The Blues Down Under

The way these sponges are taken care of and wrapped in cotton wool, it's barely surprising that there have been so many shit shows like the Bournemouth one on Saturday.

Always have a mega wage to collect and set up for a lifetime.

I suppose it's different again at clubs where the bar is do high that success is a must but when you have a club like Everton where success is very much off the chart, yet wages are astronomical, I don't expect much change anymore.

If we sent them to Sweden, Finland and any other cold uncomfortable place they would probably have a waiver in their contracts.

We can go anywhere we want, but we'll never be the catch that Liverpool or United are, then there's at least 4 or 5 other English clubs ahead of us.

We couldn't even properly tap in to the Chinese market when we had the national superstar Li Tie playing for us, coupled with a Chinese sponsor at the time.

Make no mistake, it's like the pointless trips to America every summer, another jolly where we see them all on YouTube channels looking ripped in training and playing devastating passing football until they actually get on the pitch in real game time and they look like a bunch of fellas that just got chucked out of the Black Bull.

Look on the bright side. Australia is full of Great White sharks, saltwater crocs, venomous snakes and bite-yer-arse funnel-web spiders. Given how slow many of our squad are, their chances of running away are slim. That's if they aren't swept up by the flash floods first.

I'd make them play 07 Vestur in the Faroe Islands, and I'd make them go by boat and sleep on horsehair mattresses.

I can't see how that helps with current morale for team or manager.

Who's the third game against?

I've seen plenty of occasions across all sports where a situation like this somehow allows something to develop that just takes the pressure off and Waa Laa! – you have a decent team again.

I may be wrong but I read it as a “three-game tournament” ie our two games then Celtic v West Sydney Wanderers, so all teams play only 2 games.

Apart from that, speaking for myself, I'll be glad of the break away from the team, the club and the misery they bestow on us until we face up to them reappearing again on Boxing Day.

A Merry Christmas to the bleedin' lot of them.

So looks like Everton can only lose two games now instead of my assumed three. Things are looking up already!

I hope a few of our young lads get a chance to shine, god knows we need a lift.

Quietly bring the loan players back and leave most of the squad on Bondi Beach (or in the jungle with Matt Hancock).

Can't be any worse come January.

Celtic vs Sydney Fc on Thursday night local time
Everton vs Celtic on Sunday Afternoon local time
Everton vs Western Sydney Wanderers Next Wednesday evening local time

https://sydneysupercup.com.au/

We can only lose 2!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODUCzo1MknY
around the 1 minute mark in this video

Anyway, one of my favourites was"Best of Both Worlds "by" my hero George Best. He talks about a pre-season tour to USA by Man Utd. The glamour, the thrill, the excitement, honest to God I couldn't sleep with the thought that football could open this world to George and even me.

I would guess that the whole tour for every player and blazred official probably cost what one of our lower paid lads would earn in a week.

Actually forgotten the utterly scathing point I was about to make. Oh,yeah came back to me. Jim, Ralph, this trip is probably the equivalent, to them, of Bally and Labone being laboured up and down the Southport sand dunes.

No social media, no Saturdays with their sycophantic mates. Slumming it business Class, strangers ironing their underpants. For fuck's sake, have a bit of sympathy.

So, how did I feel when the Sydney trip was announced? Mighty pissed off! What a stupid idea! Did they not know this place gets a bit warm this time of the year? The forecast for Sunday's game is 30 degrees, and it's now brought forward to 2.45pm, the hottest part of the day. How did anyone think it was a good idea to send the team on almost the longest possible flight, from English winter to Aussie summer - to play in this heat in the middle of a footy season?

In a way it's disappointing that at least 6 of the 'first team' are not coming, but it may be a blessing (although they're mostly going off to other hot places, albeit with shorter journeys and more time to climatise).

But am I going to the Sydney games? Blood oath, cobber! I confess I'm excited, but I dread the consequences on the PL season.

Odds on us finishing last with no goals?

What is the matter with you guys? For all the expats living on the other side of the world, it's a big thing having the club visit and play games. You may have the opportunity to see them every other week; for us, on the other hand, it's once every 5 years or so – mind you, one wonders if that's a good thing...

Gives opportunity to play games without the pressure and blood a few at the same time, so apologies if the kick-off times are odd, but try getting up every week at 4 am to watch the sort of stuff we have had to! Then you can complain!! :-)

I saw Warrington and Mills in the US this summer and frankly was disappointed not to see them given playing time this season. I see no purpose in giving game time or even a ticket to Tom, Mason or Keane unless we've built a time machine to drop them back into Botany Bay 1800.

But I'd be interested to see Tarkowski, Patterson, Mykolenko, Gray etc alongside a few younger lads like Mills and Cannon to see how they do.

I'm 63, have lived in Australia all my life, and have supported Everton since I was 12 (all through my teenage years via Shoot! and the occasional second or third short exerts following the main match on Big Match).

In all that time, other than once on a kid a few years back and the four times I've visited Liverpool to watch us play as an adult, I have never seen anyone with a shirt. As for the Red unmentionables, however, one sees them every day.

Christine, Everton comes with a lifelong health warning. They've put years on my 51 that I've managed to achieve.

Damned if they do, damned if they don't. We want them to project our club and market our brand globally. We complain that they're on a holiday. I'd rather they done this and took the club to those who follow every match from thousands of miles away rather than them sat in the canteen at Finch Farm in their flip-flops on their mobile phones.

Personally, I'm just glad I've got 2 Everton matches to watch and maybe get a glimpse of some of the academy players emerging.

In fact I went to one of the games in Brisbane with Everton playing the Roar, they had a merchandising hut outside the stadium, selling out-of-date shirts and not so cheap tat. Really poor.

"What is the matter with you guys? For all the expats living on the other side of the world, it's a big thing having the club visit and play games. You may have the opportunity to see them every other week; for us, on the other hand, it's once every 5 years or so.''

You may strike lucky, we are due a shot on goal, we normally get one every five years or so.

I've been a season ticket holder when I was able to go religiously to every match, fortunately in the glory years of the 80s. I've been in scenarios where I had to follow from abroad and watch from afar, still religiously. Attending when I was home on leave. I'm now fortunate enough, privileged even, to be able to go and watch the second love of my life more often.

I'm really pleased that the club is taking the opportunity to take the club to those fans and supporters who follow week-in & week-out, as much as any of us regardless of where they are located.

Everton family.

You were blessed to see some great players mate. Alex, Bobby Collins, and, hopefully, the rest of the top players we brought in, courtesy of our best owner/Chairman, shareholder whatever; Sir John Moores.

Gawd bless us, it was real excitement going to the match and queueing up at the Boys Pen for a couple of hours. And then becoming a big feller and going in the ground proper.
Well, we're not so great now but those lads will still be wearing Royal Blue jerseys and I hope they bring back some good memories for you.

Jim, Steve, Ralph, I hope you just enjoy it and our team give you some payback for your support.

Isn't it to seize a marketing opportunity? Nah, surely not.

Enjoy the occasion, Christine, I'm so impressed you know the ins and outs and continued problems of this club from afar. As you said, we do probably take it for granted and even sound joyous this hiatus or break from having to even think about them.

Here's to all our ducks in a row sorted by New Year to give us a glorious second half of the season. Sorry been on nights and mixing with Danny too much albeit on WhatsApp.

Man hugs in the Winslow next time we meet.

I said the second love of my life. The dogs have just looked at me very disappointed and left the room.

I'm looking forward to these 2 matches. I know they're only exhibition fixtures, but it will be good to see some of the fringe players.

Or maybe take a lesson from Brian Clough, who often took his players down the mines to show them how hard their fans have to work in order to afford to watch his team play. It also made these players realize how very lucky they are to be in such a different environment to their fans.

But, hey, I hear our players are moaning about having to fly business class instead of by private jet – just shows how they have completely lost touch with reality. Is it any wonder that some got upset at the fans having a go at them after the Bournemouth game?

Mind, sending them to a place we used to send convicts seems pretty apt as most of these players are stealing a living.

Absolute screamer.

Nightly bushtucker trials. Fans can vote for whoever to fight off saltwater crocs, Great White sharks, funnel web spiders, and Boxed Jellyfish (whatever the feck they are) in order to win a space on the treatment table.

Looking at the pictures of the players in the water on Bondi-Beach, they all looked happy enough, but maybe this is because they don't have a game for a few days? We will see.

Thanks for clearing that up for me, as I initially thought those photos were from the games against Bournemouth last week.

It's probably the class of travel to Australia that caused the players to 'down tools' last Saturday. It gets me down when these players act like spoilt schoolchildren.

I don't know for sure that this is the case, but there always seems to be something outside of the actual football that gives the players an excuse to underperform.

I remember taking them over to Holland for a pre-season camp in a couple of decades ago and having over a dozen seats unusable afterwards because they were covered in chewing gum. I doubt much has changed.

Make the team and the club accessible by opening the padlocks of Finch Farm.

I will make my excuses early, apologies for the repeat, but I enjoy having access to the training sessions on the occasions I visit Schalke. Supporters on the side of the pitches watching the sessions and the youth matches, often talking to the coaches and players who are not involved but are there.

I'm not a fan of the phrase, but aren't we supposedly The People's Club? How about making the club more accessible to the people?

God bless all those Everton fans who travel to Australia and all those native fans who go to the two matches,I hope you see much better Everton performances than we've had the pleasure of seeing!!

It's a jellyfish in a box. You can get it at your local chippy or online

at 'Just Eat '.

This whole episode shows contempt for anyone associated with the club.

No, you are the one who's right. I'm just on a downer with Everton's situation at the moment and, if I lived in Australia, of course I'd be there watching the Blues with the rest of the Everton fans cheering them on.

What on earth have the citizens of Australia done to deserve Kenwright and Barrett-Baxendale forced upon them?

I'm still trying to get over the two trips to Bournemouth last week.

Traumatising.

The A League isn't bad. Neither of the games will be a walkover.

Nearly thrown the telly out the window several times this season, and probably wondering why I've gone to the trouble of getting here to watch potentially more shyte. But then I get my coat on and get moving...

It's always worth going to see the Blues, even when they upset me.

Get down the front at the end. I'm sure the players and staff will come over to the supporters.

Spending money you havent got?

If you hadnt already gone past the point of no return, You have now. There no way back for you now, lad.

The fact that you have come close, but never actually thrown a telly out of the window, demonstrates the instantly recognisable masochistic tendencies of the True Blue.

Enjoy the suffering!

I don't really go on the club website too often, I just use the App on my phone to buy tickets.

Enjoy your trip, Warren, and remember that, if people just went the match for the football only, most stadiums would only be half full!

In all seriousness, there's no way I'd have not gone if the club had given me any enjoyment over the past 20 years — and of course if we had some real good players I would like to see.

The flag at half mast sounds a bit foreboding and grim. Reap what you sow, you could say…

Missing are those at the World Cup, Jordan Pickford, Conor Coady, Gana Gueye and Amadou Onana. Seamus Coleman and Alex Iwobi playing friendlies, Ben Godfrey, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Andros Townsend who are probably left behind as still recuperating from injury, and James Garner and Rondon, but I've no idea where those two are?

Don't think I've missed anyone out.

I read something this morning that said he had gone as well.

Maybe just for the ride?

And Rondon has not even been on the bench for the last 4 games. Was there word he would be looking for another club in January?

Please reassure us you haven't gone to Australia too. We know you like your away trips!

Are you sounding out wealthy potential buyers of EFC in the oil-rich UAE by any chance?

Alternatively, I may have a word with Emirates during the 7½-hour flight about naming rights for the new stadium.

Bought in Sydney!!

Enjoy Dubai. See you soon.

Can only assume the End is Nigh for Rondon if he didn't make the squad for Australia.

Tom Cannon was behind Rondon, Simms and Dobbin in August, he's now back up to Neal fkn Maupay, just shows how shortsighted the loan-outs were (as lots on here said so).

That's on Lampard and Thelwell, terrible foresight and mismanagement.

Amateurish really.

From the news item Lyndon put up about Patterson, he noted the club didn't have to release players for the current round of international friendlies and I think Lampard asked or persuaded Nathan to forego this one. As stated:

The decision was taken to keep the young fullback with the rest of the Blues squad as Frank Lampard attempts to use the 6-week hiatus from the Premier League while the World Cup is on to work with those players not going to Qatar.

Seems sensible to me.

Imagine if we had turned down the opportunity of playing in Sydney. How much invective would have rained down on the club for what would have been seen as a gross failure to promote itself across the continents?

I am pleased we did take up the opportunity and delighted of course to be here. It is great to meet both Celtic and Everton fans who have travelled and a nice antidote to last week's disappointments at Bournemouth.

To my surprise, one of the staff was wearing last season's home kit, and I was able to find this season's home kit hidden away on the racks!!

Shirt and shorts for the princely sum of ٥, yes ٥, that's not a typo!

I lived in Hanoi for 2 years – quite a long time ago. It is the only city in which I constantly had to wear headphones to stay sane. The noise!

It will make a nice escape from those traumatic escapades on the south coast last week.

As you say, John, it's great that the club are actually marketing themselves. The alternative being to lock themselves into Finch Farm? I'm looking forward to these matches more than I am the World Cup.

I've got to go to and watch England v New Zealand today at Twickenham. It's a work / business thing. Corporate hospitality and all. Not my thing and, as I said to my US colleagues, I probably understand less about Rugby than I do American Football.

I understand the club are holding an open training session. How about they do that at Finch Farm occasionally?

I also lived here for 2 years, 20 years ago, now I've retired here.

It's a lot quieter than it used to be, but still as busy.

The Mrs and I will be catching a train out of Central Station around midday to make sure we get to the stadium ahead of the thousands. I don't know what's available around the stadium. Do you? We will be in Row 2, Seats 48 & 49.

Paul (92) Sorry we didn't get to meet. I tried to ring your number when we got to the stadium. I knew I was out of credit but got the same message on my wife's phone. She thought she had enough for phone calls! We are going across to Manly on the ferry later; then to Christchurch tomorrow morning. So we won't be at Wednesday's match.