ross merit automatic selection?

The Arteta, Pienaar, Baines, Osman one- an two-touch football was some of the best I've seen at Goodison and has set the bar for what should be on offer every week.

I for one appreciate his ongoing involvement with the club and well done to the Koemans for keeping him there.

I have to say, though, John, I agree with the Route One scrappy stuff; I was hoping for a bit more of the School of Science style to be kept.

Many Evertonians, like me, placed him in the same category as the many Everton Greats, too numerous to list, who have graced Goodison Park over the club's history – a Blue legend in every sense and a credit to the game.

Whilst not in the Bartonesque category, I'll grant you, nonetheless he wasn't exactly a credit to the game.

Personally I think it shows that the Koemans understand the value of tradition and the importance that the heritage of this club means so much to the public.

Few current players could teach them that, but retaining Sheedy, Unsworth and Ferguson shows that it's something they consider valuable.

BTW, for the naysayers above, this is not Koeman's team yet. The man himself has said it will take 2 years to build what he wants.

Concerning Ross, I think if there is so much hype surrounding a player, they start believing it's true. When in reality, in my opinion, Ross shouldn't be anywhere near the first 11. Am I a knocker of Ross? Only in the respect of I don't think he's good enough. And my eyes tell me that and nothing else.

As for big Dunc, well jobs for the boys isn't it? A regular wage, for doing very little.

An Everton hero? Compared with Everton greats. Give me strength. More of a thug. How many goals did he score?

They have seen something they like.

I'd like to see Sheedy involved at some point. He's a real Everton legend and making his mark as a coach.

"This is not Koeman's team yet.The man himself has said it will take 2 years to build what he wants."

Liam, don't come on here with all your fancy "let's have patience" and "it's a two-year project" nonsense.

Common sense and an idea of perspective? You should be ashamed of yourself!

I read somewhere that Ronald and Erwin made a pact with their Dad, before he died, that they would give him his final wish and work together. Always better to have someone who understands you by your side, and hopefully it's by working with his brother than can take Ronald to the next level?

Back to Ferguson, who always looked like a token gesture made by Martinez. He probably kept him out the changies at half-time in case he lost it, because we all know who would have been throttled if he had!

He never lost a derby match in that first spell. He largely played in poor Everton teams and his hat-trick against Bolton on Boxing Day under Howard Mark III kept us up that season. Some of the best moments I've had as an Evertonian were because of Dunc.

I'm glad he is still at the club and actively involved. I wish Lukaku and our other big players had half as much fight in derby games as Ferguson did, for starters. If they did, then we wouldn't turn up to places like Anfield and act like rabbits in headlights.

I'm guessing his goals-per-game record doesn't compare with our best; I think many of his sendings off were avoidable/stupid (and selfishly dropped his team-mates and supporters in the shite). And by his own admission, his off-the-park carry-on was very unprofessional.

But I'm always impressed when people have the strength to say to themselves "I've acted like an idiot, that's going to change". (nb: most don't – most idiots usually attempt to justify their selfish/annoying behaviour to themselves and continue fucking up all the way to the grave.)

John Conteh has been a hero of mine since the early 1970s. When his career was over, he was only heading one way (bevvy, trouble etc). Yet he found the resolve to say "this is bollocks, it doesn't have to be this way, I'm out."

People have (understandably) raged about Joey Barton's carry-on over the years, but if he's genuinely attempting to break a cycle of idiocy, good on him.

Which is why I'm more impressed with Ferguson now than back then and why I'm delighted he's part of our training staff.

Great to have a coach who is respected by the players and one who can pull them to one side and say "I've done it the wrong way, which is why I'm qualified to tell you how to do it the right way."

It is also great to have coaches/staff 'on board' who genuinely and undoubtedly love the club and can convey the importance of results/performances to those just 'passing through'.

I look at Mirallas, and often wonder why he doesn't produce a lot more. My guess would be in your post, because it looks like he has got something wrong in his make-up to me. I don't know him well enough to know but, from the outside looking in, this kid has got the ability to be a top player, but seems to lack the resolve?

It's never too late to change, but maybe it's just the manager's fault again!

We've been saying the same thing for years. But this time it's gonna be different, I tell yer... I can understand why some (myself) want success now, not 2019, but I guess I must be pragmatic, patient and understanding.

Spurs, Stoke and Palace, lucky to get the points we did. Got what we deserved in the other games.

Players shine for a very short time, and all of the knowhow built up over the career is often wasted if the man doesn't go into coaching.

I hope some of his aggression and passion rubs off on Lukaku, Kone and Bolasie. I would like to see an occasional snarl up top.

It would also be nice if we had a right nasty bugger in the midfield. Imagine Barkley with Mark Noble's attitude.

It appears to me that the Koeman brothers are fighters and they want to be surrounded by similar people. Ferguson, Unsworth, Sheedy fit the mould.

This is why, despite the dissapointment of the last 3 games, I am confident about the future – we will be great again.

Eugene – sometimes if you are going bad and get "lucky", "life" starts knocking the corners off you and a decision is made to change. It does look like Duncan Ferguson has been through this process. Fortunately for him, Kenwright and the Koemans are amongst those who have supported him. I believe he will pay them back in spades.

Big Dunc has had more than his share of "WTF is he doing?" moments, and will admit that himself, I imagine. But that is part of his appeal to us, I think – our bad boy or troublemaker. Like Suarez, or Bellamy he is loved by his own fans, but hated by others, a hero or a villain is a matter of perspective.

If the players we have now who have arguably greater technical ability, play with the amount of passion that Duncan did, without the excessiveness that was part of his game, then we could be laughing all the way to Europe.

Ronald knows from his time at Barcelona what it takes to make a very good team, and he was starting to put together a very good team at Southampton. Despite half the first team being sold before he took over. I am sure with the help of his coaches and the ability of Steve Walsh to spot a player, plus the backing from Moshiri, he will turn this club around.

I think it will be interesting to see how we get on against Man City, when he comes up against Guardiola. Given the fact that Cruyff asked Koeman to teach Guardiola everything he knew and took the young Guardiola under his wing while at Barcelona.

I know for the last 20 years we have been asked to be patient and, despite our patience nothing happened. But I think – under this manager and the majority shareholder – things will change. But it will take time and I would ask all our fans to show a little patience; yes, there will be bad days as he tries to assemble the team he needs to take us forward. But booing at half-time really doesn't help anybody, especially when you are having to put right the debacle of the last 2 seasons.

I think it was Oscar Wilde who said "Every saint has a past, every sinner has a future" – not that Duncan was a real sinner, he just could have done things differently.

Now, he is trying to make amends.

"Duncan has changed as a man, I could say a bit more about that but will leave it at that."

Ohhhhh, you tease Dave!

Nice Oscar Wilde quote. Not one for condemning anyone for all eternity for their misdemeanours – too Old Testament for me. Dunc seems genuinely enthused in his role at Everton these days, which wasn't always the case during his playing career at the club.

I can understand Blues of a certain generation regarding him as a 'legend.' I witnessed matches when he was THE difference between winning and losing. I also witnessed many a match when he was less arsed than a less arsed Romelu Lukaku. For that reason, he doesn't get into my personal pantheon of who and what I consider an Everton 'legend.'

But... he was a character. Read this account of how he went on the lash before THAT derby game, Joe Royle's first as Everton manager, after Walker's sacking leaving us rock bottom and nailed on for relegation.

Link

We have a couple of Bluenose Bizzies to thank for flushing him out before being breathalyzed that he was able to make the game!

He fought, kicked and scored his way into my heart, I have never seen a better header of the ball, that passion and his physical strength combined is a top notch example of what it TRULY means to love Everton.

I still miss him in our team, he was a true CAPTAIN, not like this weaklings we see now like the feeble Jagielka.

Lukaku has LONG way to go in order to be like Duncan Ferguson.

"...became the legend before he had become the player"

Love this.

I don't think Duncan touches the demon drink anymore, he's had time to reflect on life while living in Majorca. It came to him that he missed football, maybe he didn't ever think he would, and so he is very happy to have another chance at the game. He is still a relatively young man so he can make a good career for himself on the coaching and possibly management side of the game.

Your summing up of Duncan's playing career is in line with the way I and many Evertonians think of it.

I saw a documentary as well as he went through his qualification course and took defence as his team's subject – I was very impressed by his intelligence, articulation and thought he was a different gravy to many footballers turning from pro to coaching.

In my book, he very much has the potential for management, and one day, of our great club.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyvD_YqhTn0

On the subject of the thread, I've posted before re my contempt for the way Ferguson conducted himself when a player, on (except on those very rare occasions when he deigned to actually make an effort) and off the field, but if the bloke's finally making a consistent contribution that's valued by someone who always earned the status "legend" as a player, namely our manager, then so be it.

How time flies, eh?

Me? Stirrer? Never!

If Duncan Ferguson is a legend, I look forward to hearing from posters describing Big Nev's status. What's the next rating above Legend?

But fans who were in their teens when Ferguson gave them something to hold on to, to believe in and who was someone who stood up to the RS or to teams who thought of themselves as our betters, well, he's THEIR legend even if he's not ours.

Fans of whatever club from whatever generation can truly call Nev a Legend.