Will Jarrad Branthwaite be the next great player Everton sell on?

He is on a different level regarding potential and importance to Everton to Anthony Gordon, and in this instance we have to fight the suitors off and build the future around him.

Everton's two-goal Jarrad Branthwaite stars in PSV Eindhoven cup win

As I said to him, no surprise to me. His goal at Chelsea almost right in front of me was arguably my favourite moment of the season even though we didn't win. It wasn't just the goal, it was his run, anticipation and bravery to get on the end of the cross.

And if I remember correctly, we were decimated by injuries that night and ended the match with a very young team on the pitch who held their own and their nerve.

My only concern is that I've read Brands might be trying to sign him permanently and as I said to Chris, if you wave a tenner in front of our board right now or drop it, they will catch it before it hits the floor.

As long as we get top, top dollar, so be it. With the proviso that we don't entertain any bid from Mordor, that is!

Stones did okay; he was surrounded by great players at Man City but still had fatal mistakes in his game that hardly put him in the 'great' category. I think we've done pretty well on the selling front, it's buying players where we've utterly failed to get value for money and have embarrassingly wasted £millions.

I could see Branthwaite playing a big part in Dyche's team ethic.

I've never heard of Sargeson, but Brighton do seem to have a forward-thinking recruiting team.

We shall see!

"What would Everton do?" – Shit themselves!

He's more important to Everton than Anthony Gordon and is a quality young player we can build a better team around.

Sean Dyche was a CB so he's got to be interested in Branthwaite. I think he will see it as exciting to be able to bring him on at Everton and be involved with his developing. Also Dyche's no nonsense approach will dovetail well with Branthwaite's natural ability and quality, learning the essential dark arts to compliment his classy game.

I think we will see a gradual introduction of Branthwaite next season alongside Tarkowski or Coady.

Also the latest accounts published by Deloitte shows an income of £181m and of that 96% goes out in wages. That is completely unsustainable whoever is the owner next season. Also some of our players who are on massive wages will end their contract this summer so no transfer money there. So it will be the case even if we are still in the Premier league next season we will have to completely change the amount we pay out on wages compared to income.

Here's my mystic prediction without any knowledge whatsoever.

We cash in on Pickford and keep Branthwaite. We find another keeper.

My suspicious self suspects Brands, who has clearly influenced his career, has his eye on him. And will know the inner workings of the club and which levers to pull.

Now Brands, I know he has and had his critics, but at least a board member willing to directly face furious fans and speak to them Not run away or fear an alleged headlock and worse, not show up at all.

Bill and Co may well show up for warm hospitality on Monday and romanticise about how he used to go to both Anfield and Goodison. Different generation and I know many did. Maybe he can go to the Boys Pen in that dreadful place. He might feel more welcome there than the one he used to stand at in Goodison.

Excuse me, I'm building myself. I think I should be calm by Monday.

Everton will never escape this cycle of constantly having to rebuild the team if we keep cashing in on our young potential stars. Balancing the books is necessary, of course, but the price we as fans pay is that the overall product we watch is below the standard we'd all like to see. I got scoffed at by somebody when I compared Everton to Brighton and Brentford, I'm not even sure that we are in that bracket.

I suppose what grates the most, is that the younger stars don't even do a couple of seasons helping the first team, before they are on the 'for sale' list. Branthwaite will leave I'm pretty sure, his contract has a couple of years to run, but that means nothing when money is on the table.

Brainthwaith should already be in Everton's first team right now, imo, and Everton would be very foolish, if they have got even the remotest thought about selling him. He's big, strong, quick, and very composed on the ball, and has everything in his locker to become a top player. Why would we even consider selling such a player? I know!

Mina is on his way out
One of Keane/Holgate should generate about 10-15 million for us in the summer (as is well known, I would prefer to keep Holgate) - otherwise, don't exercise the Coady option.

Next season, we would have: Tarkowski, Jarred, Godfrey, Coady and Holgate as our CBs - that is quite enough! Tarkowski as right sided CB and Branthwaite as left sided CB would be the ideal pairing in my opinion. If Jarred continues his development, in 2 years time, he could easily become a 100+ million superstar.

It seems as though it has done, so let's get him back at the end of the season.

I believe the change of manager and style of play will intrigue the lad and hopefully, if we pull off survival, see him right up the pecking order next year (whatever league we're then in).

A clear out is much needed and will bring opportunities to the likes of Jarrad. English, talented, young, 6ft 5", left footed, with continental experience and getting some rave reviews.

It sounds too good to be true, and we already have him.

Imagine looking to buy someone with those attributes!

It would very much surprise me if Branthwaite plays for Everton next season. Terrible shame as I think he could be an absolutely immense player - but such is our financial situation.

Might feel harsh on Coady who has done well for us but he will turn 30 in a couple of weeks. I know Holgate will not be top of everyone's list, and I wouldn't keep him at the expense of developing another youngster, eg, Reece Welch if they are ready for the first-team squad, but he can also provide cover across the back 4.

If we wanted Kelleher then that lot, understandably, might demand Branthwaite... I can see them planning on replacing St Virgil before too long.

Wonder if I could have a go at being DoF? 🤔

Why would he want to stay at Everton? He isn't an Evertonian and we can't even keep those. There are a dozen better clubs than us in England alone. We don't challenge for European football, more likely regarded as just relegation fodder.

We have lost good players even when we were decent, we have no chance now.

We would be better concentrating on getting the best deal we can for him (so we can waste it on a poorer replacement).

You say that Dyche is a defensive coach, well what I saw at Goodison on Saturday was a team who had options when we attacked. Yet I suppose many will not put that label on Lampard, who had a team that was completely devoid of any attacking ideas, and why we are the Premier League's lowest goal scorers.

So maybe let's not put pre-conceived labels on managers before seeing if that's the reality.

The Dutch league is not the Premier League and Weghorst, Klaassen and Van de Beek are testimony to that gulf.
Branthwaite made a costly mistake last time I saw him play for us. Let's not pretend that he is the new Dave Watson.

He is a promising young player and, if he returns, he might end up bang average or he might be good.

Worst-case scenario: we sell him for a lot of money. Not like we don't need it.

We have to keep Jarrad, bought for £1Million, and allegedly worth £15M now, 2 years later. Don't ever let Kenwright get involved either, as all he will see is extra new stuffing for his already bulging couch.

I might be a self confessed idiot John but why wouldn't he want to stay at Everton? I can't comprehend that thought.

He seems a balanced individual and if we can convince him, we can develop him and his career. If he jumps too soon, it could all go wrong as it has done for many a young player and he might not get to play as often.

Eddie, agree to an extent, but poor Davy Klaassen had no chance. Thrown into a disfunctional team after the most disjointed transfer window in history, which left us with no option or plan other that to throw a lot of players onto the pitch and see what happened.

He done well in the Bundesliga and played in the Champions League as well as and European Final.

There have been many fine Dutch footballers in the English League, but they played in good teams.

Didn't Ipswich have a couple in their brief 80s glory years back when it wasn't trendy to have foreign players?

I'm not sure we'd have a choice if we started receiving silly money. We're not in the position where we're able to hang on to our best assets and haven't been for quite a long time.

Keane, Mee and Tarkowski have all developed a great deal under SD. Our Jarred could be another class to all of them. I've mentioned it a few times on here but my late father-in-law was a massive Carlisle fan and the club where saying at 16 he was a nailed on future England captain.

He has height, strength and pace to burn. Let's get him on the SD revolution and build around him. Mina will be gone and I for one would not take up the option to sign Coady. That leaves us with 5 CBS and money to invest in decent fullback cover, someone who can play both sides would be a good option if we can find it.

Muhren & Thijssen: When Ipswich Went Double Dutch

Gordon wanted out to where he thought they might be more successful than us and I dare say on a much better contract to boot.

If we were in their boots, we would probably do the same – I'm excluding Danny in this, he would definitely not sign for anyone else even if they offered the crown jewels.

This is one of the reasons the usual Top 6 finish in the Top 6, that and the FFP rules which have now cut another route to displace one of them.

It's vital we stay up this season or we will be knocked back another 4 or 5 years. We were 4/6 to go down before the Arsenal game; we are now 6/5 against but are still among the 3 most likely to be relegated.

It can all change very quickly though, we need another 5 or 6 wins and some draws, I think we might do it if Calvert-Lewin can stay fit. Our problem is the other teams around us keep picking up points; we can only hope they falter.

Brian and Bill, from my seat, I thought we actually played higher up the pitch and the manager was encouraging it against one of the best attacking teams in the league who smashed us 5-1 in May.

But we looked much better organised and compact defensively when we didn't have the ball. Then we knew how to open the game and get in the faces of and take the game to the opposition when we had possession.

Let's take that forward to Anfield. I hope we play on the front foot again so much so that some of our players end up in the Kop if necessary.

We'll just have to cleanse them with holy water afterwards.

I recall Lampard lambasting him or maybe it was Benitez…

A lot depends on what a player wants and you've got to hope he wants to stay.

However, my point is about the gulf in quality between the Dutch league and ours.

On Branthwaite, I not only recall him getting tangled-up with Ivan Toney and getting a red card but also trying to clear a Pickford punt near the touchline and managing to slice it backwards to give away a corner.

Let's not get carried away.

I just think you can uncover some gems in the likes of Holland, Germany and Denmark; look at Brentford. Belgium also. Players that are suited to our game in the right team.

A good example is them snapping up Suarez who spent about 5 seasons in the Dutch league with a small club before moving to Ajax. Went on to be a superstar with them and then Barcelona.

I personally think we overrate the Premier League and underrate some of those European leagues.

We can do much better shopping than paying overinflated prices for overrated Premier League players in my view.

I feel he will definitely go at some point so it's just about getting a fair fee for him.

Hopefully he can establish himself in the first team next season and then see how things go.

If we get relegated, he would be the perfect player to develop alongside Tarkowski and they would be one of the best centre-back pairings in the Championship. If we stay up, he should still get more game time once Mina, Keane and Coady (hopefully, I'm not a fan) leave.

Gotta start following Brighton's lead, developing young talent, getting up the table and selling one or two a year at inflated prices.

It seems that recruitment is just lazy. Why aren't we uncovering these gems?

He must also have been disappointed to be loaned out having made senior games last season.

The next 5-7 matches will show what we're gonna do with him, keep him here and play him (wishful scenario) or get as much as the club can for him, maybe even put sell-on clause and the likes.

He's promising, no question about that.

End. Of.

We could have had Robinson, Paterson and Branthwaite as 3 of our 4 defenders. All young quick and hungry players with talent.

Who was our manager when Robinson was allowed to leave? Was it Silva?

The lad had talent and looked promising when here and at the present time Everton have a spate of centre backs (defenders).

Those we have are not the most reliable with sick notes Mina and Godfrey along with out of favour Keane.
The other two are vastly experienced although one is a loanee.

They may think they have enough in that area so may cash in on Branthwaite.

Could be a difficult decision for management to make but they need cash to buy better offensive players for next season.

Let's hope Thelwell's appointments will change that, especially bringing in the person from Brighton.

From dealing with the press, tiptoeing between the Board's powerful yet incompetent authority, rallying the fans, motivating the players and organizing the misfits into a credible team against all realistic expectations, dealing (short-term?) with the debacle of the transfer window by using it as a motivational factor, winding up Arsenal — all in a week!!!

Bloody hell — What more do you expect?

Me? I fully expect a result from the derby, followed by a decent run to get away from the relegation danger zone, continuing progress with the new stadium — one of, if not the biggest current building construction projects in the country.

Why are the footballing world, including some, several… many Evertonians, so against Mr Dyche? Show him some respect and gratitude and trust that he just might have some influence on the decisions surrounding Branthwaite and Co for the good of the club.

Branthwaite himself might even have been impressed with Mr Dyche — stranger things have happened. We just might be in safe and professional hands, even if by default, so why not at least try to enjoy the moment… COYB

You most certainly did not face total derision. There were numerous admirers of Stones… in fact, one compared him to Bobby Moore.

We have some players who are, or could become, hugely valuable assets. Branthwaite is one, Calvert-Lewin, Onana, Pickford, Patterson, Maupay (... just kidding).

I'd love to keep all of them but we can't. So, we have to perfectly time any sales. Pickford in the summer which might buy some time for the rest to increase their value – or, in Calvert-Lewin's case, restore it.

Considering that Gordon was sold for 㿔 million, then I reckon Branthwaite is probably on the verge of being worth that now, especially to a rival Premier League club. Add in the way book value is such a significant value in terms of FFP and P&S regulation, I reckon he'll be on his way soon - especially if we are playing football outside of the Premier League come next season.

It will be sad to see another great prospect gone but, if it enables the club to continue to rebuild after the mess of the last 7 years, then hopefully we can just chalk it down as a rare success for the club's recruitment policy.

For what it is worth, I think Branthwaite will end up being a regular England international for the next decade plus.

There are just 20 clubs in the Premier League. Everton are one of the few who were founder members and are still there. We also happen to be the club who has spent longest in the top flight of them all.

Everton are, on paper at least, one of the 20 richest clubs in Europe. So enough of all this humble, "We are just a Fulham or a Norwich now" kind of timid nonsense. Everton are greats in English football and will rise again.

This kid, if he's so good – why is he not playing for us? Why all this hype and rumour? Play him, assess him and value him. Let's see if he's good enough for Everton.

If the club, as I think it will now under Dyche, starts to climb the table, maybe the timidity of our fans, and our board, and our players will start to evaporate — to be replaced by a valid sense of pride in what this club was, is, and will be in the future.

I'm sick of all this defeatism.

I think we have to differentiate between our frustration with the way the club has been run, and our support for the team.

Come Monday, we are there in our thousands facing that shower in the face in their shoebox of a ground.

They will claim abuse of all kinds, the moment we start chanting, yet hurl it in our faces in many more ways.

Two-faced bastards. Off to the swear box.

I can't think of a football club I despise more, but we are going to support Everton. And we will do, with passion and commitment.

Marching.

Is Sargeson from Brighton a step in the right direction re recruitment?

Brighton seem to have plans in place, right, left and centre?
We shall see!!!

You have got to be powerful, have extreme speed, or have to be able to beat a man. I'm not sure little Steven Pienaar possessed any of those skills, but I'm glad Everton signed him!!

There have been that many foreign players in England over the last 20 years that you wonder how good the success rate actually is? How many good young English footballers have stagnated and then fallen away because of this foreign invasion?

Recruitment might be lazy or lack innovation, but I'd also argue that young players are not being allowed to make mistakes and learn (like Branthwaite) in the Premier League, but loads of expensive foreigners are all allowed to make those same mistakes whilst the clubs see if the players can adjust.

Stones, Holgate, Calvert-Lewin, Lookman and Branthwaite were all brought in from lower league clubs, after having already played in the Football league, so this is where I'd be looking if I was looking for emerging talent.

Mustafi, Vlasic, Lookman, Deulofeu, Kean, Robinson, Dier, etc…

All released way too early as we are a club that has no patience or vision.

"Now I'm mainly concerned with playing my games here until the end of the season. I like it here. I will definitely consider staying here."

About PSV last night…

Are our players not succeeding because of the investment in foreign players?

Or because due to our lack of investment in our own grass roots, we aren't producing good enough players so clubs go elsewhere?

Or the premium that often comes associated with an English player?

Okay that's three, but probably a combination of all...

I'd love to see us invest in our grass roots, as you know!

You can't blame him for wanting Champions League football.

I am not judging — just sharing.

It's just going over the same old ground but maybe things will get better for our younger players if the club finally finds some stability. Although I won't be holding my breath because of the very physically demanding nature of the Premier League.

You're very harsh on Jarrad in the Brentford game, his first game since he scored against Chelsea under Benitez.

Let's be honest: Toney is an experienced striker who made the most of it, and knew how to go down. He's played in the Champions League and European football since then, and keeping a young left-sided centre-back is a must.

I only wish we had the same issues up front as what we have at centre-back.

Mina goes in the summer, hopefully Holgate follows him out of the door. Coady for ٢M makes sense, that frees up a space for a young defender to step up.

We got very good money for him, inflation-adjusted. I think he pretty much justified that fee in the end for Man City, but no more than that, so it was reasonable business for both parties.

Gordon may turn out to be a gem but that is even less certain than it was with Stones. I thought 㿔M plus for him was a big risk by Newcastle. May turn out well, but very possibly won't.

Branthwaite is not that far removed from Gordon at this stage of development, albeit some of that has happened abroad. A similar 㿔M bid might be of interest. 㾻M definitely not. At that level, he's worth us taking a risk on.

Wickedly incisive and right to the point.

I just want to add that I think Eric Dier was only on loan (from Sporting) and was never going to sign permanently for Everton.

It's all negotiating now... all the interested parties arguing about all their different versions of what constitutes 'High'.

What do I know, I'm only a fan, but I'd like to see him have a season or two with us first.

Everton Football Club in the community focussed in the community.

My core is still radioactive.

We have at some stage got to give the better ones game time and experience.

T'was ever thus.

Firstly, hope we can generate players that make it into the first-team squad. Second, if not, generate revenue by selling them.

I know some say they are free, but it doesn't cost anything to run Finch Farm and the youth teams. We all want to see them come through. Everton have been particularly willing to sell on young assets at the snap of a hand. But it's football and every club does it.

Tell me a club that has more than 3 or 4 academy players in their team? Maybe Chelsea in the current climate? Alex Ferguson was probably the last one to relive the Busby Babes.

Most others get one or two that come through and establish themselves. The rest get shifted on and follow their careers elsewhere.

We all want our young players to succeed, but how often does it happen in reality? Let's go back a few generations:

Jimmy Gabriel
Alex Young
Howard Kendall
Alan Ball
Bob Latchford
Kevin Sheedy
Trevor Steven
Duncan Ferguson

None of those legends came through Everton's academy as far as I'm aware. The list could go on as it could for many clubs. The reality is most clubs have always bought the best players rather than develop them – bar the odd gem.

I don't necessarily agree with it, but it's how it's always been.

Yes, I remember you going off on one when we sold Robinson, I might be getting mixed up here but didn't he have some sort of heart problem when he had a medical when we sold him to Wigan or was that another player?

I know I am harsh. Branthwaite wasn't streetwise enough but I was simply giving a couple of examples of how he isn't top level yet.

Ray @66, I hope this Brighton feller does the job properly.

We sold him to Wigan for ٠M, then he was being sold to by them AC Milan for 㾶M but failed the medical due to an irregular heart rhythm. He had a heart procedure to correct it and is now fine.

We can probably tempt Chelsea or Spurs to buy him in the summer, using Man Utd & Liverpool to push the price up.

We must play the long game – I don't want a future where the ground belongs to Moshiri and we are paying rent to him.

This is how much they think of Branthwaite, who is definitely the type of player, you should be trying to build a team around.

He'll come back at the end of the season and be assessed pre-season.

Regardless which league we're in, with Mina gone and Branthwaite being left-footed, I have no doubt he'll be starting.

As usual, all this selling shit is just newspaper noise.

This would leave us with Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Holgate, and Godfrey. Surely 4 centre-backs are sufficient!

This would reduce our wage bill considerably and would help our P&S position not just for the coming season but thereafter.

What has happened to Gibson as he was supposed to be one for the future?

As others have suggested, with Keane and Mina soon on their way out, I can't see any sense in his being sold – unless the financial pressures dictate.

I don't watch any foreign football so I don't know how he is faring at PSV. Is he beginning to show real potential?

I'd wager that Pickford will be sold before Branthwaite.

I knew Antonee had some problems with his heart in the past, glad he got it sorted out.

“He is a great talent. The boy is 20, but he has a future.

“He is good on the ball, can play on the left or the right of centre-back because he is two-footed. He has height and speed, so he is very complete.”

Apparently there were scouts from Man U, RS and Roma watching his MotM performance on Wednesday. We will have to bat away offers far in excess of 15m in the summer.

I think he would be better to stay at Everton at this stage in his career and grow as a player with us.

He's plenty young enough to move on if he needs to at 24 / 25 years old. Who knows, by that time we may be challenging for Europe and trophies in our new stadium. Jarrad may well be then be happy to extend his career with a successful Everton.

What a absolute disgrace the present Everton regime is .They are not even pretending that they are caoable.

The collective savings from their wages, along with Mina's (he is reportedly making 𧴰k per week), would allow us to get Conor Coady signed permanently (we all need to tip our hats to Thelwell for securing that ٢.5M purchase option) and offer Jarrad Branthwaite a new contract upon his return to this side of the Channel.

IMHO, we should also try to sign another young centre-back after that (Ben Godfrey will be our utility man providing cover on all defensive positions and keep Mykolenko from getting complacent as the starting left-back) while phasing Seamus Coleman out from being a first-team regular.

Everton: Seven!
Aston Villa: Six.*
Newcastle Utd: Four.
Leicester City: Three.
West Ham Utd: Three.
Nottm Forest: One.
Crystal Palace: One.
Leeds Utd: One.
Fulham: none!
Brighton: none!
Brentford: none!
Bournemouth: none!

* Lucas Digne on £160k pw!

Giving average players, Champions league wages, whilst also giving the appalling board of directors, top dollar, has put Everton, in such a perilous position. Hurry up and get shut!

Jerome, I even got praise off Michael K yesterday, so perhaps he can extend it to you for that last post, mate!

The problem for Everton is moving those players on….which is highly unlikely unless they have an exceptional season and get picked off by the Sky6, who are the only clubs willing to pay those wages. Selling Branthwaite for a trading profit doesn't solve anything and in fact is the wrong strategy as you want the younger better players on lower wages displacing the high earners.

How desperately the Everton Boardroom needs professionals that understand this fast evolving industry. We can't rid ourselves of the stench of Kenwright & Co fast enough.

here are the magnificent 7 according to one source:

Doucoure
Mina
Iwobi
Pickford
Onana
Tarkowski
Calvert-Lewin

Whereas another source has Pickford on 62 grand a week, Tarkowski on 75k and Onana on 85k and only 3 players: Mina, Iwobi and Calvert-Lewin on 100 grand or more.

The best headline when googling Everton wages is : ‘Everton leads the way in tacking low wages in sport' - we certainly do by the looks of it!

The players at EFC know they won't get these wages elsewhere and know we can't shift them on either.

We should have a wage structure. This should include lower basic wages, with win bonuses, goals scored bonuses, clean sheet bonuses etc

The current wage structure is unsustainable and has led to the problems we currently have..

Who found the players and who negotiated their salaries?

Players who want to come in order to improve their careers must be the order of the day, just to annoy Danny “young hungry players”.

How much in salary for minutes played has Mina cost, what about James during his time at the club?

But then we sacked him so that Frank could bring in Dele Alli for 㿔M and the rest is history.

You just couldn't imagine professional management paying this sort of money. 㿙M for Sigurdsson was a sign of the unfolding horror show. A player that had already failed at Spurs. And then Bill buying Rooney and Klaassen too.

And promoting a winger to full-back then to striker. Absolutely stinks of mismanagement.

Behind the scenes and to his mates, I'll bet Dyche is saying "You wouldn't believe the shitshow I've walked into here!"

That's the nickname the PSV fans have given him (lang = tall).

Even for Dutch standards (reputedly the tallest people on the globe) Jarrad is a tall lad at 1.95m.

Taller than me, at 1.90.

Back in the day as a Lincolnshire lad I was one of the tallest in the class, less so when having to move back over here, after the NHS 'mishandled' my mother, leaving my father a widower with 6 young boys, and a very promising bulb company in tatters.

I saw the two goals Jarrad scored in the cup match against Emmen, one was a header, but the second was something else. He made his way from defence with the ball, traversed the midfield, and finally shot from the edge of the penalty area. Really well done, ok Emmen are not a great side, but still.

Last Sunday he faced tougher opposition, the league leaders in Feyenoord, away, in de De Kuip.

The stadium where we had our greatest success in winning the Cup Winners Cup.

Jarrad held his cool, the result was 2-2, he could not be faulted again.

The first time I got to see Everton was in the same stadium, when Joe Royle's Dogs of War faced Feyenoord.

We lost 1-0 and got knocked out in a poor match.

I have been several times to Goodison, taking 3 people om 3 separate occasions.

As others have we would be very foolish to sell Jarrad!

I had to have a look, PSV's highest signing is Mateja Kezman from Partizan Belgrade for 14m euro's in 2001.

Quite difference with bungling Bill buying high and selling low (Schneiderlin) on long and high contracts.

When will common sense prevail?

Our overall management really makes sad reading if only judging by posters absolutely feeling Branthwaite will be transferred out rather than seen by the club as a future asset.

The one thing that might intervene is the possible incoming investment from MSP.

They might give us the financial clout to keep him and from an investor strategy point of view he would very much be seen as someone who could fetch a very high price in, say, 2 years – rather than an okay one this summer.

However, if we don't get incoming investment, I expect he'll be off.

Hopefully the Blues will eventually give you a better experience. They will. They've given me so many emotions throughout my life but the ones I remember are unbelievable and unforgettable.

Sittard and Rotterdam. Those days will come back and you'll get the chance to see them.

Off track but because you mentioned it, I spent a few years in Lincoln and although not in Holland, I was based in Germany in Kreis Heinsberg, very close to the border. Our local was actually on the Netherlands side and our most convenient town Roermond. We visit every year.

Favourite Dutch town has to be Delft. Not too far from Rotterdam!! Lovely place and I'd recommend it to anyone.

It's great to see Jarrad progressing. Let's get him back to Everton.

Bring him home. And let's get Lewis Warrington involved in the first-team squad as well.

Yes, he scored again, and had another good game against bottom-of-the-league FC Groningen. Their new manager bounce was less successful than ours, 6-0 for PSV.

Sterner opposition awaits PSV coming Thursday, Sevilla away in the Europa League.

Ruud van Nistelrooy was singing the praises for Jarrad after the midweek game:

"He grabbed his chance fantastically after the pre-season.
He is complete, he has speed, is tall, can pass a ball well over distance, and is still only 20. He's not the finished article yet."

As an aside, John Heitinga has become caretaker coach of Ajax, after Alfred Schreuder, Ten Hag's successor, was sacked.

Not doing badly, winning the first two games.

A complicating matter could be the possible relegation.

Although Jarrad is optimistic in that regard. He keeps in touch with his fellow Evertonians, he knows how Sean Dyche can get results: From my old team-mates I only hear good things about Dyche.

PSV do not have an option to buy, which complicates the matters for them, as other clubs are now aware of his qualities.

Three clubs had scouts watching last Wednesday: Liverpool, Man Utd and AS Roma.

If we kept him instead of loaning him out, other clubs still would be scouting him.

And the numbers quoted would be Premier League ones. Not 㾻 million.

As in everything else financial with Everton, we need to stay up.

Come the Summer, Jarrad is back in camp. It's certainly possible that none of Keane, Holgate, or Godfrey will want to leave over the next 2 seasons. Tarkowski certainly won't.

That's at least 𧷤k per week in wages.

Might be we have to sell him. Or just put him in the First XI and see what happens with the other three not playing.

If, and it is a HUGE IF this club has any genuine aspirations of being a top flight club in the next 5-7 seasons, then we have to start by tying Pickford down until we at least source a repalcement for him (and no, not an unknown 20-year-old Danish lad, untested in any of the top five leagues).

We need to bed Jarrad in at left centre-back, as the mainstay of the spine, and we have to resist selling Onana come what may...

I can see pigs strapping on flying helmets and goggles now, and the sounds of aircraft being readied for take-off, and the tinkle of cups being put down on saucers...

I doubt very much that any of those three named current players will be playing in the Royal Blue of Everton next season.

Instead, we'll have to make do with hand-me-downs from elsewhere, or 'trust in the kids'...

I would lament the state of the club, but as a few posters have already noted over the last 2 or 3 months or so, the decline of Everton started when Catterick made two mistakes: giving his blessing on getting rid of Alan Ball, and becoming obsessed with Shankly, and the rs from Mordor...

I know we can, and should in all honesty stay up, but I just want Kenwright gone, Barrett-Baxendale gone, and Moshiri out, and kindly leave the keys behind too.

I'm sick of the fact we get excited about finding players, or in this case, as Darren Hind will note (nb: Not a dig Dazza, just credit where due), it was Unsworth who spotted Jarrad, and Marcel who reeled him in.

I despair I really should, but at least we'll get to see a second win this decade at Anfield tomorrow, 1-2 after going a goal down... Never giver a sucker an even break (Klopp), and always keep your foot on the throat!

COYB

I don't disagree with your viewpoint, but right now I've been sleepless for a few nights thinking about tomorrow night.

Let's get that out of the way, because I'm fretting like a puppy in kennels for first time.

I totally understand your point though.

Life's been complicated over the last few weeks by being involved in a car accident. (I was stationary at a roundabout when a kind gentleman behind decided that my car would make a useful set of buffers for his!)

Anyway, I've tried to keep up as best I can, with all the football goings on; but, other than thinking about how we beat Liverpool tomorrow night has been all I can think about, when I can think.

Robertson to score a scraggy rebound goal first, then a headed goal by Doucoure to make up for last week, and the winner by Ellis Simms, getting on the end of a cross, just as his number is being readied on the sidelines, to bring on Calvert-Lewin!

I really do despair of all things Everton, other than trying to get behind the team. I've even been thinking of getting down to the city, to watch the games in a local hostelry, rather than watching a stream on my laptop.

Other than that, for those who want to know the info regards the 'infamous' seven (or in reality, make that nine, like the Nine Nazgul!) Here is the definitive data from Sporttrac;

Everton's pay scale

Now, back to my darkened room, and pain relief. I would actually like the Robertson goal to be ruled out by the VAR for offside… but that never happens at Mordor!

Good wishes, all.

Round of applause from me, as most successful clubs have a 'pay structure' in place.

Personally, all players should be paid a basic rate of pay, enhanced by;

Starting Appearances
Bench Spots
Subbed on/off
Goal/assist bonuses
Saves/deflections
Interceptions
Clean sheets

Other x-factors like defensive headers won or some such thing pay as well.

Win bonus

If you lose, only the goal/assist and save/deflection bonuses count. None of the factor stuff does; plus 5% of earnings goes into the 'fans pot'.

Overall percentage of effectiveness, ie, rather than being paid a bonus to do what you're paid to do, you get deductions for missed passes, needless backpasses etc – poor play in other words.

By doing it that way, the better you play and train and turn up, the better your pay. It'll keep players honest in my mind.

I keep having this debate with friends about how football has changed since Jimmy Hill broke the club's power hold on the players' earnings. I think it can be summed up in two ways:

If you've a teammate who is earning more than 3-4 times your wage, you'd just pass him the ball and say 'over to you';

And conversely, if you're being paid a fortune just for turning up a few times a week, then you're more inclined to let the 'oiks' do all the work...

Just my thoughts, from a simple lad in Lancashire, who should know better.

This is very funny. Assume it's tonight.

You could add that some of these players rarely play and that some of the Directors rarely manage the Club as it should be managed. The really sickening thing is how bare-faced they are about this.

In hindsight I should have gone to the Fortuna Sittard game, I missed out on the 85 team. Though listening to the second half live on Radio 2 was often exhilarating enough! Wow what a team that was.
Couldn't get tickets for the final. :(

I live above Alkmaar, so when Walter Smith's team came for a pre-season friendly, I jumped at the chance.
I struggled to remember the result, a game of absolute nothingness. AZ had started training a week earlier, their fitness helped them to win. 3-1 I think, not too sure though.

Alan @129
Haha, I remember that incident well.
We were sat to the right of you on the main stand, quite near your end.
It was brilliant. In front of us some young lad went absolute nuts, ready for a strait jacket.
Years later, the Feyenoord supporting mate who I went to the match with, started about Everton 'hooligans' singing Ajax, I had to correct him.
He had no idea that singing that horrible dirge was a provocation.
I said to him, why can't you be more original?
I knew the answer to that, Lee Towers, a crane driver in the docks fancied himself as a second rate Frank Sinatra, and scored a hit over here with that song.
Even Celtic use that dirge too...

Jarrad should have recognised now that his future does not lie in Eindhoven.