definite possibility - but it could also be the thing which helps us finally break the top 4 barrier. we've been competing just below that line now for a good few years on pretty much a negative spend. a couple of shrewd signings to go with the crop of youngsters we seemingly have coming through and i just view it as an opportunity to make the next step. we were never going to do that plodding along with £5m being spent here and there, whilst all the other top 7 clubs were spending £50m+ a summer. us being able to spend £35m and them spending £80m works more in our favour i believe.
anyway, time will tell, i'd prefer to look on the possible positive side of things rather than possible negatives.
we look at our squad now and we have three sellable assets in stones, barkley and lukaku who could all be worth north of £50m. although those teams you mentioned could bridge the gap - they don't have nor can they yet attract players of that quality. Their improvement will also hopefully make the league even more competitive than it is, bridging the current gap between the top 7 and the rest.
The resistance to Chelsea and the appalling way they tried to lure John Stones away was indeed much needed, not only for Everton but for football in general.
The signing of younger players with (presumed, hoped for) potential to bolster a squad that has in general terms got younger since the arrival of Martinez will hopefully see the manager able to mould a team to play more along the lines of his first season than last, and for a number of years to come and hopefully see us genuinely challenge for some silverware/Europe.
If he can achieve a return to that level of play and improve further upon it, then the 'sellable assets' of Stones, Barkley and Lukaku should be less tempted to seek moves away from Everton.
Further sensible and obviously needed squad reinforcements will need to be made e.g. goalies, playmaker, another striker, but as we can't compete with the you-know-whos with the big bucks, scouring the market for lesser known prospects - with the odd big price-tag signing - may need to be the order of the day for some (considerable) time.
We need to trim the squad of the aging, injury prone - don't really like to use the term deadwood, but in some cases, that cap fits - players and use the saved payroll expenditure to secure further any wavering youngsters, then from a playing perspective, the future could indeed by very rosy.
The stability and performance of the team is paramount to engendering even stronger loyalty and support from the fan base, but the fact remains that however the current board operates needs to change, investment or even a complete change of ownership/the board is massively needed, and someone, somehow needs to get off the pot and pi55 in regards to the monkey on our backs - redevelopment of GP or a new stadium.
None of this is easy, there are no simple solutions, and there does not appear to be a billionaire Evertonian out there willing/able to do for us what Abramovich and Sheikh Mansour have done for Chelski and Man City respectively - I wish there were.
First things first, let's make GP truly loud, proud and hostile next Saturday, send Jesse and the rent boys home beaten, humiliated and humbled, and then continue trying to move forward.
