We had a revenue of £78 million last season, somewhere in the top 8 of revenues last year. Out of that we have a huge wage bill taking up 65% of revenue, plus about another 15% on transfers. That’s 80% of our revenue gone on players and other staff costs already. On top of that we’ve got taxes, health and safety, insurance, stadium and training ground maintenance, marketing etc. Hence you get the 8th highest revenue club in the league, with record revenues, run at it’s absolutes limit barely breaking even.

People are now asking for an added £30 million investment this summer, assuming our revenue drops to £70million due to the recession and no European run, that’s 43% of revenue. On top of that, assuming two of the players bought with that will be top earners, the wage bill will rise by £5million, so our wage bill would be 74% of our revenue, add onto that the £21million of other costs, we’d be spending 147% of our revenue. Such a level of expenditure is not sustainable or safe for our secure future.

Considering we’re in the top 8 in revenues, for other clubs not only to be outspending us, but blowing us out of the water, shows that too many clubs are spending at unsustainable rates, operating a spend now fail to be able to pay later attitude.

People are forgetting football history and basic economics. Firstly no league has remained dominant indefinitely, eventually the league will lose it’s place as the top league around. There have been sounds of “it’s different now, it’s a global market, we’re growing worldwide now”, somehow believing that this means the Premier league is an ever growing market. As in the basics of economics, this isn’t true, what comes up must come down. The very same words about a global market were told to Groucho Marx just before the Wall Street crash, and were buzzed around the investment banking world before the current crash, going global does not prevent an end to growth.

Also on top of this, the football media industry will follow the way of the music industry. At the moment football in England is being propped up by the TV revenues and the theory that TV revenue will always increase or at least be maintained. However as technology is improving, football finds itself in the same position as the music industry when downloading began to take off, it’s in denial, assuming it can prevent it. However it won’t be able to stop it, the technology will continue to improve, the internet streams will continue to improve, the satellites picking up foreign channels will be cheaper and more accessible and people will inevitably opt away from the expensive TV packages. This means the TV revenue will significantly decrease and the Premier league will have to offer a far cheaper pay per view service over the internet. Within the next 10/15 years, the TV revenue will significantly fall and the sand foundations the debt fuelled clubs are being built on will collapse and loans secured against the theory of these revenue streams remaining will go unpaid.

The inevitable fall in the TV revenues and the weakening pulling power of the Premier league will see many clubs with huge debts be forced to sell off many of their assets to service the loans, and situations similar to the Leeds United fire sale will happen, and as more clubs are forced to sell, the standard and attraction of the Premier league will further decrease, and the problem will obviously get worse and drag more clubs in to the fire sale. The unsustainable credit phase of the Premier league will end in economic disaster for English football. We’re at the height of an economic bubble and it will burst sooner rather than later, and many great clubs will suffer.

I wish people would direct their anger and frustrations in the right place. We don’t need someone to pile more debt onto our club, we need someone who’ll buy up a share issue and give the club a cash boost, we need our retail and merchandising to improve, we need to improve our exposure to make us more attractive to sponsors, we need an improved stadium, we need to improve our revenue streams and improve as a money generating club. We need to improve our revenue for the long term future of the club, not join in Russian Roulette with the debt fuelled clubs in a game where there will be far more losers than winners.

Pressure the board and campaign for the future success of the club, not the end of it.

Debate It Here FollowEvertonForums

So Everton fans, which match would you rather win, the League or the Cup? Vote in the poll or leave a comment.

Injuries have blighted the current campaign and with the Blues currently in 6th, who knows what could have been if the squad had stayed fully fit. There’s no doubting where Everton are lacking the most, the striker crisis is as bad as it could possibly be at the moment with Tim Cahill and Marouane Fellaini currently filling the void up front. Last season’s top scorer Yakubu is out for the rest of the campaign and James Vaughan is also doubtful to play again after a delay to his knee operation. Louis Saha is on the mend but will no doubt get injured again at some point and Victor Anichebe has had back problems. A whole host of names have been mentioned as possible replacements this window including: Vagner Love, David Nugent, Henrik Larsson Giampaulo Pazzini and Pavel Pogrebnyak, but it is unclear on whether there is any substance to these rumours.

Everton Manager David Moyes has had this to say on the upcoming window: “We are actively looking at what will make a difference, but I don’t think I will be able to do much in January. I am more likely to be looking at loans. Anything the club have got they will give me. But that doesn’t mean to say I am not out there looking for loans or Bosman signings or anything else that can help us. I don’t think we will be selling because we don’t have the numbers. We are short at this present time and that limits what I can do off the bench.”

Moyes has stressed that he does not have to sell but one player in particular has come into the shopping window over the past few days. After a Man-of-the-Match against Sunderland Mikel Arteta has attracted the interest of moneybags Manchester City and Arsenal, who are withough skipper Cesc Fabregas for four months. Arsenal are rumoured to be on the verge of tabling a bid between £10-12 million and it will be interesting to see whether David Moyes decides to cash in on his prized asset to be able to afford a new striker.

David Moyes has not been one to use the January-window in recent years, last year only acquiring Manuel Fernandes on loan from Valencia and Spurs’ Anthony Gardner, now of Hull, who didn’t make a single appearance for the Blues. However now more than ever Everton need players, so FollowEverton’s verdict…. you guessed is, Bill Kenwright’s  “watch this space”.

From all at FollowEverton we hope you have a very happy new year!

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HT UPDATES : Steven Pienaar hit the woodwork during the first half for the Blues. Maroune Fellaini has been booked for repeat fouling whilst both debutant Dan Gosling and Joleon Lescott missed glorious chances to score from close range. Phil Neville had a good shot from outside the box which took a deflection of the defender but no corner was given. The hosts have rarely threatended. Everton have dominated the possession and teritorial.

Teams:

Middlesbrough; Turnbull, McMahon, Riggott, Pogatetz, Taylor, Aliadiere, O’Neil, Arca, Downing, Sanli, Mido. Subs; Jones, Emnes, Alves, Huth, Johnson, Wheater, Walker.

Everton; Howard, Hibbert,, Jagielka, Lescott, Baines, Gosling, Arteta, Neville, Fellaini, Pienaar, Cahill. Subs; Nash, Rodwell, Jutkiewicz, Kissock, Wallace, Van der Meyde, Anichebe

Ref: Mike Riley

It’s Christmas now which means we’re now at the half way point of the season, here’s my half term report on the players so far:

1. Carlo Nash - Carlo has warmed the bench to an excellent standard so far, let’s hope he’s not needed for the rest of the season either

2. Tony Hibbert – injuries have hampered his season so far but when he has played he’s done well (Appearances: 5, Goals: 0, Fantasy League Points: 9)

3. Leighton Baines - Leighton has been the victim of a solid defence in recent weeks that has not needed changing, he has played  quite well when brought on and will need to take his chance in the coming weeks while Yobo’s injured (Appearances:  11, Goals: 0, Fantasy League Points: 17)

4. Joseph Yobo – Joseph has had an average start to the season including one own-goal against Liege in the UEFA Cup, he’s picked up an injury this week and will need to force his make back into the side (Appearances: 16, Goals: 0, Fantasy League Points: 44)

5. Joleon Lescott – With much expected for this season Joleon failed to deliver in the opening stages of the season, however he is back amongst the goals and starting to put in the performances that earned him Player of the Year last season, he will get the opportunity to play in his preferred Centre-Back role in the coming weeks after the injury to Joseph Yobo (Appearances: 18, Goals: 3, Fantasy League Points: 73)

6. Phil Jagielka – Phil has been the outstanding performer of the season so far, he has been very unlucky not to burst into the England squad after a string of outstanding performances, his mistake against Villa was awful but not one that should be remembered as he has shown what a world-class Centre-Back he is. Phil has played every minute of Everton’s season so far (Appearances: 18, Goals: 0, Fantasy League Points: 62)

7. Andy Van der Meyde - Not much to say here, Andy made one appearance as a substitute against Aston Villa and showed that he can play a bit, needs to try and get a few more cameo appearances over the rest of the season

8. Segundo Castillo – Segundo came straight into the side against Stoke and impressed but has failed to nail down a starting place since then. He scored a great goal against Standard Liege at Goodison and after getting back into the side against Manchester City injured himself, needs to force his way into the side or he will not be kept (Appearances: 3, Goals: 0, Fantasy League Points: 6)

9. Louis Saha -When fit Louis has played quite well but has only netted in two games so far, with Yakubu out for the season he needs to become a talisman and should be aiming for at least 10 goals by the end of the season. He was outstanding at Upton Park with an assist and two goals in the last 10 minutes, he needs to play like that all the time and stay fit. (Appearances: 11, Goals: 3, Fantasy League Points: 36)

10. Mikel Arteta – Not up to his usual high standards so far but scored a brilliant free-kick on the opening day. Performances have improved since moving into the centre of midfield, but can do better. Played every minute if the season so far, surprisingly according to Premier League Fantasy League statistics, he is Everton’s best player so far this year(Appearances: 18, Goals: 2, Fantasy League Points: 82)

12. Iain Turner - Not played, needs to be loaned out

14. James Vaughan – Vaughany’s been desperately unlucky again this year with injuries, upon his return he needs to force a claim for a starting place in Yakubu’s absence (Appearances: 10, Goals: 0, Fantasy League Points: 10)

15. Lars Jacobsen – Injury has prevented him from making his debut

17. Tim Cahill - Must do better, has been unimpressive in centre midfield and has gone through games without being noticed. But still, when Cahill plays Everton do better, needs to score a few more for the remainder of the season (Appearances: 12, Goals: 3, Fantasy League Points: 49)

18. Phil Neville – Has been a different player since the Man United game, his tackle on Cristiano Ronaldo turned our season and he has led from the front with some top performances (Appearances: 17, Goals: 0, Fantasy League Points: 48)

19. Nuno Valente – Has played two games and done nothing else, injured

20. Steven Pienaar – Steven was greatly missed at the start of the season when he had his foot injury, he has put in some great performances since returning including the winning goal at White Hart Lane (Appearances: 10, Goals: 1, Fantasy League Points: 34)

21. Leon Osman - Leon has gone about his work quietly putting in solid performances every game, an unsung hero from the season so far. (Appearances: 17, Goals: 3, Fantasy League Points: 64)

22. Yakubu – Started well but then faded, looked to be back amongst the goals with a strike against former club Boro before ending his season early with a ruptured achilles. (Appearances: 14, Goals: 4, Fantasy League Points: 44)

24. Tim Howard - Tim has been criticised by certain sections of our support but has been outstanding during recent weeks including a world-class save against Wigan (Appearances: 18, Fantasy League Points: 63)

25. Marouane Fellaini - A hefty price tag but considering his age he’s worth every penny, a midfield general who’s great in the air and has played very well so far, needs to improve his skills on the ground though. Get a haircut. (Appearances: 14, Goals: 3, Fantasy League Points: 43)

26, Jack Rodwell - A star is born, this lad could be a great player for Everton after a number of impressive performances early on in the season, especially against Arsenal. One for the future. (Appearances: 7, Goals: 0, Fantasy League Points: 12)

28 – Victor Anichebe - Got injured when we needed him most, will have to replace the Yak in the second half of the season. Scored one goal this season and needs to find the back of the net on a more regular basis (Appearances: 11, Goals: 1, Fantasy League Points: 21)

Arteta, Top man

Top Five players according to Fantasy League stats (which include, Appearances, Man of the Match performances, Goals, Assists, Yellow and Red Cards etc…)

1. Mikel Arteta
2. Joleon Lescott
3. Leon Osman
4. Tim Howard
5. Phil Jagielka
   

NB: All data given is based on Premier League stats only

Written by: Ian Phillips

Well Mr. Wyness goodbye and good riddance in my opinion. I refer to my last article on the coming season where I stated my worries about the club being in the hands on the neo – consumerists whose total commitment is to money, profit and their own CV. The fans who actually make their money, that’s me and you, we are the least important in the New Labour Celebrity Consumerist Capitalist Cosmetic Premier League.

Blue All Over

The Fixture Lists have been out for a few weeks, my 2008/9 Season Ticket has arrived – looking better than last years – and there’s daily speculation on the web and in the press of who Everton are about to sign (normally followed by a Newcastle bid – what is going on there), rumours about David Moyes’s contract, Bill selling or not, Wyness upsetting everyone, Kirkby or not Kirkby, Terry Leahy even Warren Bradley getting onto football websites – yes the football season is due to start in a few weeks time.

I was thinking about the coming season, some people are already saying the most important season in our history but surely every season is that, and asking myself why have I renewed my season ticket. Not only mine but my daughter and 2 grandsons who attend every match with me. Of course, the answer is simple isn’t it?

I am an Evertonian. For better or worse, richer or poorer (interesting thought) till death us do part.
I say Evertonian because I find it difficult to actually say I like football nowadays. Or more to the point what football seems to stand for. Consumerism run wild but where the consumer, that’s us the fans, seem to be the least important elements of the whole system. It seems we are geared just to ensure that the machine keeps going oiling everyone pockets except ours.

Before a ball is kicked it sis time for contemplation, for thought, to draw a line on last season and look forward. There are it seems to me, two main issues facing Everton and Evertonians. One off the field and one on the field.

On the field, it is the football, the players and the manager that I am thinking about. I am not going to speculate about who we should sign, sell or loan, whether Moyes is the manager to move us on, back to the top. That’s all been written about. What concerns me is even deeper. Can Everton in the near future or in my lifetime ever win not only The Premiership but any trophy? For me this is the biggest dilemma…

First the Premiership. Do we honestly believe that in these times where money is king and it doesn’t seem to matter where the money came from, that Everton in their current financial situation could seriously challenge the Big Four. I believe that we cannot. And so, some may say, let’s sell to an American, a Russian, a bent eastern ex-premier, as long as we get the money to get us back to the top. Not me and I seriously hope not the vast majority of Evertonian’s. After all being an Evertonian stands for something doesn’t it. If we are not to buy into the Executive Murdoch/Sky Club, and to paraphrase Grouch Marx, “I wouldn’t like to be a member of a club that would let me in”, then what is the point of going to watch Everton’s League games and of course on spending my money on 4 season tickets. Well believe it or not – entertainment. That’s what football is – of course with a competitive edge. I want us to finish as high as possible in The Premier – we improved on last season, moving up a place so can we move up again. But I want to watch good football – attractive football, the ball played around to feet, pass and move, skill and skilful artistic players. Of course, all of this goes out of the window when we play certain teams (no mention of RS here). If we cannot buy the big names in Europe and surely we cannot compete with the £30 million for one player then buy the up and coming, ambitious players who have something to prove, go for the playmakers, the young players, make our scouts work for a living. Let Evertonians enjoy watching the football played by our team, let’s have a feeling that maybe its our team with players that have some rapport with us the fans who pay their wages.

If we cannot win the Premiership then what can we win. Well, I believe mistakes were made by Moyes last year. I believe we, well he, made a big mistake in the first leg semi final against Chelsea, wrong tactics. We, again he (and certainly the players as well), blew the FA Cup, wrong team, wrong tactics and also we gave too much respect to Fiorentina – we had more than an hour at Goodison to get the winner and didn’t. A trophy, some sort of silverware, is important to us, the fans, the club, we need something in the showcase. I want us to concentrate this season on winning something – go for it. Do not play weakened teams in the FA Cup or league Cup – go for them. The drive for playing your best in The Premiership is again a management objective aimed at making more money not at entertaining the fans. I would love to see us in a final this coming year and not merely throw the opportunities away. We deserve it – the greatest thing about Everton is its history and its fans and we are one and the same thing, The Club and the Fans.

Talking of history and Dear Mr Wyness, “If you know your history…….”, onto my second dilemma. Kirkby.
To move to Kirkby is to sell our soul, even our History, to the modern devil. The moneymen, consultants, consumerists, profiteers, soulless, passionless, money grabbing, quick buck, tricky dicky, powerpoint nothings. As you can gather I am against the move.

Please don’t tell me I have to move on – move on with who. Its not so much the idea of a new stadium that saddens me – yes I would love to see historic Goodison redeveloped (not an impossibility in my opinion). Don’t we ever learn – somewhere along the line in this City we allowed the Politicians and Planners to build a car park where the Cavern used to be and then when some plantpot then wanted to make money they rebuilt a replica. No replicas for me – the real Everton, the real Goodisn with a history that’s what I believe in, we are not plastic Evertonian’s or merely followers of the new fashion, the latest winners – what am I this Year a Red fan, or ManU or Arsenal or Chelsea because they are on Sky and have won a few things recently – no I am an Evertonians once and forever). We were born here in the City and we should stay here. My daughters, my grandchildren and my wife, who is from Poland, and all my European visitors, and I have many, are all taken to the top of Everton (yes its called Everton) Brow and shown the little keep which is on Everton’s Crest.
This is history, you do not wipe away history with the signature on a Planning officers Contract. My mother used to say to me “The planners did what Hitler couldn’t do and bombed the centre of Liverpool – never trust them son” and I don’t.

Everton, The Club, The Ground and The Fans stand for something in this City, don’t we? Well let’s stand firm – Keep EVERTON in the City – it’s our Club and it’s our City.
So, see you all at GOODISON on 16th August to watch OUR Team, The Blue Boys and we love them.

The German born Bayern Munich man has impressed me in the Euro’s this last

month and has been one of Germany’s best attacking players. He can get on

the end of crosses and make scoring look easy. He Is a pacey player who Is

not lazy and closes players down quickly. He can also make a decent

set-piece as seen in the Portugal game where he set up both Klose and

Ballack from free-kicks.

Manchester United have been linked with him for £10m and that price Is

cheap for his quality. We are lacking midfielders in our team and

Schweinsteiger can play on both wings or In an attacking position.

Conflicting views on the forums have come about in this close season when
anyone has mentioned money. Some say Bill Kenwright /BK/Kenwrong is taking
us in the wrong direction and is cash strapped, meaning we won’t be able
to keep hold of our one prize asset – David Moyes. Also, due to these
‘insufficient funds’ we won’t be ble to push on to challenge the big
4. Others, like myself, feel that despite not spending so far in this summer
transfer window, that Kenwright is one of the best chairmen in the Premier
League. A controversial statement I know, but look at other chairmen, we
could do a hell of a lot worse.

Negatives:
Bill ‘dithered for too long’ (Michael Corleone) on the NTL deal,
causing it to ‘fall on its arse.’ Were NTL really right for us though?
They have since been bought by Virgin media, and I doubt any sort of
relationship would have been maintained.

Kenwright failed with the Kings Docks idea, which at the time was ‘the
deal of the century,’ with the stadium still being within the ‘capital
of culture.’ It would have definitely been better than Kirkby, which seems
a plan B compared to it.

Kenwright has displaced season ticket holders and in return there are
unused corporate seats, which is disgraceful if wholly true. We are the
fans, he is a fan, he should be more thoughtful.

He hasn’t accepted investments, although this could be deemed good, look
at Manchester City for example, great investment, but a power crazy chairman
who sees coming 9th, the best City have done in years, a failure of a
season.

He hasn’t got Moyes to sign a new contract yet, and this is the main
reason why people are worried about the club’s state. But having said
that, he hasn’t even come back from his summer break yet and is currently
helping out with the ITV’s coverage of the Euros.

Positives:

As said, there are worse chairmen in the Premier League. The yanks across
the park may invest, but have clocked up even greater sums of debt compared
to Kenwright and the Everton board. What has their vast debt got them, not a
lot, 4th spot-just?

Kenwright has broken the transfer record for the past three seasons
running. He has shown some ambition with the money he has available. He puts
as much money in the club (e.g ticket sales and shirt sales) into the club.

Despite not managing to ratify the Kings Docks proposal, he has managed to
come up with a plan B in the form of an impressive Kirby proposal , even
with the conflicting KEIOC fans’ group. (I know this may sound
contradictory to an earlier point.

To conclude, Kenwright is a fan of the club, and no matter what is said or
done, he has the good of the club in him. Every Evertonian has the club at
heart. No season ticket holder is really a businessman, and probably
wouldn’t understand half of what goes on. We, from the outside don’t
know half of what is going on. We don’t know figures, we can only guess.
Paper talk is usually a load of gibberish, and we, the public, really take
it too seriously. I, as an Evertonian, trust Kenwright and would much prefer
him to a power crazed multi millionaire who doesn’t know the offside rule.

Since his ‘world class’ display against the Dutch, I had a lingering feeling that the experienced Russian was no better than half of the Premier League’s wingers

With him being valued at 10 million pounds or so, I personally felt it was a no-go. The Russian league isn’t exactly the strongest and we walked over Zenit in November, albeit there was a fortunate decision which tilted the game in our favour. I didn’t seem to see much of Arshavin in that drab affair at Goodison, and this time last year if someone were to mention the name Andrei Arshavin, they would have been put in a mental home. How the Russian’s life has turned – how we need to sign him to show the type of ambition that would put us right up there with the top 4.

We attempted to take Ramsey off Arsenal and United, there are talks of taking Moutinho off the same pairing, yet I feel this would be the greatest coup. Without Arshavin, the Russians lacked any sort of spark or creativity in the midfield in their first two games of the EUROs. Since Arshavin’s introduction against Sweden, he has just got better and better, game-by-game. Last night he showed class and determination to chase after an almost lost ball and brilliant technique, which could rival that of David Beckham, to dink a ball over one of the tallest keepers in the world and drop it onto a team-mates foot for what seemed to be the winner. Only for the tricky soviet to go and grab another with the match 4 minutes from the end of extra time. He has got a sense of resilience about him, as well as luck, which can only be seen as a good thing.

He has got a sense of resilience about him, as well as luck, which can only be seen as a good thing.

The number 10 could fit snugly into a 4-5-1 system, which at times last year was played with two holding men. This season however it could be reversed and there could be two attacking midfielders bombing into the box in the form of Arshavin and Cahill. It is enough to make you drool at the prospect, and if Moyes digs deep enough we could really be onto a winner here. It just seems that the price may have gone up drastically after this scintillating display against the Dutch, which is a shame as Moyes has had his eye on the winger for some time now. It is apparent that Arshavin will leave, personally, all I would like him to do is to use his head before picking a club to move to. He shouldn’t go to City for over the top wages, he should come to Everton to be part of something that money can’t buy, a great team ethic where everyone works for each other and, furthermore, it is a club that is going places.