Toffees are in for a long, hard struggle
IT CAN be a trying time, as the darkness envelopes all around and the bitter chill bores deep inside brittle bones.
It might sound like I’m referring to the long and some times sombre November evenings, but what I’m actually attempting to do is describe the feeling of watching Everton trying to play football at the moment.
Mercifully I’m pretty unperturbed about the goings-on at Goodison, I can take them or leave them, but by God they’re undeniably a hard watch at present, seemingly not knowing how to attack or defend properly, or even come close to getting the basics right.
In truth, they’ve never really threatened to get back to the heights they reached in their heyday in the ’80s, but they have at least managed to punch above their weight and hang on to the coat-tails of the big boys in recent seasons.
On Sunday, they got humbled, no, completely humiliated, by a Southampton side that are far from world-beaters and they made Charlie Austin look like Cristiano Ronaldo. And to think there were some folk who actually applauded their summer signings and earmarked them as a team to watch, one that would be definitely pushing for a European place and possibly even a Champions League berth.
A few months later and they’re embroiled in a dirty relegation dogfight and unless there is a dramatic upturn in their fortunes, there’s a distinct possibility that they could find themselves in the second tier of English football next season.
At the time of writing the Everton faithful are still waiting to find out who their next ‘messiah’ will be, but one thing’s for sure, if they don’t get the right man at the helm the only way they’re headed is south as other sides around them seem better prepared for the battle.
The much-maligned Roy Hodgson, despite his failings, has done well with clubs that are the right fit and he looks capable of performing a miracle with basement side Crystal Palace.
Likewise former Everton boss David Moyes could well do a decent job with West Ham United, despite a turbulent few years and a few black marks on his curriculum vitae.
He showed during his time at Preston North End and his successful spell with the Toffees that given the right backing he’s able to get the best out of players and I don’t see any reason why he can’t do it with the Londoners.
He may have struggled at Sunderland, but then again, who doesn’t?
Some managers are not cut out for massive clubs like Manchester United and Liverpool, Moyes and Hodgson being cases in point, and they can thrive once again at lesser lights.
Moyes was always the bloke who brought the plucky underdogs to places like Old Trafford, Anfield and the Emirates and picked up points against the odds, and expectancy is not something that seems to sit well with him.
Everton have spent an age mulling over potential candidates and it never ceases to amaze that every time there’s a managerial job vacancy you’ll see the same old faces being bandied about; Big Sam Allardyce and Martin O’Neill are sure to always get a mention.
No sooner has Tony Pulis exited stage left from one hot seat than he’s thrown into the mix for another position. No matter how much of a pig’s ear they made of a previous job, it doesn’t seem to blot the copybook to too much of a degree.
You’d have to wonder what football clubs are paying some of the staff for? Surely if you have a director of football or someone holding some other fancy-titled position they should be spreading the net a bit wider and seeking out young, talented, ambitious managers on the continent, or further afield, if there’s none to be found closer to home.
A forward-thinking coach who’ll encourage attractive football, rather than the hoofball favoured by some of the managers mentioned.
There must be somebody to fit the bill out there. Clubs seem to be able to do it with unheralded players, so why not managers?
As is often the case, it certainly looks like the battle for survival will hold much more interest than the race for the title as Manchester City look in a different league to the chasing pack.
They may have struggled to put Huddersfield Town away, but the manner in which they managed to grind out three points is a positive rather than a negative for the blue side of Manchester.
There’s not much to be positive about for the blue half of Liverpool at present though, and the different league on their horizon is called the Championship.