Steve Walsh - no longer our Director of Football

[tadao]

The appointment of Walsh as DoF has two purposes as I see it - (i) is obviously to assist and make use of his network to bring some players straight into the first team squad, players who comfortably can play in the first XI, and (ii) much more interestingly will be to set a framework and process in place that will allow us to buy players and develop them to be sold for profit - similar, but on a larger scale to the model deployed for example by Peterborough United under Barry Fry who year in year out make profits on player trading.

Whilst we don't have to worry about accumulated losses, it's clear that once we do spend in the transfer market, our profitability in future years will be hit by much higher player amortisation charges and the increase in our wage bill. Profitable player trading not only trims the amortisation losses but assists in the struggle to stay within STCC constraints.

It's the onset of a degree of professionalism within the business that Everton have not witnessed before.

As a total aside, I'll be interested when viewing the 2016/17 accounts (released towards end of 2017) as to how other operating costs fare versus OOC under the previous administration.

That means, when a player is at his peak value, sell him. Which, if the flow of gifted alternatives is provided by the DoF, is a natural and reasonable model to follow.

A few weeks ago you were saying we were rich beyond our wildest dreams and going to the top, now we are going to become a club that develops players and sells them on! Top clubs don't develop players for bigger clubs, they keep them.

Chelsea made a big profit on Lukaku, along with others. Its up to the club to ensure that the right players are moved on at the right time (they got it wrong with at least him and DeBruyne)

We have access to as much funding as the DOF/manager wants that's not the issue. It's not a question of not having the resources it is a question of staying inside the regulations which limit wage increases. My point is that a highly effective DoF can use player trading to assist compliance with STCC without necessarily affecting the ability to pay the highest wages.

It doesn't make us a selling club in the old way of looking at things, it makes player trading a profit centre which enhances our ability to grow our wage bill.

Its not reinventing the wheel, its what the [Poor language removed] did for years....Keegan sold Dalglish bought, replace model with superior model at profit.

 

[Stikapos]

Did you miss Coleman setting up the Houlahan goal?

One goal ? Against Sweden ? One time that I recall he turned inside and made a move instead of trying to beat the back to the end line as is typical ??? Doing the same thing and expecting a different result....yeah... I know, that's me. Oh yes, and lets not get into the Belgium game where the Ireland defense was turned upside down for a 3-nil drubbing. Seems to me, I remember him being caught up field on the last Lukaku goal. The only striker slower than Luk is Giroud who lost a breakaway attempt against a one legged defender kicking his own behind on the way to breaking up the play.....

 

[Armaghtoffee]

One goal ? Against Sweden ? One time that I recall he turned inside and made a move instead of trying to beat the back to the end line as is typical ??? Doing the same thing and expecting a different result....yeah... I know, that's me. Oh yes, and lets not get into the Belgium game where the Ireland defense was turned upside down for a 3-nil drubbing. Seems to me, I remember him being caught up field on the last Lukaku goal. The only striker slower than Luk is Giroud who lost a breakaway attempt against a one legged defender kicking his own behind on the way to breaking up the play.....

I think you may be confusing the quality of player Coleman has around him when he plays for Ireland as opposed to playing in a blue shirt. Let's see how he does this year in a team that actually functions and allows him to get forward while his position is covered.

You really think that Lukaku doesn't have pace? I think he does just fine for such a big unit, particularly given that his main strength is running onto through balls. Then again maybe I haven't noticed those one legged defenders you highlighted for me.

 

[Eggs]

...the appointment reminds me a little bit of Tom Saunders joining the Reds in early 70s. Saunders was Headmaster at West Derby Comprehensive and manager of England Schoolboys U15s. He went to the Reds in charge of youth development but Bob Paisley quickly brought him into first team and he became his right hand man, almost a DoF before DoF had been invented.

Paisley was a football genius and formed a successful partnership with Saunders, I can see synergies with Walsh and hope the outcome is the same.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Saunders

 

[bluestevon]

...the appointment reminds me a little bit of Tom Saunders joining the Reds in early 70s. Saunders was Headmaster at West Derby Comprehensive and manager of England Schoolboys U15s. He went to the Reds in charge of youth development but Bob Paisley quickly brought him into first team and he became his right hand man, almost a DoF before DoF had been invented.

Paisley was a football genius and formed a successful partnership with Saunders, I can see synergies with Walsh and hope the outcome is the same.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Saunders

Far too many just see the manager as the be all and end all, the best usually have a team behind the working in synch.

Kendall without Harvey wouldn't have had half the success we did.

Similarly certain clubs have reps for managers doing consistently well or poorly - no matter the calibre of manager, often it's due to the team and structure at the club, dismantling ours for example ultimately cost Martinez dearly, teams like saints and recently Leicester have gone from strength to strength under several seperate and quite different managers due to this in place structure.

Moshiri seems to get this, which shows he understands the game.

 

[Eggs]

Far too many just see the manager as the be all and end all, the best usually have a team behind the working in synch.

Kendall without Harvey wouldn't have had half the success we did.

Similarly certain clubs have reps for managers doing consistently well or poorly - no matter the calibre of manager, often it's due to the team and structure at the club, dismantling ours for example ultimately cost Martinez dearly, teams like saints and recently Leicester have gone from strength to strength under several seperate and quite different managers due to this in place structure.

Moshiri seems to get this, which shows he understands the game.

....absolutely. I keep banging on about blend on the pitch but blend off it is equally important. United had it for years under SAF and once the 'Boot Room' dissolved so did the Reds fortunes.

 

[Frankattack]

Peter Taylor was effectively a DoF for Brian Clough, that`s well documented. I`ll bet that you can find examples throughout the history of British football, that managers being lauded as geniuses had someone around them with valuable inputs on recruitment and development of players.

 

[bluestevon]

....absolutely. I keep banging on about blend on the pitch but blend off it is equally important. United had it for years under SAF and once the 'Boot Room' dissolved so did the Reds fortunes.

Exactly mate, also look at moyes, destroyed any hope he had within days of arriving with personnel decisions.

Walsh, the gk coach, the two new board members, so far since Koeman was appointed been some very good back room staff decisions made, that have gone under the radar as everyone's obsessed with transfers

 

[catcherintherye]

We have access to as much funding as the DOF/manager wants that's not the issue. It's not a question of not having the resources it is a question of staying inside the regulations which limit wage increases. My point is that a highly effective DoF can use player trading to assist compliance with STCC without necessarily affecting the ability to pay the highest wages.

It doesn't make us a selling club in the old way of looking at things, it makes player trading a profit centre which enhances our ability to grow our wage bill.

My only concern with this, is a lot of clubs seem to be going down that route. Namely Liverpool/Chelsea in particular but also clubs like Leicester have done it. The concern I have is that if everyone adopts such a strategy we obviously need people to sell too and I wonder if there is a shrinking pool of people available to sell too? If so we could end up with a lot of assets that are then difficult to sell?

 

[The Esk]

My only concern with this, is a lot of clubs seem to be going down that route. Namely Liverpool/Chelsea in particular but also clubs like Leicester have done it. The concern I have is that if everyone adopts such a strategy we obviously need people to sell too and I wonder if there is a shrinking pool of people available to sell too? If so we could end up with a lot of assets that are then difficult to sell?

It's a valid point but what will happen is that there won't necessarily be more players available on the market, it's just that those players will be available from a smaller number of clubs.

The advances in facilities, coaching and training by the top PL clubs is such that lesser clubs cannot offer the same development opportunities and therefore losing out on that talent.

We will end up with perhaps 20 clubs around Europe being the predominant talent developers and sources of promising players selling across the Continent.

 

[catcherintherye]

It's a valid point but what will happen is that there won't necessarily be more players available on the market, it's just that those players will be available from a smaller number of clubs.

The advances in facilities, coaching and training by the top PL clubs is such that lesser clubs cannot offer the same development opportunities and therefore losing out on that talent.

We will end up with perhaps 20 clubs around Europe being the predominant talent developers and sources of promising players selling across the Continent.

I think the difficulty will be in exporting talent for English clubs. By the time they arrive at England the fee is already larger. For us to make a mark up we will be selling to probably City & United who seem to be the main two clubs not operating in that way in England or real Madrid, Barca, PSG or Bayern abroad. It's not a huge market to sell too given lots will be trying, especially if as you say you will have 20 clubs in the market trying to develop and sell.

Facilities is a key point. I know FF is very good but I do wonder how far ahead we are of lots of other clubs? Everything you say says to me we need to continue to develop the academy and most crucially allow our young players to play. I know lots of clubs wanted to copy the "United model" and someone at City said their aim was to "sell players for 4 million" like United used to with your Wallwaks, Drinkwaters etc. Players who never played for them went for decent fees. Again the demand got too high and in all honesty while Chelsea/City in particular are very good at telling everyone how good their academies are people look at the number of players in the first team and become quite cynical.

I think we should keep trying to bring young lads through and give them opportunities. I really don't say much point in paying 4 million quid for lads like Aaron Lennon from a business perspective.

 

[The Esk]

think we should keep trying to bring young lads through and give them opportunities. I really don't say much point in paying 4 million quid for lads like Aaron Lennon from a business perspective

I think as always you make very good points. I agree particularly with the last point, although I think those days are behind us

 

[Toast]

I think the difficulty will be in exporting talent for English clubs. By the time they arrive at England the fee is already larger. For us to make a mark up we will be selling to probably City & United who seem to be the main two clubs not operating in that way in England or real Madrid, Barca, PSG or Bayern abroad. It's not a huge market to sell too given lots will be trying, especially if as you say you will have 20 clubs in the market trying to develop and sell.

Facilities is a key point. I know FF is very good but I do wonder how far ahead we are of lots of other clubs? Everything you say says to me we need to continue to develop the academy and most crucially allow our young players to play. I know lots of clubs wanted to copy the "United model" and someone at City said their aim was to "sell players for 4 million" like United used to with your Wallwaks, Drinkwaters etc. Players who never played for them went for decent fees. Again the demand got too high and in all honesty while Chelsea/City in particular are very good at telling everyone how good their academies are people look at the number of players in the first team and become quite cynical.

I think we should keep trying to bring young lads through and give them opportunities. I really don't say much point in paying 4 million quid for lads like Aaron Lennon from a business perspective.

Great post.

Only my opinion, but I think the homegrown lads are hungrier to succeed at Everton than imported youth.
If you buy young 'talent' they can be a massive gamble.

The kids we have now look ace, and have been superbly developed by our staff / ex players who 'get' Everton.

 

[The Esk]

Well, Unsworth seems very pleased!

"It’s brilliant news,” he told evertontv. "I think it’s a fantastic appointment. Steve is someone I know really well - we go back a long, long way. It’s great to have another Chorley boy in the Everton staff!


"Our association goes back to the primary school Chorley Town teams. Steve was assistant there while he was a PE teacher at Bishop Rawstorne High School in Croston. Then he was Lancashire Under-14 or Under-15s manager, so I’ve known him for going on 30 years.

"He’s a great guy, brilliant at his job and his success is well documented at Leicester, but he was at Chelsea for so long as well.

"We’ve brought in the very best, without a shadow of a doubt in my opinion. He’ll get on well with everybody.

"He knows the job inside out, he’s the best in the business and is a wonderful appointment."

http://www.evertonfc.com/news/2016/07/22/the-best-in-the-business

 

[Simon baker]

Well, Unsworth seems very pleased!

"It’s brilliant news,” he told evertontv. "I think it’s a fantastic appointment. Steve is someone I know really well - we go back a long, long way. It’s great to have another Chorley boy in the Everton staff!


"Our association goes back to the primary school Chorley Town teams. Steve was assistant there while he was a PE teacher at Bishop Rawstorne High School in Croston. Then he was Lancashire Under-14 or Under-15s manager, so I’ve known him for going on 30 years.

"He’s a great guy, brilliant at his job and his success is well documented at Leicester, but he was at Chelsea for so long as well.

"We’ve brought in the very best, without a shadow of a doubt in my opinion. He’ll get on well with everybody.

"He knows the job inside out, he’s the best in the business and is a wonderful appointment."

http://www.evertonfc.com/news/2016/07/22/the-best-in-the-business

Really can't be more happy with unsworth doing absolutely fantastic job & always so positive