Enda’s Opinion: All Together Now, at Everton!
By Unclassified • Aug 18th, 2011 • Category: Fan Articles, News, Opinion |The following views are that of Enda McLoughlin; guest author and writer of this piece. Please utilize the comments section at the end of this article or find the associated forum thread in our FE Forum.
In my day to day life I try my best to keep track of absolutely everything Everton. Reading countless news articles, pundit pieces and fan blogs that really are mostly hogwash can get a person down. I mean, how many disappointments have been caused by absolute crap in the media? Would we have been as disappointed about Moutinho if we hadn’t been bombarded with all of the “he’s going to sign, he’s not going to sign” nonsense? How many players in general are we linked with that are rumors just pulled out of the ether.
Now, I know this is the case with most clubs but it tends to grind the gears of Evertonians more as recently we haven’t had real signings to wash that horrible taste out of our mouths. This summer has been a tough one and if I’m honest a large part of that was due to the negativity surrounding the club. We’re in a very similar position to what we were in last summer yet it seems infinitely worse, why?
This time last summer we had the memories of a strong finish to a season with a well oiled team. It seemed like it was going to be the year that we’d push on especially since our star players had been secured to long term deals. The world was our oyster and then as all Evertonians are well aware, we flop. A bitter pill to swallow it was, it felt so sickening that we could fall so far short of our expectations. Here we hit on the crux of the matter, the expectation, this sense of entitlement that I along with many other Evertonians have procured over the last few years of improvement. Come on, we were unbeaten in the UEFA cup in 07-08 bar one poor performance in Italy (with the eventual winners even finishing behind us in the group stages). In 2009 we were the FA cup runners-up and throw into the mix consistently finishing at dizzying heights in the league compared to our drudgery in the 90’s. Looking at this team, we were obviously destined for greatness.
That feeling is gone now, and it seems with most fans there isn’t even a trace of it left. For most of this summer I spent my time thinking about how much we were going to struggle if we didn’t strengthen the squad. This all culminated today when I read the transcript of the Bill Kenwright interview. I subsequently read articles on how Everton were competing to sign Nedum Onuoha and had a miniature epiphany. The club we all love so dearly is quite obviously in the midst of serious financial plight and the medias constant bombardment of transfer rumors does nothing but feed expectation and incite frustration in the supporter base.
There is nothing we as fans can do for our club’s financial situation. What we can do is come together like only Evertonians can. We need to get behind our club with a ferocity that will send shivers up the spine of every Man City mercenary, every Man Utd kid, every Arsenal hothead and every Chelsea OAP. Who should we fear? Should the sight of Aguero coming to Goodison have us quaking in our boots or should we stand firm in our belief that, if Phil Jagielka was able to fit an on form Torres in his back pocket then there’ll be plenty of room for the Premierships newest superstar?
From what I can see, the best way to ensure this club does not scupper has and always will be reaching the Promised Land. It’s getting more and more difficult every year, but the only way for us to push through the financial barrier that we seem to be clinging to for dear life is the cash cow of the Champions League. Now, I know clubs will chant “Champions League, you’re having a laugh” but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s what will save this club. It is probably as likely as Bill winning the Euromillions but how and ever this is what we must strive for. I do know one thing for sure and that is that our team, which is a well settled unit, thrives on our support. If there is any hope of us making the impact we need to make on the league then we as fans need to be 100% behind them.
What is the point in us sitting here disillusioned? We haven’t bought anyone, we’re stagnating etc. We need to show the premiership again why we’re a club that a player of the stature of Landon Donavan can fall in love with after two months. This is the power Everton fans have and why this club is so special to me and to all of you. We need to show everyone why we’re a club that all other clubs hate to travel to. We need fortress Goodison back!
I read an article earlier this week on how Everton need to sell Cahill if they want to achieve anything,. I couldn’t believe it, for me he epitomises the club. For the most part I like to think of Tim Cahill as being an echo of the Everton mentality in general. We are a club who consistently out jump clubs we have no right to with our spending power. Teams should know how to defend against Cahill at this stage, the same as they should know how to defend against us. Our team hasn’t changed the same as Tim’s attitude hasn’t, he still produces and Everton can as well. After all who would ever have believed that Everton would finish in the top four with a team of where Kilbane, Carsely and McFadden were regulars. Is it not possible however improbable that we could do it with players like Fellaini, Saha, Baines and Jagielka?
I know that I have no influence over Everton fans and I’m not trying to preach here, just giving my two cents. I believe that the only course of action for fans now is to turn Goodison Park into the simmering cauldron of passion that it can be come this weekend’s opener. Let’s give QPR the welcome that Fiorentina got. Let’s get behind our team, our manager and our club as only Evertonians can.
Regards
Enda
p.s. If nothing else we can look forward to taking 6 points off the billionaires… again.
Would you like to hear more from Enda? What do you think of this piece? Are you optimistic about the season? Leave your comments below.
That is very well said
Couldn’t agree more. The fans pressurising Bill K into making this statement has only weakened our negotiating position with other clubs. That’s why Moyes didn’t want him to make such a statement.
As for selling the club, well, I wouldn’t want to own one, not unless I had more money than sense. Bill K clearly wants out so believe me, he’ll be doing everything possible to sell. Thankfully, because he is a true blue he won’t sell it to someone who isn’t going to improve our financial state of affairs. If certain fans keep pushing him, he may just sell it to any old dodgy dealer and then things could go very bad, very quick.
It’s time to put trust in those running the club, and get behind the team. The more the fans start saying our current players aren’t good enough, there’s a chance the players themselves will lose belief. And then we will see some truly shocking performances. For all the money Man City spent last year they couldn’t break Everton, our Everton, our team, our players. You can’t put a price on what we’ve got. Fight, grit, determination and, I hope, a set of Goodison fans with big hearts, big lungs and unshakeable belief that maybe, just maybe, this could be the year we hit Europe.
Get behind your team, don’t hinder them.
COYB
I’m glad that there are others who feel the same as me. I know my opinion might be considered to be a bit naive but I really feel as football fans that our main objective should be to get behind the team. Obviously people are going to be worried about long term stability and safety but an air of unrest and discontent only breeds poor performances and more unrest and discontent. People should be worrying less about anti-board chants at the matches and more about pro-everton chants.
A great piece from Enda – who may become a regular reporter and blogger on the site from now.
“The fans pressurising Bill K into making this statement has only weakened our negotiating position with other clubs. That’s why Moyes didn’t want him to make such a statement.”
You are spot on. It’s not exactly wise to say “hey, our finances are terrible, we’re making a net loss each year without signing anyone, we need a new stadium, but we’re for sale: buy us!”