Next Man In

Various reports coming out the Bielsa has turned us down.

First choice has to be Pochettino or Tuchel, both out of work, but probably both out of our reach.

After they finish laughing, it has to be Sean Dyche.

Back in the real world, I can't get excited about Dyche. Big Sam II? I remember reading the regular scorn poured upon his massive head on this very site for his awful style of play.

So Nuno The Holy Ghost it is then.

SkySports saying that Bielsa and his coaching staff would cost about 1 million per month. That is rather steep, isn't it?

The more I think about it, the more I edge closer to accepting Sean Dyche as a short term solution.

Gallardo could be an interesting consideration but does he speak English?

We are a poisoned chalice of huge proportions currently but I think he would do as well as some of the ‘likely' candidates being mentioned.

His teams usually work hard and press well which would be popular.

Not sure if Gallardo speaks English but he's a good manager. Dyche certainly makes sense in a practical fashion.

Yeah, he'd save us.

IF he takes over and IF he keeps us up, then we'll never here the end of his desperate we were when he took over and how we should be grateful for existing in the Premier League watching his 4-4-2 Hoofball every week.

I'm from Burnley and I've watched him closely over his decade at my hometown club. He never showed any ability at all to do anything other than play percentage football with 2 statues up front!

He's won 14 of his last 68 league games!! My best mate is a massive Burnley fan who loved Dyche but even he accepts he stayed too long and they were almost all sick to the back teeth of his predictability.

Vincent Kompany has revolutionised Burnley in just a few months and not one their fans would want Dyche back now.

Marcelino is a good call, the fact he turned Bilbao around in a relatively short time has got to make him of interest in our situation. He done well with them in the cups and many of our matches between now and the end of the season are going to be like full on cup ties. It points to him being a very good motivator.

Nuno Espirito has a gravitas and will embrace the job. They're is a lot to be said about the manager and DoF working in harmony together and him and Thelwell are a team.

Dyche would be fired up to prove himself and would get us playing the hard direct football that Big Sam used to get us to the lofty position of eighth. It's probably the most likeliest route for us to get to 17th+.

Any of those three would give us a fighting chance.

We have tried the ball on the ground passing style of football with our lot and failed miserably.

So it would appear to me at least, that our best chance is a more direct approach, call Mr Dyche.

Whoever they choose is going to have to get lucky, but theres 6 other teams that are within 3pts of us.

My concern is what state of mind our players are in, all this hoo ha cant be helping.

An appealing bingo game using words and phrases associated with the symptoms and various theories about the Black Death. Use as a starter or plenary. Get the class to choose their words from the list then read them out at random - remember to die loudly for maximum effect. A fantastic way to get the class engaged in the learning.

We've had the manufactured headlock scandal, the players being chased by some dolts, the signing of a player, that ends up with Spurs, the 'it's not up to me' message followed by "i've sacked him" and the club didn't know it. The players found out via Talksport that Lampard wouldn't be here this week.

I think the current score is DBB 1 Mosh 3 Bill 2 and Sharp 0
Sharp has a chance of opening his account by predicting Everton's heaviest defeat ever, and they all laughed when DBB wrote down her Champions League by 2025 prediction.

And we're bringing back loanees. Clearly the new manager will be told to play the kids if he's short of first teamers.

I would hope that Pochettino is courted heavily and wouldnt mind Corberan who for me would have a similar impact to Moyes when he first came to us. He also has experience in the championship if the inevitable happens.

With all three defenders being capable of providing pin-point 50-yarders, expect to see more goals with a blistering fast new midfielder, if we can get one. Up the toffees!

FFS!!! If we appoint him, I'm done. Never to return as a season ticket holder. What did we ever do to deserve him at our Club again???

If Moshiri employs him again after the clear message sent by fans last time, he is everything negative that people have said about him & worse.

The important requirement is a Firefighter to prevent relegation. Needs must.

Thank you for giving us an informative list of contenders.

The breaking news that Moshiri is officially putting the club up for sale will surely result in a short-term appointment.

Who is going to come with the uncertainty of Ownership, analogous with players who have either come because Lampard was Manager (no more) and potential signings not knowing who they will be playing under?

What an absolute Black Comedy unfolding before our eyes, but not a funny one from an Evertonian's point of view. What a shambles.

"Sentimental and old fashioned approach which has held us back " ? Yeah of course it has. They've probably managed about half a dozen EPL games between them in a decade. They're definitely the problem

Those who have been paying attention, will know that we have gone through a steady stream of managers who have all proved more than capable of, not just holding us back, but sinking us into this mire... I know guys. Lets go down that road again.

I wonder how many times the "sensible choices" have to be sacked or relegated before they become unsensible

The club is a mess inside and out and getting one of the ‘old boys' back who happily bimbled along taking Bill's shilling for years without ever challenging the status quo and without ever doing anything of note isn't the answer. The reality is that they will simply perpetuate the status quo of under-achieving Everton just as they did as players.

Ultimately we need someone who is going to challenge the status quo and move the culture of the club from the loser mentality that have enveloped the entire operation. But more immediately we need someone who has experienced a relegation battle and who has the wherewithal to get us out of one.

We need to hold our nerve and hold our noses to get a short-term fix that retains our Premier League status to allow the club to be sold and the new stadium to be built.

Going in with eyes wide open, Knowing exactly whats wrong with the club isn't any advantage at all.

What we need to do is to keep bringing in people who will be shell shocked by what they find and then say how impressed they are with the set up Then shut up take the money.

That approach has really worked a treat for us.

We need to be all modern...Like.

Arsenal tried the modern approach several times and after years of failure they went for somebody who already knew the clubs inside out Silly bastards are running away with the league now

Whatever the outcome, the club has done the next manager a huge disservice by appointing him far too late in the transfer window.

It is obvious that the dangerous level of incompetence at the is club is making it difficult to attract anyone of quality.

I'm seriously fed up with positing my thoughts on this. From my happy-clapping of Ancelotti (with reservations), to the bewilderment of the idiocy of appointing an ex-rs man (and his wider remit), to the legendary short-list of three, and the volte-face of Moshiri, who crumbled under external pressures..?

Then appointing a man, with a very short CV comprising of ineptitude, and 2/2 strike out rate! I reserved judgement on Frank till the 3-2 Burnley game, then I realised, or sensed, or reasoned, he just didn't have it.

I remember we once had a brief, knowledge share, exchange re Seb Hoeness; but now to be honest, I really don't care whom is appointed, with the caveat that they keep us in the EPL by season's end. Even if it is on a one goal difference, over points.

Thanks again Sam, and good health.

Arteta's changed Arsenal – weeded out the bad apples, bought well, changed the mindset and attitude around the place. And the owners, different to the ones when he was a player, showed patience.

I don't care where the next man comes from, as long as he changes things, brings some competence and is allowed to do his job by those in charge.

By many accounts the board is split once more with Moshiri courting Bielsa, Kenwright keen on Dyche or Moyes and Thelwell preferring the likes of Corberan. Could be all ITK nonsense but sounds horribly plausible!

He isn't successful because he's an 'old boy', he's successful because he oozes competence.

Regards left-field choices, a poster (sorry their name escapes me?) Has been touting the current Freiburg coach, Christian Streich.

I see the Beeb put up an article last week, featuring him. You've probably read it, but I'll put the link here for all;

C. Streich

PS I don't know too much about Adi Hutter, but I'll look him up later.

I know people think we missed a trick by not getting him, but he has said he always had his eye on that job. Besides Carlo was available.

unfortunately Arteta was never to be for us

There has been enough mistakes and mis-spends on both players and managers we need a hard nose Pro to get us back in the ring.

SSN, saying Hassenhuttl favourite behind Bielsa, don't they ever learn ?

The sad part is that this was not thought through by the owner and the board before they fired Lampard. The guy writing for the BBC reckons that part of the Gordon money will be used for changing managers.

It reminds me of the Invasion of Afghanistan. It seemed like a good idea at the time but the end game received little thought.

IMHO, it's time to throw a "Hail Mary" (in American Football terms): Naming Leighton as Interim Manager till the end of the season.

For what we know of Leighton's down-to-earth personality, he might not even accept the post should he be offerred the role. But should he choose to accept, he will bring the following benefits:

1) Other than Seamus, he is the last link to the Moyes regime that brought us the stability, structure, discipline and relatively consistent success. He knows what it takes to forge a closely knitted team spirit and how to demand the best out of players in a quiet, measured yet assertive way.

2) He is technically astute, which has been highlighted a number of times by Don Carlo & his coaching team.

3) Nobody at the club played for more managers (8 in total!) than he did (Moyes, Bobby Brown Shoes, Koeman, Rhino, Fat Sam, Marco Silva, Big Dunc & Don Carlo), which would give him a unique Alchemist perspective on how to mold the team into a Frankenstein. Nobody knows better than him, in terms of the individual SWOT for the majority of the squad.

4) Some of my fellow Evertonians mentioned the need to bring in a tough disciplinarian who can bring constant earful to the players. Like Leonardo DiCaprio said in the movie Inception: "Positive emotions trump negative emotions every time. We all yearn for reconciliations. Catharsis." We rarely see Leighton losing his cool and erupting like a Volcano (even during his voice-out that turned Bobby Brown Shoes against him wrongfully) and his cool composure is needed for a team of misfits to gain back the confidence.

5) Some of the youngsters who are on the fringes of First Team have already played for him, which would make their eventual transition into the First Team even easier. He might be even daring enough to play some of those youngsters, now that we can't even secure a loan signing (Danjuma).

Going with Leighton, what else do we have to lose?

Don't panic, and get in the best man for the long-term, and give him what he wants.

Stop this endless panicky firefighting, otherwise we'll be in the exact same spot in another 12 months.

A few weeks ago Wolves were bottom, they didn't go and get Allardyce or Dyche, they recruited Lopetegui - someone they want for the long-term. Five games ago they were bottom, now they're out of the drop zone.

There is almost half a season left; a miracle isn't required; any self-respecting manager ought to fancy his chances of being one of the four who stay up, when there's only THREE points covering SEVEN teams.

I'm far from convinced that Sean Dyche is the answer, but it counts for something that he is chomping at the bit to get the job. I don't believe that this is purely down to financial gain. I think he wants it to get stuck in and do a good job for us to the best of his ability.

The last ‘meat and two veg' manager hauled us up from near the relegation zone to eighth . The football won't be pretty but we would (in theory) become better organised and hard to play against , pick up the scrappy , hard fought wins necessary to reach safety .

The two players he rooted out were scoring and creating under other managers. It was only when he imposed higher standards that they started swinging the lead.

I would have loved us to have got Arteta. Intelligent bloke with a bit of snide, learned top standards under Pep, worked at a well-run club with high standards throughout. And an ex-Everton player to boot.

Arteta knows Everton. He knows Kenwright. He's way too intelligent to join a club run by these clowns. And Moshiri was too star-struck to look beyond Carlo.

I'd love to see us winning things managed by someone who loves this club as much as we do. But first and foremost, I'd like some evidence that they have the qualities I mentioned earlier, they've gone somewhere else to learn their trade. Catterick, Kendall & Royle all did that.

I think a reality really is needed right now. The reason we are being linked to Allardyce and Dyche is because they're the ones who reallistically might want the job.

Then again, who wants to be the first manager since 1951 to take this club down?

Thanks for that, Chris. A dose of reality and common sense is very refreshing in these days of what seems to be mounting hysteria. You're absolutely right but, looking at the fixture list, it's going to be a tough task and the odds look to be against us but it can be done.

Andrew @69,

I don't get the impression Dyche will worry about being the first manager since 1951 to take us down. He seems to be no shrinking violet and will certainly be more focused on the job in hand rather than his public image.

As an aside,are you the Andrew Ellams, late of Halton College, back in the day?

In a way he's similar to Lampard, great footballer, experienced pro, likeable bloke and seemingly blessed with a football intelligence (at least on the pitch). But these things do not always equate to being an effective manager as we have seen and Baines has even less experience than Lampard when he arrived. I think we need to look beyond personality, club affinity and footballing profile to managers who have actually shown they can organise and improve teams at the top level. The likes of Baines, Ferguson and Unsworth may prove to be effective managers at first team in time but they have not done so yet and I'm not sure now is the time to take a risk on one of them.

It has to be a dour experienced manager.

The club is in crisis, the players are shot, god knows how they all feel, and most supporters have turned on one of our best prospects that we are going to sell before bringing anyone else in.

The club is in a complete meltdown and not in a position to accommodate any manager who thinks he can come in and confuse the players further with mad formations.

And the thought of having a manager who can't speak English just adds to the craziness.

We need the tried and trusted 451 formation with a midfield organised to give us a chance of something in every game.

We still need to bring in a forward and a midfield general to help Gueye.

Dyche (with help from Baines & Ferguson), Allardyce, O'Neill, Pullis. Is there someone I've missed?

This is where we are now. I want to stay up, every other thought, including protests should be left until the summer.

Organisation, motivation, confidence and sanity is what we need.

Get behind our boring manager, the team and every single player. It is the only way now.

That gave me a laugh Paul, but there is a serious side to this.

I can think of at least five intelligent men, who were prepared to put that little detail to one side and take Moshiri's money.
Carlo had only ever been at clubs where he was expected to win stuff and here he was being offered the biggest salary of his life to work for this awfuly nice chap who doesnt expect anything special in return.
Can you imagine Carlo talking to his Mrs after agreeing to come - "You're not going to believe this girl. They're going to pay me 12m a year and are hoping I can get them top six. Better still they wont even mind if I don't manage it".

Football, past present and no doubt future has been littered with players returning to their former clubs and winning trophies. Of course being an ex player doesnt mean a manager will be successful - There are many many examples of them falling flat on their face.

I find it deeply insulting when people suggest ANYBODY would advocate a man simply because he played for the club "or get's it". Do they really think so little thought has been given to the idea ????
This suggestion is usually compounded when they put a load of managers they have only read about on footy websites...Many of them proven failures.

These people (and they are many) will claim that advocating a man simply because they have worked at the club is daft. That would be a reasonable and factual comment - if that was ever the case - but to then go on and discount these ex players for the very same reason shows a closed mind. One which fails to understand the point they are dismissing.

You rightly point out that Arteta received a great education, but he was only taught how to do things at the top. I would argue that anybody who has worked on the coaching side of things at our club had a much wider education. They've worked under two champions league winners. The have worked for two international managers, More to the point they have seen the shambolic boardroom antics at first hand an will be far better equipped to circumvent it.

All those people who dismiss Evertonians as candidates are dismissing the only thing which has ever brought this club success..And by advocating we bring in yet another highly paid outsider, they are advocating the very thing which has only ever brought failure...Brought us here

We've got a few short months to dig ourselves out of this deep deep shit. The task will be made all the more harder if we bring in somebody who doesnt yet know he cant trust his bosses. Somebody who doesnt know the staff he will need to rely on and more importantly, somebody doesn't know which players he can and cant trust.

I hope to God we at least give ourselves a fighting chance

Does that mean an Evertonian is best suited? it would if we had someone in the frame who could do the job. Rooney, Stubbs, Ferguson? Honestly don't think any of them are good enough.

But we need something different, a tactician and well as a motivator, smart use of players, tactics and bonding. Does he exist?

Maybe they aren't good enough Christine, but Stubbs has talked more sense about what is wrong at Everton, over the last few days, as anyone else, and has definitely identified the biggest reason why Everton are in this current position.

Stubbs, with Ferguson and Rooney doing the coaching, or maybe Big Duncan managing, and leaving the training ground stuff to the other two?

It would mean Kenwright would have to leave, and if three isn't a crowd, then massive Evertonians, with a genuine love for the club,might just give us a fighting chance of survival?

On Sam's list, Tuchel and Hassenhutl appeal. Maybe the latter would take the chalice but I doubt the former would right now.

On Allardyce, I've been vocal in the past and recently. He's corrupt and his firehose ran out when he got West Brom relegated. I know needs must, but is that what we aspire to at Everton.

Reset and get his club ready for the future. Not next week. Although next week is important as we go to burst Arsenal's bubble.

Which leads me to the discussion on Arteta. I was sceptical but I'm genuinely pleased for his success to date. I just wonder (and I don't wish this on him) if the master will overtake the apprentice this season.

Obviously not the same, but a Kevin Keegan's Newcastle versus Manchester United moment? I wouldn't rule out City just yet.

I do despair when I see the names of Rooney or Ferguson touted; on what merit, exactly? They are blue? Stubbs is a new one. Anyone can see the problems, but who can solve them?

Lack of ambition, vision, and desire is why we are in this position. I am still believing we can get out of this.

Unfortunately the manner in which he sets up and tries to play bears no relation to that of a number of our previous managers and as a consequence he may not have the players that he wants in order to implement his style.

We have to start somewhere and we can't be going from one extreme to another in proposed playing style!

It will be a distinct advantage if the manager knows the club, the players and the premiership.

That makes for a very short short-list. Let's get on with it.

Not sure which of the managers being considered will be able to do the job well enough to keep us up.

I don't know what role, but he clearly feels like us. Because he is one of us. But his career took him elsewhere, so he isn't as blinded as some and speaks from the heart. He would be great to have in the club that effectively shafted him on health issues. He isn't afraid to speak out, which would strike fear into the heart of the current Soviet-like regime who are ignoring everything that is going on around them and shooting the next poor messenger (manager).

Despite what the club done to him, he came back and is still as passionate about his club as any of us.

I've mentioned it before, watch the YouTube clip of the Hibs fans singing Sunshine of Leith after winning the Scottish Cup under his stewardship. Very moving.

The People's Club? My Arse. Drop that title. They don't understand the people who live and breathe this club. They weren't even at Goodison last time out.

Alan Stubbs's words over the past week have probably been very uncomfortable for some in the Hogwarts corridors of Goodison Park.

Keep going, Alan. You are speaking the truth and giving us a voice.

It's still early days for little Mickey, but I thought his Arsenal team played in a way that reflected Wenger, a lot more than Guardiola, when I watched them beat United on Sunday, and the other most noticeable thing, is how Arsenal have suddenly found a lot of unity, between the players and the fans.

How can Everton find unity, during our darkest hours? Getting rid of one of the darkest characters ever associated with our club (imo) might be just as important as finding the right manager now?

Finn, I genuinely understand your despair, but if a manager comes in and fails then he will have just got it wrong, but I'm sure it would mean a lot more to the people I mentioned, if they could keep Everton up.

Your reply might be Alan Shearer!

So why aren't the club interviewing people who actually want the job ? This a huge part of the problem at Everton we are pitifully slow to act. Probably because there's no real plan in the boardroom about the way forward.

Hassenhuttl has shown himself to be below par he'd be no better than Lampard, that leaves Dyche or Ferguson, or someone not yet mentioned. With pedantic decision making like this no wonder we're on the brink of relegation and we probably deserve to be.

He only signed 2 players after all - Walcott was decent enough without setting the world on fire and Tosun wasn't that bad, he was just never given a proper run of games after Allardyce left.

There's a lot of other managers before and since who have wasted more money on worse players.

If Bielsa does get the gig, Bill will be infuriated when the manager refuses to speak English, and Bill won't be able to make suggestions on who to play, or give his Everton history lessons.

Leaning now towards Corberan, a young dynamic guy with new ideas, or maybe Hassenhutl who had his best players sold from under his nose constantly, perhaps Big Sam could return and grind out some results, take Dyche if he is hungry to get back in, possibly we could prise Arteta if Bill blubs down the phone and gives him the missing Arteta money, a Russian manager which would be popular or an unknown lower league manager who wants to make a name for himself, there are lots of managers in the european leagues we could get, Sarri ball would maybe work, is Villas Boas still alive?

Two things I am sure of-
1) the Director of Football should make the choice or what is his purpose?
2) None of the ex Evertonians should be appointed.

I take your point though, because I would love as many people as possible, to be inside our club, with the heart, desire and application, that Cahill always provided.

He may have a couple of decades or more on me, but I think I could give him a run for his money.

We need to stop this madness now.

Get Dyche in to work with Baines and Ferguson and lets see what they can do.

We have an Arsenal game followed by Liverpool coming up soon. We need as many days as possible to be ready for these games.

Will everybody please wake up, let's have a bit of reality, get back to basics, and get on with supporting our team.

And a couple of sensible signings would help.

They were slower than us. Like our present team on barbs. They took about 15 minutes to cross the half-way line. It was risk-averse instruction football. Any danger pass it back. If necessary, way back.

Both Dyche and Nuno are capable of keeping the team up. But neither will have a monopoly on getting us leaping from our seat or bored bog-eyed and rigid to it.

I'd argue Koeman, Allardyce, Ancelotti and Benitez were here for a last payday or stepping stone to Barcelona. Only Silva saw it as a step up. I'm not sure Arteta willl have seen it as a step up, that's my point on intellligence.

Good point about relative standards. The standards, expectations and organisation of the club is more significant for me - that's what needs to be raised.

And I hope we get in right this time, whoever he is.

So we are not going to be left with much choice. That being the case the question that needs answering by (presumably Thelwell) is which Manager is who is available that hasn't worked here before, is available now, is going to ask for a sensible salary and has experience in the sort of situation we are in.

Straightforward then Sean Dyche. He was doing it more or less for years at Burnley with crap players so coming here he won't need introductions as he already knows them. Problem solved. Don't expect glowing football however. It has to be Dogs of War from now on.

Absolute common sense!

Dyche with help from Baines And Ferguson

Dogs of war!

Just look at our economy, it's been plodding along for the last 10 years with an effective PM or government.

The managers have said it in a hidden way (not a magician / can't work miracles etc).

The players aren't good enough and haven't been for years. The club has been badly run and managed.

I think the phrase is you can't polish a turd. Even if you are a serial European Champion who has won more than most in the game.

Thelwell ‘Anthony Gordon'

Bielsa ‘Great, he'll do - I'm on my way'

Thelwell ‘there is one thing I need to mention'

Bielsa ‘don't worry, I've seen his harlequin kecks and dyed hair, not a problem - anything else?'

He's worked on a shoestring with limited players before and he also has got Burnley promoted twice, so has excellent championship credentials which sadly is an important consideration in our position.

It wouldn't be pretty and it probably wouldn't be popular but it may just be effective. And most of all he would probably take the job unlike a lot of the options on my list!

Get Baines and Ferguson to help

Let's get started today and prepare for the Arsenal game!

“Marcelo Bielsa is the front runner for the Everton job. Everton would like to get this done as quickly as possible. Marcelo Bielsa would like to come in, and take the players to warm weather training. “

Source: (@VinnOConnor) Liverpool Echo

I wouldn't send either of them for a bag of chips.

He's an interesting manager but a strange choice for us at this moment.

Surely they know Bielsa's modus operandi, so why on earth are they pursuing him? Or are they pursuing him at all, as we've only got the media's word for it.

He is with out a doubt the worst person that could be appointed at this time and with this squad of players in my opinion.

I'll be back on form ahead of Arsenal!

I wasnt suggesting you were playing the binery game, but there is a lot who are. You don't even have to leave this thread to see that.

When I hear people dismiss suggested names because they are inexperienced. I wonder where they have been for the past five years ? Have they only just arrived at this shit show ?

A steady stream of vastly "experienced" managers have taken it in turns to oversee this long and painful decline.

What earthly fucking good has "experience" done for us ?

We don't need a Rinus Michells, or a Pep Guadiola. We sure as well don't need another Carlo. Survival is the name of our game.

I don't want another "experienced" manager who is only here because Moshiri has made him a multi millionaire. I want somebody who will do it for love. Not money.

I want somebody who will put his heart and soul into this club. I want somebody who will get the entire club pulling in the one direction. Somebody who can get the players putting their heart and soul into the effort too.

We need somebody to unite this club. Does anybody seriously think that is Dyche ? If he was appointed at 2.00 today. This place would have completely melted by 3.00.

The first sign of a bad result, would have the fans all over him.

I despair when people claim none of the Evertonians mentioned have what it takes. How do they know ? All we can know is that all the managers chosen instead of them in the past didnt have what it takes. Thats now a proven fact

Disaster may not be averted anyway. The dice have to be rolled

Everton unfortunately will be in the same category as Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Derby County etc.

It happened to Newcastle United in recent past history and supporters should use Newcastle as a bench mark for the recovery of the club.

Unfortunately I am in my eighties and will not see the recovery.

So experience is unnecessary and it's about love? Why don't you just do the job then yourself? I love Indiana Jones films so based on your wisdom I am going to show up in Hollywood and tell them Harrison Ford's experience is unnecessary and his wage exhorbitant as I will do the role for love.

The game has moved on from the old days of sandhills and trying hard. It's much more complex and scientific in terms of prep, training etc. That's why you need someone who knows what he is doing and not just some Forrest Gump heart on his sleeve type.

I'm in my 70's & been a season ticket holder since the 1960's & over the years I've seen both the best & the worst. So I'm a bit bewildered with all this sniffyness about the football credentials of the likes of Dyche & to some extent Allardyce, (albeit I wouldn't want Allardyce as my BFF). Because we've been served some dross over the years & certainly a lot worse than their teams have played. But what they do possess is the pragmatism & intelligence to just play to their strengths & use the tools at hand to dig out results.

In fact, I sympathise with our younger brethren, (my 2 sons among them) who've been subject to some mind numbing stuff over the past few decades, and although it gall's me to say this because he wasn't one of my favourites. But in my opinion you have to go back to the latter days of David Moyes & the Baines/Pienaar/Arteta/Cahill/ Coleman combinations & 2 touch football, for a period when we were served positive consistent quality football.

So let's not rewrite our recent history, that we've been treated to the sort of exciting attacking football that defined us as the School of Science, under the likes of Messrs Koeman, Benitez, Martinez, Silva, Lampard & even Don Carlo, and kid ourselves that sideways, backwards, 100 passes before we get to the halfway line, (that's if we actually get that far & don't give the ball away) qualifies as scintillating football, then I've been watching the wrong game for the past 60 years?

So let's not get to sniffy & cut the likes of Dyche & Co a bit of slack, as we can't afford to be too proud in our current predicament, because they're precisely what we need.

Footnote: BTW if reports can be believed, my vote goes to Kevin Thelwell's preferred choice, Carlos Corberan the ex-Bielsa assistant. Because what he's achieved to date in turning things around at West Brom in a matter of 3 months, can only be described as truly remarkable & precisely what's needed here. Just putting it out there 🤷‍♂️

I suggest you and I throw a joint bid in for the job!!

On a more serious note, survival is the immediate and obvious objective. They will break my heart if they didn't do that.

But then after that we need to consider our strategy.

Manager wise, I just don't have a clue who will be next. Like you, I just want someone who is competent and cares about this club as much as I do.

That is a challenge because I wake up in the night thinking about Everton.

He did a pretty decent job for me and we were in a better position under him than we are now. I think he could have given us long term stability and built a team if we had given him longer.

He didn't really have chance to do any of that with being here such a short amount of time. I know it's a while ago but he showed he could do it when he was at Bolton.

When two former players were asked to take the hot seat and stop the slide down the table. They did it for no extra money.

Of course anybody would want paying if they took the job for a longer contract (say 6 moths), but they wouldnt be here ONLY for the Moshiri Millions. They would do it for a lot less than the others because they love the club. I think they proved that. Dont you ?... Can you say that about all those managers who failed so miserably ?

Carlo saw his team slide down the table and he was unable to arrest the fall. If anything, we have a worse team now. What makes you think he could arrest this slide ?

Unless of course he has joined the magic circle, taught himself to pull rabbits from his hat and now believes that he IS a magician.

Danny

I would be up for that. as long as we had Rob Hal standing behind us when we delivered the team talk.

If you want success, loving the club as much as fans isn't important. There was a recent study that found that 15 percent of CEOs (eg, successful people) are clinical psychopaths. People incapable of love.

Robert Oppenheimer the man who made the nuclear bomb was a psychopath with no friends who attempted to murder his best mate. Other people including Steve Jobs, Mourinho, Zuckerberg, Tiger Woods, Stalin, etc have been described as narcissists or sociopaths by people in the mental health field.

None of these people are capable of love but they are successful. That is what we need.

Allardyce did take us up the table but we weren't in freefall when he arrived. In fact, the number of points per league match achieved by Allardyce is the same as Unsworth was already achieving. This was despite the fact that Allardyce was far more experienced, had a lot more time to work with the squad, and benefitted from new signings mid-season.

Perhaps they'd got as much out of that squad as anybody was going to. If so, that's possibly an indicator of the ongoing issue of squad quality, or the lack of it, that seems to have affected a succession of managers.

You can always be confident of one thing with Everton.

They will do the opposite to what they should do.

Utter Madness.

Need someone who knows what he is walking into. Someone who can take the pressure. In fact, given his unpopularity with parts of the fanbase, could be useful if he was taking flak rather than the players.

Need somebody pragmatic. Am convinced that if Frank had played DCL and Maupay together, and just focused on getting the ball to them, we would have scored more goals, got more points and he'd still be manager. But, I don't think Frank ever tried that once.

As for Sam, I still smile when I think of the point we got at Anfield in December 2017 and the chant that went up at the final whistle from our end:

"One-one, and we hardly touched the ball."

But whoever becomes manager, and whatever players we have, if we want to stay up, we should support them.

Whoever it is, do it fast!

"Speak softy but carry a big stick" as someone once said.

But I don't care. I will follow this team and club just as I have done all of my life just as you will do.

I can't not love Everton. I travel the country watching and urging them on.

Much to the dismay and confusion of my family.

They question me. But they can't change me.

No-one ever will..

He should have been given the job when Carlo left. I don't see him coming back unless it is as manager.

They know that deep down if the likes of Koeman, Ancelotti, and Benitez could get things going, then they won't be expected to over the short-term which is what Everton need at the moment. Eighteen games to start getting some wins that will keep them up is the target.

Sadly they continue to dither in the transfer window which obviously means they cannot compete financially unless they sell.

They could have capitalized early in the season with Gordon but for some reason held on to him and his form became so-so like many others.

Spurs offered more money and were a much greater attraction to Danjuma so that was a bust.

Regardless of where they are at the season's end I believe Pickford will go.

Moshiri is full of bullshit so things are only going to get worse and that's the bottom line!!

I guess that approach will at least get rid of the other 85%... Speed up the selection process.

Still, I think it will come as great comfort to all Evertonians to learn that what They've been watching for the past 10 years is "Complex and scientific"

Jeff #23, because you're not on a fixed term contract and have a one month's notice clause.

Maybe he'll use the same tactic at finch farm.

I was thinking we need someone like Alec Baldwin in Glengarry Glen Ross. Imagine the players doing their usual pat on the back, glib, waive at the camera half-arsed kick-around for EvertonTV, then:

"Coffee is for closers. Bad news: You're fired. Good news: you've got 24 hours to earn your jobs back."

But on second thoughts I think your idea of the hand grenade would spark more of an immediate response. Especially it might allow us to see how fast some of these guys can really run.

Lyndon ahead of the tea lady?! You creep!

The complex scientific approach has been delivered by nice guys. Folks who "get us," who talk about ice incubators and dreams, fellows who Coleman liked cause they always asked about his family. We need someone utterly ruthless. Someone to strike fear into the hearts of men so they dare not return to the dressing room without a win. Someone who can make a ref melt just by glaring at him. No more babying 24 years olds as "promising youngsters." A psychopath.

Unfortunately not

Who will unite us? Frank's results were poor, yet from up here, he appeared to be popular. Allardyce got us to eighth, yet seemingly united us because most of us disliked him from the off. I think people would really want Ferguson to succeed if he got it, but your argument about Dyche and a few bad results would probably extend to Ferguson and everyone else at the moment.

I don't think we need a 'saviour' right now, just someone who can organise, motivate and have the players playing to their strengths.

That's not much to ask, surely? There must be someone out there who can do that?

He wasn't but he's been on a charm offensive this week talking about how much he likes Moshiri and offering his ideas on what he'd do, whilst also saying "if they wanted me they'd have called me by now," which is precisely what he said last time after we were linked with him then hesitated. With our squad, he might be a good fit. Tall, slow, limited footballers at center back. A Tall forward who is good in the air. Midfielders who can't do much other than tackle. If he could get Pickford on the same page with long balls to Gray, and teach someone how to take corners or free kicks he could carve out half a dozen boring 1-0 wins with this crew.

A holy trinity of Ferguson, Stubbs and Rooney. Bit of fist-pumping for a couple of games, and then this crew would down tools.

The 3 of them would be tactically brain-dead. And wouldn't Kenwright love that triumvate on the bench.

Nah sorry but I'm afraid that wouldn't work.

As most of them speak English, would it not be sensible to hire someone who has a really good commend of the English language?

Bielsa doesn't speak English which, IMHO, just adds to the mountain of problems the players seem to already have in following instructions.

Marcelo Bielsa tells Everton they're too slow and must sign new pacey players this month – especially in defence – if he is to replace Frank Lampard and implement his high-energy playing style

That's frightening.

Hopefully Mina as the sole Spanish speaker in the squad can translate. That's if he heeded Marco Silva's warning to learn English himself.

It's been widely known, and so much repeated, on multiple platforms, that Bielsa speaks English.

He chooses to use an in public with the media interpreter to guarantee that his words are not misinterpreted.

That is just part of how much he cares about the details. He doesn't want to be misinterpreted or misunderstood. He speaks English, but not as fluently as his native tongue, so would prefer to use a professional interpreter to ensure he can say exactly what he wants to say.

666

If Duncan is available and willing, then give him the job. Else, see if Carsley fancies a crack. Else give it to Tait, let Baines step up to U21s and give the U18s to Seamus. Tell whoever takes it that we want youth stepping in and up.

Bring back Branthwaite and Warrington. Tell Newcastle's 㿔M winger (Gordon) he's going absolutely nowhere till summer, but offer him a proper wage without forcing an extension on him to do so. If he doesn't want it, enjoy the U21s, Tintin.

If we can ship out Keane, Mina, Holgate, Doucoure, Begovic or Maupay for reasonable money, then do so. Any option of cancelling Vinagre or Coady, then get rid too. Promote fringe youth to the first team properly.

Let's just be Everton. Ex-players were never our problem, it's always been Kenwright's mismanagement that is. Let's get back to being us. If that means QPR or Sheffield Wednesday games, and 44 games a season, who frigging cares? Got as much chance of winning a league or cup there as we do in the Premier League anyway.

Pickford / Leban
Patterson / John
Tarkowski / Welch
Godfrey / Branthwaite
Mykolenko / Samuels-Smith
Onana / Warrington
Iwobi / Price / Davies
Gana / Garner
Gordon / Mills
Calvert-Lewin / Simms
Gray / McNeil

Most of the left will go in the summer if we go down, and they can have that legacy if they wish. Anything less than a 7 out of 10 and start playing the right-hand list ready for next year. There's still a future for us, but not if it's built around managers demanding 㾷M a year, and knobheads like Danjuma who come only because they think their choice is limited.

Eleven Usain Bolts before the end of the transfer window then!

Apparently Duncan Ferguson is taking over at Forest Green

The board, even if they were confident in Lampard turning it round, surely should have planned his for his potential exit.

Even after the relegation survival act, a reasonable board should have thought, 'lets prepare, just in case'. That's what all businesses do, or should do - back up plans should things not go to plan for whatever reason.

Especially as the season progressed, especially after the Bournemouth debacles, the board should have been making a shortlist and making initial contact, in the case of things not going to plan.

But alas, it seems not. It seems the board sacked Lampard, set a meeting and went 'sooooooooo, any ideas?'.

The focus should absolutely be on next season and a promotion push, along with making the club financially sound.

If we make the right decisions now, we can be back in this league before we know it.

I'd take these two until the end of the season,it needs to be done in the next 24 hours to have at least a bit of time to get bodies in, by hook or by crook.

Plenty of points still to play for. We ain't done yet.

Next week we will have a new manager, a better one than Frank Lampard, and a couple of new players. We go and fight for every point and will never give up.

We need to make a statement to the other six clubs in the mix, that we are Everton and fighting for it.

We have paid some heavy dues Fuck Murphy the central limit theorem has to kick in at some point; Everton is not this shitty just the ones in charge.

A lot of people are hung up on points tallies seeking 38 or 40 to be safe. But as of now 31 points might be enough to survive if teams keep on the same trajectory.

Bar a miracle that we try some of the young players and they are actually good, then this is going one way, and like Man City in the late 90's this might only be part 1 of the shit show.

Weirdly, as Rob # 189 says, we're not done yet though. It is possible that we stay up. Unless Moshiri finds a buyer, however, that is probably another stay of execution like last season before the fire sale of Pickford, DCL and Onana.

Where there's a chance there's hope, I guess.

We are nowhere near relegated. We are in the fight. We just need to fight. And we will.

Not sure buying players from relegated teams has been our biggest problem<...perhaps more so buying quality players generally.

Every team in the bottom half won't win every week, and at the minute they don't have an overwhelming advantage over us. Until, it is mathematically impossible, we live to fight on. Take it a game at a time, it'll be difficult enough, without all of us posting how it is inevitable, but I do agree, we've let more than a few fixtures against fellow stragglers, go by where draws would have helped our plight.

Games away to Forest, Leicester and Wolves, depending on how we are performing could see victories for us, but more importantly we have to make Goodison a real bear-pit, even against the better sides, because a few home wins or perhaps a single home win, will give the players some confidence.

In the immediate aftermath of the Hammers game, I was resigned to going down, that was because we had messed up in so many games against the clubs in and around us, but we just cannot surrender, even if logic says its a futile battle. Football isn't at all logical, and that's what makes it interesting.

Simple and sensible

Let's get started tomorrow and prepare for the Arsenal game!

So what does this tell you about all those teams around us? They are certainly no better than us if they haven't managed to pull away from us, and leave us totally stranded in the Bottom 3. One lousy win is all it will take to get us going again, and hopefully climb to safety.

We have given ourselves a better chance of staying up this week. Let's see what the next few days bring.

I think we could have turned it around after Wolves if we'd have sacked Lampard right away. For me it was the Southampton game, that really was the last chance and we blew it.

Looking at the table and the number of points to safety is misleading. We need more wins than there are winnable games remaining. This squad isn't getting anything away from home, and isn't getting anything against a decent side regardless.

● The new manager and how the players react to him.
● How many points Wolves, Southampton and Bournemouth acquire compared to us?
● We – (the fans) don't lose the dressing room. We have to be careful on that one.

Regardless – I want a manager that gets our players as fit as a fiddle, and can get the Goodison crowd off its seats.

I didn't say that, the interpreter got it wrong.

Reading some comments (from Twitter & elsewhere) from West Ham fans is an amusing read. It shows a pain so many of us have felt.
He STILL can't win against the ‘top' 6
It defeats him as it ever has. It's a comfort to us now, as we now have a team that recognises the NSNO motto. #UTFT