Walsh reportedly flies to Turkey to secure Tosun deal

“Well that’s us fucked then.”

“Clearly just an agent using us to get a better pay day.”

“He’s well shit, only no marks like Valencia, Leipzig and Crystal Palace after him.”

So on and so forth.

Difficult to assign any positive impact he has made during his tenure.

It depends how much say he had in the likes of Lookman, Vlasic, Bowler, Gibson, etc. For all we know he might have played a huge role in setting the team up for the future.

His role in first team buys is questionable though.

Nothing has changed... still a sell-to-buy small mentality club!!!

How many of Besic, Mirallas, Niasse, Barkley, McCarthy, Schneiderlin, Klaassen, and Sandro will be left over the next two windows???

Tosun is a typical buy for a club around the 7th to 10th place in the Premier League who have no ambition of aiming higher. Not exactly what we were promised by Farhad Moshiri, is it?

If we want to dine at the big boys’ table we need the appropriate big boys in our side. These £20 million Joe Average players do nothing for our reputation.

Keane, Klaassen, Sigurdsson all over paid for in the summer.

I fear Cenk Tosun is of the same calibre as the other duds we bought. I would sooner take a cheeky punt on Vardy and get 2 seasons out of him than these Euro duds.

I think the bigger issue is what we are going to do if/when Barkley goes in this window. Davies needs more time to develop and Klaassen doesn't seem to fit that mold. We desperately need a creative attacking mid who can link up play.

Regardless of what happens in the middle of the park, Mirallas had better be moving on in this window!

He identified and captured our best outfield player – Gana.

Misgivings: he is scoring but in a much inferior league; 26 but not yet played in a high-level division; likely as good as he's gonna get. For £25M we'd be taking a punt on him being able to handle the Premier League.

Is he actually an upgrade on Calvert-Lewin, Niasse or Sandro? Both Calvert-Lewin and Sandro are much younger. Niasse has proven he can score in this league. Sandro has scored in La Liga. Total waste of money. He has his critics but Sandro has had a run of 6 games so far, 3 starts. He finally scores then is dumped again. Unless we are buying a definite upgrade, save the money. If this guy was any good he would have been brought to a better league than Turkey well before now.

As for Nzonzi: pass. He was rubbish at Stoke and the way things are going at Sevilla he may have character issues. Pulled off at half-time vs Liverpool prior to Sevilla launching their fightback. Says a lot.

Mind if this deal should fall through then I cant see Walsh being here for the next transfer window. I mean he had Giroud in the bag didn't he?

As for outgoings well I would be amazed if Mirallas or Besic survive the cull, and listening to Allardyce's comments about Sandro and Klaassen sulking at training. I can see these being shipped out if not in Jan then probably in the summer unless there is a massive turnaround in their form.

Scoring for one of the top sides in the Turkish league does not necessarily translate to the Premier League.

Walsh has decided he will be a success though, and we have to trust someone to make decisions. Let's hope he will do the business for us.

I wouldn't be completely devastated if they messed us about and we walked away.

Missed that, mate. What did Sam say about Sandro and Klaassen?

Calling Agent Moyes, calling Agent Moyes!

I've never seen such comments from Sam. Where did you?

Or are you perhaps mixed up with Unsworth's comments about Schneiderlin and Mirallas?

Not by us Evertonians!!!!

Just won the Brazilian league title with Corinthians and was the league's top scorer also with 18 goals. Hard to believe, but he really was one of the players of the season. Outstanding, in fact.

Also hard to believe is that, with the season barely finished, Corinthians chose to cash in on him and sold him for 11 million euros to Japanese side Nagoya Grampus where he'll by plying his trade in 2018.

Looks like we'll have to wait for Ben Mee unless we offer silly money now!

These two look decidedly average and signings for signings' sake. Just wish Moshiri would realise he's being taken to the cleaners by managers and scouts who prey on his football ignorance!

Jamie, Pack it in, mate.

I thought we had become more professional and savvy. Sadly I can see us missing out. Shaking head disappointingly...

Allardyce was interviewed by Sky and he was asked about various players. He said that Sandro and Klaassen need to stop sulking around the training ground blaming everybody but themselves. They need to show the coaches and myself what there about.

So obviously Sam is far from happy with their attitude and is publicly letting the fans know as well. Now whether its right to chastize players in public I don't know but we will see very soon if it has the desired effect.

Then for the two Sams to decide how we supply our new striker (s)? Gonna be an interesting week in terms of deals done and the next visit to our old ground.

Steve Walsh has it easy in my opinion. He seems to have a list of attributes a player must possess (like every scout and they are usually a prerequisite anyway) and then he bids or advises a bid.

I don't get how he gets credit for buying young players the top clubs didn't want to spend £10 million on, and wait 2 or 3 years for their talent to come to form. It's not like he discovers them. The club we buy from does that and I suspect we are halting the development of our own youth while gambling on these young buys?

As for Tosun, we have to do something and it's hardly rocket science to look for any buy-able in-form striker.

And for the record (because I'm sick of people slating our Director of Football), his job is to recommend players to the manager!!! The way it works is like this... manager says "I want a 6ft powerhouse box-to box-midfielder. Director of Football goes through the files, his scouts, scouts the player, the Director of Football scouts him personally. He then says this guy could be good based on these stats bla bla...

Then ' down to the manager to say Ayeee or Naeeee. So he is basically a scout. To think Steve wWalsh just went out and signed 3 Number 10s off his own back is naive at best.

This being his last throw of the managerial-dice, not surprised he's jumpy. This is his first (and last) crack at managing at a top Club.

If Walsh is being flown out there, it's with a remit to bring this player back with him.

Let's not forget, Everton is the one Club in for Tosun who genuinely, no-doubt-about-it NEEDS a striker. It was never going to be cut-n-dry.

The lad would be represented by one shit agent if he didn't try to wring every penny out of the club wanting to sign his boy.

Tosun is young enough yet, but how many other big contracts is he going to sign after this one?

Let them hash it out, get him in, and we'll see how good he is.

I'd take NZzonzi in a heartbeat, class act. Him and Banega destroyed our midfield in pre-season. I'd keep McCarthy as if fit he is top class as a ball winner.

Get rid of Schneiderlin asap.

Sheesh, I'd think you'd have to be a Liverpool fan for not keeping up with this non-shiftiness! ;D

Err, right then Sam. Thanks, but no thanks, cos all I know is that nobody in their right mind would buy what's occasionally in my wind.

And fair comment if he's told Klaassen and Sandro to get their fingers out. Sounds like a harsh version of what Koeman allegedly, but rightly if indeed it ever happened, told Barkley. Professional top-flight millionaire footballers of any age should not be sulking or continuously feeling sorry for themselves to the cost of the club paying their extortionate wages.

I'm "Woods", based in Latvia and have very conservative views.

The other one is "Wood" and based somewhere else – seemingly Brazil – and seems to be more left-leaning than I could ever be.

Jay and Eddie, Jo gave an interview to Reuters last summer in which he expressed his regrets at having missed his opportunity at Everton because of a lack of professionalism:

“There was an episode at Everton when I had hurt my ankle and I asked (then manager) David Moyes if I could come back to Brazil to speed up treatment,” Jo told Reuters in an interview.

“I came back here and didn’t have any treatment, I did other things,” he said. “I told him I was fit to face Chelsea. I played from the start in London and I didn’t play well at all. I was in pain and I hid it from him and he found out. And he was very angry.”

“I had opportunities but I wasn’t focussed. I didn’t take care of myself off the field. I didn’t rest, I didn’t train properly. It was immaturity. I thought it was just another club and just another moment in my career but it was a massive opportunity for me...

Apparently being known as a flop in the Prem with us and City, and returning to Brazil with his tail tucked, triggered a rush to adulthood. He also played in the UAE and China before going back home to Corinthians. And now he's odds-on to make Brazil's roster for the WC. Quite a turnaround.

You are exaggerating a tad, but the fact that Jo returned to Brazil with Corinthians after a couple of seasons away from his home land, first in the Emirates then in China - AND ended the season as the league's top scorer - kinda tells you the the Brazilian league is nowhere near the standard of the very best European leagues.

But ludicrous and crap it is not. I enjoy Serie A, the Brasileirao as it is also known. The games are super competitive, especially the many 'classicos' - derby matches - of which there are many because so many teams are based in the 2 biggest cities, Sao Paulo and Rio.

As you would expect, there is no shortage of skill and even in the intense heat in which many games are played, I wouldn't say they play at a slow pace. Nor do they leave lots of space. Rather, defenders leave plenty of stud marks on anyone attempting to go past them! They are ruthless!

That said, I am always hard pushed to identify a player who I feel could make it with Everton in the PL. The last player I would really liked to have seen Everton take a punt on was 3-4 years ago - appropriately called Everton Ribeiro, who was player of the year for 2 consecutive seasons in 2013-14 when his (and MY Brazilian team - the only Serie A side to wear all blue shirts!) Cruzeiro surprisingly won back to back titles.

United (and Monaco) were said to be sniffing around at the time, but then he ended up playing in the Gulf League for 3 years. Go figure.

Really skillful midfielder who created and scored plenty. Now 28 (so a shot at European football has probably passed him by), he returned to Brazil with Flamengo this year and helped them reach the final of the Copa Sudamericana - the South American equivalent of the Europa League. Indeed, Gremio - another Brazilian side - won the Libertadores, the continent's equivalent of the Champions League, which tells you how strong Brazilian football is compared to other countries in South America.

Gremio of course recently lost the World Club final to Real Madrid. They have one player - Luan - who some commentators in Brazil regard as the best Brazilian player currently playing in Serie A. Not so sure about that, but he does have some ability and scores goals. Just not convinced myself that - at 24 - Luan could make it in Europe.

So intense is European scouting of talent in Brazil that any talent - even quite moderate talent - is mopped up by overseas academies. Indeed, Barcelona has a number of academies in Brazil itself where kids of all ages are schooled in the Barcelona way.

The next 'big thing' out of Brazil (after Gabriel Jesus) is a 17-year-old Vinicius Junior. He is already signed up for Real Madrid for 45 million euros, but likely to stay in Brazil in 2018.

Gabriel Jesus you could see he had 'it'. I just don't see it in Junior.

Hoping Sandro is loaned out, so he can his mojo back. He's talented. To be 20-21 years old, doing well, hearing the roars of the crowd, signed by a big Club in England and then... Culture shock, pace-of-play shock, poor manager? All that together, who's surprised he hasn't done well? I'm not.

Could be, like Deulofeu nurtured thru the Barca system, the pace and physicality of English football, is too much for him to handle. Perhaps, unlike Deulofeu, it's not.

Give him another season out on loan to build his confidence back up. We're talking about a 21-year old after all, who's spent his entire footballing life in Catalonia.

I hope we keep him.

Klaassen is a different business.

I watched that final. Mourinho must have watched praying to his God that Ajax won.

A team of kids with Klaassen as the hub around which they rotated, much have been his dream Final scenario.

All he did was have Klaassaen muscled, covered, and pushed for 90 minutes. The attacking life of Ajax was snuffed. Meat and potatoes for Jose.

The Premier League is a talent "Bridge to Far" for Davy. God bless him, but he has to move on to have a career. It's not going to happen in England.

Sandro, though? He's a talent in a strange land. Hope we give a few more months of thought before moving him on.

Makes for good, straight squabbles until the next game!

Astonishingly, because he seems to have been around for ages, Jo is still only 30.

He has seriously cleaned up his act in recent years. He was a real party animal. Indeed, he was sacked from the Brazilian club Atletico Mineiro for his 'indiscipline' before being shipped out to the Emirates then China.

Other than probably his close family, all of Brazil were astonished when Felipe Scolari regularly selected him ahead of and during the home World Cup in 2014.

Apparently, he has turned to religion and given up his previous 'party animal' life style. That is probably what he was up to when not having the treatment Mike refers to.

I remember the Chelsea game Mike also mentions. It was just before Xmas in his 2nd loan spell with us. For me, it was an out and out simulation that saw him withdrawn to ensure he got Xmas off! He made 2-3 attempts during that game to get subbed out.

My suspicion was confirmed when - yep! - he returned to Brazil for Xmas...AND the New Year... and beyond, way past what Moyes agreed.

Very quickly on his return to Everton, he was sent packing by Moyes back to City.

And sorry to correct you Mike, but nowadays he is nowhere near being selected for the national side again, least of all for the World Cup. The current Brazilian coach Tite is a very serious top class manager.

I expect Brazil to have an excellent World Cup under him in Russia and thereafter Tite is likely to get offers from big European clubs.

Would anyone be getting excited about us kerplunking £25m on a 26-year-old striker from the Championship? I thought not. If Sandro has found it difficult to adjust to English football, coming from a strong league like Spain, how is Tosun going to find it? Will he get as many as 6 subpar outings before people start calling him "shit" like Sandro? Baffling stuff.

Obviously, if we do sign him then I wish him luck but this is Everton all over. Overpaying on what is basically a punt.

Nzonzi – No, no more central midfielders. He's not better than what we got.

Left-back – Yes, go for Tiernan Kierney. Young, fast and fearless.

Schneiderlin has been awful; Davies not there yet,; McCarthy never fit; Besic just not happening.

That leaves Geuye for now and Davies for the future. Nzonzi will have no problem getting into that midfield.

But as Sam said, he's got bigger fish to fry this transfer window! And only if offers for any of our other midfielders are received and accepted, he'd go for Nzonzi this window.

Not really sure what I'm hoping for here. He sounds like a better Schneiderlin, and maybe an overblown ego to divide the players we already have...

Do we really expect to attract a top striker like Neymar for the price of some countries GDP, smarten up and be realistic and have faith!!

As ever though, Everton owners condemn us to having to be eternally optimistic despite the absence of reliable evidence to support it.

Question; is Moshiri naught but another 21st century version of a late 20th century bullshitter, and continuing, such as Kenwright?

And as for Walsh, he knows he's already a millionaire regardless of success in whatever he now does on our behalf and at his age he and those he loves are made for life. Luvverly-jubberly for him.

Here's hoping!!!

This fella is more likely to be another Niaisse, but twice as expensive. If we can secure an upgrade (No, Les #78 not Neymar) then go for it, otherwise stick with what we have until the summer and go all out. Calvert-Lewin and Sandro, if given a chance will improve with game time. They both have pedigree.

Another aspect of Brazilian football I find odd is the apparent lack of top-class coaches over there. I mean, we see quite a few coming from Argentina, Chile and the like, but not, for some reason, from Brazil. What do you make of this?

Good question about Brazilian coaches, one that deeply concerns the national coach Tite.

He really is an impressive man, with tremendous style, eloquence and no little gravitas. There was a recent piece on the weekly Sunday lunch time sports program in which Tite featured heavily, discussing the standard of Brazil's football coaches.

Brazilian clubs are governed by some very powerful individuals and influential committees who treat their club as little more than a fiefdom. It is not uncommon for a club to change their manager 3-4 times a season, even those riding high in the table.

Tite spoke openly about the absurdity of changing the manager every 3-4 months, whilst also recognizing Brazilian coaches themselves need to study more seriously and be better qualified.

Yes, Brazil runs coaching courses, but they are not even recognized by Conmebol – the South American football federation. They certainly don't meet Uefa standards. Tite wants this to be standardized with global recognition, which in turn will allow Brazilian coaches to take up positions overseas. This will further improve overall standards of Brazilian coaching (and football) as they are exposed to different football cultures.

Encouragingly, there are some new kids on the block who have had impressive seasons with big clubs this season, so there is talent among Brazilian coaches.

Historically, Brazil has also produced some truly great coaches, not least of all the first man to win the World Cup as both a player and then as a manager (of the wonderful 1970 Brazil World Cup winners) Mario Zagallo. He has god-like status in Brazil, not only with the public, but also with his peers, fellow Brazilian coaches, across all generations.

Then there is Carlos Alberto Parreira, Big Fil Scolari (who, even though he won the World Cup, is not hugely popular) and even Dunga.

Watch out and listen to Tite when you get the chance at next year's World Cup. He is a very impressive individual and I'm not talking strictly football here.

As far as buying from lower leagues or comparing different leagues is concerned, the likes of Ronaldo, Messi and Aguero were also bought from Portuguese and Argentinian leagues. Tosun is somewhat similar to Richarlison, but someone who can finish better.

Also, bring in Nzonzi and ship out Besic and McCarthy or Schneiderlin. Four defensive midfielders are enough in Gana, Davies, Nzonzi and McCarthy or Schneiderlin with no more Europa League games.

Some reports are saying that among his weak points; are poor passing (we don't need another in that department, we have more than enough) and his balance is questionable; by that I presume they mean he falls over a lot (surprise! surprise! we have many in that department too.

Other reports mention the standard of football being the equivalent of Championship or below; many do make the step up admittedly; let's just hope this guy falls into that category.

The one good thing I did pick up on, however; he is apparently a real grafter, and not a "get the ball to my feet and I may score" merchant. I am saying all this, and we may not even get him after all that has gone on.

According to a USA Today article a few weeks ago, Tite does consider Jõ a likely candidate for Brazil's World Cup roster:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/2017/12/04/jo-leads-brazilian-league-in-scoring-eyes-world-cup-spot/108300458/

And so does Ricardo Rocha: http://www.goal.com/brasilglobaltour/en/news/5457/brasil-global-tour/2017/12/19/41153112/brazil-among-favourites-for-world-cup-riardo-rocha

He wouldn't be a starter in Brazil's current system, but very possibly an impact sub if they're behind and need a scorer in the box.

The current team is in abysmal shape and needs a major overhaul. The players Big Sam is bringing in this window are arguably short term fixes. Both the team and potential players will know far better in the summer where the team is headed. A team finishing in 6th - 8th Place is going to attract far better players than a club in 8th to 12th place.

Moshiri still has a plan but it's had a major setback and the setup needs to work forward from where it is - not where it wants to be!

Maybe you are right. But I feel it's just more of the same. If we are going for a central midfielder I would love us to have a true playmaker that roam around and play brilliant passes.

I don't see Nzonzi doing this. He is a safe passer like the rest. Do we have anyone in the U23 that could develop into something like that? Or might Ross or Dowell be the answer? Or should we spend?

Anthony (#99), get your head around this: if he isn't better than what we have (doubtful) can you explain what the purpose is of buying him? Just because we cannot attract top-drawer strikers does not mean we should be spending on 2nd or 3rd rate squad fillers. Better to acquire potential at a young age (Calvert-Lewin, Sandro) and develop them. Some will make it, some won't.

This guy is at his peak, 26 and has not played in a league anyway comparable to ours. Niasse scored plenty in Turkey and Russia and at a similar age. Calvert-Lewin is developing nicely and Sandro needs a consistent run in the team.

As we don't have the commercial revenue of a club like Manchester United, most of our income comes from television rights, and we have to keep a close eye on our spending, also bearing in mind the fact that transfer fees have rocketed.

We closed last year's accounts (ending 30th June) with a £30 m profit, which is a good start.

Calculate Man City's spending to income – it shows that plainly.

Read again the stories you linked to.

Is Tite directly quoted as being interested in Jo? No.

The first story is Jo himself talking up his chances of making the Brazil World Cup squad. The second is an ex-player speculating on the same, mentioning other players at the same time.

Tite has not selected Jo for Brazil. Period. Even in this 'golden season' he just had with Corinthians. His chances of staking any sort of a claim to make the squad have not improved by his move to Japan for 2018.

Not saying it's terminal. Tite selected and played Paulinho in his starting XI when plying his trade in China before moving to Barcelona, but Tite is very clear in his own mind the type of player he wants. Being emotionally stable and mentally strong is one of them.

David Luis, even when playing very well for Chelsea last season, was not selected for the squad. He has had a couple of token call ups for friendlies, nothing more.

Remember Pato who Chelsea loaned a couple of years ago? He was talked of as the next Kaka and played for both Milan clubs. He ended up back at Corinthians under Tite. See this article, point # 2, what Tite thinks of players like Pato:

Link

Watch the pitiful deciding penalty Pato took in a penalty shoot out that incurred Tite's wrath.

In the year Tite won the title with Corinthians in grand style, Pato was loaned out to another Sao Paulo club. It was astonishing that Chelsea took a punt on him. He is now playing in China.

So no Mike, your earlier claim that Jo is now odds on to make Brazil's World Cup squad is well wide of the mark.

The 1982 World Cup in Spain comes to mind on this matter of coaching in Brazil. How could such a brilliant team be knocked out in the manner it was, by Italy, even taking account of the fact that Paolo Rossi probably had the game of his life?

This is one reason I think the gulf in purchasing power between the top clubs and the rest, important though it is, is somewhat over-played. I know Leicester's title was an aberration, but it still happened.

And with the money now available to every club, although, I agree, that has been somewhat dampened by the rise in transfer fees, pretty much everybody can try and sign very good players. The choice of manager has become even more important than it always was.

Arouna Kone

Let that sink in.

Also in recent times Eto'o went over there and scored plenty.

Magaye Gueye has a 1 in 3 record over there

There is more value in the market elsewhere. If we have big ambition, and big money then we must reflect this in our signings. We can't expect to challenge the really top clubs but we can go to the next level, with big money and big wages and convince these players to come. I'm talking the best players in the Spanish, French, German and Italian leagues who aren't playing champions league football.

I still remain to be convinced that the club is not being run by the same charlatans and rank amateurs that have been dragging it down for years only difference being the benefactor.

Re: Tosun, I know nothing about him, the Youtube clips . hmm average (Anichebe came to mind) I agree with the sentiments that it's not a signing that screams top 4 ambition.

Re: Brazilians the lad at Shaktar (Bernard ? Taison ?) who constantly ran through Citeh would do for me Bernard is apparently a freebie too.

What a fucking piss taker this fella is. Take Big Dunc with him as well. Taking the club for a ride big style, the wankers.

If you watched a game involving a 16-year-old Ronaldinho that is a helluva lot more than just ' a while back, fellah!'

Happy to stir positive memories for you of your time in Brazil, but dunno how you squared supporting Palmeiras AND having a soft spot for Corinthians. They are HUGE rivals. A bit like saying the same about Everton and the pinkies.

I remember Rodrigo. He came from my wife's team Botafogo. It wasn't that Moyes wouldn't play him. It was more unfortunate than that. He injured himself pre-season - cruciate ligament injury from memory - and returned to Brazil for treatment. As it was a season long loan and he was out all season, we never discovered if he could have hacked it in the PL.

The injury effectively ended his career. He turned out for many a lower division in Brazil, but was never the same again.

You met the legend that is Socrates???!!! Respect!!!

WHAT. A. MAN.

Probably the best footballer in the outstanding 1982 Brazilian side knocked out by eventual winners Italy in the WC in Spain.

A fully qualified doctor. And - most impressive of all - playing for Corinthians he founded and maintained a players' protest movement against the ruling military government. That was very, VERY high risk at the time, because he could have become one of the 'disappeared' for challenging their authority.

That made him a leading light in the Brazilian Democracy movement of the 1980s, something he is remembered for as much as for his football.

I fully understand the sentiment you express Peter, about how you loved watching the footy in Brazil, especially the impromptu games on the beach or indeed any street corner.

I had to laugh, driving through my home city here in Brazil on Christmas Day, when on an extremely busy 4 lane road with lots of traffic, we came upon a group of young adults who had set up a couple of miniature 5-a-side type goals covering a 50 metre stretch, slap bang in the middle of the road way.

Playing about 16 a side, there was no confrontation, no indignation by passing motorists. The cars weaved their way through the action and the players played around the passing cars.

Brazil...LOVE IT!!!

Was fortunate to play with Vic as a youth. Originally a Centre MIdfielder who was hailed as the next big thing in that position.

Physical attributes like you wouldn't believe. Could run 100m in 11s. Massively powerful and dynamic. But his engine was poor stamina, he didn't have any stamina.

Added to that, his naturally ability was wanting. His technique was poor and his playmaking ability almost non existent.

Before Everton got shitnof him they tried him up top and his physical attributes got him game time and opportunity. A well placed goal here and there and he was set for contract renewals etc

A truly lucky young man. I don't begrudge him it, because I think he knows it

But you're right – they were a joy to watch and probably the best side never to have won the World Cup.

Not easily come by over here. :-)

Oh by the way, any news on our new potential signing?

Currently the squad is only scoring against very poor teams and that has to change.

What confuses and confounds me is that eachbof the last three managers from Martinez, including Big Sam are trying anything to get a win but they end up playing random players.

Bolasie is not match fit and neither is McCarthy yet both were fielded during the same game. Carrying underperforming players for a whole match is just asking for trouble, especially with other players naturally underperforming.

Like yourself probably on arrival in Brazil and not knowing much about Brazilian club football, I needed a team to support.

My filtering process was simple: who plays in Blue shirts! As you know, many Brazilian teams have some garish shirts with more colours and stripes in them then a stick of Blackpool rock.

The answer to my question was, Cruzeiro of Belo Horizonte in Minas Gerais.Their profile also appealed to me. A club not from big metropolises Rio or Sao Paulo, but an interior state. Produced many a good footballer through its youth ranks down the years, including Tostao of the 1970 WC winning team and 'o fenomeno' himself, Ronaldo. Has a healthy rivalry with their city neighbours, Atletico with Cruzeiro known as the Foxes and the t'other lot as the Cockerels.

They continue to punch above their weight, winning back-to-back Serie A titles 3 years ago and this year winning the Brazilian Cup.

I know what you mean about Brazilian 'torcidas'. They are madly - often violently - intense. You have more courage than me to attend a big 'classico' game!

Dunno if you've ever seen the Brad Pitt film 'World War Z' when zombies overwhelm the global human population. There is a scene when the zombies are attacking the high walled city of Jerusalem and they form human towers, scrambling over themselves to get to the human flesh inside the walls.

I liken Brazlian football fanatics to that scene, trampling over each other to get at opposition fans. Scary. It happened again recently when another of the giant clubs, Flamengo, played the 2nd leg of the Copa Sudamericana final (the continent's equaivalent to the Europa League) in the world famous Maracana stadium in Rio.

There were terrifying scenes of THOUSANDS of fans besieging the stadium on all sides to force entry. It was pure good fortune that a seriously major disaster didn't occur with scores, hundreds of deaths.

I take it you speak Portuguese having chatted to Rodrigo at Bellefield. It must have been really frustrating for the lad.

I remember an excellent piece in one of the newsies that year, a behind the scenes look at how Moyes worked at Everton. Really fascinating stuff. However, there was one insight I didn't like. This was when Rodrigo was back in Brazil getting rehab. The lad went to the trouble to record and send a video to the club, showing the effort he was putting in to get fit. The response from Moyes and his training staff? They laughed at the video as they watched it. Not nice...

With you all the way on Willian. My sort of footballer. Largely ignored by previous national managers, Scolari and Dunga, he was immediately a nailed on pick when the current manager Tite took over. Then last year whilst on international call up one of his parents died and he was allowed compassionate leave. Unfortunately for Willian, Coutinho stepped in and did well and now often starts ahead of Willian.

Have a gud 'un tonight, fellah. Feliz Ano Novo to you and yours too.

The point isn't that he's Turkish, it's that he is playing in the Turkish league and as stated previously, is 26 so can be presumed to be fully developed. No different than us being linked in the summer with that striker playing in Belgium, also a mature player I believe.

Ditto the fella we tried and failed to buy from Portugal who'd flopped at Athletico Madrid.

Nobody is saying that weaker leagues don't produce brilliant players, just that said players tend to be spotted at a young age; they are not still playing in those leagues at 26, at least halfway through their careers. You unintentionally made my point for me!

We're essentially buying him off what? He scores in the Turkish league and in some Champions League games vs Monaco etc. Fine. Why not scout everyone else who's scored against Monaco this season? Or players who man mark Messi out of a game.

Like I said, I hope I'm wrong.

This lad might be rubbish I agree, but everyone has to take a risk with these players at some point.

Which beggars the question; why a Restaurant in Muswell Hill, and not one in Liverpool?

By all accounts, they are trying to hike the price up again, I just hope this guy is worth it!

There's only one good one in Liverpool.
The Elif.

It's chocka tonight.

When RS can pay £75 million for an average central defender then surely Everton can pay £30 million for an average striker.

Let's face it, guys, the transfer market is ridiculous and has been for some years now since big Asian billionaires came on the scene.

Is that the same Benteke that hasn't scored a home goal this season

We do need a number nine in the worst way and we need one now this Turkish lad will probably not score as many goals as he was in Turkey but he's quick strong and two footed and seems to be able to hold the ball and pass it off and this is something Everton have not had in years. He should make our attack more fluid. Sign him and a two way left back and we are made in the shade.

John G Davies, know the Elif in Lark Lane, surely they would have made room for one of their own!

I consider Eddie Howe an excellent coach in the way that for him to have kept His team in the Prem whilst still having a go is incredible with the players he has. We have some good players in our squad or at least better than the teams below us and yet we struggle to put two passes together and show an amazing lack of ability to defend simple situations against average teams.

Whether Walsh or whoever can come up with a couple of decent signings is one thing but then getting them to play football outside of a ultra defensive strategy is another thing.

The club has needed a big change for decades and the biggest disappointment in Moshiri coming to the club was Kenwright staying on. It does not give any indication of change as this man alone has been a huge thorn in the progress of Everton Football Club.

Happy New Year to you all.

I remember that 82 World Cup, like it was yesterday, definitely my favourite ever tournament, and remember we were all messin about in school, when this teacher came from nowhere and started shouting at us to get in line, or he would put us all on detention. Nobody took any notice of him, until he started shouting that Brazil, were on the telly at 4 o'clock, and this teacher soon had us all in line!

Don't know much about Tosun, he's scoring in the champions lge, that's good, but although he's gone off the boil a little bit right now, didn't Dembelle, get an hat trick against Barca in last seasons competition?

Everton before Kenwright, was too big a job for David Moyes, but they were in bed together, and although the transfer pot was never enough, the wages were usually around the mark, were we generally finished in the league, especially when you consider we used to exist to win things, before these two fella’s got together?

Ray, maybe you’re right, I think there must be something wrong, because this kid looked sensational last year, and the good players who leave Celtic, usually go on to better things

Anyway I went a bought a few shirts myself in town to take with me and hand around over there. While I was there, a mate of mine came over for a few weeks and had managed to get a full team kit from the Dockers Club.

I was in a beautiful small town called Cabo Frio and there was a small shanty town (favela) nearby and we took it there to give to a group of lads who played on the beach every night. The kit was all black (anyone from the Dockers Club remember?) but so were all the lads!

We managed to get a photo of them all with the kit on late one evening and I still have it somewhere but all you can see is a load of eyes and teeth. This is in the days of film by the way so I only realised this once it was developed. Funny as anything but I couldn't even give the photo to the Dockers Club because you couldn't see the kit.

That day I met Socrates I was with a lad who was in the second team that he coached at the time and this lad Introduced me to him. I loved him as a player and knew he was a qualified doctor and so on but there he was sat on the floor with a can of beer in one hand a cigarette in the other talking to his mates. Talk about down to earth or what! RIP legend

I've had a long association with Brazil, and have been living in Niteroi for 9 years now. Much as I love watching the Brazilian national team, I just can't get into watching Brazilian domestic football - lots of skill on offer but negated by the cynical and very physical fouls which litter the game. Many Brazilians I know also don't like the domestic game and instead are keen followers of the Premier League and especially the Champions League games.

Where I live, the fans are dominated by followers of Flamengo who, for those unfamiliar with the Brazilian game, are the equivalent of Manchester United with a fanbase well beyond their home territory (largely because of Zico, who played for them, and the fact that they were the best team around the time that football first achieved nationwide TV coverage). And I usually have to explain who Everton are.

One advantage of living in Brazil is that I can typically watch 5 live Premier Leagye games every weekend. However, these days I can't watch Everton live because it's too painful, so I follow the game on the BBC website and maybe watch it later. Living abroad, you realize how the big 4/5/6 have dominated international coverage. God knows how many times I've looked forward to watching, only to discover that the game they've chosen for broadcast is our neighbours.

Let's hope for a better 2018, and an improvement to the point where we become worth watching again !

NSNO. COYB - or "Anda, os Azuis !!"

My wife's from Niteroi but actually grew up in Itoacoatiara. We had an apartment in Icarai together for a while too so know the place well. My missus was working at Lance, which is a Rio sports journal when I met her and I used to try and read it everyday which helped me to understand Portuguese a little better.

I used to watch the kids play footy on that beach everyday which was in fact more enjoyable than live games and what a view of Rio eh??

Feliz Ano Novo to all blues.