TRANSFERS 2013 & PRE-SEASON
View attachment 288483
Despite a successful season where we finished 4th I was told by Bill Kenwright that there was little money available to add to my squad. He said we were guaranteed Champions League football so could not risk big outlays without big incomings. Basically that translated as "Sell before you buy". But I was also reminded that I would only have
40% of each sale to reinvest in new players...
I decided to let the players have a longer than usual break, I had some big decisions to make...Deep down I new what I was going to do...Certain players had too many injuries through the season to justify me keeping a spot for them...But I was somewhat hamstrung by how much I could reinvest...Some big names would have to go...I had faith in my scouts and in myself...'
We would find replacements' I told myself...So I bit the bullet and made the calls...Fully expecting the backlash from the Goodison faithful...
Major Transfers Out:
[TABLE="class: grid, width: 415, align: center"]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]Player [/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Club[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Amount[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Marouane Fellaini[/TD]
[TD]Manchester United[/TD]
[TD]£41 million[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Leighton Baines[/TD]
[TD]Arsenal[/TD]
[TD]£20 million[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Nikica Jelavic[/TD]
[TD]Fenerbache[/TD]
[TD]£10.75 million[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Steven Pienaar[/TD]
[TD]Southampton[/TD]
[TD]£9 million[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Magaye Gueye[/TD]
[TD]Reading[/TD]
[TD]£7.5 million
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Steven Naismith[/TD]
[TD]Birmingham[/TD]
[TD]£7.5 million[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Apostolos Vellios[/TD]
[TD]Watford[/TD]
[TD]£1.6 million[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Matthew Kennedy[/TD]
[TD]Sunderland[/TD]
[TD]£650k[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]John Lundstram[/TD]
[TD]Birmingham[/TD]
[TD]£500k[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Hallam Hope[/TD]
[TD]Norwich[/TD]
[TD]£400k[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
I realise even at this early stage of my career that footballers are commodities so I should not get too attached...if there's money to be made then so be it...That's the way things are at this club currently...I aim to change that one day!
Loans Out: Taudal, Anichebe (£35k p/m), Hammar, Duffy (14k p/m), Junior, Barkley, Bidwell, Grant, Dobson
Just over
£98 million raked in from those deals...My transfer budget stood at around
£55 million...I had some key positions to fill and big names to replace...I wanted a strong CB to replace the ageing
Distin, a new BWM powerhouse to work alongside
Poli and a new skillful LW as I intended to use
Wellington Nem/Adryan in my AMC/AP role...Please welcome my new players to Goodison Park...
Major Transfers In:
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[TABLE="class: grid, width: 415, align: center"]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]
Player [/TD]
[TD="align: center"]
Club[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]
Amount[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Moussa Sissoko[/TD]
[TD]
Toulouse FC[/TD]
[TD]
£16.25 million[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Antoine Griezmann[/TD]
[TD]
R. Sociedad[/TD]
[TD]
£16 million[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Jan Kirchhoff[/TD]
[TD]
Mainz[/TD]
[TD]
£8 million[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Neil Taylor[/TD]
[TD]
Swansea[/TD]
[TD]
£4.8 million[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Dedryck Boyata[/TD]
[TD]
Manchester City[/TD]
[TD]
£3.1 million[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Jermaine Defoe[/TD]
[TD]
Tottenham[/TD]
[TD]
£2.7 million[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Mattia Destro[/TD]
[TD]
Genoa CFC[/TD]
[TD]
Free[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
I got my desired BWM and LW in
Sissoko and
Griezmann, both relatively young and purchased with a good sell-on value in mind to keep my chairman and the shareholders happy. Delighted with my two CB's,
Distin was fantastic last time out, but as my coaches keep reminding me, he is not getting any younger so now I have more options to choose from.
Taylor will fill the void left by the sale of
Baines, Swansea were relegated and I fought off competition from Spurs to land him for a bargain price. Delighted with the free transfer of
Destro, a young talent I had my eye from day one and was delighted that he chose to sign with us instead of remaining with Genoa. I signed
Jermaine Defoe to be a squad member and do a job when required, he will also provide valuable experience and tips to my other young forwards at the club.
My transfer business was wrapped up relatively early (or so I thought)...I'd made lots of moves in the market and now the squad had a solid 4 weeks to work and train together to recreate that team spirit that was so crucial to last years campaign.
Pre-Season
Chester (A) W 3-0
Preston (A) W 3-0
Crewe (A) W 4-0
A great set of friendly results, however I cannot take the credit as my Assistant took control for these matches as I was busy elsewhere...
***Poli injured for 2 months***
***Neville injured for 5 months***
Suddenly my Centre Midfield looked extremely thin! I did have some remaining transfer budget left over to use but instead I chose to look in the loan market to see if I could boost my depth in midfield and also at LB...
Loans In: Tom Cleverley (90k p/m), Thomas Vermaelen (65k p/m)
***Champions League Playoff Draw***
Everton vs Juventus
Juventus!!! Of all the sides we could've got we got lumbered with the Italian Champions!!! Looks like we might not be getting that much needed Champions League revenue after all! I needed to come up with a game plan, and quickly.
The start of the season was upon us, August sees our League campaign begin away to Reading. we are at home Norwich and that game is sandwiched between our make-or-break play-off against Juventus! We are fit, strong and raring to go...Fingers crossed, its going to be one **** of a ride!!!
Next time...Seasons aspirations...Premier League kicks off...Can Everton beat the Italian Champions?
)
