As for the bid, the rumours have been that we have been interested in Bryam since last summer but the price quoted was too expensive (10m iirc). If that is true then I'm glad we didn't make a bid in the summer and left it to this window. Really don't think this was panicked bid because Coleman picked up an injury.
I agree we possibly could done it a couple of weeks ago, although for all I know that time has been spent agreeing a price with Leeds. However do you genuinely believe that West Ham wouldn't have done the exact same thing as they have this time?
Waiting until the end of the window when there was no chance of that happening might have been better but it is difficult to guess at how negotiations will take - who is to say we wouldn't have run out of time.
I think it very easy on the outside to say we should have been earlier, later, quicker, sexier perhaps with our bid. For once at least the issue doesn't seem to have been the money on offer to either Leeds or the player. However since the primary reason it appear to have been rejected is that the player wanted more game time than we could offer don't think any of it would have made much difference.
On the press side, Martinez made his comments that I quoted at his press conference on the Friday 15th when the bid information was leaked. As you say we could have just left it as no comment but tbh think that is a daft when Leeds were confirming a bid was in, think it better to try and reduce the hype by saying a long way to go but that is a personal preference.
I didn't hear anything in that interview where Martinez said anything about the deal. However it was on the Sunday when multiple reports have him at Finch Farm undergoing a medical and agreeing terms. I agree that we would have been better waiting until everything 100% complete, we're Everton after all! but really don't think the under those circumstances saying to reporters off camera that the deal "should" be done is so egregious.
