catcherintherye
Player Valuation: £80m
I think this is a very pertinent point about the process. It was far from smooth under Bill but you kind of had an idea of what he was looking for. Essentially guys who knew the league, were younger managers who'd managed smaller clubs in the league and people we wouldn't have to fork out massive compensation for. Dyche ticks most of those boxes, while it's fair to say we probably couldn't have got Dyche under Kenwright, we would never have sacked a manager. I suspect if it was "old Everton" we'd have made a move for Chris Wlder from Sheffield United.
Nobody can really tell the motives of Moshiri. This Simeone link (and leak) is a massive swerve ball. It's either indicative of a man who knows there will be drastic changes over the coming months, or is a huge bluff on his part. I am feeling pessimistic and sense it's the latter, but we can't discount the former completely, if a certain unnamed shareholder of Arsenal sold up, we would again be in a strong negotiating position, and all bets are off for the direction of the club.
If it's a bluff though it's a mistake for me. I'd say a majority of people are already underwhelmed and disappointed with our progress since he took over. Evertonians are a romantic bunch at heart, but also quite literal with a strong memory for detail. Having made a big deal of Simeone if we end up with a Dyche level manager (or even a Silva) people will be underwhelmed. He had no reason to say this other than as a last desperate act to get people to numb to the possibility of Allardyce, yet Allardyce doesn't look likely to be appointed within a time frame where it would make sense to pre-empt that with Simeone talk. The two won't see bound together now.
I sense the plan was to see how fans would react. I do think they are being led now, putting stories out and seeing what the response is, which for the most part is negative and then bottling it. This seems to have happened with Dyche, Allardyce and Unsworth who remain options fans seem lukewarm on for slightly differing reasons. The alternative is, as has been suggested the Simeone link was to try and force a manager (perhaps Allardyce) to come to the negotiating table or downgrade their demands. It would seem a silly link if true, as nobody would think it in any way plausible.
What we have though, at the top of the club at least is a rudderless shambles. I understand its better than appointing Moyes, but in many ways it's not. West Ham's board came to a decision for better or worse, went with it, backed themselves and had the conviction that he fans will come around. We are making no decision. If the plan is to give Unsworth time, the use of phrases like "stand in" have done him no favours. I have little doubt they were expecting to name somebody else.
We hear a lot, even from good Evertonians who are very thoughtful (like the guys on EBM) talking about "we need a manager who fits the project" but that will only make sense when those in charge of the club make it clear what the project is. People have inferred we are trying to Dortmund it, but again we have little evidence of this.
So yes I agree with your analysis. It is chaotic and they are desperately hoping Unsworth can get us some good results so he can now get the job until the end of the season, mainly due to nobody being brave enough to make a clear unpopular decision and take the flak for it.
