What does Walsh do?

People feel compelled to put pen to paper questioning people's ability to do their job, despite an impressive CV prior to joining Everton and prompting Moshiri to tempt him away from a club where he was well respected.

Perhaps he should account for all the trips abroad Paul, and inform you who he intends to 'scout' before he books his flights?

Or he could post his 'weekly planner' on ToffeeWeb. so everyone could see he was doing his job and not skyving in the back room at Finch Farm.

Why don't you cut him some slack instead of counting down the hours to the end of the transfer window. Both him and Koeman will be judged soon enough on the quantity and the quality of the players they bring in, without the thinly veiled criticism of his job role.

Too soon to judge. And we know too little of what goes on behind the scenes to make informed judgements.

One gem here or there will more than cover his salary. But there are few certainties in football, be patient and I'm think he ll deliver as he has in the past.

Yes, what was Walshy doing in Italy, apart from carrying a bag like a concierge?

I heard a Radio 5 broadcast where David Platt really got angry with him, claiming that HE (Platt) knew who REALLY did Walshy's work, and recommendations, and that he wasn't all he was cracked up to be.

Walshy did recommend at Leicester, but I also read that Leicester are not that impressed nowadays with the players on board... and last season seemed to prove that. Although I detest that charade, Shakespeare, he seems to be a horrible backstabber!

Ronnie seems to want a big centre-forward and a lot of runners to latch onto his drop-downs to shoot. Pelle, Lallana, Rodriguez...
I

You say obvious players - Pickford I suppose as an example. Early days but he looks class. Made up Liverpool, Man City, Arsenal didn't go for him - we put money we're mouth is - I don't think he was that obvious to many - indeed I remember loads saying far too much when £25-£30m quoted.

At chelsea he brought in a few 24/25 year old players including Drogba and Essien. Again, you may say obvious but I would say they both had potential but nobody thought good enough to buy - he thought so and proved right.

Now Klasssen - I think that's another Steve Walsh buy - despite people putting Dutch connection together with Ron. Again Walsh is saying this guy will be top class. I hope he's right.

Listen, I have reservations for the record but I have faith and have never questioned Koeman on here or joined in the castigating he gets.

So, let's clear that Walsh did not come to us with a clean sheet; if I am right, he brought along his Leicester hit-list. I'm talking about this window, by the way, and as such I think this is a valid and fair question. I would, quite frankly, have thought that there would be more of Walsh's fingerprints in this window.

The reason I post now rather than Friday is to continue talking about what has been going on and what might happen and also, by the way, in the hope that I will be proved wrong.

Another Walsh gem unearthed as I ain't heard of him, anyone?

Is his CV really that impressive?

We constantly hear about Walsh 'unearthing' the trio of Vardy, Kante and Mahrez, along with his scouting of Zola a zillion years ago. Not so much about the 30 years spent as a PE teacher, unremarkable spells at Leicester (first time round), Newcastle and Hull, or his short-lived stint as a stunt double for the fucking Equalizer. He'd also never before performed the role of Director Of Football prior to being brought on board last summer.

Given the 'look no further than my own back yard' nature of the bulk of those recruited for first-team duty following his arrival, it seems a perfectly fair question Paul has posed.

It is a weird window for us. Even if Lukaku has stayed we needed another striker. The fact we'd knew he'd leave makes it all the more puzzling that we are 72 hours from deadline day without one. It makes me think we are waiting on the Barkley money. Maybe our real budget was the money we spent on Sig. The rest was contingent on player sales. Even Barry, no fee involved but we save a hundred grand a week with him gone.

Plus Sandro and Lookman? All in the space of a year!

The signing of expensive/ well known players doesn't mean Walsh isn't doing his job, unearthing gems might be his job and a couple of those above might just be that! If one or two make it and are sold for a massive fee, that'll more than cover his wages over the contract I reckon.

Just a thought!

Do you see the purpose of Everton Football Club to buy young players and sell for a profit, increasing the wealth of the owners? Or for Everton Football Club to compete for titles, compete to win the league and compete in the champions league? Judging by your opinion on Walsh, it seems you believe the former and not the latter.

Agree with the first part of your post but;

It makes me think we are waiting on the Barkley money. Maybe our real budget was the money we spent on Sig. The rest was contingent on player sales.

Whenever we go a week with no incomings peoples default is this. Hasnt this been put to bed yet? We've spent way more than we've brought in. And im not talking net spend either as that is by and large a false barometer. We need to spend more, no question but to drag up 'we only spend when we sell' again?

Even Barry, no fee involved but we save a hundred grand a week with him gone.

He was on 60k a week. Which may have helped offset Sigs wages anyway.

My concern is the quality of what we are being associated with.

We are still shopping at Tesco never mind M&S while others including the RS, United, City and Chelsea are shopping at super Harrods.

City have just paid over 250m for 3 full backs while we struggle to get cover for Bainsey and much as though I love the guy I would be hounding Danny Rose to join us if I was in charge of recruitment.
I have also said all summer pay whatever it takes to get Vardy who for me is the only viable replacement for Lukaku. Why havent we had a cozy chat with Southampton over VVD.

If we had real ambition and could walk the walk instead of just talk then we should be looking at this standard of player not some gangster that Chelsea want to see the back of or a player who cant even get a game for Benefica.

If the board want top 4 let them show it in the market rather than buying no marks or has beens.

Having exchanged views with you many times over the years, I know you are not a cynic. If you have been guilty of anything in recent seasons, you may have been a little too loyal and patient with Everton staff.

You ask a pertinent question, one which I know you were asking before the Chelsea game, so I sincerely hope this thread doesn't get side tracked by silly accusations of knee-jerk reactions to a defeat.

You balance the article by accepting that you don't know what goes on behind the scenes. Fair play, we none of us do, but if we didn't speculate or discuss, there would be virtually no point in football forums.

I can't see what Walsh does either. That doesn't mean he isn't making a valuable contribution, but if you are going to support somebody, it always helps if you know what the fuck they are doing.

All I know is I wouldn't mind his job. He will get high praise and have his reputation advanced by any signings which turn out to be decent... and the boss will get all the blame if they don't.

Nice work if you can get it.

I think you're being a bit harsh there.

We are looking for cover for baines, not to replace him. That's a different debate. Someone like Rose is not going to come here to be second fiddle nevermind the 40m plus 150k a week in wages he's probably want. And that's ignoring the comments rose said about wanting to win things. We aren't a better proposition than Spurs right now.

How do you know we haven't asked or spoken to VVD? But again, he's most likely holding out for champions league. Let alone whether we can afford him or not.

Vardy, absolutely would buy. Hate the little shit but think he'd do well for us. But as before why would he want to come to us right now? Would you of you were Vardy when if you actually wanted to leave you'd have a chance at a champions league club which he may well still get if reports are true.

Costa I would take all day long. Only for the fights he'd have with Koeman if nothing else. But seriously once he's fit he'd be a great loan signing. Sure short term but exactly the type of player we need. A nasty fucker.

That Benfica lad, wouldn't touch him with yours going by his stats.

We have to face the simple fact that we are not a huge draw to players who want to win things and we generally can't afford the money it takes to warrant a second look at us because the market is getting more ridiculous by the day.

No, we won't. This isn't a one-year project. I remind you that Leicester won the title in '15-'16, but Vardy had been around since 2012, Mahrez since '14. Only Kante was a "new" signing. Who knows, we might win the title in 2019 led by Onyekuru, Vlasic, Klaassen, Pickford and a guy we've never heard of who'll be signed in the January window.

And Tony #13, re " A centre forward should have been first on the shopping list." How do you know it wasn't? Why do you think we haven't signed one, because Koeman didn't know we needed one? Ridiculous. Who do you think we could/should have signed? Who actually wanted to come here? I'll say it again ad nauseum... quality strikers are rare and expensive, and they have to be interested in Everton. How often have we landed a truly top-class goalscorer? You don't find 'em on the shelf.

All I know is I wouldn't mind his job. He will get high praise and have his reputation advanced by any signings which turn out to be decent . .and the boss will get all the blame if they don't.

Disagree with that. Every man and his dog knows Walsh is in charge of finding players. He's also said as much in public. As has Koeman. The media might report them as 'Koeman signings' but internally that wouldn't wash. Let's face it if it did, then Moshiri is a moron as he brought Walsh on board so surely knows what he should be doing?

Also surprised you haven't blamed Koeman yourself. Surely that would have been a nice opportunity to have another dig or are you taking pity on him after the deserved criticism he's getting from Chelsea?

Also, I find it hard to believe that Walsh identifies "senior" players who are signed without first consulting Koeman and getting his agreement. I would imagine this would be a discussion both before and after scouting and identifying likely players and one that would also include the Manager insisting on certain players with or without Walsh's agreement.

The question remains, how many have been identified but were unable to be signed, for whatever reason, quite possibly including price and valuation?

Darren deserves better. So do you. So do we.

The question remains, how many have been identified but were unable to be signed, for whatever reason, quite possibly including price and valuation?

We'll never know. Nor would any fan of any club. It's been like that since transfers were created.

Lookman came in in the next transfer window; and he is already looking a snip given what we paid Charlton and with the future he is likely to have.

Also Paul, all the other young players we have bought, Onyekuru, Bowler, Gibson etc. time will obviously tell but if we get even a couple of these "potentials" to come off, we'll be singing Walsh's praises.

OK, Schneiderlin, Sigurdsson, Keane, Pickford are not "unearthed gems", but they are all players that Walsh has helped bring to the club who have/will make us stronger than what we have had before.

Speculative ideology?

John #36. It's not conjecture though. Both Walsh himself and Koeman have told us the part Walsh plays in transfers. Granted it may not apply to every transfer (Stelk and Martina being two cases that spring to mind) but it does to most. As if it didn't, what's the point of Walsh?

Although the question you are asking is specifically about this window, to judge Walsh one would need to take an overall view since he arrived and as Mike Gaynes points out we could be up there with a nose bleed in 2019 if the new recruits bear fruit.

However, what your question throws up for me about this specific window is not only the positions (especially a striker) that require improvement but the purchases appear to have provided an overload of players who can operate in midfield to cover what Koeman calls his productivity problem. I wonder if Walsh is working to a Koeman remit on the types of players he requires and apart from the obvious striker he may have delivered on that remit.

The question is pertinent and the answer might (or it might not) be answered later this week.

Thats a lot clearer.
It does in some but not in others.

Steve Walsh. 2nd June 2017.

“My department is very well run, very organised and we make sure we get as much information about the player that we possibly can. If we like the player, I've got to try to convince Ronald that he's the player for us.

“It could well be that Ronald has seen the player as well, so it's a collective decision at the end of the day.”

So again, it's not down to conjecture is it? Seems clear cut to me.

I can accept Gana may not have been a Koeman signing as he hadn't really had time to get his coat off. but you are talking nonsense.

Like every assistant, Walsh will make recommendations, but if the manager does not want the player, you can be very certain he wont be coming.
How on earth does that make Mosh a mug ???? what would be the point in spending 6m a year on a manager if you didn't support him with the eyes and ears of other staff ?

Also trust me when I tell you. Koeman will stand or fall by these signings. If for some reason they all went belly up, Koeman would be the guy known for blowing 200m. It his bollocks that are on the block and if they all excel in a blue shirt, he his entitled to and will get all the praise.

What you are spouting is absolutely ill-informed conjecture. Klaassen has told us he didn't speak to any other club after he spoke to Koeman. He didn't even mention Walsh. I don't remember Keane or Pickford mentioning Walsh either. So unless you know something they, or anyone else, doesn't know. you are. quite simply, making it up.

One thing I have noticed, is that every time we've bought a player under this regime, I can see why they bought him and what he could do for us. Doesn't mean they've been used well, doesn't mean they've played well, but I see that as a welcome change from previous regimes.

Another sign that the club is being better run, but I guess all we want to know is are we getting closer to trophies?

Why is it naive? Naive to believe what Koeman and Walsh have both told us about transfers and how they work within the structure?

Like every assistant, Walsh will make recommendations

When has Walsh ever been Koemans assistant? New job role we don't know about?

Agreed, Walsh makes recommendations and koeman signs off on them. We know that. That's not even up for debate.

Because Klassen or Pickford or Keane didn't speak to Walsh what relevance is that? How do you know Walsh didn't flag those players up to Koeman? Are you suggesting Walsh speaks to all our transfers? Why would he? It's his job to find them, not take them out for a cozy chat over dinner. Isnt it normally down to the manager to persuade a player to join not his 'assistant' or director of football as most people know him by? So what weight does it hold when a player states they only spoke to Koeman?

Koeman will take blame yes agreed but Walsh will also take equal if not more blame. Especially internally as we know Walsh is heavily involved in the process as that is his job. So yes it would make a mug of Mosh because that is Walshs job as he wouldn't be doing it. Why is that ill informed conjecture?

It's not the first defeat of the season that has made people start to question Walsh & Koeman – it is a whole host of reasons.

The away form last season was abysmal, so was the the football we played. The recent signings have been nothing short of shite, and now we hear another midfielder being bought??? Sorry to say this but Carragher was right – none of our players would get in their team.

We could so easily have lost every game this season and only Rooney has scored a goal so far in this campaign. Koeman didn't fight to keep Lukaku and made Barkley an outcast. I actually believe right now we are missing the energy Barkley provides.

Why didn't Walsh or Koeman realise the impact losing Lukaku would have on this team? Why hasn't a replacement been found? Who on earth sanctioned the Klaassen deal? Why are we intent on signing players with no pace or physical presence?? I mean the list of fuck-ups is endless, isn't it ?

Have we taken the wrong guy from Leicester City? Maybe it was Shakespeare who moulded the title-winning squad!! Walsh has done nothing yet... neither has Koeman. I don't see what there is to defend or be happy about right now. Thank God for the International break because I am already fearing the worst. The derby is looming and we all know what that will bring.

This season is already a disaster just by the way we set up and capitulate on the field. I think the off-field activity is no better. Koeman is a fraud and needs to go. Take Walsh with him. Sorry it's just not good enough. We the fans keep thinking we are a big club yet it doesn't actually feel that way does it???

Oh, wait a minute... Moshiri bought the Liver Building so we must be... FFS, Everton fans need to wake up.

I hadn't heard of Lookman, Calvert-Lewin or Gana (much) before we signed them. We haven't seen which of this summer's signings have been successful yet, but Sandro was a steal for the price and we beat just about every club in Europe to Onyekuru.

I also credit Walsh with getting us 㿷m up front and Rooney for nothing from Man Utd. I think that is top dollar for a player with a worse first touch than my Mum.

I think there will be others before the end of the transfer window, too.

The period Coleman was/is out, Kenny should have been drafted in with Holgate taking one of the centre-back positions.

While not looking to have what it takes, Calvert-Lewin has shown that, playing in the centre-forward position, he can be a handful, yet he was dropped for the Chelsea game for a player who has contributed as much to the team as Niasse. Baines has been poor yet no-one has been given their chance to prove themselves.

We all have our take on things but I can't get my head round sending talented players out on loan for a season.

If your trying to sweet talk me into the dual presentation on George's gig suggested by Tony it ain't happening.

Remember, when asked why we were recruiting so many youngsters, he [surprisingly] said something like: 'We need to plan for when RK is not here'.

First, I think that's clearly debatable, and a matter of opinion.

Second, the window hasn't actually closed yet, so the question any case might be premature.

And third, I think it's best to judge Walsh's role over the long term.

As to those who claim 'this is not difficult', you don't have a rashers what you are talking about.

If we buy someone we've heard of we say we don't need Walsh. If we buy an up and coming star we say its risky and they may not make it. Well yes...but if you don't buy the up and comers then you are not going to unearth the next diamond. And even well known players have to fit into the ethos and tactics of the team so need proper scouting.

I think we have to accept there's a lot at the club that we don't know about - but that doesn't mean its not happening or its being done badly. We just have a gap in our collective knowledge. Not particularly helpful to speculate (but fun no doubt)

It is a matter of record that his role in transfers is player recruitment and also that he discusses all transfer targets with Koeman, even bringing proposals to him. Been several articles and interviews with the two of them to that effect. Koeman has also been supportive about it and has even said things such as it is important to have a Walsh around who is looking longer term than a coach whose focus tends to be shorter term.

That would tend to support the idea that Walsh has had a major input into the recruitment of younger players for the longer term. It is not a continuation of what has gone before, because of the fees being spent. Onyekuru cost more than Sandro and as much as Gana if we're to believe the reports. Some of the others like Lookman and Bowler, Gibson also appear to have tasty add ons too. This is not pissing around like we did with Henen for example. Possibly Vlasic too now.

We also know he has been recruiting recruitment analysts vigorously and has a ' large' department. Again this indicates a possible benefit in the future,and possibly filling in a gap in the infrastructure that existed. We also know about a restructuring in the youth set up, which again may indicate Walsh's input. This seemed to include a promotion for Unsworth for example.

All this is conjecture to a greater or lesser degree, and you never know for sure, but to try and cherry pick each signing, and say Walsh or Koeman, is surely not sensible. The question is are we moving forward, and in a planned, sustainable way?

Is the recruitment of players more professional than what happened last summer? The consensus beyond these pages seems to be in the affirmative. The results though are not yet clear, and won't be for a while. That's football. Instant gratification tends not to happen, even if you're state sponsored like City or PSG.

Moshiri seems to have a vision and a plan. He recruited Walsh to work within this plan. The first phase of that plan was to bring in Koeman for three years and we are at the start of year two. Walsh is planning beyond that period as well, as is Moshiri with a stadium etc going into the 2020s.

But all plans are monitored and results and outcomes will be measured against targets and that will decide what Moshiri and the club will do in due course. This will include Walsh and Koeman.

We have been linked with over 60 players in the gossip columns since the beginning of May. Of the first ten on that list, we have signed six which is not a bad return. It is safe to assume the stuff we see in the gossip columns is only the tip of the iceberg with a whole load of enquiries being made under the surface which never get publicised.

All this said, it remains a mystery to me that we have failed so far to sign an experienced, proven striker. Plenty have been mentioned in the gossip listings but bringing in a striker ought to have been a priority ahead of spending a record sum on Sigurdsson. Now we are probably reduced to a stop gap solution while DCL develops and we assess Onekuru's progress at Anderlecht.

When combined with the homegrown talent with us or out on loan - Tom Davies, DCL, Browning, Galloway, Pennington, Kenny, Walsh, Holgate - that is a massive investment in future talent that will bear fruit. Not all Walsh's doing of course - take a bow David Unsworth - but that part of the strategy is clear and coherent.

I am less sure about the recruitment strategy for established players who can step into the first team and improve the quality. In particular, as Paul says the need to sign a striker, winger, left centre back and cover for Baines (poor this season). All clear and identifiable needs from the start of the summer, yet here we are on Tuesday with no clear indications on targets or signs of progress. He might be a very stealthy operator of course but we were hearing rumours on the players we brought in well before they were signed. It might also just be that persuading established players who might push us toward top four is a lot harder.

In the meantime, I wouldn't mind a little bit of pace in the side and a goalscorer. And a left-sided defender. A trophy wouldn't go amiss either. Preferably in this decade.

I think the performance at Chelsea, regardless of the scoreline, is still very hard for most of us to digest, a 2-0 defeat to Chelsea (who are one of the Prem Champ eventual favourites) would not normally be taken so badly, but the manner, in which we failed so miserably to compete, is!

I, like many have mentioned, cannot understand the mentality behind letting Lukaku go so easily, and, without some sort of replacement in sight. It has been so glaringly obvious in games thus far, that it is a target man who is so apparently absent, hence why we have scraped 1-0 wins and draws.

Actually it was a typo that I noticed after I couldn't edit the piece

If one or two make it and are sold for a massive fee, that'll more than cover his wages

Should be

If one or two make it OR are sold for a massive fee, that'll more than cover his wages

So no, I don't think Everton should just develop youngsters just to sell them, that would be preposterous!

The rest of the aquisitions don't make much sense, as most are midfield players, who lack real pace with no proven goal scorer and real width on both sides to support.

I am afraid it's going to be another disappointing season.

Some fair points Alan. We know that Walsh isn't just a scout as he has the title Director of Football I believe, so I can truly say I don't exactly know what his job description is. He must be involved in a number of other none scouting tasks by my reckoning.

As some posters mention, Gueye, Calvert-Lewin and Lookman (Possibly) had Walsh's influence on them

Chris Williams - 56

You make some eloquent and valid points.

The under laying thing is we needed quality players in every position, def mid apart, all as priorities. Imagine where we would be without Pickford for example? Or Keane? Not getting a quality striker is an aberration granted, but I personally don't think overall our first XI recruitment strategy has been too bad.

I think your line of It might also just be that persuading established players who might push us toward top four is a lot harder is 100% correct.

Well, at least it should be an interesting few days. Didn't think it would be after the first part of the summer!

Onyekuru was known about and we nipped in smartly, Markelo too was promising at youth level, Donkor played against Calvert-Lewin, Lookman and Kenny for Germany U19s, Lewis Gibson looked a future star for England U17s. What we've done is back the judgement early and paid out money on potential – if I was a betting man, I'd put money on Gibson playing for England one day and being worth 㿞 mill by then!!!

The intriguing two for me are Josh Bowler and Boris Mathis. I've seen nothing beforehand to indicate Bowler is worth the money we paid for him, no rave reviews for England youth etc, yet we pursued him for about six months. If he makes it to our first-team squad ,it will have been a remarkable bit of scouting. Same could be said of Mathis.

Six players with a total outlay of less than 㿀 mill, which used to be a lot of money. If one makes it big, then we'll easy recoup our money. If two make it big, then Walsh will have been seen as having done an outstanding job. Give him time; I'm happy, excited and intrigued by these youngsters and how they will perform.

We cannot use fatigue as an excuse for poor Premier League performances, the squad should be big enough and competitive enough to deal with the additional fixtures. I make it that we are actually one player short of where we were last season when we didn't have a Europa League campaign ahead of us.

I really thought that our recruitment would have progressed further by now and that those players who clearly have not impressed the manager would have been moved on. In truth I cannot see us recruiting more players without the likes of McCarthy, Barkley, Niasse, Robles and Mirallas moving out. The squad does need a left sided defender (Fuchs?, Tyrone Mings?) and a central striker but I cannot see it happening. It's not pessimism either, it's hard deductive reasoning based on the evidence of previous transfer windows – NSNO and COYB.

No, what Walsh does do is allow Koeman the time to manage training and team selection week to week. Even 3 games in 6 days. Called teamwork, I think, so let's hope it works.

But can anyone tell me where there are half a dozen ready made, affordable replacements who can guarantee 20-25 goals a season, stay free of injury and who actually WANT to come to Everton? Anyone who believes that the club have not tried to get a replacement must be living in cloud cuckoo land.

Tony I think people, myself included, are just very frustrated that we've been unable (up to now) to fill the most important "vacancy" of all during what's been a long enough window when we've managed to accomplish a number of transfers with ease, and quickly too.

I accept strikers are bard to come by but even Koemam seems to be getting worried and I for one believe all the good work we've done in this window could be for nothing without a very good striker.

The role of Director of Football or Chief Scout is a very difficult and time consuming job these days, with no guarantee of unearthing a Kanté. I am confident in the belief that Steve Walsh and his scouts are busy trawling reports, watching matches, compiling reports, rewriting reports on hundreds of players young and old, assessing performances under several categories and seeking character references. So far we have signed a number of players, mostly for U23s, so we will have to wait and see how they progress.

If we don't sign anyone, particularly the much hoped for striker, by Thursday, is Steve Walsh a failure? No, his is a long term project. Maybe, he has recommended bids for Mbappé, Dembele, Keita, Lemar etc etc and for economic reasons or the player's personal preferences, we haven't been able to do a deal. This doesn't make him a failure in his role.

My own hope at this stage is that we have been monitoring the Costa saga, in the hope that we can do a deal with Chelsea/Atletico for a six month or season long loan at the end of the window. He isn't the most likeable of strikers but he has shown in the title winning teams a level of hunger, desire and skill that could reap dividends for us in the short term and as an excellent tutor for Dom. There aren't any better strikers out there that would be willing to sign for a non-Champions League team. Maybe this is Steve Walsh's contribution to the Transfer Window. Truth is, we just don't know. Judge him over time.

He can make recommendations. Koeman and the board make the decisions to act on those recommendations. Don't shoot the messenger.

There's a couple of promising lads named Kenny and Walsh from the Everton U23 side last season that we could nick before Thursday.

Ok , unlikely , but possible...Thursday could be interesting . I live in hope !

For me it's still not clear what the balance is between Koeman and Walsh in the transfer process. My intuition (which is nearly always wrong) is that Koeman probably has more sway on players who will be first team and Walsh has more sway in term of fringe and academy players which might explain why most of our big transfers have been relatively unsurprising PL names such as Pickford, Keane and Siggy.

My guess is that Walsh will outlast Koeman at this club and his success or failure will be more evident in 5 years or so when we see how many of the likes of Onyeruku, Gibson, Bowler, Mathis etc have contributed to the first teams progression.

As for the present someone has surely dropped the ball in terms of prepping striker options unless something is pulled from the hat in the next day or so

I wasn't thinking of say Keane or Donkor. I had in mind a Mahrez or Kante. Someone brought in at low cost who is a Walsh find who had an immediate impact in the starting XI. I think that Walsh – bringing his notes from Leicester with him – might have reasonably been expected to find us one. We were buying him and his notes.

I was thinking about strategies in this current window to help us make that much wanted significant improvement? In this respect it seems to me that there has been too much emphasis maybe on U23s in what is, quite frankly, the area where we are least likely to succeed. It must be done. Don't get me wrong. But to say wait three years or look at Lookman (all accepted) is not what I at least had in mind, though of course these points matter. I'm delighted with Keane, Pickford, and Sigurdsson (all of whom did not need to be ‘scouted'). But in terms of strategizing in this window: haven't we bought too many lads for the middle of the pitch? This is why I made a list of where I felt we still needed new faces. This for me is a failure of strategy this window. And we now have less than forty-eight hours or so to wrap up things that ought to have been dealt with at some point in July or early August. Above all, a striker and width. If we do get someone this window or next we will almost certainly pay more than we would have done in say June. This did not need to happen

I was hoping to home in on an angle that I didn't think had been squarely addressed in our discussions of this window: the exact role and seeming impact of Walsh. It is not in my opinion with due respect sufficient to say give it three years. Our most important signings I feel are the ones where the lads are first-team ready straight away with a quality that can help us leap up a position or two in the league this season. This is where I think that we can ask legitimate and reasonable questions about what Walsh has been up to.

It's a great question...'What does he do?'...and one that we'll probably never truly have answered.

One thing I do know, however, is that cuddly-faced Steve is currently living my dream. Last year I worked in a mango grove in far North Queensland with Ian Reeves' son. Ian was the previous incumbent in the role of Head Scout under Martinez...and a former England player too, apparently. Though not glamorous enough to be adorned with the title 'Director Of Football', let me tell you, the man had the best job in the world.

He travelled the globe watching football on behalf of EFC. I'm sure there are pressures and targets...but I couldn't tell you what they were. You pick a lad with bags of potential. If they succeed, you're a genius. If they don't, well, they didn't apply themselves. Nice gig if you can get it.

The Milan/Italy trip is probably the best example of a possible issue. You don't go out to a country with a decent sized delegation and come back empty handed.

Koeman actually worked under probably the best talent spotter / Director of Football in the country at Saints. Les Reed has been credited for unearthing most of the gems at that club over the last 10 years. I read a story about the 'black box' he has on data on 100's of players worldwide. When they lose a player (normally to Liverpool), he has 2-3 ready made alternatives already being watched and will bring them in for a fraction of the price.

I wouldn't be surprised that, if things don't fall into place on Thursday, we see some comments from Koeman having a slight dig at Walsh.

All I would add is that where he has free reign to sign whoever he wants without Koeman's agreement, U23s he has signed a bucket load. Where he needs Koeman's agreement there has been few.

Any criticism of a lack of pace or width is not the fault of Walsh. Koeman does not value this. He wants a narrow side and he wants them big, he's happy to forgo pace.

How do we know that Walsh is not giving Koeman player after player and Koeman is not either turning them down or dithering and delaying so we then lose out?

As for the striker, my take is this. We always knew we needed a striker and number one target was Giroud.

Think of signing a striker like pulling a girl in a night club. Okay, if you want to pull early and be off home, go for a safe bet and the chances are you'll get her. However, is if likely your mates will be scoring her highly in terms of looks?

If you want to pull the best girl in the club, you have to be patient and time it right. You know everyone else is after her, and there's better looking lads than you there. So instead you have to play it smart and get in at the right time.

Everton aren't the best looking lad in the club, so the reality is, we're waiting til the end (deadline day) trying to see who's the best one we can get that's left. The question is, is this girl better than the safe bet or not?

All of the big 6 in England, the big two in Spain, PSG, the Milan sides and Juve have all been after a top striker. This means we're about 10-15th in the queue and if we haven't been getting the player lined up already, then we'll miss out to someone else.

It seems like Giroud strung us along and maybe our next target felt more wanted by another club. So many of the strikers we want, simply aren't moving. It's not been a good market for strikers. But let's hope it's better in a few hours time.

ps: Sorry if I offended any girls out there with my analogy!

Everton aren't the best looking lad in the club, so the reality is, we're waiting til the end (deadline day) trying to see who's the best one we can get that's left.

Why wait till the end to see who's the best we can get that's left? Why don't you go for it once you have identified her as the one, regardless of the time?

Ditched off his last club, it looks to me that he wants to make things as difficult as he can for them, so I just hope we have got other options, otherwise we might end up with a donner fucking kebab!

They will wake up on Friday morning with a hangover and a rather large fat lump in the the bed between them.

I think it worked the other way round in The Grafton... We were the prey.

And who would you have thought was the "safe bet" for Koeman to buy?

I am in the camp that believes Walsh does not have the remit to acquire key players for the first team. These key signings begin and end with Koeman - Walsh & the board are responsible for the dirty work of getting it across the line.

I say this on the evidence of Rooney's public statements - he said he and Koeman had been speaking since January and since then he wanted to join. If media reports are to be believed, Siggy was on Koeman's shortlist for some time.

Therefore, Koeman has to shoulder a chunk of the blame if we fail to land a proper CF tomorrow. He must know his job is on the line if we underperform with only Sandro, Rooney and DCL as our attacking options until January.

What does that imply for Walsh's role? In my opinion, he is a glorified scout. I think he is there to sniff out bargains, players with low release clauses, and perhaps buy players with an eye for the future.

Beyond that, it starts and ends with Koeman. Having splurged 200 big ones plus taken on players on fat wages, he needs to deliver this season, and if he fails to do so, he cannot pin his failures on Walsh.

One phrase I had was 'a positive No'. If you never ask the question then the answer is no, it can never be yes. So you have to ask the question and then you know the answer is no.

So did Walsh ask can we have this player or that player and the answer was No and he was offered this player or that player a d said no we don't want him or his is not good enough.

So he may have come back having got answers to questions which were all no. But at least he asked the questions, which if he had not gone we may have always wondered if the answer could have been yes but we assumed it would be no.

Just because he did not get any positives it was not a wasted trip.

Silly Q to the OP asking about did he ask Walsh, not like your going to get an answer from him detailing all future transfers is it?

It's all about presumption , and that's the best we can go on along with signings made in this transfer window as this is what the OP asks, we can only judge on what we see/know and make a judgement on these findings.

I'd love nothing more than knowing the inner workings of the director of football but it's never going to happen, unless I tie him up, stick him in a box and dress him like a gimp ala Pulp Fiction style, saying that, would have to remove the red ball from his grid so he could talk first, interesting conundrum.

No point in Walsh signing a load of nippy little wingers if Koeman won't play them.

It does seem this season that we had high hopes of Giroud and then no plan B when Arsenal said no. Which given that Lukaku has been leaving for the last 2 years seems ridiculously narrow and short sighted.

Also if Sigurdsson was top of Koemans list then why did it take 15 yrs to get the deal over the line?

Walsh till the day he leaves will always remain an Enigma a well paid Enigma.

As it stands, I am beginning to think Walsh's job is to report to Moshiri what is really happening on the pitch and the quality (value) of the players (squad) in the same way that Ryazantsev tells him what is really happening on the profit and loss report and balance sheet.

Having spent somewhere in the region of £140m on players, the next 3 months will define Koeman's future at EFC.

Both should be accountable for the lack of striker – and praised for decent signings like Pickford and Keane.