Walter Smith

[davek]

I probably think all of that is true mate, but also it doesn't necessarily contradict what I said.

Had he achieved the same results, yes he would have gone. I think Smith was really a bit of a throwback, and in honesty was looking a little out of touch back then, so not sure would have suited the modern game.

However he did buy well in a lot of instances, and I suspect would have spent the money better than we have over the last 5 years. He worked on a comparative shoe string, even when you factor in the inflation in prices.

There was a MASSIVE turnover of players when Smith was here if you remember. I cant remember exactly how many he had in and out, but it was a bewildering amount for a 4 year tenure.

His relationship with scumbag agent Dennis Roche was much talked about...something we might want to draw a veil over for the present.

 

[davek]

How do you know that? With money, Smith might have been successful. He was able to get a rubbish Rangers into the UEFA Cup, and won nine in a row as well.

He had money for the season he came in. He bought Materazzi, Collins, Dacourt, Bakayoko - all for decent cash...about £30M he was handed IIRC.

We finished 14th.

He was never suited to this league. You have to go for wins and Smith had the attitude we play conservative and pick up points here and there on the road if we can.

A recipe for disaster in the PL even back then.

 

[Kever10]

WS will ultimately be remembered for playing 6-8 defenders in "that" GP derby, losing 3-0 to 'Boro in the FAQF, and bringing in a fair chunk of elder players (Gazza, Hughes, Gough, Ginola to name a few).
Positively as mentioned above, he did have an eye for talent shown by his first transfer window of Materazzi, Dacourt, Collins and did manage to get to 3 FA Cup quarter finals out of 4 seasons. However, he was also in charge at a time when Johnson was making trades between us and Tranmere (e.g. Simonsen for £3m!) and selling players behind the managers back.

37 year old Gough would walk in to any team we've had since he left. If we found another centre back as good as him we'd be laughing.

 

[Cork Evertonian]

How do you know that? With money, Smith might have been successful. He was able to get a rubbish Rangers into the UEFA Cup, and won nine in a row as well.

I think rubbish is a harsh description, but yes compared to the Rangers side he managed in his first stint, it was a poor Rangers team. Of course the bank were basically running Rangers in his second stint there, so in that respects he did well to keep on winning. He quite correctly got out, just before the ceiling caved in at Ibrox! Walter was a serial winner in Scotland. It would have been nice, if he was a trophy winner at Everton as well. But sadly it wasn't to be.

 

[Dario Terracotta]

37 year old Gough would walk in to any team we've had since he left. If we found another centre back as good as him we'd be laughing.

What an intelligent defender he was, always had time, composed,never panicked, wish we had him these days.

 

[Cork Evertonian]

Great player great leader and a great man is Richard Gough, it's a pity he never played for Everton in his prime imo.

 

[Gilbert..]

This one? Yeah, good read. https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...at-rangers-i-had-the-best-11-years-of-my-life

What a shame we only had him for a season. He is exactly my type of defender. The type when a goal went in you could see it hurt his professional pride.
We could do with a few of them in this squad.

 

[catcherintherye]

Great player great leader and a great man is Richard Gough, it's a pity he never played for Everton in his prime imo.

I honestly think if Gough was injured he would be spoke about in the way Tony Adam's is.

 

[summerisle]

Years' ago my nan used to get this religiously every Sunday.

 

[davek]

37 year old Gough would walk in to any team we've had since he left. If we found another centre back as good as him we'd be laughing.

The Echo's favourite - the dud they forced down our throats as a 'Rolls Royce player'.

Don Hutchison snotting him in the Park End penalty area was the few enjoyable moments of the Smith ere for me.

 

[davek]

I honestly think if Gough was injured he would be spoke about in the way Tony Adam's is.

HE would have done all the speaking to put himself on that level too...the greatest self-publicist ever at Everton.

He used talk about himself in the third person: "Goughie doesn't make those mistakes"..."Goughie likes to be touch tight at corners"..."Goughie is not a player that takes the credit"

...yada yada yada.

An unspeakable fraud who personified a terrible period in the club's history.

 

[Gilbert..]

The Echo's favourite - the dud they forced down our throats as a 'Rolls Royce player'.

Don Hutchison snotting him in the Park End penalty area was the few enjoyable moments of the Smith ere for me.

Didnt need anything forced upon us.
Gough was a real leader and die hard centre back.
You only needed your own eyes to see that. Nothing else.

 

[catcherintherye]

HE would have done all the speaking to put himself on that level too...the greatest self-publicist ever at Everton.

He used talk about himself in the third person: "Goughie doesn't make those mistakes"..."Goughie likes to be touch tight at corners"..."Goughie is not a player that takes the credit"

...yada yada yada.

An unspeakable fraud who personified a terrible period in the club's history.

So you werent a fan Dave? ?

 

[davek]

Didnt need anything forced upon us.
Gough was a real leader and die hard centre back.
You only needed your own eyes to see that. Nothing else.

He was playing alongside an Everton legend...a REAL one: Dave Watson.

I'm not having that fraud being elevated to Watson's level. That's just plain 'kin daft talk.

 

[davek]

uSo you werent a fan Dave? ?

I had the great misfortune of watching Richard Dunn and Dave Watson doing the real work at CB every week but that fraud (elevated by the red Echo) taking the credit.

It utterly bewilders me that he get's the credit he does from some Evertonians.

Don Hutchison knew what he was and smacked him for it.