“Honoured” Brands relishing the challenge at Everton

Of equal importance, I hope he gives the situation regarding the future of Bill Kenwright a serious analysis because I'm not convinced that his continuance at the club is really going to be of any positive benefit whatsoever.

He comes with fresh eyes for all areas and I'm really keen to see how he imposes himself.

‘Half-arsed' is a common refrain at the club but Brands and to an extent Denise Barrett-Baxendale look like they are modern thinking people.

Both favour open communication styles which sadly the club has manifestly failed to accomplish in my 40-odd years of watching them.

My only disagreement is the desire for a long-term coach. Whilst laudable its not sustainable in the current environment of the cut throat top flight.

Brands is deluding himself here, Everton will keep changing the coach until they can meet the expectations of both club and fans alike.

Of course, the ex-Everton players and squad have expressed their support. But he has decided to start with the backroom staff. They were far too cosy for too long. He has already assessed the first team squad, who need to be sorted out, and the youth development. The loan boys must be glad someone from Everton has contacted them. Speaking to Lookman's agent is a big plus.

Brands at least has a clear idea where the new Manager should fit in with his plans. All of this is a welcome change at Everton.

It's also a key point that Brands not only has a plan but will hire a manager who aligns with it. While Silva remains the most prominent candidate, it seems obvious to me that he'll only get the job if Brands is confident he will hew to his vision, and I wouldn't be surprised if Brands is casting a much wider net than has been reported up to now.

And may the Lookman discussion go well – we want that kid back with us!

Good luck, Mr Brands

I also think people should stop obsessing over CVs and become more open to the idea that Silva might just be the right man for the job. Not because he's the greatest manager on the planet... but because he's the right fit for this particular squad at this particular moment in time.

Clearly a much more important role than Walsh had.

I think John #5 makes a good point re managers changing more often but I hope this appointment is the long-term one so we stick to a plan and see realistic improvement year by year.

Seems part of a big restructuring at the club and, even if still around in some honorary role, I cannot see Kenwright having much influence anymore.

Finally, I like the way he presents himself.

If there is a path back to a place at the top table, it can only be achieved by most of the players coming through the youth system – we simply cannot afford to compete with the super elite and take risks on 㿷 million plus duds.

The priority being given to keeping Lookman shows real intent to back up the words. It is the first step towards reversing the damage done to team morale by Koeman and Allardyce?

It was a travesty the way Lookman was treated by both Koeman and Allardyce. The only thing left now is the appointment of the Coach. I just ponder who it will be.

But the talk of a long term manager may be an admission that stability is needed now, even if the results do dip. Or perhaps it's just good sounding sound bites.

This guy is making all the right noises and if he follows through, small steps will lead to big progress. Just waiting for Phil Walling to come on now and dampen my, and on this thread, everyone else's positivity!

How in the world does Marcel Brands, a Director of Football, have any say whatsoever about the future of a part-owner on the Board?

He has zero authority over Kenwright and has nothing to do whatsoever with Kenwright's involvement in the Club.

I wish the man luck. Seems to have his head screwed on straight.

I hope that people don't start having a go at him the moment one of his signings goes awry. Like the new 'head coach', Marcel needs to be given time.

My main worry is that modern football is not suited to patient planning and proper sowing and harvesting. Alex Ferguson would never have won the league at Man Utd, these days. The season he arrived there, we won our last league title. It took him another six years for his work to bear fruit.

Having said that, looking at changes in club structure in last few weeks, it may be slightly less gentle than Bill would like!

Let's hope Moshiri listens to him when it comes to hiring a manager.

I reckon he's the type of guy who takes no shit.

Mike (#10) — well said.

I am by no means a fan of Kenwright but, on the other hand, I don't share the hatred of many ToffeeWebbers, but I do hope Mr Moshiri has realised Bill Kenwright is no football guru and only has football-related dialogue with Mr Brands.

I think you're a bit confused as to the hierarchy at the club.

Bill Kenwright's a director; Brands an employee. Kenwright "could" have influence on Brands in his position but not vice versa.

A very sensible interview posted eight days before he officially starts in the role.

What a contrast to Koeman, who we had to chase around Europe for half the summer just to get him to sign a contract!

Doesn't seem the type of guy to listen to stories about Betty's hot-pot. Hopefully.

All the suffering of years of supporting Everton will only be worthwhile if we have a team of Directors, staff players and academy all pulling in the same direction and marching to the same tune.

It will require a monumental change of course and attitude, throwing money at the problem will not in itself solve it; it will help, but we need to adhere to a fully agreed mission statement and have the fans backing to see the job through.

I am now almost an octogenarian – I look forward with enthusiasm to the coming season, under new management – I only hope I live to see the results!!

Total baloney about seeking out a new manager. That die is cast. It's Silva for five years – Moshiri looked nowhere else.

We all wish them well but no bullshit, please!

Not sure I understand the issue of timing re the academy's place in the philosophy.

Not sure I understand the issue of timing re the academy's place in the philosophy.,,michael.kenrick@gmail.com ,1,21:18:34,,90.197.137.207,ok,10701,05/23/2018 21:18:34,Brent,reader,, 920841,36695,toffeeweb,23/05/2018,Brent Stephens,brent.stephens@sky.com,"Darren, out of interest, who and why are your preferred picks for manager, in order of priority?

I believe the appointment being made, pleased as I am that we are seemingly clearing some very dead wood, is less critical than whether Moshiri has spent all he can and if he has, is his mate coming on board. Because no coach, however good, is likely to succeed without resources. And quite a few fail nowadays, even with them. Leicester may have given all us 'lesser' clubs hope but frankly, that is a once in a lifetime happening.

I've spent several decades watching average, if plucky, to poor Everton sides and getting used to it. Like many on here, I'm old enough to remember the great sides going back to the 60s and the only reason I feel as exercised about the current position is I sense a chance not to be mediocre anymore.

God, I am such an optimist!

Now the hard part... walking the walk!

So I don't envy either Brands or Silva having to sort the mess they have been left with, added to the fact that of those remaining they might not fancy 1 or 2 of them.

Added to the fact that with it being a World Cup year they will have a lot less time than in a normal pre-season. Also, I would imagine that they will have to put together very quickly their pre-season games. The problem with the upheavel of moving so many players in and out of the club can have a destabilizing effect as we saw from last summer's transfer business.

So I feel sorry for Silva if as seems likely he is the choice – not only will he have to get all his ins and outs done quickly, he will then have to try and build back the trust from the supporters. Many are skeptical about his appointment, so I wish him well.

On a personal choice, I like Silva, he is young with a young outlook on the game, plays the game the right way. Like all managers, he will need a bit of luck on his side, but I think some of those understandably skeptical will be pleasantly surprised by Silva.

Good luck, Marcel, you're going to need every bit of that calmness mate, because it seems that you've been brought on-board to restructure the whole club, and I hope you get the patience you deserve and help bring this sleeping giant back to life!

Phil, I agree with you about the bullshit, mate, but sometimes that's exactly what browbeating imitates.

This is the most important part for me. We need everyone (including fans) all working together and pulling in the same direction. Since Martinez's first season, there have been too many divisions at the club between fans, players, manager, DOF etc.

If we are going to get back on track, we need to hope the new manager gets it right and we all need to buy into this.

As regards getting to the top, surely youth isn't the only way. I see 4 ways:

1. Spend your way to the top. Man City showed how hard it is to do this in practice as despite the money, they still couldn't get the players or the manager they wanted. Everton don't have that money and FFP wouldn't allow it anyway.

2. Short term planning with incremental improvements. I will call this the Ronald Koeman approach. We aim for 6th by purchasing players who are good enough for 6th. Older ready-made players, ideally 26-30 years old. We buy the best players from the clubs around below us, and players from abroad who are of this level. We tried this, it was very expensive and it failed. But with the right DoF and head coach it can work.

3. Long-term planning. We identify players good enough for the top 4 in 5 years time, not now, and develop them and drag ourselves up as they mature and get better, and keep adding newer and younger players to the fringes of the team ready to come in and improve us. This is the Tottenham model but, whilst it is the blueprint most of us like, it's also not yet resulted in any trophies for Tottenham and they are in danger of losing their coach and their players if they don't change that quickly.

4. A mixture of the above. What we did under Koeman and Allardyce where we try to do all at once and sign the wrong players, get bad results and it's the worst of all worlds!

I definitely want to develop our own players. Not just local lads from the academy, but players in the same vein as Calvert-Lewin, Holgate, Stones and Lookman. We need to play them though. We need to be patient. We need to coach them and we need to plan carefully.

Brands has made it clear he's been hired to go down the youth route. We will hire a coach who wants to do this. It will be someone young, it will be someone who comes in with the idea of building an empire. Sure, if he does very well, he might jump ship for brighter lights, or if he does badly he might be binned off, but, with Brands at the helm, the ship might change captains, but it won't change course.

I think the comments about the signing and academy simply means that we can expect new signings this summer but, after the window shuts, he will be focused on revolution at the academy and remoulding it in the Dutch way. I hope we do retain what we have done well, though.

There's more dead wood in that squad than at Terry's Timber on the Dock Road... This fella and the new manager are going to have to graft 24/7 just to try and offload half the shite that currently occupies Finch Farm. Good luck with that... Just sayin', like!

A Billionaire owner, a seriously professional DOF, and a bright young head coach.

For the first time in ages, it seems like the management set is spot on. When Silva is appointed, the foundations for success will be in place.

The new season that could have been an interminable hell is now the promised land.

So, in response to Steve's #48 post, I'm not at all convinced that we are best implementing a Dutch way, even if I knew what that actually meant!

Hopefully he won't get sucked into the 'Jobs for the Boys' – 'True Blue' – 'Comfort Zone' Bullshit!! He needs to smash that 'wall' down!!!

Which brings me to Phil 'Walking Dead' Walling.

What's Brands meant to say to make you stir from your fuckin coffin and actually be positive for once?

And Brent @ 40, watch the link to the interview. He is misquoted. He says he doesn't know if the academy will contribute this summer or in future summers (plural) rather than the singular next summer he is quoted as saying.

The reasonable implication is it will take time to put the structure in place he envisages to have a steady stream of academy players coming through every summer.

Koeman had a huge ego and only looked in the short term. So did Big Sam, or else he'd have given more game time to the likes of Vlasic and Klaassen after we'd accrued 40 points and could experiment with younger players.

We need to build something from investment and the academy, rather than overpaying on players in their late 20s, early 30s who wouldn't get near one of the top 6 sides. I'm thinking of Bolasie and Williams in particular.

So it looks like it will be Marco Silva, with outside odds on Arteta or Howe.

The only doubt I have to that appointment is through Brands mention of the Academy which has me wondering what the record with youngsters is of the bloke who was at Leipzig.

I enjoyed your post but have to add that, while Man City were splurging cash on their first team, they were building an academy towards the 10-year target. I take from Brands (hope) that it'll be similar but on a PSV/Ajax-esque level.

Then Martinez pulled the wool by conjuring up a respectable finish which actually made the situation worse because maybe we just needed a tweak here and there but two wasted seasons.

Then, last season, the beginning of a major rebuild only to be thwarted by some devastating injuries and a club-wide funk that left us playing some of the worst, most cynical football I have ever seen. We were really flattered by our 8th-place finish.

The Club that Marcel Brands and his "modern coach" take over needs a just few key players. We need a lot of youth on the bench and if they have a future they need to play.

Welcome to the club, Marcel. I want to win things eventually but a good short-term goal might be is put out a side next season that plays with joy again. Here we are — now entertain us.

I couldn't agree more – a few starters to be signed, just a Centre Back or two & a Left Back for me. Possibly a better back up keeper too – but I think Stekelenburg is alright as a backup & Hewelt will be a really good keeper too - maybe a loan for him. And then other signings depending on outgoings. I think Thomas Delaney would be a really good signing if Schneiderlin were to leave - but Schneids has been playing well.

Bertrand
Lascelles &/or Mawson

With Lookman moving into real contention to start.

Obvious it depends on who the new manager & Brands decide to keep – especially with regards to wingers - Sandro, Onyekuru, Bolasie and the rest of the squad too.

Pickford
Coleman(c), Keane, Lascelles, Bertrand
Klaassen, Gueye, Sigurdsson
Walcott, Lookman
Tosun

Stekelenburg, Mawson, Baines, Schneiderlin, Davies, Calvert-Lewin, Niasse

Would be our best line up – but most importantly – we have great depth, but it's important not to have too much.

Wingers: Onyekuru, Bolasie, Sandro

Attacking Mids: Vlasic, Dowell

Midfielders: Baningime, McCarthy

Centre Backs: Funes Mori, Holgate, Jagielka

Full Backs: Robinson, Kenny, Martina

Might need to get rid of some excess squad depth – through loan or permanents.

It damn well should be.

These sea changes can't hide the fact that Lukaku scored 25 goals for us in the previous season.

This season Rooney was top scorer with a measly 11. Some of them were pens. The fact he was top scorer from a deeper midfield role is commendable in comparison to our other attackers.

In a full season I can see Cenk being a 10-15 goal striker. To break into the top six we will need more than that.

To break into the top six we will need a 20-30 goal striker. The biggest challenge for the recruitment team this summer is to pay through the nose for a proven one. Or preferably find a gem for reasonable money.

A tough assignment but possible, Salah was a measly 㿒M. At the end of next season there will be one or two premier league players that have excelled beyond expectations.

Next season, I want one of those players to belong to us.

Will we Everton fans be that patient so we can slowly build and improve. I can but I don't think the majority will especially if we get off to a bad start.

Good luck to him but I can't get to excited. I'll judge him over the course of the next few years.

Then read the caption and article. Nice words; make it happen and we will all be happy.

So it's Silva or nothing. Feels a bit like Hobson's Choice to me...

As the reported source is usually questionable, other tabloids are reporting similar versions of the story.

Our own Brian Williams @88, knows someone on the inside at Grinch Farm, which gives credibility to the story.

I have always believed there is no smoke without fire, although sometimes, with certain newspapers you tend to dismiss it, until informed otherwise.

It is somewhat worrying and another problem for the incoming Manager to sort out. I expect there to be a few changes under the new regime, but with situations like this it makes the player harder to move on.

They always say, especially these days that news travels fast, but bad news travels even faster!

It's in The Sun. And with no attributable sources. There is no fire.,"I have always believed there is no smoke without fire".
It's in the Sun. And with no attributable sources.
There is no fire.,,michael.kenrick@gmail.com ,1,12:34:47,,51.179.168.178,ok,11143,05/24/2018 12:34:47,Glavesy1,reader,, 920966,36708,toffeeweb,24/05/2018,James Marshall,allanhobbs@gmail.com,"Niasse may have a never-say-die attitude, but this is part of the problem at Everton — we love a trier, and we've never happier than when someone shows us that 'get stuck in' attitude. What we lack though is actual talent, ability AND work ethic in our players.

Evertonians love a hard tackle or someone putting themselves about but does it win us anything? No it doesn't.

Niasse is a useless footballer, and I personally don't want players that try hard, I want players with talent & ability to win us football matches.

We still have a small club mentality which we really need to shake off - much like the millstone of our 'istory.

Players with ability that don't try are pretty useless.

That's exactly what I said.

Other than that a slow news day. So let's exaggerate a disagreement into full-blown trench warfare. Whilst I wouldn't say there's no such thing as bad publicity we are at least newsworthy. This thing goes on everyday at most clubs. Look at the crises that is Utd or Chelsea. Almost forgotten at Chelsea with the FA Cup win.

Back to Brands, wishing him and Everton all the best. I said in getting rid of Sam I'm happy to stay still or even take a step back is it means watching proper football whilst avoiding any relegation scraps.

Like the stadium, real long-term improvements will take 3 to 5 years to bed in. I'm just not sure the majority of Evertonians will be as patient as I'm willing to be.

In bad times, just remember' at least it's not Sam, playing awful negative football and talking from his rear about his great ability to win games almost single-handedly.

The paucity of resources over the last few recent years pre-Farhad have dictated grabbing a "trier" or two.

How else do we get the legendary Denis Stracqualursi? Ya gotta love a player who realizes he doesn't have the skill, but attempts to make up for that lack of skill with heart, desire, hustle, and effort.

I don't think Brands is going to bring in anyone without the needed talent level, or the potential to attain the needed talent level. We won't see any Count Stracq's under Marcel Brands.

I think people latch on to the triers when the “stars” down their tools. Case in point the Joe Royle era. At first, it was great to see some effort but, when he played the same long-ball crap after getting better players, the mood soon changed.

You don't see the players at Utd, Chelsea or City downing tools do you? Why? Because they buy players with the ability and mindset to work hard and win games every time they play.

This is the difference when you look at players like Mirallas – talented but of questionable work ethic and mentality. The opposite can be said of say, Gana – a hard worker with less talent but he's good at his job because he puts in the groundwork.

I would suggest Siggurdson is our only player with ability and workload (he runs about a lot).

Messi, Ronaldo et al are the best because they work the hardest (coupled with their obvious ability).

We may 'love' the Niasse's and Naismith's of this world but they aren't going to win you anything.

I get your point. We don't want to become like Scotland where they wheel out a bag piper to play "The Flower of Scotland" and we here from Haggis McTavish how they are 11 brave warriors about to take on the might of Lithuania. It's like they have turned failure into a noble art. Nothing brave about it just 11 men doing their job.

Jesus, not Jimmy Saville style, mate, God no.

"You don't see the players at Utd, Chelsea or City downing tools do you? Why? Because they buy players with the ability AND mindset to work hard and win games every time they play."?

Chelsea downed tools twice and got one manager and soon possibly a second sacked! The so-called class players are the experts at making things happen as far as getting a move or having a manager removed. Lukaku at Man Utd refused to start in the FA Cup final despite being fit, didn't he down tools?

The Man United squad is full of class players who hardly ever put the effort or commitment in. No, James, if you want to find the "don't give a toss" brigade, look at the top teams, bar Man City.

I give up. I have no argue left in me.

My point stands, even if you do want to shoot down my examples to make yourself feel more relevant.

Don't you think there is a place for triers even in the best squads? As far back as I can remember, even trophy winning squads had players that were not good enough to win silverware really, but who contributed through energy, enthusiasm, versatility etc rather than their ability? We had Alan Harper in the 80s, and the likes of Graham Stuart when we won the cup in 95. Arsenal had Perry Groves and the likes of Ian Hillier. The great United teams always had a John O'Shea or Phil Neville, and at times they relied on the likes of Mark Robins to get them a goal.

I personally like Oumar. I think he is a wild card and I would keep him for nuisance value alone when he comes off the bench.

I guess it's open to debate as to whether they do. It strikes me that the game has changed, and quite a lot of replies on this subject hark back to bygone eras, which ironically is what my posts are often about shying away from.

Brands himself has asked for a 'modern day' manager, and Moshiri warned against us being happy to run a museum. Everton is a relic.

If this is fact, we should not be expecting the new 'dream team' of Brands and Silva to put everything right in the coming season. Indeed we may still be waiting for total deliverance from mediocrity when the pair get to the 4th or 5th year of the latest 'Project Transition'.

Of course you may feel, as I do, that this is just the latest attempt by the 'new' owner to lower our aspirations of what we can expect on the field whilst he builds them a new field to play on. Having said that, transition has been the state Everton have existed in for the last 30 years so no point in getting angsty about it now, is there?

Well briefed, Mosher and 'She of the many names'!

The fact that he has taken so long to make his decision would suggest he was having a long hard look at us. The fact that, after taking a long hard look, he decided to come, would suggest he sees an opportunity to fulfill his ambitions.

Unlike Walsh, Koeman, Allardyce and Martinez, the guy did not head for Goodison Park travelling at warp factor six because he was offered the big bucks. He clearly wants more.

I won't be joining any crusades to canonise him before he has his coat off but I'm really glad he is here.

James Marshall #108: "If you want mediocre, crack on."

Must be two of you lads. One of them unnecessarily unpleasant.

Not as far fetched as you think, the Head of the Severn Trent Water Authority was on tv this morning a fairly attractive young blonde lady. The reporter asked her what her dream job would be and she replied "Managing Everton".

Everton's pursuit of Marco Silva set to run into next week as tensions with Watford continue

Obviously Alex Ferguson was an exception, but most top sides can't wait for these kids to develop, everybody wants instant success. To be honest, we havent produced many Premier League regulars from our academy, so how we change that will be a huge task.

I know Chelsea have a plan of buying the best young talent around and farming them out on loan to some Premier League clubs. And yes, they probably produce more Premier League players than most of the other Premier League clubs, and it certainly is a profitable income for them. I don't think we have the money or at present the kudos to attract the brightest young talent.

We all like that we are a People's Club but time to turn ruthless and make things happen differently if we are gonna progress.

Blue Bill needs to step aside now and become just a fan again, we need to stop living in the 70s and 80s and accept that we've been mediocre for years now and this sort of change is needed. I have to admit it, I'm actually quite excited for the first time in a while... but we haven't got a manager yet. ;-)

Onwards and upwards; let's do this, Blues!!!

A younger, tough athletic mean-spirited centre-half and an uncompromising centre-midfielder to shore up Everton's soft underbelly would also help.