Ross Barkley

[RaleighBlue]

I didn't want to bring up whether you lot trust Kenwright to give Martinez the money to spend. However you also have to accept that if you don't think he would give him the money to improve the team, then it's also likely that he'd actually want to sell the player because then clearly money to him would be more important than improving the team.

It's certainly a worry.

I think he knows that there would be riots though. Selling Ross and not reinvesting...hell possibly just selling Ross...could well be the match that would see this board off. With Rooney they had an excuse. Don't think they do with Ross. Not unless he runs down his contract and makes it clear that he wants to go.

Selling Barkley or Stones and not seeing the money would see this board run right out of town, I think.

 

[roydo]

Oh I agree there's no guarantees but equally the Spurs scenario was different in that they had a DoF buying players that the manager didn't want. I would expect Martinez would do a far better job with 80 million to spend (50 from any sale of Barkley plus the 30 million extra from this summer's tv money) than Spurs did.

You make an excellent point about the EL and one i hadn't considered. It's definitely a fantastic route for a club like Everton to get into the CL. Honestly and I'm not just saying this, I'd be hard pressed if I was an Evertonian to make a call between selling to reinvest and keeping Ross. The fees being quoted would give you a once in a blue moon opportunity to go and buy three or four top players at 20 million pounds plus a piece.

The thing is, last season we started with 3 draws, (before the loans and Mcarthy came in), played a lot of sides off the park, and looked superb at times. That team, (crosses fingers for Rom), will be improved this summer, certain of it. And we have a few lads coming through into the first team that could make a few sit up and take notice.

Ross is a key part of the side, but not THE key. Yet. How much more satisfying would it be if we achieved CL that way, instead of selling Ross, and start lobbing cash around like Liverpool seem to be doing? We are not scared of any team next year, not one, home or away. The whole club is pulling that way. And Ross is part of it.

 

[The Other Blues]

It's certainly a worry.

I think he knows that there would be riots though. Selling Ross and not reinvesting...hell possibly just selling Ross...could well be the match that would see this board off. With Rooney they had an excuse. Don't think they do with Ross. Not unless he runs down his contract and makes it clear that he wants to go.

Selling Barkley or Stones and not seeing the money would see this board run right out of town, I think.

I've been there so all I can say is that personally I don't think Martinez would be at Everton if he didn't have some assurances regarding investment both in general and in terms of player sales. So on that basis IF Barkley were ever sold then I'd expect he'd want and receive the vast majority of those funds to reinvest.

 

[Deco]

I did£n't want to bring up whether you lot trust Kenwright to give Martinez the money to spend. However you also have to accept that if you don't think he would give him the money to improve the team, then it's also likely that he'd actually want to sell the player because then clearly money to him would be more important than improving the team.

I've read your points and you do make some great ones. However, the emotional attachment to our homegrown players definitely adds to the player's value.

I'm still gutted about Rooney leaving us, and there's no way that the club would've sold him so swiftly if we were in the same financial situation we're in now.

£50m of course would be immensely difficult to turn down - in all honestly I wouldn't be able to justify rejecting that kind of offer. The only saving argument of not selling him at all, regardless of the fee, would be that we're too used to not seeing the funds re-invested.

Either way there's not any doubt in my mind that Ross would develop twice as fast here than he would at City. Despite the world class quality in that side, he is in no way ready to hold a regular place because of the mistakes he makes due to his age and inexperience - and the only way to improve on this is to play week in, week out.

 

[The Other Blues]

The thing is, last season we started with 3 draws, (before the loans and Mcarthy came in), played a lot of sides off the park, and looked superb at times. That team, (crosses fingers for Rom), will be improved this summer, certain of it. And we have a few lads coming through into the first team that could make a few sit up and take notice.

Ross is a key part of the side, but not THE key. Yet. How much more satisfying would it be if we achieved CL that way, instead of selling Ross, and start lobbing cash around like Liverpool seem to be doing? We are not scared of any team next year, not one, home or away. The whole club is pulling that way. And Ross is part of it.

I don't agree that there's anything particularly wholesome about not buying good players. It's a very dangerous game to play, because ultimately you have to convince the players you already have that they can fulfil their ambitions at your club. To do that you have to show them that you won't stand still. Ultimately if you acknowledge for example that you need a top line striker, and that bringing that player in gives you a shot at Top 4, then there is zero reason for Kenwright and co to not already have agreed a fee with Chelsea for Lukaku for example. They're talking figures of around 25 million pounds which is about right for a player of his quality. The added bonus is you already know he fits in.

Not taking anything away from the philosophical argument you make about the satisfaction of doing it without having to sell Ross or without having to spend 50/60 million. I just think there's a lot more to be considered practically in situations like this. For example, you'll be playing EL football next season which historically adversely impacts teams league form. It's this kind of thing which having money helps to mitigate because you need a much bigger squad if you're serious about both competitions and want to do well in them both.

 

[EverBlue86]

I wouldn't get your hopes up tbh mate the papers try flog our best players every week, Coleman, Baines and Stones you will be linked with next. Im 99% confident on Ross signing a new deal the lad posted on twitter "once everton has touched you" and when linked with a move to Utd last season on twitter said he was happy here, he knows he needs to play regular football which he will get at his boyhood club, added to that him saying gerrard has told him to stay at everton and be a legend I honestly cant see him leaving until a few years at least, and by then should his development continue clubs will be talking £60 mil+ and for that fee providing he stays loyal to the club for a few seasons then I would wish the lad all the best unlike the money grabber Rooney looking to leave at the first opportunity.

 

[roydo]

I don't agree that there's anything particularly wholesome about not buying good players. It's a very dangerous game to play, because ultimately you have to convince the players you already have that they can fulfil their ambitions at your club. To do that you have to show them that you won't stand still. Ultimately if you acknowledge for example that you need a top line striker, and that bringing that player in gives you a shot at Top 4, then there is zero reason for Kenwright and co to not already have agreed a fee with Chelsea for Lukaku for example. They're talking figures of around 25 million pounds which is about right for a player of his quality. The added bonus is you already know he fits in.

Not taking anything away from the philosophical argument you make about the satisfaction of doing it without having to sell Ross or without having to spend 50/60 million. I just think there's a lot more to be considered practically in situations like this. For example, you'll be playing EL football next season which historically adversely impacts teams league form. It's this kind of thing which having money helps to mitigate because you need a much bigger squad if you're serious about both competitions and want to do well in them both.

Oh sure, we struggled around new year with injuries, and we will have a larger squad this season. But we wont be selling Ross to pay for it.

 

[Diogenes the Cynic]

I've never emotionally recovered from Rooney turning his back on us. I've never trusted a player since.
So I don't want to jinx this but Ross is definitely going to stay with us and play until he's 45.

 

[The Other Blues]

Oh sure, we struggled around new year with injuries, and we will have a larger squad this season. But we wont be selling Ross to pay for it.

TBH I think it's highly unlikely that City could even afford Ross this summer. Said that when I initially started posting. We've got FFP restrictions and have spent up to our limit already.

Also can I just say thanks. It's refreshing to come on the forum of a team you don't support and get treated with respect, especially as a City supporter because normally it's just a bunch of abuse about the club's spending and it's owners. I'll definitely stick around and post as and when something moves me to!

 

[Baines' left foot]

Do one you Abu Dhabian vultures!

 

[Tubey]

TBH I think it's highly unlikely that City could even afford Ross this summer. Said that when I initially started posting. We've got FFP restrictions and have spent up to our limit already.

Also can I just say thanks. It's refreshing to come on the forum of a team you don't support and get treated with respect, especially as a City supporter because normally it's just a bunch of abuse about the club's spending and it's owners. I'll definitely stick around and post as and when something moves me to!

You stopped "that lot" from winning the title - that earns a degree of respect on here alone.

Although you should have wrapped it up months earlier FFS

 

[FTY]

City have been very quick this summer to brief the media when we've been linked with players who they aren't going after. In particular when we were linked with Sanchez and Fabregas, on both occasions UK journos said they had been briefed by City there was no interest. Conversely with Barkley it's been the opposite over the last week. Simon Mullock at the Mirror and Stu Brennan at the MEN are both reporting that City are trying to offload three of four players to bring Ross in. As I say i'm skeptical but when I read about his contractual situation it did make me wonder. Was just curious as to how Evertonians saw the fact no deal had been signed yet when other important players like Coleman had put pen to paper.

Anyway whatever happens I just want to say that I think the lad is special. Very special. Also think you have a very special manager in Roberto Martinez. Wish you all the best both in the transfer window and in the upcoming season. A lot of rancour between City and Everton around the Lescott transfer, but for me both sets of supporters have always had a hell of a lot in common. We were very lucky as a club when Sheikh Mansour came in and honestly i've always said if there's any other club who I hope that happens to, it's yours. Put the reds back in their place.

Idgaf, he ain't going nowhere yet.

 

[The Other Blues]

You stopped "that lot" from winning the title - that earns a degree of respect on here alone.

Although you should have wrapped it up months earlier FFS

And in turn you finished above the rags with a new manager whilst they finished 7th with your old manager! In fact we owe Everton for giving us the joy of last season. Don't know if you saw the Save Our Dave campaign but it was tremendous. Just a shame they didn't give him another season.

 

[Tubey]

And in turn you finished above the rags with a new manager whilst they finished 7th with your old manager! In fact we owe Everton for giving us the joy of last season. Don't know if you saw the Save Our Dave campaign but it was tremendous. Just a shame they didn't give him another season.

Agreed. I was one of the few on here who saw him for what he was whilst he was still here. Didn't surprise me in the slightest that he led United to ruin.

And yes, that was a smug sentence ^^

 

[ncblue]

And in turn you finished above the rags with a new manager whilst they finished 7th with your old manager! In fact we owe Everton for giving us the joy of last season. Don't know if you saw the Save Our Dave campaign but it was tremendous. Just a shame they didn't give him another season.

I did enjoy that. But I was happy to see him go when he did