Louis Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 Even on Merseyside and even in what is officially now a recession, the rich get richer and the poor do the other thing. In the case of Liverpool and Everton, of course, poverty may be considered relative; ask Tranmere Rovers, the region's third club, about that. Yet it was particularly galling for Evertonians to wake up on Friday morning to headlines about another potential multi-million-pound takeover of their closest rivals in a week when their own plans for progress had been hampered again. The city council's refusal to grant planning permission for housing at the former training ground at Bellefield has led officials in the blue corner to hint at a conspiracy against their club, who want to develop the site to help fund a badly needed new stadium outside the city limits in Kirkby. The manager, David Moyes, who believes they cannot compete long-term with the acknowledged Big Four clubs from the cramped confines of Goodison Park, added to the row ahead of today's FA Cup tie at Anfield, saying: "That's a real disappointment for Everton. It's a blow and it sounds absolutely ridiculous. There's something not right." In six years at the club, Moyes has reluctantly accepted the financial constraints under which he is forced to work. On Friday he proudly insisted: "We're not a selling club". But he felt it necessary to add immediately: "We might not be a buying one either". Two loan signings is the very best that can be hoped for in this transfer window for a club who finished in the top six in three of the past four seasons and are back there again at present after losing only twice in 15 games. That run includes draws with Manchester United, Chelsea and, best of all, Liverpool in last Monday's first leg of the double-header that concludes today. The signs at present are that Everton are running a happier ship than the one on the other side of Stanley Park and, while leaving others to make direct comparisons with Rafa Benitez, Moyes was quick to point to an excellent relationship with his chairman, Bill Kenwright. "I have control of the club, with the chairman. I have a chairman who would never do anything without my say-so. It's important that managers have control. That's something you earn by how you work within the club and how you deal with people. Bill Kenwright gives me every penny he can and like me he's doing everything he can to make Everton better." Finding £15 million for the young midfielder Marouane Fellaini in the summer was only possible after selling Andy Johnson for more than two-thirds of that fee. The sort of sums Moyes is more used to handling were £2m for Mikel Arteta and £1.5m for Tim Cahill, which have proved to be two extraordinary pieces of business for players who give Everton followershope for any game. "Tim's been a great servant for us," Moyes said. "He comes up with impor-tant goals in big games. We missed him with injury and I think he's only just getting back to the form he'd been in. It's the third time he's done the same metatarsal, so it's been a long haul, and a slow rehabilitation. The goal the other night [against Liverpool] was a pure goalscorer's instinct," he added. "But whatever role you ask him to do he does to the best of his ability, which makes him a diamond." With Victor Anichebe their only fit striker, Everton have been fortunate to have a player of Cahill's ability adding a scoring threat as well as the sort of spirit that seems to come ingrained in all Australian sportsmen. At the other end of the pitch, keeping six successive clean sheets before Steven Gerrard muddied one on Monday has contributed to the feeling that if they can only come through this tie, Everton are quite capable of restoring their fading reputation as an FA Cup team; all the more so when so many other sides at the top and bottom of the Premier League haveother priorities – today's opponents included. "You saw Portsmouth and Cardiff have great runs to the final last year," Moyes said. "But the draw's always vital. It's the hurdles you have to jump before you get there, and the one we've got to jump is a big one." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse11 Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 With Victor Anichebe their only fit striker, Everton have been fortunate to have a player of Cahill's ability adding a scoring threat as well as the sort of spirit that seems to come ingrained in all Australian sportsmen. That made me gush with pride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evertonblue Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 That made me gush with pride. Me to. As an Australian, Tim does wonders for us. Committment. Passion. And an undeniable gift of positional play in finding holes in opposition defences. If we keep him and Arteta, we can do anything this year. Need Fellaini back, which we get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue 250 Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 In the statement by Moyes he mentions, Everton are perhaps a happier ship than the greedy, worried, bitter red across the park!...(greedy, worried and bitter are my words not Moyes) Be sure of this happiness....is very underated. luckypool!......possible new mega rich owners! Hasn't rafa been able to spend mega millions since the Yanks took over, now they want more new owners!!.....more money!!They will be hated more than Man City, Utd and Chelsea...... Can see it now.....big new sterile stadium,(2/3 full if Gerrard and luck desert them) big name players there just for the money, no local players (havn't been for about ten years already)...foreign owners, foreign manager, foreign players etc! Players with 1/10 the passion of Tim Cahill...... Check out an average red forum!!.......They are 2nd in the league, have a multi million pound team/squad, the promise of a new stadium, captain fantastic......YET, STILL....They hate their players, their owners, the manager(there are some who have blind faith in rafa.....including me )....They hate the press, for picking on them, Man Utd for being better than them and the list goes on! My point is WHAT state would they be in if it all goes wrong. Happiness is very underated........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romey 1878 Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 Can you never JUST talk about Everton? You're coming across as very obsessed with those lot across the park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue 250 Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 Can you never JUST talk about Everton? You're coming across as very obsessed with those lot across the park. There was me thinking this was a forum for people to have their opinion on whatever they wished! I picked up Moyes on the"happiness" of THIS club, HE compared us to the luckypool! WHY DON'T YOU CONTACT HIM, AND ASK HIM WHY HE LIKES TO TALK ABOUT THEM The one thing I will never do is slag an Everton player.....something you at times seem obsessed with, but as this is a forum I guess you can say what you want.......I think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Regulator Posted January 26, 2009 Report Share Posted January 26, 2009 Careful fellas, you don't want to drop your handbags Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue 250 Posted January 26, 2009 Report Share Posted January 26, 2009 Careful fellas, you don't want to drop your handbags How very dare you!!.....................my handbag is still firmly in both hands!....ready for a good swing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted January 26, 2009 Report Share Posted January 26, 2009 Have fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest efctaxi Posted January 26, 2009 Report Share Posted January 26, 2009 Have fun. LMAO Looks like the Blues are on top there Bill . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueBri Posted January 26, 2009 Report Share Posted January 26, 2009 LMAO Looks like the Blues are on top there Bill . Yeh, the one in red doesn't have the passion of Cahill .................................................. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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