Your views on Everton FC: Mark Finnegan and Rhodri Cannon answer our questions
The Everton team celebrate in front of their fans at the final whistle at Hull
The long wait is almost over and Everton are closing in on a return to action, kicking off the Premier League campaign on August 16 with a clash with newly-promoted Leicester City at the King Power Stadium.
It feels like an eternity since the Blues ended the 2013-14 season with a 2-0 win at Hull City - and plenty has gone on in the days and months since Romelu Lukaku threw his shirt to fans in the away end at the KC Stadium on May 11.
The Belgian has since been lured back to Goodison in a club record £28m deal, while Gareth Barry and cult-hero-in-the-making Muhamed Besic have also been snapped up.
With Ross Barkley and John Stones signing new contracts, the Blues look well set going into the 2014-15 campaign - though the hunt for new signing continues against the backdrop of some indifferent pre-season form.
So what did you - the fans - make of the summer and what are your hopes for the new season?
We have canvassed the opinion of various Blues fans groups and supporters' websites to gauge the feeling among the EFC faithful.
The responses we had - to the same five set questions - will be published on the ECHO site over the coming days.
A big thank you to all who took part.
These answers come from MARK FINNEGAN and RHODRI CANNON of EFCFeelinBlue.com
What are your expectations for Everton going into the new season?
Mark Finnegan (MF): I expect us to the hit the ground running and continue to play the way we did last season. We were expressive, positive, but patient in our approach and Martinez’ ideology for the club has everyone on the edge of their seats. With reinforcements now arriving at Goodison Park, I’d expect Everton to be targeting the Champions League and personally I’d expect us to finish in the top four. Although the sides around us have strengthened and each season it gets tougher to compete, I think if Everton show the no-fear, attacking intent they did last season then this campaign could be one to remember. We have a great mix of talent within our squad and a hungry manager in Martinez and us Evertonians get the feeling that this is very much the start of something under the Spaniard.
Rhodri Cannon (RC): The expectations I have for Everton in the upcoming season are dependent on three key factors; new signings, youngsters and ensuring the players improve on last year. If we bring a centre forward, a winger and maybe a versatile defender then we will be in with a shout of Champions League qualification. With the added pressure of the Europa League, Everton will also need some youngsters stepping up and helping out the senior squad. Luke Garbutt has really caught the eye in pre-season so far, and there are big things expected of Tyias Browning and Conor McAleny as well. Those three and more will be hoping to emulate the likes of Ross Barkley and John Stones and become established members of the first-team squad this season.
Along with youngsters and new signings giving the squad some fresh faces and impetus, it’s essential that the players from last season don’t rest on their laurels. There was a catalogue of positives to take from last season but that doesn’t mean things can’t be improved upon. Kevin Mirallas and Leighton Baines are players that played within themselves at times last season and they’ll need to improve, while John Stones and Ross Barkley will naturally get better with every game they play.
What are your thoughts on the transfer dealings so far; and if you were Martinez what are your priorities?
MF: So far our transfer dealings have again been impressive; we signed Barry which was essential, and now the exciting Besic has joined too, plus the major statement of intent in signing Lukaku on a permanent. Barry and Lukaku were two key members of the squad last season and to bring them back on a permanent basis signals the current lure of playing at the club, and add to that the addition of young Bosnian prospect Besic, the squad is taking shape nicely. We have also signed Sam Byrne and Brendan Galloway, who will be joined in the Under 21s by incoming Belgian youngster David Henen. Roberto says he still wants more players and one that has been mentioned is Atsu from Chelsea, but regardless if we sign the winger or not I’d still expect us to make one more permanent and one more loan signing - and more bodies are needed for the forthcoming campaign.
RC: The signing of Romelu Lukaku gave every Evertonian a positive shot in the arm. The transfer record was smashed, one of the best centre-forwards in the Premier League was brought in and the statement of intent is there for all to see. Gareth Barry has also been made a permanent addition to the squad following his loan spell last season, and although some fans may not regard this as a ‘new’ signing, it was so important for us to maintain his services, as his influence on the team was there for all to see. We’ve also brought in Bosnian star Mo Besic, who could be a real gem at £4million given his performances at the World Cup, the highly-rated youngster Brendan Galloway has signed from MK Dons and we’re closing in on a couple of other players.
We are gradually strengthening but there is still work to be done. If I was Martinez, at the top of my list would be one centre-forward and a winger, followed by a versatile defender. We have Romelu Lukaku, Arouna Kone and Steven Naismith as forwards at this moment in time and if we want to compete both on the domestic and European fronts, we will need to add to the forward line. There is also a need for a pacy, direct winger to add competition to the wide areas, but Martinez is no fool and I’m confident that he will bring in what we need.
What are your opinions on Everton’s involvement in the Europa League?
MF: Although it was disappointing to miss out on Champions League qualification I was happy to see us achieve a Europa League place and look forward to being back in Europe this season. The Europa isn’t the most glamorous of competitions and many of our league fixtures will now move to a Sunday, which is a bit of a pain, but I suppose being in the competition means we are in with an additional chance of a trophy and as we all know, it’s been a while. On another note it will be interesting to see how Martinez plays against Clubs from abroad and again this is all part of the project he is building at Goodison Park, bring it on I say.
RC: It’s what Everton needs. A club with the stature and history of Everton Football Club shouldn’t be starved of European football. Travelling to Nuremberg, Alkmaar (and hopefully Warsaw) lives long in the memories of Evertonians, and the atmosphere Goodison Park generates on a European night is something that no other football fan will truly understand. It’s not the Champions League and it only intensifies the rigours that the season will bring, but the Europa League is an exciting prospect and with a visionary like Roberto Martinez at the helm, there’s no reason why we can’t come out of Warsaw as champions.
Looking at the Blues both on and off the field do you think Everton are heading in the right direction?
MF: On the pitch yes, without doubt, but off it, I’m not so sure. I have my reservations about our board and even though we are seeing a successful transfer window and Martinez is being backed with adequate finances, a lot has gone on in the past which causes myself and many others to always have our doubts.
As for our reported search for investment and new ownership, are the right people in the right places doing enough about this? My answer would be no. I know opinion amongst our fans is split on this, and if we got going, we’d be here all night. For now I just hope Roberto is given the tools to continue his good work (he’s done an awful lot already) because in this league and in this day and age, we cannot afford to stand still - something which many would argue we have done on numerous occasions in the past. As for on-field matters we have a superb mix of talent of all ages and abilities and I cannot wait to see what they can achieve this season and in the future - but it is vital that we continue to add quality and not allow it to fall from our grasp.
Another off-field issue is the stadium - Goodison Park will not last forever and although there has been musings about a potential new site at Walton Park, as yet the stadium subject well and truly remains up in the air.
RC: On the field is looking very promising indeed. Martinez has implemented his philosophy superbly and the squad is very strong, but it needs reinforcements. The core quintet of James McCarthy, Seamus Coleman, John Stones, Ross Barkley and Romelu Lukaku is a great source of pride for Evertonians as they witness the reopening of the School of Science.
Off the field is a bit of a grey area. Personally, there is nobody in world football that I would rather have managing our club at this moment in time than Roberto Martinez. His vision, positivity and ambition is infectious. He just 'gets' Everton. When it comes to the board, there obviously needs to be changes. Bill Kenwright may love the club but there is no room for sentiment if you want to be successful and he hasn’t got the money to back Everton.
If you could have one wish for next season (be realistic!) what would it be?
MF: In all honesty - a trophy. The FA Cup ideally, but the Europa or League Cup - I’d be happy just to win silverware again. I’m 28 years of age and I am hungry for success, 1995 was too long ago, Moyes came close but with Martinez in charge ( a recent cup winner) and with the football we are playing, this could be the perfect time to end our drought. Never mind all of this ‘mickey mouse cup’ business, I want to see Everton win things and that is the end of that. Whilst I know the League is probably out of our reach, I hope and believe that Martinez can bring us glory in either domestic or European cup competitions and I certainly buy into the ideas that he has for this Football Club.
RC: A trophy. Whether it’s the Capital One Cup, FA Cup or the Europa League, Everton need silverware. If you see the list of clubs that have won the Capital One Cup in the last 10 years, it highlights just how much of an opportunity it is. The Europa League would be the hardest out of the three to win when you take into account how many games you need to play and the consistently tough opposition you are likely to face, but you have to beat the best teams in any competition you play in if you want to win it, so it’s a definite possibility.
The FA Cup is a competition that Everton have a lot of history with. Although the magic of the FA Cup seems to be dwindling for some people, that is far from the case with Everton fans. We’ve reached the quarter finals twice in the last two years and we were at Wembley in 2012, with the belief and ‘footballing arrogance’ that Martinez is so keen to instil in his players combined with a little bit of luck, Everton could certainly end their 20-year wait for a trophy with the one it began with.
Source: Liverpool Echo
