Zoo 2.0

Just don't get that argument whatsoever, it's a proper shite point of view. It's a bit like saying that I could do well with Manchester City for a season because it's Guardiola's team. Regardless of how shit Martinez went, you can't be so dismissive about his first season by pointing to the fact that it was somehow still Moyes' team.

Nearly launched my remote through the TV when I saw that Ashley Williams had managed to get a gig doing punditry. I've only ever hated one player at Everton and that's him, still makes me infuriated that he was allowed to wear the shirt, nevermind the fucking armband. Not surprised to see that his predictions are about as inspiring as his attitude and work ethic.

Yep, in the Eridivisie (Dutch League), after his time in England with Manchester United. From what I understand, each FA have their own laws on where they will effectively deny a player the right to compete, so Blind could play for Ajax but not come back to United, for example.

As much as I am grateful to Moshiri for the money and the stadium, the fact that he supposidly can't keep his fingers out of the footballing side of things is a massive concern for me. It reminds me of the PM's on "The Apprentice" who have the entire team telling them that a cardigan for bumblebees won't sell to the masses yet they go ahead and do it anyway. You've got Marcel Brands at the club who rebuilt PSV and toppled Ajax, yet it seems as though he had no real power in the big decisions at Everton which I really can't get my head around and is incompetency at its finest. We've known it for a while but we're such a mess, an absolute swamp of shit decisions.

They were the worst days I've known in my lifetime, going to the ground was just horrible - like, uncomfortable to sit through. The thought of that, but multiplied by 10 is making my knees wobble.

As someone who thinks that Benitez is at the top(ish) of a painfully depressing list, I do agree totally with the bit in bold. He's going to be under more pressure than any Everton manager in history, working with players who are also going to be under insane pressure. Our "easy" start to the season could get seriously toxic, seriously quickly. It just depresses me how we don't seem to have really looked outside of the UK. Gallardo at River Plate? Galtier at Lille? Ten Hag at Ajax?

Rumour has it we've put a bid in.

Remember when Leicester got really lucky and won the league ...

Portugal win 3-0 to start their campaign right . A lucky deflection for the first (through Guerrero) before Ronaldo added in two more late on. France and Germany are up now, two heavyweights meeting up in the group stage. Hopefully the ingredients of an exciting match. Edit: Early goal for France as Mats Hummels finds the back of his own net from a Paul Pogba cross. 1-0.

I don't know what it is with posts in this thread that are just factually untrue. To be clear (again) I don't want Nuno but bashing him over the head with mythical facts is just a bit silly. He had four years with Wolverhampton with the last one being the only where he was pretty poor - other than that he was well supported by the fans and was doing a good job. People in August last year were tipping them as dark horses for European football as under his tenure they'd been going up, up and up again. He took over when they had just finished in 14th and 15th in the Championship before flipping them in a single season to the Champions of the division. Of course they had help with the Portuguese influx (such as Ruben Neves) but the Championship is notorious as being one of the hardest divisions in world football to get out of - even if you spend the Earth and a penny. Whereas his time in the first season wasn't as fairytale as Leicester winning the Premier League it was commendable and shouldn't be brushed under the carpet. Since bringing them to the Premier League he's finished in 7th twice, before dropping off the season just gone in 13th. This is with their top goalscorer of the last two seasons injured for 50% of the campaign (basically like us playing under Martinez without Lukaku and only Koné for assistance) and after losing the likes of Matt Doherty and Diego Jota in the summer. Whereas I don't think Santo is blameless (I'll stress again I don't want him here) to suddenly say that he has one good season and then falls apart is both factually untrue and a bit of a cop out when you look at the bigger picture. I think anyone, other than an elite coach would have struggled to drag this Wolves side to 7th in the table, especially when you consider they'd have to be better than Manchester City, United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Leicester, Spurs and an in form West Ham United to get there (not to mention Arsenal and Bielsa's Leeds who came in 8th & 9th!).

I don't want him here, but that's just untrue. If anything he did the opposite.

Not sure if true, but I'm sure I read somewhere that the decision might be taken out of his hands. The English FA may step in and refuse to accept his registration (if he came back to an English club) on medical grounds. It's not something that happens often (thankfully) so not sure how true but would make sense. When something as extreme as this happens it's probably for the best that he calls it a day, as frustrating as that may be for him personally.

Lovely hotel the Titanic.

That's an astounding hit. For those that haven't seen it:

Yeah I thought that, don't know whether he thought that Kane hit his head on the post and could have been unconscious (the Eriksen incident fresh in everyone's minds of course). Thought that he had a good game footballing wise, but good to see he's a gentleman too.

The footage of his girlfriend crying her eyes out really got to me. The broadcasting was shameful too, I'm watching on PortugueseTV so it's basically UEFA's cameras that decided to film all the angles - they should have cut to the studio or filmed the corner flags. So happy to hear he's stable and hoping he can make a recovery to lead a normal life - with immediate retirement I assume.

Denmark and Finland have had their game suspended, Christian Eriksen has collapsed on the pitch - needing CPR. What a fucking horrendous thing to watch. Please, please pull through man.

Vlasic made the right choice leaving us, he was at a mismanaged club with an imbalanced squad and a poor manager. I've not followed his progress in Moscow but have heard that he seems to be the leagues better players and growing each season - it just worries me that Oumar Niasse looked like a top class player in the Russian League. If the price was right, I'd like to have him back but considering he seemed unhappy here (his sister kept posting stuff about the club remember) I don't think he would come back.

Where did the rep go anyway? Why do we all have badges now?

I'd take Pedro Neto personally if we're going to raid Wolves. I think that Neves had a poor season last time out but manages to paper over it because he's got a knack of scoring from 78 yards.

It's going to be Nuno, Fabrizio Romano is even breaking it now and he only speaks when something is basically fact. Apparently a verbal agreement was reached between the two parties today, with a formal contract expected to be sent over within the next 48 hours. I'm incredibly underwhelmed, but it is what it is. Will get behind him like I would any other Everton manager and shall start to try and see the positives in this appointment.

As soon as Italy scored it was game over, they just slipped into second gear and with Turkey unable to park the bus scored with ease. It came from a mistake from the goalkeeper, but Insigne's finish was just sublime. Hit first time and just cushioned the ball into the corner, he's some player.

Turkey were 8/1 to win on SkyBet, so threw a fiver on it. I can't see them beating Italy, but as they're dark horses you never know (plus the opening game always seems to throw up surprises, like Senegal in 2002). Yes, I believe so. Qatar is still planned for 2022 with Germany hosting the 2024 championship. France are the total favourites, but they have a habit of always messing things up by doing something crazy internally (just like World Cup 2010). Plus, they have it in them to just absolutely implode (just like World Cup 2002) so you never know.