Pre-match siren expected to be dropped for City clash

Did anybody notice the Sky Sports gaff?

They said Premier League clubs were supporting their Ukrainian players... Then went on to show Zinchenko, Yarmolenko and, Wait for it, Wait for it... Our very own Ukrainian (I bet he's as surprised as I was): Jonjoe Kenny.

What the fuck? What a bunch of amateur tossers.

It certainly would not be appropriate at this moment in time.

No siren, that needs binning now for good.

A Ukrainian flag and a Stop The War banner fielded by both teams around the centre circle, in all UK and European games, would be more appropriate .

I see clubs are dropping their Russian sponsors.

Meanwhile we've argued that the entity that sponsors us isn't really based in Russia despite carrying the same name and clearly being am Usmanov company.

1) Shit that's all sorts of wrong.
2) It just highlights the extent of Usmanov's involvement. Can we back away from him or does he really own us? In which case we and he have broken every rule in the book.

Forget the sirens. What are we doing with Megafon and USM?

I think Tony's idea is a good one. I'm sure both young lads from Ukraine will not want to hear a siren. I agree about the siren too; we don't need it. The people of Ukraine are facing air attacks from Russian bombers, helicopters and fighter bombers.

Before EFC are told to throw away its sponsorship, let's see what the Premier League clubs are deciding to do. As far as I'm aware, our owner is Iranian, our major sponsor is from Uzbekistan. I would not think our club should do anything until, and if, the Premier League clubs meet and decide their way forward.

"What are we doing with Megafon and USM?" – thinking about building a stadium, for which the major sponsors hold naming rights!

Before being asked to impoverish the club, possibly discontinue the building of the stadium, I think the whole of this country's politicians, and sports need to come to an agreed policy of what to decide a course of action against this Russian dictator's monstrous aggression.

Dear ToffeeWeb Admins - any chance of killing the video ads popping up on top of the page please (Safari for me) sitting right over the top of first paragraphs of posting…

Jim - absolutely spot on. Let the authorities do their job, and avoid the lynch mob virtue signalling reaction by Bernie…..at least for now. Tony's suggestion is a great start, let's stand with Ukraine as step one!

If the UK government include Usmanov in sanctions, then both ourselves and Premier League will need to look very closely at the relationship, and take appropriate actions then.

The siren should have gone months ago, it became a sound associated with the away team entering the stadium in front of their own fans from the corner of the Park End.
Only Everton could give a gladiatorial welcome to our opponents!

Whilst Usmanov is actually from Uzbekistan, he has Russian citizenship which is where I think the problem lies when coupled with his Russian-based business. I would be very surprised if at least some sanctions were not imposed; as to the severity of such actions, we will have to wait and see. It will likely tell us a lot about our actual ownership.

Until then, drop the siren and show support for Ukraine across the whole of football.

Drop the siren anyway. Never liked it. It was good as a one off.

I'd like to see those who make some of the banners we've seen of late bring a huge Ukrainian flag today draped from or over the Gwladys Street.

Schalke dropped their main sponsors, Gazprom, from their shirts this week. They will play the rest of the season with "Schalke" on their shirts.

They have a close relationship and when they re-opened their old Park Stadion, in the shadow of the new stadium overlooking the academy, a fellow Gazprom sponsored team (Zenith St Petersburg) was invited to play the opening fixture. It is now their showcase academy pitch. Nice touch, but they are fortunate to have everything on one site, including the new and old stadiums.

It's a big moral shout from a club that has struggled financially of late. Sometimes it's more important to do what is right. Well always, but you know what I mean.

Gary. No lynch mob or virtue signalling here.

Should we walk away from Usmanov? … is one thing.

Can we? ... that's another. If we can't, well that's another can of worms.

The club's response was interesting.

I, like many, didn't like the siren. I didn't really see the point of it, to be honest.

The club have put out a statement saying that USM – now on the banned list in the USA – is a different company than the one who has sponsored Everton.

I am sure that there will be questions asked about Abramovich owning Chelsea and Usmanov being a sponsor of Everton. Although I would ask why are they considered now to not be fit and proper people to be involved in football, as nothing has changed – they have both been friends with Putin for decades.

I think, if Usmanov is put on the banned list and all his investments frozen in this country, then he would probably walk away from Everton. Also, we would have to return the £30 million he has paid to be first in line for the naming rights, as he would no longer be able to bid for the naming rights. I also think Moshiri would quickly follow suit and look to offload his shares, which may jeopardise the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.

That may be the price we will have to pay and I can live with that, but seems a bit ironic that they will be deemed unfit to have anything to do with any involvement in a football club. Yet the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, who ordered the murder of Jamal Koshoggi and had his body dismembered by chain saws and then put the body parts in diplomatic bags and then flown to god knows where, is a fit and proper person to run a football club.

Good post ,Brian. Putin is the wrong type of murdering dictator. The Crown Prince is sitting on quite a bit of oil. A murdering get, yes... but our "friend".

Well "ye reaps what ye sows" - - I guess - - many of us thought that Usmanov's money (and his not so business-like sidekick Moshiri) were the answer to our prayers - - I remember writing at the time saying is this who/what we want associated with our Club - - but like most I really just shrugged and got on with it - - and interestingly/coincidentally our "links" to these two State Robbers has run alongside our worse runs in our PL History - - "money" answers everything hey - - what goes around comes around.

Brian,

You make a very good point. Putin's Russia has been around for decades and suddenly, a bit like the Western response to the current situation, it's all outrage after the horse has bolted when it's been bolting for years unchecked.

And to Saudi. A total "nothing to see here", head in the sand, fingers in ears approach from the FA.

Maybe the 'fit and proper' test has failed for years.

But that doesn't change the situation right now.

If I look beyond the clearly more serious issues in the world and focus just on my club for a second, this is a bad, bad situation. And if we're honest, it's of the club's doing. Us and other clubs.

Like most - - I guess - - I am appalled at today's situation in Ukraine - - but I am also just carrying on and will be going to The Dark House later and then onto Goodison to roar Our Everton in the hope that we win and move up - - for that time my mind will be on Everton and nothing else - - but for a moment now sitting in my room at home before preparing for the game I cannot get the overtures of "war" out of my head - - I just listened to Turn Turn Turn by The Byrds:
"To everything (turn, turn, turn)
There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
And a time to every purpose, under heaven
A time of love, a time of hate
A time of war, a time of peace
A time you may embrace, a time to refrain from embracing
To everything (turn, turn, turn)
There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
And a time to every purpose, under heaven
A time to gain, a time to lose
A time to rend, a time to sew
A time for love, a time for hate
A time for peace, I swear it's not too late"

The song updated by Pete Seeger - - is from The Bible - - hile I am not religious I am fascinated by the history of religion - - here's a quote from "Ecclesiastes are the pain and frustration engendered by observing and meditating on the distortions and inequities pervading the world, the uselessness of human ambition, and the limitations of worldly wisdom and righteousness."
Personally I would prefer life at Everton without Usmanov and Moshiri - - but somehow we have to try to live in this world as it is and not hurt anyone along the way.

Thank god for that. Bin it permanently.

I'll go along with that, Peter. It was vaguely reminiscent of what this city had to put up with in World War 2; but that's all. Let's stick to Z-Cars.

It'd be a good symbol today if the two Ukranian lads were to come out together before all the rest of the players. It will let us show our support to the Ukranian people and those lads who are trying to play football today, after what's happened.

Jim and Gary, get off. The “I don't see anything wrong” pose will have us looking like fools. This is a turn of events you have to get ahead of or you get no credit for waiting to see how other clubs deal with the moral dilemma.

You keep up the witch hunt Dale, I'll wait for my information from MI5 thanks. If governments sanctions Usmanov then we have to (and should) act. Thinking “Dales kangaroo court” is a better informed is complete idiocy.

No, I won't get off Dale, nor do I remotely think or pose that "I don't see anything wrong" nor do I think that Everton will look like fools, waiting for a discussion, decision from the Premier league.
Are you proposing that the Club boot out ou owner and major sponsor, or are you talking about us saying what a evil bastard Putin is. Make your miond up, if you think the club should "act now" Tell us how the club should act.
It is not just a moral dilemma, the club is more or less owned by the the two men that are possibly going to be told to What? exactly.

Ok. ill drop “get off” if you can drop the “witch hunt, lynch mob, virtue signalling” rhetoric. It is a difficult lroblem for which no one expects immediate solution. We do need to map out a principled position going forward and that will require some dancing by Doshiri but fhat is the tune that everyone hears. You could put a spin on it but events will leave you constantly edging toward what you should have done anyway. Either a statement acknowledging Usmanov's rep or some effort to unwind that relationship looks necessary at this point.

Dale - who exactly in Everton are you expecting to act against Usmanov? Moshiri isn't going to, Kenwright isn't going to, so that really leaves just us fans? How will us fans run him out?

I'm (and I believe Jim is) simply saying Let the Authorities do their job, and when they do we do what we need to do to support those decisions. If they do their job right, they will give us the tools we need to act.

Anything else is kangaroo court and Lynch mob. That's not rhetoric, it's simple fact.

If you do not actively cooperate with the Authorities then you look to be part of the problem of Sportswashing. That is the turn here, Sportswashing is exposed

It is a difficult problem, Dale and one fraught with danger for our club. I've not mentioned anything abouty Lynch mobs or virtue signalling.

Moral stands are fine, as long as consequences are accepted.

This invasion by a dictator is nightmarish for the people of Ukraine. Yet the leaders of Western Countries have provided differing responses to, first the threats from Putin and secondly the invasion itself. The German leader has been expremely reluctant in talking sanctions because of the threat of closure to the Russian Nord Stream 2 bringing gas to Germany. I guess that's because of the effect it will have on the German economy and the the German people's domestic gas supplies.

Yes, spin could be put on events and Abramovitch, Usmanov and most of the Oligarchs who've got lots fo their money in this country will be flapping like hell to try and distance themselves from Putin's regime, with out being targeted for assasination wherever they live.

So! Far from "Not seeing anything wrong" I detest the actions of this Hitler Mark 2.

The sanctions on the Oligarchs? well let's wait and see what the Prenmier L:eague come up with afetyer welcoming a Murderer to own a Premier league club.
At our level our club is in dangerous waters both on the field and in the boardroom. I don't want to see some looney scream Full Steam Ahead" like the captain of the Titanic.

Apologies that I associated you with Gary's phrases Jim. What youre stating is obviously an honorable position. Somtetimes Gary “agrees” with someone by embellishing a bit much. Glad to have read your long. version and again I apologize for the mistaken attribution.

Mate, thanks, but don't worry about it. I think everyone of us that are anyway right thinking and have a souls, want to see that bastard get his cumuppence. I hope you and me and all of us, feel for the Ukrainian people. And we want to react in any way that we can to scupper that Dictator's aims.
A concerted effort by all countries and their peoples, that believe in justice and common humanity, might just make the bastard slink back fron under the carpet he came from.
We can't go to war; because the outcome is just too awful to consider with a lunatic at large.
I hope the football league will listen to the supporters of all clubs and come out with an action...but I'm not holding my breath.
But supporters throughout the world might start something off. Lets see if that can happen for starters.
No offence taken, mate, none was given, lets hope we can enjoy the match

To me, it looks like a great chance to rid ourselves of Usmanov and Moshiri. Are they even committed?

Is it a tragedy to remain at Goodison?

Good riddance.

The siren worked as a one-off but it's embarrassing now when they come out and play like a load of pussies.

Dale

The problem is to unravel from Moshiri and Usmanov we'd need someone else to cough up a lot of dosh. Whose gonna do that? A Czech corrupt gangster Oligarch? A despotic Middle-Eastern regime? Moshiri and Usmanov aren't going anywhere until they get their money back.

Please get rid of the sirens permanently. The same fear and terror currently being endured by everyday families in Ukraine was felt by our own people hearing those sirens in this city 80 years ago. Bin it for good!

Too true, Matt. My Mum never liked me playing Black Sabbath's War Pigs as a result!

Tony at 3 is the correct suggestion. I just hope EFC get Mykolenko and Zinichenko to stand in the middle with a Ukranian flag and if we can locate him why not get Kanchelskis to be alongside them.

Why would a holdings company that invests in metals and telecoms want to sponsor a football club and raise awareness of their name? Do they want people to visit their website? No. Do they have anything to sell to people in this country? No.

Why would Megafon want their name promoted on a British women's team shirt ? Same questions again? Nothing to do with them being owned by USM?

Very expensive sponsorships that gain the brands nothing as they don't sell things in the UK. What's the Russian viewership of Everton's Women team? Basically nothing.

It's clearly more of Putin's money coming into the country via Panama and embedding itself into British institutions so it can't be removed.

Sanction Ambramovich, Chelsea goes bankrupt.
Sanction Usmanov, Everton can't build their new stadium and a huge Northern development grinds to a halt.

It's disgusting. These people should not be involved in football clubs as no one can prove where their money has come from. Moshiri is just a puppet.

Get rid of the siren permanently. The heartrate should rise, the hairs on the back of your neck should stand up with the first sound of Z-Cars – not a siren.

Maybe replace the siren with something completely unexpected.

The soundtrack to John Carpenter's Halloween or the Exorcist just preceding Z-Cars... haha!

I see that FIFA and UEFA have just announced that Russian clubs and teams are suspended sine die from the World Cup and all other competitions.