APR
06
2011
The King is Dead
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Saleable Assets or Players?
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All this negative press is doing my nut in and I just wish a lot of Blues fans would have a reality check.
Yes we are skint, and it looks like in the near future that isn't going to change. Whatever the whys and wherefores on this (Blue Bill, two clubs in the one city etc) it is where we are so let's deal with it.
Any business that has cash problems but are still solvent deal with the situation to hand. They sell they buy, they use their assets to hopefully push the company forward so they either became a more saleable asset or learn to stand on their own two feet again.
Now to our company, yes our Football club is a company and has to buy and sell to survive, it is a harsh economic fact, but never the less a fact.
Moyesy the other week said if we had a decent front man we would have been a different proposition this season, on that I agree with the Manager.
Now we have players in our Squad who are those saleable assets, Fellaini, Rodwell, Yakubu, Heitinga, Baines etc, and of course we don't to sell any of them, but for the good of the Club we need to unload at least one to bring that elusive quality front man in.
What we need from our Chairman is an assurance that any monies raised by Moyes is given straight back to rebuild the team. If Rodwell or Fellaini has to go to move the club forward, then so be it.
When we lost Rooney it was for a fleeting few weeks the end of our Blue world, but history has shown us that the Blues became a stronger force as a result. If we have to lose one of our stars to manoeuvre our way out of this situation as there is no mystery benefactor out there, then once again so be it.
The King is dead, long live the King.
Ronnie Phillips / Warrington
Email Bluekipper at mailbag@bluekipper.com
Comments about The King is Dead
32
Absolutely - we're doing better now than we have been all season and ALL our "star" players are out injured. Keep Cahill obviously but Arteta and Heitinga can go. Hmmm Jack is really good. I like Fellaini, but he can be replaced.
30
The sale of Arteta, Fellaini and Heitinga would keep us in business & lets face it , we havent seen much from any of em this season. Needs must and our need as a club is MASSIVE. COYB
29
Sell the club, not sell the players. The players and Moysey will stay if we show ambition. "An if ya no yer istory" is what we sing. Why should we accept the plight of the club, as it is. We've all got the books video's dvd's etc, nothing but the best is good enough. Well its simple BK for the sake of the club let go, even if you cant find a buyer who wants you there. Mr Harris said it was a cert we were going to be bought soon not long ago, so what's happened. As for my new season ticket, well trades description , cause it wont be the same players next season at this rate but an inferior talented team. Its reality, this summer will be the most important in our HISTORY!!!! FACT
28
Fellaini has just two years on his deal. Once a contract has under two years to run, valuations fall. So unless he signs a new deal - and if it is true that Man U, Chelsea and Madrid are interested - let's face it, he ain't gonna sign, we'll have to sell.
But he would fetch £25 million if all those are interested. I'd rather sell than have his value dilute. Use the money to buy two big signings: a striker, and a replacement for Felli. And don't sell another big asset! Rodders has 4 years on his deal to run.
The £7 m or so that is expected from the sale of Yobo and the Yak would get us a winger; perhaps Donovan, but at 29 his price will have had to have fallen since last year.
On rumours of creditors wanting money, surely sales of Pienaar and Bellefield should satisfy - that'll have been over £10 million.
27
I agree with (King is Dead) AND Jay, season after Rooney left Champions league, Rodwell must be sold (he's 4th choice holding mdr) and Man U according to the press will get him for 25M hopefully more, sell Heitinger (he's put his foot in it too often) 5M and Yobo 3M! 33M and a straight swap Yak for Andy King 2! If Leicester don't make it 6M, 39M TOTAL! Plus sponsor 4M, 43M! Surely Moyesy gets 25M and 18M to the bank! Simples!!! Roll on next season!
26
Agree with you both except for the "easily £20m". At the VERY maximum I can see Heitinga £4m, Billy £7m, Yak £3m, Vaughan £1m & Anichebe £1.5m, total £16.5m
Don't disagree with your point, just with the maths. For me, to get 3 big earners off the books and £16.5m I'd probably still be happy to see it done. The only one I have doubts over selling is Billy, I think he has potential we have yet to realise.
Do think the youth prospects are looking better than they have for some years, is that down to Finch Farm?
24
Bye bye rodwell, rodwell bye bye.
On a serious note, if he doesn't shape up he needs to go, same as Victor.
23
I would rather keep Fellaini than Rodwell for the next season, however Rodders is only 19 and in a full season could be as good as Fellaini whi I think really is an excellent player and has developed great stamina until injured. If we can get Beckford scoring a few more (I think he has been desparately unlucky this season with goal line clearances, hitting the bar, lack of playing time etc) and the midfield contributing some more (ffs Ozzie how did u miss all those chances?) then I think we would be better off not selling any big names even at the risk of not bringing in a high priced striker, then by the following season Rodders can take Felli's role and we can sell felli to Real Madrid for 30mln minimum. CYOB
22
I go with Jay from Runcorn, but expand a little.
Also your comment "Now we have players in our Squad who are those saleable assets, Fellaini, Rodwell, Yakubu, Heitinga, Baines etc,""
If Fellaini and his Dad start the sort of BS I expect, offload him and do it quickly; for a pricely sum of course. 15 mill ?
Yakubu - although he has hit form and good luck to him, doesnt want to be here - offload. 5 mill ?
Heitinga + Baines + Billy = do not even consider getting shot, fantastic.
As for Rodwell, love him, but for 15-20 mill, I would do anything to offload him. Say 20 mill?
Now Anichebe - is it just me or is he a lazy, arrogant, overpriced so and so.
Thats 40 mill, new squad for 2012 season WITH strike force ie assets
Remamber also every place we finish higher in the league = 500 K minimum (never mind Europe), hence my previous articals about what daft businessmen we have running our club = save a penny, loose a pound.
21
It's sentiments like this (although well intended) that keep bullshit bill and his cronies in charge.It is sad that as evertonians this is becoming acceptable to sell our decent players (infactall our players).This will eventually lead to relegation and this will be Bill's legacy.
20
The thing that realy bothers me about Kenwright/no money is that when we were realy pushing for champions league there was no investment/investors coming into the club, That IS kenwright fault, When we were finishing 5th,5th,6th birmingham were being purchased by carson yung, where was kenwright trying to sell him everton. To many missed oppertunitys and now were suffering, I worry about next season
19
I have to agree with both Ronnie and jay What they say makes an awful lot of sense-however on the reality check that Ronnie encourages all Evertonians to take that shouldn't simply be restricted to the highs and lows of the balance sheet. the Reality check. I want is ;to know why a brand like Everton appears completely unsaleable. When inferior brands such as Blackburn, West Ham QPR the Shi'ite the villains etc appear to sell as quickly as dodgy DVDs at a car boot sale on Sunday morning. Now I know everyone's going to yell it's because Goodison needs total redevelopment again I accept that.
The selling of Everton football club, if it is happening, needs to be shared with the loyal season-ticket holders that shell out their money year in year out. If we are unsaleable tell us and share with us the plan you see the feeling I get is we haven't actually got up one aside from prostituting ourselves to any sugar daddy the mind in town.
I am and an Evertonion I'm used to hard times, both on the pitch and off-how many times have you heard the Evertonian stood next to at the match say only Everton can do this to you, they take is from extreme high to extreme low. The point is were all grown-ups tell us the plan even if we haven't got one. Don't give as the mushroom syndrome keep us in the dark and occasionally feed us shite
18
Agree with Jay on the fringe and loanee players being flogged and we may even get more than the £20 million too. Surely Moyes can pick up a quality striker (the german league has plenty!) and even get in that left winger we need for approx £20 million.
17
Sound e-mail Ronnie.
We are not a wealthy club in a relatively quite poor part of the country and one that plays in the shadow of a much more commercially successful club.
I think a lot is being made of how broke we are. I think it wouldn't be such an issue in better times but the tightness of credit means we do need to pay off our debts. Technically we are $40m in debt but our assets are much more valuable than the ledger is allowed to state - therefore to reassure your investors you may need to sell off an asset. When a big club like Rangers might go bust you think it could happen to us.
Personally I wouldn't be too shocked if we let one of Felli or Rodwell go. They both play the same position and could fetch mega bucks. I think we could sell one plus Bily, Yak, Yobo, Heitinga and bring in 4 players at need positions, bank £10m. That could make us a much stronger club.
16
Not to mention the combined wages that those 'fringe' players must be on. Heitinga rates himself as the best centre half at the club so he had better stop pulling out of 50/50s and getting needless bookings. Yakubu and Yobo have made it clear that they don't want to come back, and as much as I like Bily, I think he is still struggling with the physical side of the game. I'm a fan of Vaughan too, but there must come a point when the club has to question whether they can keep up with his injuries. A real shame because ability and attitude wise he always looked like the real deal
15
Fair point Jay butif Yobo does move permanently and Heitinga follows him we would have to buy cover for Jags and Distin. Even if we were to raise 20 million from the sales of the above players some of that money would have to be spent on a central defender. Furthermore what would 18 million or so buy you? To start with Moyes doesn't have the best record when it comes to signing strikers,(Beattie, Johnson and Yakubu hardly set the world alight) and look what Villa and Liverpool spent on there new forwards, who are hardly top class. Personally I would just appreciate some transparency from the club. Tell us exactly what debt we are in, were the money from the sale of Bellefield, Peinnar and loan deals went and how much the banks are demanding. If it is as serious as some fans are suggesting then the likes of Rodwell and Fellaini need to be sold, but, with the proviso it doesn't happen again. The club make greater profit than deficits (if no debt existed) therefore wipe the debts and start again.
14
I agree with Jay. get rid of the fringe dead wood players to raise cash.
Sometimes you have to go for it in business, speculate to accumulate. If Bill won't sell us then we either have to go for it or tread water for the rest of our existance.
Through the rumour mill I hear that Bill is willing to sell but still wants to have a say in proceedings at the club...this is unrealistic Bill I'm afraid!
I fear that if the club is not sold this coming summer then there is going to be an exodus (inc DM) and there will be no way back.
Yes there will be some reading this calling me a doom monger but really you need to wake up and smell the coffee.
If the team are successful on the pitch the ground situation will follow... in my opinion of course.
13
As a famous redshite once said; People don't pay to see money in the bank. If we can become a successful, consistent team then the money issues will ease themselves. BTW - on a commercial front, the much lauded deal with kitbag. Here in the USA you cant but an Everton shirt. Local stores sell all the Premier league shirts (even Bolton and WBA) except Everton. The Online Store is expanding its product inventory but if you only sell to a restricted market and the market share is constrained by the fact that there are other clubs, then missing out on overseas markets is an avenue no commercial venture would allow to continue.
12
I agree with jay Fellaini is more of an asset on the pitch. What worries me is the silence of our board the only words we have heard Kenwright speak was to say he wouldnt stop Moyesy going. Hopefully in the summer we will clear the board as well as the crabs picking up hefty pay cheques at our exspense. IN MOYES WE TRUST
11
I agree with points from the letter and with Jay in Runcorn. Yes we will need to sell in the summer to bring somebody in but I think we can keep at least Fellaini and maybe even Rodwell too and still raise some funds. Our money from the premier league/ TV money and season ticket money will cover the vast majority of the debt. Them three areas are looking at bringing us about £40m+ towards a £45m debt (league should get us £26/27m, season tickets in excess of £10m and TV money of over £5m) so we can let the likes of Yak and Yobo go without diminsihing this seasons squad, Billy could probably go too, I'm fed up of defending the lad, yes he has quality and we just need him to use it more but he has had opportunities and not taken them so he can fuck off. I'd keep Johnny though, yes he's been shit this season, but look at him last season at centre half. Distin is getting on and once he goes we can put Johnny in centre half and give him a run he will prove to be the player he was last season.
9
Why wont you ever let my voice be heared, afraid of the truth or under the constraints of EFC censorship?
8
If you have no ambition and want to be coming 5th,6th,7th in the league every season then I would agree with you Ronnie, but I want Everton to have success and get better every season not stagnate and get into more debt while selling our best players. Is it to much to ask for £20m a season to spend on 3 top quality players and then you sell fringe players and re-coup maybe £5-10m. Bill Kenwright had the best intentions when he bought the club and everyone was thankful now I'm afraid he is just like Peter Johnson if not worse as we all knew what Johnson was. Bill let it go now before you become more of an hate figure and one that will go down in history as this......P.S. Do the words ASSET STRIPPING mean anything.
7
Some food for thought there perhaps but I must point out one thing that you said about Blue Bill, two clubs in one city etc. Back in 2007/2008 Proffessor Tom Cannon stated that Everton will always struggle for investment because they are not the brand leaders in their city just like Man City will always struggle for investment because Man Utd are Manchesters brand leaders. Fast forward 3 years and City are the worlds richest club.VSo if manchesters poor relations can suddenly become the worlds richest club why are we going down the tubes? Where are all these so called football finance experts now cos we could really use their knowledge? We will end up selling our playing assets and David Moyes will surely have had enough soon and go and I for one don't blame him.
6
Can't argue with Ronnie on this, but I agree with Jay in Runcorn. If we need to sell to raise the money to sign a top striker, sell off the players who don't want to be here or who are already halfway out of the door. The Yak, Yobo are definitely not coming back so squeeze as much as we can from their sales. Vaughany I'm sad to say won't be what we all hoped he would be, so sell. Vic needs to be sold and forgive me, but given his injury issues, if a buyer came in for Louis Saha, I'd let him go to. Above all, if Felli were sold, that would send the wrong message to any potential striker target. Felli is absolutely crucial to our immediate future and MUST be retained if at all possible.
5
All the reasons given are valid, explanations of the clubs situation. Ronnie, Jay, but its time to understand, "an if u know yer istory". We are Everton Football Club. We've all got the books, video's, dvd's, I've even got an article in "we are Everton" book, why should we accept this is the situation. We should'nt, we should demand where we ought to be of the Hierarchy, sell, but sell the club not the players. My season Ticket is a matter for trades description, when I see who turns out next season. It wont be the same team of assests we've got now, but a shadow of it.
4
Players are not the club there part of its assets and the club can only survive if it is financially viable (ask Portsmouth or Southampton or Leeds). So accept that there is no sugar daddy with a few billion waiting to buy the club and the fact that we will have to sell some of stars to buy in talented youth, control our wage structure to ensure the clubs future in top flight football. Who would argue that the Rooney and Lescott deals weren’t fantastic for the club (we made £40 Million after paying Wolves the transfer and sell on fee).
3
I agree with Jay to a degree. But I actually don't think Bill wants to let go, but it is now doing more harm than good. No investors, come on, even Leicester City have new investors down here. I don't think Bill wants to let his baby go and it is now effecting the whole club. If he don't come to his senses very soon, our biggest asset of all (Moyes) will do one. Unless someone makes him see the light, I think dark times are ahead!!
2
Jay totally agree, there is a lot of deadwood at Goodison, Yobo where is he? Yak may aswell say goodbye now, you may aswell sell Vaughan and Vic becasue they never play anyway they are always friggin injured, I think we need to keep Billy but Heitinga can go for me, he is too gobby and I just don't like him, he has never felt like an Everton player to me he doesn't seem to fit in with the team spirit, £5 for Yak, £2-3m for Vaughan, £2-3 for Anichebe bring in Baxter and Maggie to cover as they have played better from what i've seen this season and £5-6m for Heitinga, all in all should equate to a pretty damn decent striker.
1
Half agree with you there but the likes of Fellaini is more an asset on the pitch than a balance sheet. We have loanees and fringe players in Yak, Yobo, Vaughan, Anichebe, Billy and Heitinga who can all be moved on easily for £20m. This will get us our front man and even throw a few quid the banks way to cover last years loss. The holes in the squad left by those players can be filled with freebies and youth because they were either on loan so not there to be missed or useless and in the case of at least 2 had the effect of us playing with 10 men. This will then leave the first 11 intact.
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