Fan Comment

Marco Silva: Who’s fault is it anyway?

I have not been impressed with the appointment of Marco Silva as Everton manager; his ability to identify team weaknesses, his coaching development of players, nor his tactical awareness.

But Silva didn’t ask for the job; he was approached. According to Watford, it caused in a drop in performance, resulting in him getting the sack. Watford are still going on about it and seeking compensation.

Everton weren’t allowed to approach him; maybe if they had done it the right way, they would have been allowed? They appointed Big Sam instead.

The unemployed Marco Silva was the only candidate for the job after Big Sam was dismissed. There were no other candidates. His contract was agreed before Brands started — a week early to give him the once over. But the lower salary than Allardyce, and a 3-year contract, had been agreed beforehand.

Farhad Moshiri was in charge and making decisions but brought Brands in to take some of the responsibility at the last moment.

Silva made an assessment of the players he had inherited and Brands found suitable replacements while others were shipped off to reduce the wage bill. Some extra funds where belatedly provided to bring in new players.

While Big Sam had moved out Martinez's players, he had to play Koeman's failures; Brands moved on Koeman's failures, but had to keep Allardyce's signings. So Silva (like Big Sam, with Rooney and Williams) had to play Tosun and Walcott. Turns out neither were worth their places.

Brands & Silva started the season although some of the signings weren’t fit. The signing of Richarlison was a revelation until he was easily baited and got sent off. Tosun was obviously not able to beat his marker or get a shot on target. Walcott was increasingly peripheral and the West Ham midfield trio waltzed through Everton's midfield as if it didn’t exist.

Everton, for some reason, never wanted Pellegrini as a manager. Then Everton found the midfield trio of Gueye, Gomes and Sigurdsson (a player who had previously gone missing). Everton's right flank was an acceptable weakness and Coleman was clearly identified as the root problem, but was ignored.

After a while, Keane and Zouma gelled and Everton were heading in the right direction, with a sort of high press / wing-play preference. The League Cup didn’t matter; Everton were concentrating on the Premier League. Now, the FA Cup is important... but with little preparation evident.

Newcastle did a job on Silva's tactics and our present direction was mapped out. Brands got on to the Board of Directors but hasn’t spoken, just saying he is doing nothing till the Summer (because there's no money available).

Moshiri has made the statement that 11th isn’t good enough – as if he had nothing to do with it — while shipped-out players are beginning to boomerang back. Mina is looking on in horror: Gomes is looking really affordable, and Zouma is looking uncommitted, while Digne has found a career.

So Silva now finds himself alone..m. trying to Manage a team in a Club that has been mismanaged for years, most recently by a new owner who has lost a fortune since he started looking to blame anyone but himself, with the prospect that all his failed decisions could come back home to roost in the second half of this season.

Sure, Silva is responsible for the team's Premier League table position, but he hasn’t been helped by the situation he inherited, and its ropey decision-making process. Suddenly, Everton should be a top six side and the 3-year rebuild is out the window.

Silva was the only candidate for the job. The next time, there might be no candidate... unless Brands can convince someone he knows.

The problems at Everton are not just confined to the pitch; they go deeper than that. It's the same old wonderful unique Everton Football Club, with long-suffering supporters. Can anyone name a similar club?

Luckily, as supporters, we are well used to it. But it never seems to get any easier. I still wonder how the fan who kissed the centre spot after the Wimbledon game is doing? I still think that not getting relegated that time was a missed opportunity to face reality and rebuild.

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