Steve Walsh - no longer our Director of Football

[Moonlight dribbler]

Yes, and right now the name Everton alone isn't enough to draw away one of the hottest prospects in world football. You finished 11th two seasons running, you're going to need to prove yourselves for the name Everton to mean as much as it once did. You aren't a Chelsea, right now they are still seen as a massive club with a great chance of silverware, no matter what they did last season.

The project looks like it could be exciting, but as with all these things you have to chuck a [Poor language removed] load of money at it and be close to honours and winning things for a decade. People didn't want to sign for Man City and Chelsea at the start just because that's who they were... the money dragged them there. The trophies and years of competing makes the name, the next generation of footballers saw them winning things, saw their hero there and want to be part of it.

Your project is in its infancy, good luck to you. I'd rather it be Everton than most of the others up there.

Spoken with a great deal of sense. Thanks. Lets hope Leicester can push on and prove they can do it again, runners up to Everton will do me.

 

[Pabbers]

Yes, and right now the name Everton alone isn't enough to draw away one of the hottest prospects in world football. You finished 11th two seasons running, you're going to need to prove yourselves for the name Everton to mean as much as it once did. You aren't a Chelsea, right now they are still seen as a massive club with a great chance of silverware, no matter what they did last season.

The project looks like it could be exciting, but as with all these things you have to chuck a [Poor language removed] load of money at it and be close to honours and winning things for a decade. People didn't want to sign for Man City and Chelsea at the start just because that's who they were... the money dragged them there. The trophies and years of competing makes the name, the next generation of footballers saw them winning things, saw their hero there and want to be part of it.

Your project is in its infancy, good luck to you. I'd rather it be Everton than most of the others up there.

Mate, i agree with all of that, good post.

Not being funny though, taking players from Leicester is not exactly taking the worlds cream, from Real, barcelona, bayern or
Juve.

These players who leave or want to leave Leicester need to think hard about leaving, maybe they loled so good was because of Leicester.

 

[catcherintherye]

I don't think despite Moshiris investment, that we are in a position to spend say, £50m , or significantly more, on a single player, unless there is a like-for-like sale for equivalent value, as mooted with Koulibaly/Stones. £30m these days seems to buy a very good player at best, if not exactly "world-class".

What we can do, is source signings for more modest fees whose value then increases significantly, which Walsh did very well at Leicester. They can either be sold for significant profit or remain a vital part of the team. Either scenario is a win-win.

The DoF role is absolutely necessary to allow us level the playing field. There was a list of Chelsea signings in the first season of Abramovichs patronage, 2003, I think, which showed they spent £121m, 13 years ago! Having more money is certainly very welcome, but that figure shows the gap that existed, and still exists, between Everton and the elite cabal. Chelsea could afford a few duds amongst what they spent back then, the big difference between us and them is that I don't think we can afford to sustain "wasting" some or all of the war-chest that is at our disposal this summer. That in part, might also explain the lack of momentum with signings to date. The margin of error is very small and we simply have to be sure we are not repeating Oumar Niasse.

This is a good post. However the only point I disagree with is that we can't spend big money. I firmly believe we would be able to spend pretty much whatever we like on players but it isn't always as easy as that. Why would a 50 million player want to come to Everton?

Longer term Moshiri won't just want to rely on pumping his own money in, even if other investors come on board they won't want to either. They will want to see a return on the investment and look to invest money in ways that create long term stability and growth.

The answer to the first point is "money" but throwing money at average players rarely works. It' isn't conducive to a winning dressing room based on meritocracy. For every Chelsea there are 4-5 QPR's. In many ways Chelsea and City have underachieved given what they have spent, though I accept Chelsea have got their house in order more recently. However throwing money around without any degree of accountability will not benefit the club.

I think that's why he ha made the DOF central to the way he wants to move forward. We do not just want to go handing managers upwards of 100 million season on season to spend. it will lead to a short termism and an unwillingness to improve existing players. The DOF will do many things but also hopefully act as a check. An understanding when we are spending too much and being had off, or knowing when a player is taking liberties.

 

[catcherintherye]

Of course, Everton are a well known solid club. I don't think being a "bigger club" has much to do with it. He's turned down overtures from bigger clubs than Everton before. He didn't kick up a sink when Arsenal wanted him.

I think there are several more important factors, moving back closer to his daughter and the rest of his family is a big one. More money obviously helps, from what we know an "amazing" package he's being offered. Our owners are very rich and have grand plans for us, but they aren't prepared to offer silly money to anyone.

Timing as well is important. He's just won the league here, what more can you ever do? For someone with perhaps 7 years left in football the opportunity to join an exciting new project with the chance to bring a famous old club back to life is an interesting one.

With all due respect, where we are now and where you are aren't too far apart. I don't think just being Everton is enough to pull a manager, a player or anyone else from us. You think Kante would have come Everton if you were the only one to bid?... it's unlikely. A lot of other factors have to fall in line and they have on this one.

I suppose I agree that the "bigger club" stuff is limited. However I have resented some of the insinuation of Everton as a newly moneyed team buying it's way to the top where it doesn't deserve to be. Without being horrible, we have won more league titles than West Ham, Spurs and City put together. Before Chelsea and City had their investment we had won more leagues than Chelsea, City, Leeds, Spurs & West Ham put together, all held up as "big clubs".

What is or isn't "silly money" is up for debate really. I would imagine we are making him an offer that is commensurate with his importance to ourselves. I think money is one factor but he probably thinks Moshiri offers him opportunities that may go beyond Leicester or Arsenal.

As regards Kante I don't think we could have signed him. However we have signed Walsh and Koeman from Southampton and Leicester which I would say are as big coups. I think if we would have bid for him we would have offered him a compelling case to come, yet it is a hypothetical.

 

[DownSouthBlue]

Moshiri will love this appointment especially from his financial background.

Brings in a guy in who is a specialist in buying low to eventually get maximum gain.

I'm a bit deflated to be honest,we had dreams of Monchi to getting a scout who has never ever done the doF role before,sadly this appointment shows me we will be targetting up and coming and bargain basement under Moshiri.Let's face it Leicester won a league when the big guns never even performed or had any consistancy,and leicester with a easy run of game until new year capitilised on it,last season as a whole was a weird once in a lifetime anomoly.

Moshiri should have thrown money at Giuseppe Marotta who is head and shoulders above anyone at the DoF role,who transformed Juventus since they were in Serie B,he has the best eye for talent who always fit a system that's brought them success but also his choice of managers who have continued a winning platform,the club has not missed a beat since he joined the club.

 

[kithnou]

I'm a bit deflated to be honest,

The whole Summer has been like this really hasn't it?

 

[Jokerdan]

Well - in case it has not already been covered - Walsh already has a tenuous Everton link:

Steve is also the brother of former Republic of Ireland and Porto player, Mickey Walsh.
Steve’s father Stephen was born and raised in Cornanool, just outside Castlebar. He moved to Blackburn, and married Kathleen Mitchell, from Williamstown in County Galway, before moving to Chorley in Lancashire.
Their cousin Michael Walsh has fond memories of when Steve and Mickey used to come to Castlebar to spend their summers.
“Steve and Mickey used to spend their summers with us in St. Patrick’s Avenue. They were great. Every summer from 1958 to 1970 they came over. We always played football on the green, and both Steve and Mickey used to play in the town seven a side league at the time,” said Michael.
Whilst Mickey went on to play for Blackpool, Everton, QPR and Porto, Steve undertook his coaching badges in the early 70s.

 

[GlosBlue]

Moshiri will love this appointment especially from his financial background.

Brings in a guy in who is a specialist in buying low to eventually get maximum gain.

I'm a bit deflated to be honest,we had dreams of Monchi to getting a scout who has never ever done the doF role before,sadly this appointment shows me we will be targetting up and coming and bargain basement under Moshiri.Let's face it Leicester won a league when the big guns never even performed or had any consistancy,and leicester with a easy run of game until new year capitilised on it,last season as a whole was a weird once in a lifetime anomoly.

Moshiri should have thrown money at Giuseppe Marotta who is head and shoulders above anyone at the DoF role,who transformed Juventus since they were in Serie B,he has the best eye for talent who always fit a system that's brought them success but also his choice of managers who have continued a winning platform,the club has not missed a beat since he joined the club.

That Sevilla bloke bought up and coming players too, as by the sounds of your description of the Juve chap, does he.

I think it is a positive move and find it odd that you casually dismiss the fact that he helped Leicester win the league as an anomaly. Every team played the same opposition and Leicester were fantastic. And he brought in some brilliant talent, regardless of the price tags.

Also - who is to say a glamorous foreign name is going to know the English league well and the type of player that will succeed here?

 

[Saint Domingo]

If it had been Overmars hardly anyone would be complaining despite him doing nothing except helping Ajax win what was at times a 1 team league. Cannot understand any negativity towards this move apart from the usual elements of GOT which seem to love making out Everton are rubbish and never do anything right.

 

[turner]

I'm fairly optimistic about what's going on at the club, we seem to be putting a solid infrastructure in place, it shows some long-term thinking, rather than the hand-to-mouth existence we've had for two decades

"Amateurs talk about tactics, but professionals study logistics."

 

[rochdaleblue]

If it had been Overmars hardly anyone would be complaining despite him doing nothing except helping Ajax win what was at times a 1 team league. Cannot understand any negativity towards this move apart from the usual elements of GOT which seem to love making out Everton are rubbish and never do anything right.

I'll be honest with you, I wanted monchi, no-one could fail to be impressed as to how Sevilla has sold all its better players over the last 3 years, but still able to win the Europa league 3 times running due to their superb acquisition of players. However the more I think about it, you can't but help be impressed with Walsh. He too has has done an outstanding job in identifying targets and bringing them to the club. Not all signings he makes are going to work (SAF made numerous blunders at Utd) but he knows what is required to work in the premier league. Even mourinho early on whilst he was at Chelsea could recognise the talents of Walsh. As you have alluded to, maybe the biggest barrier to walsh's appointment is that he isn't a 'name' I'm sure he has the capability to do the job well and win all the dissenters over.

 

[Billy Dean]

Moshiri will love this appointment especially from his financial background.

Brings in a guy in who is a specialist in buying low to eventually get maximum gain.

I'm a bit deflated to be honest,we had dreams of Monchi to getting a scout who has never ever done the doF role before,sadly this appointment shows me we will be targetting up and coming and bargain basement under Moshiri.Let's face it Leicester won a league when the big guns never even performed or had any consistancy,and leicester with a easy run of game until new year capitilised on it,last season as a whole was a weird once in a lifetime anomoly.

Moshiri should have thrown money at Giuseppe Marotta who is head and shoulders above anyone at the DoF role,who transformed Juventus since they were in Serie B,he has the best eye for talent who always fit a system that's brought them success but also his choice of managers who have continued a winning platform,the club has not missed a beat since he joined the club.

TBF the 2 you mention have never worked in English football. Not a given that their abilities would transfer to the premier league.

 

[GerryandthePaceMerchants]

WE'RE BIGGER THAN THE CHAMPIONS LADS

 

[Zatara]

I can do that using FM and Genie Scout . I expect he will be the link man between RK and the board and basically manage all non-playing football related matters at the club, leaving RK to focus on coaching, tactics etc... As much as freeing up RK to focus on those things more than our managers have in the past, it should add benefits the other way as well, with other Board members and senior officers having their duties more focused.

The question was who has last say on transfers.

 

[steele]

Just read that he had 16 years at Chelsea and worked under "The Special One". Discovered Drogba and Zola...