Barney Tabasco

It was. Honest guv'nor!

The Echo reporting today that the signing of Pienaar hinges on money coming in from Yobo: http://tinyurl.com/cf2sbys What an embarrassing state our finances are in.

They probably don't, but I still kinda picture numbers to positions (7 is a right winger, 11 is left, etc, etc...) and think there's a pressure with them. Especially #9 at The World's Finest Football TeamTM

Yup. He'd suit #10 more than Rodwell suits #8.

I'd guess that if Pienaar joins he'll still take #22, rather than taking the likes of #10 (which is still available after Arteta??).

Let's hope his spirit will live on. Personally, he seems somewhat overrated, but there is time on his side for what is significant development.

The club have just tweeted that he'll be number 8 this season. Seems quite random information. I wonder if this is because of shirt printing for the new home kit or that DM intends to start him whenever he's fit?

£5m seems like too much initially. I'd guess with our finances though that this can only be a small initial payment to Spurs and then built up over years. And then he is a player who doesn't rely on pace, so I think we should get three or four years with him performing how we have seen. Up to four years isn't exactly long-term, but then there is no way we can afford a player of his quality, ready for this season, who has several years on his side.

From a moral position I agree with Romey. From a business position, the CEO does run and lead the club (Bill Kenwright has said that he doesn't do the day-to-day work), but they are employed by the board of directors with the Chairman (in our case) the majority shareholder (i.e. ultimate responsibility).

Aaaaah, that debate. An interesting part of this is how many people have an opinion on something and then state it as fact. The one that makes me chuckle the most is: "Bill Kenwright does not want to sell Everton". Really?! What does it add to the debate to say that? Another corker: "The selling price is too high". To be fair to Bill Kenwright, he has for most of his tenure said that he will sell to the right people who will put the club on a more successful path than he can. His motives and judgement are something that we'll probably never know. Drawing from fact though: he has been Chairman for 8 years now and still has not found investment for the club. I think we have to consider that Everton Football Club is a business and the responsibility for that business lies with the Chairman. I think we do need to ask questions of the Chairman and ask and hope that he really is exhausting all possibilities and employing the right people to do that.

This is, effectively, the Brazil away kit with an Everton badge. The material is identical. http://www.evertonfc.com/homekit201213

Embroided badge on the home kit! http://www.evertonfc.com/homekit201213

Daily Mirror reporting this morning that Rodallega is joining Fulham instead.

I know. I think we'll get a clearer impression of the home kit tomorrow, but won't know for sure until we see it "in person". I think the white away kit looks great and unless the home kit really is much, much better from what we've seen, then that'll be where my pennies go. The good thing is that we are changing them every season and I'm sure Nike will get more things right next time.

Here's a link to the picture of the home and away kit hanging up on Everton TV: http://www.bluekipper.com/images/1338534948-Kits.jpg I can't really make out if that is the training badge or with more embroidery as SteveO has said. Hoping you're right SteveO...

Gotcha. I'm gonna guess that some play fast and loose with the truth on that...

I'm new to these parts. What's an ITK??

Good point. Saying that, I think that DM would play much more offensively if he had (or could afford) players with more flair. I think he would have thrived with players like Van der Vaart and Modric at his disposal and would been asking Daniel Levy for £10m+ highly creative signings. DM has said in the past that we have missed one or two players that finish off games and break down a defence. They aren't the type of players that we can afford unfortunately. You said that you don't think Moyes will be going for the forseeable "unfortunately". You'd want to see him go?!?!

That's where! Unless the club have been a bunch of clever clogs and simply included a mock-up on purpose.* As for these other kits, when the hell are they being announced?!?! * As unlikely as a Liverpool fan being rational.

I really don't know enough about Blue Union to have a complete opinion about how they go about their business. One opinion I do have about the club (which I think is something Blue Union share) is over the investment into the club. At every opportunity, those responsible say that they are constantly looking for investment. Yet, after several years, it isn't something that those responsible have achieved. It is a business after all and there needs to be accountability there for not achieving this goal and they should expect that questions be asked of them. Look at Barclays and the outcome for those who are ultimately responsible for what happened there. I really don't know if Bill Kenwright is clinging onto power, despite some people thinking they know the truth on that, but I only hope that he is challenging those at the club: We're not getting investment, what can we do differently? What are we doing to make us more appealing? Who else can we talk to? Do I need to replace you? I can't say I'm against Bill Kenwright as such; I'm frustrated with what the business are not achieving.

Really? Why not? (mostly playing devil's advocate here) I agree. I think AVB being an assistant to HR, with a view to taking over in the future, seems more sensible to me. I was listening to a debate over AVB on the radio yesterday and they said that his problem at Chelsea was that he liked to act like the "big I am". At 34, it may be something he could get away with in Portugal, but would need to change his management style in England.

It's not a good look is it. I can't see the badge being any different on the home kit and white away kit (officially 2nd or 3rd?), which really is a shame. Maybe it has been a bit of a rush; they couldn't produce an embroided version in time like LCS have done and we may have to wait until next season for that. Just hope it isn't Nike doing it on the cheap...

I can't see that he'll even maintain the performance under Harry Redknapp, as much as I have an occasional dislike of him. I do wonder what DM's thoughts were if he was offered it though...

Maybe not, but it's nice to put an end to any speculation. The thing is though, until we can provide DM with at least modest funds, then any reasonable sized job that comes up may just turn his head.

Villas-Boas named new Spurs boss. ...or are we all??