Ross Barkley

[Tubey]

Not one bit. Barkley has talent and everyone wants him to stay, but him and his agent are forcing Everton's hand, it's a simple as that.

He has a contract in front of him and he's given no indication on what he's doing, the club need to plan for the summer and if he's not giving answers then there unsure if they need to recruit for him. So it's simple, sign or get out so I can replace you

Reidy nailed it last night, bin them both off in the summer and get players who want to be here

Well, exactly - and that's the issue isn't it. Koeman hasn't come out and said the same things about Lukaku/Raiola despite them being the same, if not notably worse.

That's the hypocrisy. Replace the word "Barkley" with "Lukaku" and it's the same thing, being dealt with an entirely different way - and I don't buy for a second that the length of the contract is why.

 

[Toffee-nerd]

Fair enough.

But if you are paying top dollar, you need or at least want top dollar input. His form over the last 2 years has been far from that at times.

If you pay Barkley that, it's only a matter of time before every other under performer starts making demands, not really a good idea is it?

I think his input has been pretty good tbh. Therein lies the debate between us to what he's worth to our club. For me he's been our second best player behind lukaku, has the ability to make the difference in games and potential to improve his game and become a top top player for the club pushing us on to win things. Others see it differently so it will play out however it plays out. Hopefully being an evertonian does actually count for something in this day and age and he just signs what's in front of him.

 

[Barnfred 55]

I agree in principle mate, but at the end of the day, we've relied on the Barkley-Rom combo for four seasons now and it's not done anything special for us.

I'm not saying that's cos they aren't good players - quite the opposite is clearly the case - but sometimes, change can be a good thing for all involved.

IF they both leave,it'll be a blow, and Moshiri and co will have to step up and make sure we're stronger when the window ends, but this type of thing happens in football. If they (and in Barkley's case it's a bigger if than Lukaku's) they aren't convinced about staying - for whatever reason - then fine. Off you go.

With Ross, due to his contract running out, he'll have to be sold. Rom, we can afford to keep unless somebody meets his valuation.

We have two good offensive players. All the other top sides have at least 4/5. You cant expect the 2 of them to do it all in their own, but thats exactky what we are doing.

 

[Thomasc]

Well, exactly - and that's the issue isn't it. Koeman hasn't come out and said the same things about Lukaku/Raiola despite them being the same, if not notably worse.

That's the hypocrisy. Replace the word "Barkley" with "Lukaku" and it's the same thing, being dealt with an entirely different way - and I don't buy for a second that the length of the contract is why.

Jesus! Lukaku has 2 years left, do keep up!

Barkley can negotiate a free from January, we have to sell him now if he isn't signing.

 

[tommytowne]

Bollocks

He gets asked questions about Ross Barkley in almost every press conference and answers them, truthfully which you hate.

Check the back of your head for buttons again, you may have missed them

.lol

 

[thebluenosebolt]

Well, exactly - and that's the issue isn't it. Koeman hasn't come out and said the same things about Lukaku/Raiola despite them being the same, if not notably worse.

That's the hypocrisy. Replace the word "Barkley" with "Lukaku" and it's the same thing, being dealt with an entirely different way - and I don't buy for a second that the length of the contract is why.

Koeman has already said that Lukaku has 2 years on his contract so no major rush, Ross has one ?? Not hard to see a huge difference there.

 

[banno]

Considering the amount we've paid in wages to no mark players like Gibson, kone, pienaar round 2, cleverly and niasse over the last 12-24 months I really don't give a hoot how much we pay our best players as long as we keep them and improve its not my money. And for a club that keeps saying we have money I wouldn't have an issue if we offered him 150k a week as long as its sustainable which, let's be honest, should be with the tv deals. No issue at all.

Creates a knock on effect. Every player will be wanting similar. If Ross was offered 150k per week I am sure a few players would be wanting parity considering how Ross is not a finished article by far yet.

 

[Tubey]

So Koeman isn't speaking on behalf of the club?

Of course he is!

He is letting the fans know on behalf of the club that they have made the guy an offer and he does not want to take it.

Not another one just using it as a stick to beat Koeman with are you?

Ha no... I'm a fan of Koeman, just not a blind loyal zealot. I can recognise mistakes.

And yes, he technically speaks on behalf of the club at press conferences, but in reality he speaks for Koeman. He has an ego - he goes off script. The treatment of Barkley is Koeman deciding to hang him out to dry in my view, and it is ego over practicality. There's nothing to be gained.

Look at it this way - if we knew nothing about all of this (which would be the case if Koeman had shut up and been professional), then if we did have to sell him in the summer, he or the club at that point could have said he refused a contract. The end result is the same - player sold, fans told exactly why - yet the approach is infinitely more preferable.

 

[nsno-chris]

Well, exactly - and that's the issue isn't it. Koeman hasn't come out and said the same things about Lukaku/Raiola despite them being the same, if not notably worse.

That's the hypocrisy. Replace the word "Barkley" with "Lukaku" and it's the same thing, being dealt with an entirely different way - and I don't buy for a second that the length of the contract is why.

If Lukaku was in the last 12 months of his deal and was messing us around then I think you'd see exactly the same view.

Rom has told us he's not signing, that's boxed off now. The club and management know their stance, they can plan and negotiate his sale.

Barkley not his representative have not told the club a thing, there's just a contract dangling. Have the decency to say "you know what, I'd like to try a different route. I'm going to leave in the summer"

 

[Khalekan]

Any outside observer or player looking in would see Stones, Lukaku and Barkley departing as a massive vote of no confidence for what's shaping up here at Everton.

I loathe these developments in the past 12 months or so. The departure of players of this calibre by their own choice speaks volumes.

Moshiri wont spend out on the squad and is here only for the added value to his shares that a stadium (paid for by the club, not him) will give; and he's handed Koeman the sale of the primary assets of this squad to use for transfer fees and wages.

Anyone who doesn't see this con-trick need their heads feeling.

To be fair Dave, Stones wanted out long before Moshiri and Koeman arrived......look at the saga the summer before last and the sulky performances in the latter half of last season.

Ditto Lukaku...whom had been mouthing off for yonkos and downed tools after the Chelsea cup tie.

The Barkley situation is depressing as never in a hundred years did I think he would want out.

And then there is the Deulofeou situation...sheer madness that a lid with his talent and untapped ability was shipped out on loan halfway through a season and at a time we were struggling.

Barkley and Gerald, unlike Stones and Lukaku, seemed to revel in being Evertonians yet it looks like both might be gone by August.

 

[Tubey]

Koeman has already said that Lukaku has 2 years on his contract so no major rush, Ross has one ?? Not hard to see a huge difference there.

I've just said I don't buy contract length being an issue. Koeman has gone on about players 'wanting to be here' in reference to Barkley, but hasn't said a peep about Lukaku who definitely wants out given he refused a contract. That is pure hypocrisy; there's no debate to be had on that.

 

[Eggs]

...I remember Moyes saying Barkley couldn't be given any responsibility which is largely why he struggled for game time when Neil Warnock had him on loan. Then Martinez came in and told Barkley he didn't want him to play with any defensive responsibility, no running back or closing down. Koeman won't have that, he wants more from his players and he made that clear.

Managers have different approaches, there's more than one way to skin a cat so let RK get on with doing it his way.

 

[ToffeeTim]

To be fair Dave, Stones wanted out long before Moshiri and Koeman arrived......look at the saga the summer before last and the sulky performances in the latter half of last season.

Ditto Lukaku...whom had been mouthing off for yonkos and downed tools after the Chelsea cup tie.

The Barkley situation is depressing as never in a hundred years did I think he would want out.

And then there is the Deulofeou situation...sheer madness that a lid with his talent and untapped ability was shipped out on loan halfway through a season and at a time we were struggling.

Barkley and Gerald, unlike Stones and Lukaku, seemed to revel in being Evertonians yet it looks like both might be gone by August.

Good grief man. Putting Deleuofeu in the same bracket as Lukaku and Barkley is like saying Marcus Bent is in the same class as Latchford. Deleuofeu is irrelevant to this discussion and unsurprisingly we improved massively since he's been binned off.

As for Barkley, he's not doubt been offered a very reasonable contract. I suspect the money like is a convenient excuse for him because he hasn't the balls to tell us he fancies spurs. He needs to grow a set right now and answer the question. If he goes well miss him, but it's his loss.

 

[Eggs]

...Peter Reid isn't a fan;

http://www.[Publication is blacklis...scathing-attack-everton-ace-manager-comments/

 

[wainy]

You get the club you deserve I suppose.

Count me out of a hard nosed, confrontational owner-manager style. In any case, you only pull that trick off by having owners and managers with impeccable success. We have neither. An owner who's invested zip so far into this squad and a manager who hasn't won a 'kin bean for a decade.

Sound. You seem hell bent on giving Moshiri down the banks at every opportunity. I don't know your opinions on the Kenwright or Johnson regimes but find your views to him incredibly harsh. The man's invested more than the fraud that is our chairman in 1 year than he did in 20.

And Everton haven't won anything for 22 years, so why would trophy winning managers be interested? This isn't the 60s or the 80s mate. We are were we are, and you need to be realistic about what Everton can achieve given the obscene amount of money some clubs have. We all obviously want us to do well, I believe even you do mate, but I think your criticism of the owner and the manager is ott. That said I admire your passion for the club and do welcome you questioning decisions being made, that is a necessary thing. If we get 2 or 3 years down the line and we haven't moved on then I will likely be joining you in that criticism.