Following the 3-0 victory against Chelsea at Hill Dickinson Stadium a month and a half or so ago, I was left with a real sense that progress had been made this season and that there was a chance of European football returning to Everton What has happened since has left me questioning pretty much everything once again.
Apart from a half-decent performance against Liverpool and a second half against Man City, the rest has convinced me that there remains a fragility about the club and that there is much work still to be done.
I think the injury to Jarrad Branthwaite and a loss of form from Iliman Ndiaye and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has had a major impact. The defeat against Sunderland in particular has now left me believing that TFG have some major decisions to make after next week’s finale at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
A season which felt like we had ditched the worries of the past has petered out to a likely bottom half finish and left Everton fans with a feeling of having to think about looking over their shoulders once again.
How do you even sum that up? 😡
Everton end their home campaign on a whimper 😫
Alan Myers insists TFG must clarify the ‘long-term plan’ with David Moyes
I absolutely stand by my belief that bringing David Moyes back as manager was the right choice, I think any other appointment 18 months ago could well have seen catastrophic consequences. Everton were at a tipping point at that time; which is all too easy to forget now, but nonetheless true.
There was so much to change at that time, mainly the day-to-day culture around the club and undoubtedly that has changed for the better. However, in football you don’t get time to pat yourself on the back, you’re only as good as your last result. Fans don’t want to take a considered view, if they see an opportunity they expect you to take it, and sadly after getting themselves into a great position to push on Everton have failed to do so.
That leaves TFG with a real conundrum. Where do they go from here?
For many years now Everton fans, including yours truly, have uttered the words “it’s a big summer ahead” at the end of May. In my opinion never in the last 20 years has this been more true than the end of this month.
I read with interest CEO Angus Kinnear’s match programme notes and one particular line stood out for me, he wrote: “we value the stability that David brings and the ability this gives the whole club to plan for the long-term”.
The question is what does that long term plan look like? Does it include the manager? And if so, for how long? What resources, as he enters the transfer market in this huge summer, will he have at his disposal?
As manager, Moyes needs to shoulder some of the blame for the last month’s disappointment, knowing him I’m sure he will question himself as well as his players. There are question marks over some of last summer’s recruitment still and a lot more questions about who he retains or not.
What would you say to Angus Kinnear after THAT loss to Sunderland? 😤
Something has to change… 😭
Everton fans need to hear more from TFG about their commitment to the future of the club
I’ve said it before, and I will say it again, we need to hear more from TFG. A programme piece from the CEO will not suffice, I don’t believe we need to hear too much from them but once would be helpful.
I’m not sure how much they are aware but Everton fans have suffered 30 years of underachievement, no silverware and many scary moments, they deserve to know what the people that hold the steering wheel of their club think. They deserve to know what their plans are and how committed they are to future success, because right now the fans don’t know.
This new ownership was, and is, an opportunity to take the club to the next level, and whilst everyone should understand that it won’t happen overnight, there are examples out there that are showing it can be done.
I, like many fans, ask the question all too often, what is it going to take to actually make this club great again? And not just tread water and be happy with avoiding a relegation fight or even the hope for an outside chance of making the European spots. Of course TFG can’t promise this but they, at a minimum, need to explain the direction of travel and where they see it going.
With season ticket price increases on the horizon and a matchday experience which lays a heavy financial burden on most supporters, they need to be reassured that those at the top of the club have a strong hand on that steering wheel.
TFG need to be willing to take, not only responsibility, but also risk when necessary – it cannot be a safety first approach anymore at Everton. In the past, a combination of a lack of real finance and latterly poor decision making has yielded no return, this ownership can’t allow either of those things to prevent real progression. The club has a foundation to grow with the new stadium, this opportunity cannot be allowed to pass by, again.
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