Jags has been great. Solid pro, decent performer, great at his peak. He may not have been the best on-field captain but I bet he was a role model to the younger lads and he never had any off the field problems.
BUT... he is now on the way down.
I understand people saying we should show more respect etc etc. In a way those people are right. Shouts of "bin him off" and "get rid asap" are not needed.
However, in recent years EFC have had a bad habit (in my opinion) of keeping players way too long. I'm thinking the likes of Weir Stubbs Neville Distin Hibbert Osman Howard etc. we always have to keep these players (who were all decent, not great, but decent in their day) one season too long.
To the point where they are still playing for us and everyone can see they are past it. They are too slow, making bad decisions, getting abuse from the fans, and every week the manager has to spend time in post match interviews deflecting, ducking the issue and this only makes things worse. The fans know they are finished and so does the manager and the player himself. But they won't admit they were wrong to offer the new bumper deal and the player has too much pride to admit he can no longer cut it. This in turn makes the fans question the manager's eye for a player and the player's professionalism. The deflected questions also make the fans feel they're being taken for mugs.
This often leads to a sour ending. The fans are simply glad the player is gone. Not bothered about the replacement, just glad the player is no longer available to be picked by the manager. The player will also remember the club less fondly which has a knock on effect when he is working in the media (giving little jibes where he can) or in management ("don't go to EFC the fans are a nightmare").
In short I feel now would be the perfect time for Jags to move on. He'd be remembered as a good guy who did well for us in times where we couldn't compete with the big boys because of financial restraints. In my opinion he should go back to shef united, his home town club and be a hero once more, in a league where he'd still boss it. Rather than a bit part squad player on the decline.
What also must be remembered (as stated a few posts ago) while he was a good player, he was part of a side that always seemed to lack the drive, snide and determination to win a game when it really mattered. I'm thinking cup games, derbies, prem games away to big sides when key points were at stake. In recent years this has been like a disease at Everton. To stop this mentality we need to get rid of anyone who thinks mediocrity is ok. I'm not saying this is all Jag's fault, it isn't, but as captain and a key player during these years he has to take his share of the responsibility.
