The greatest manager in Everton history believes that we need to be patient before we see the best of Ross Barkley and the David Moyes has got it spot on with young Ross so far.
Howard the Great said: 'Ross Barkley's continued absence from the Everton first team squad in recent months appears to have become something of a talking point amongst Everton FC fans. For me, however, it simply isn't an issue.'
'Nobody is better placed than the manager and his coaching staff to decide when a young player is ready for a run in the first team. And Everton's record in this area in recent seasons has been outstanding. The Blues clearly have high hopes for Ross. He has recently signed a long term contract underlining a commitment on both sides. But it can be damaging to a young player's development if he is pitched into the unforgiving first team environment before he is physically and mentally ready.'
'We have to remember that Ross missed out on almost a year of his development as a senior player because of a broken leg sustained on international duty - and while he may be ready physically and even mentally, tactically he may still have a lot to learn.'
'We've seen flashes of him earlier in the season - and I'm sure we'll see plenty more of him as the season progresses. But the bottom line is that David Moyes and his staff will know when the right time to unleash Ross Barkley is.'
'They've got things absolutely right in the past with the likes of Wayne Rooney, Jack Rodwell and Apostolos Vellios, and I'm sure they'll get it right again with Ross Barkley. Blues fans just need to be patient to allow the youngster's rich potential to be realised.'
Who are we to disagree?
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