2024/25 Kevin Thelwell

[allen]

Some great insight from iNews.

I can't share the full piece as it's subscriber, but a snippt;

Inside Everton's academy: 'We're building something very, very special'

Mark Douglas gets unprecedented access to Finch Farm where he hears from the brains trust turning the Toffees into a youth football powerhouse

inews.co.uk

Was just about to post this.

Genuinely one of the most heartening things I've read about Everton in a long time. It feels like we have people who know what they are doing running the football side of the operation.

If anyone wants to read it without a sub, I managed to do it in Safari in a private browser tab, then activated reader view to cut through the pop-ups.

 

[GrandOldTeam]

….always been a smooth talker and he’s at it again. Regardless of budget, there’s no excuse for acquiring poor quality footballers. He’s cosying up to FSG like he cosied up to BK and 777.

Folk on here complain about individual players, complain about Dyche, complain about our lack of quality but Thelwell gets a free ticket from most. Always surprises me, must be his words rather than his actions

It's a bit like kids blaming parents for not being able to afford to buy them something.

My view;

He's wanted to sign some players who look good when you think of Kudus, Minteh, Gyokeres. Was Diaz him too?

All fairly opportunistic but relying on things loans, players leaving as part of the deal or clubs accepting nothing upfront.

He's just had to operate with having to sell more than we buy every window, and often buy players from clubs which allow £0 upfront.

Have to reserve judgement when his hands are tied so much.

 

[Billy Dean]

….always been a smooth talker and he’s at it again. Regardless of budget, there’s no excuse for acquiring poor quality footballers. He’s cosying up to FSG like he cosied up to BK and 777.

Folk on here complain about individual players, complain about Dyche, complain about our lack of quality but Thelwell gets a free ticket from most. Always surprises me, must be his words rather than his actions

Personally I've been of the opinion that both Dyche and Thelwell have done a steady job in the circumstances. I'm less inclined to praise Dyche for this season in particular as I don't think he's gone about things as well as in his previous 2 seasons. But I think for both him and Thelwell the circumstances behind the scenes have to be taken into account. And I really don't think Thelwell's recruitment has been that bad. I can't think of many obvious transfer howlers. Even Beto who people complain about has been doing encouragingly recently. And I'm sorry but if you can only be in the market for players with little to no down payment then you are severely hampered. That summer we bought Beto it was probably either him or no one.

 

[Neiler]

….always been a smooth talker and he’s at it again. Regardless of budget, there’s no excuse for acquiring poor quality footballers. He’s cosying up to FSG like he cosied up to BK and 777.

Folk on here complain about individual players, complain about Dyche, complain about our lack of quality but Thelwell gets a free ticket from most. Always surprises me, must be his words rather than his actions

You have the inside track from somewhere im sure mate!

TBH i would be surprised if this isn't a TFG leak - if i was them i wouldn't be happy with him going rouge on this if its not.

 

[kenada_blue]

….always been a smooth talker and he’s at it again. Regardless of budget, there’s no excuse for acquiring poor quality footballers. He’s cosying up to FSG like he cosied up to BK and 777.

Folk on here complain about individual players, complain about Dyche, complain about our lack of quality but Thelwell gets a free ticket from most. Always surprises me, must be his words rather than his actions

Had to make a profit on player sales every season since he's been here for PSR.

No club in the league has had to do that. Not every deal is gonna pan out but at least he's been able to shift then out.

 

[Simon Buttle]

Had to make a profit on player sales every season since he's been here for PSR.

No club in the league has had to do that. Not every deal is gonna pan out but at least he's been able to shift then out.

Yes, because we have been run appallingly doing stupid deals which have cost us long term and also are building a stadium so I'm not sure why fans expected big spending transfer windows over recent seasons, was never going to happen.

 

[Bryan+]

….always been a smooth talker and he’s at it again. Regardless of budget, there’s no excuse for acquiring poor quality footballers. He’s cosying up to FSG like he cosied up to BK and 777.

Folk on here complain about individual players, complain about Dyche, complain about our lack of quality but Thelwell gets a free ticket from most. Always surprises me, must be his words rather than his actions

I hope he’s out the door the minute the boys sign that cheque over to Mosh and him, Dyche and everyone else form this grim era are consigned to history.

Nis Satis, eh? We have been in mediocrity for years and his embellishment over player trading and tight rules are excuses for past mistakes I agree, that shouldn’t ever excuse him from the predicament we find ourselves in today, a third season fighting relegation under his guardianship.

That’s his legacy, not the “maybes”, they are excuses and only cowards use excuse.

 

[hoppy]

There’s definitely reasons for Everton fans to feel optimistic,” Thelwell says,

“The new stadium [at Bramley-Moore Dock] is incredible, there’s potentially new ownership who feel like the right people to me and it feels like they’re going to take over soon, which I think is a huge positive.”

He also added that behind the scenes, work is being carried out so that the new ownership can hit the ground running when they’re in post.

“And then behind the scenes we’ve been working hard to scaffold up and build something so that when that time comes we are ready to be able to hit the ground running.

 

[Lanolin]

Yes, because we have been run appallingly doing stupid deals which have cost us long term and also are building a stadium so I'm not sure why fans expected big spending transfer windows over recent seasons, was never going to happen.

Nobody has expected that, that's literally the point being made.

 

[mahermi1]

It's a bit like kids blaming parents for not being able to afford to buy them something.

My view;

Exactly most of Thelwells signings have been third of fourth choices for obvious financial reasons, he's working with his hands partly tied, similar to Moyes when he was with Everton.

 

[Simon Buttle]

Nobody has expected that, that's literally the point being made.

Yes they have, fans have done nothing but moan about us signing dross because we can't compete in the market due to finance reasons.

 

[Nymzee]

Done some good, some bad. Wouldn’t mind if he stayed but equally wouldn’t care if he quit tomorrow.

 

[Lanolin]

Yes they have, fans have done nothing but moan about us signing dross because we can't compete in the market due to finance reasons.

I don't think that's the same thing is it? People will of course moan if we sign 'dross' but I think the huge majority of fans (including the one you were replying to) are fully aware of the financial situation and were not expecting us to be spending a lot of money.

 

[Eggs]

Exactly most of Thelwells signings have been third of fourth choices for obvious financial reasons, he's working with his hands partly tied, similar to Moyes when he was with Everton.

….it’s a good comparison to make when Moyes brought in the likes of Cahill and Arteta for buttons.

 

[mahermi1]

I would like to see Thelwell get a season with money to spend to get his first choices in, Kudus, Diaz and Co were quite happy to come, Thelwell done his part, but Everton didn't have the funds and were severely handicapped by PSR problems.