Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
THE shadow of Everton’s potential relegation hangs over today’s FA Cup trip to Crystal Palace, says former Blues captain Kevin Ratcliffe
As the club’s most successful skipper during the trophy glut of the 1980s, former Wales defender Ratcliffe knows what it’s like to hold the FA Cup aloft.
But he says it should be the last thing on current Toffees captain Seamus Coleman’s mind, despite the last-gasp victory against Newcastle United on Thursday night, which ended a run of four successive league defeats.
“I think we have bigger problems than thinking about the FA Cup,” Ratcliffe said. “With that team now, I don’t think we could go on to win it anyway.
“We’ve got to focus on the league because we’re far from out of any relegation trouble.
“I’m not saying to not give it a go. In a way, it’s a release of the pressure, a free hit.
“But the bigger picture is all about staying up.
“I’m certain the win against Newcastle has only papered over a few cracks – there is still a lot of hard work to be done.”
The Everton legend was at Goodison Park for the Toon game and suffered, along with the Toffees fans, before revelling in Alex Iwobi’s winner in the 99th minute.
Ratcliffe said: “It was a tremendous atmosphere and a very important result – though no one should get carried away because it only masked over the problems that are still there in that team. The first-half performance was way off.
“Our back four looked all over the place. It was if they had just been patched up and thrown together. No real structure to it. There were gaps, a vulnerability. We were too deep.
“We got away with it. I think the big change on the night was some of the decisions of the referee, which got the crowd going.
“They then voiced their anger at the referee and not at the players. That created a siege mentality – us against them – and also enthused the players.
“Goodison, for those last vital minutes, was rocking. That could prove crucial in the upcoming home games – the old ground can be a saviour.”
Everton could use one of those, with the well-documented dire financial implications of big benefactor Alisher Usmanov, the Russian oligarch, having his assets frozen under Government sanctions.
“It would be a disaster with so many things evidently tied up to Usmanov’s money and the move eventually into a new ground. It’s more critical than ever Everton remain in the Premier League,” Ratcliffe warned.
“There is no divine right to be in the top flight. For a number of years now, Everton have been mismanaged and it’s finally caught up with them. If we stay up, it will be by the skin of our teeth.
“One of the few good things to come out of this is that we won’t be spending stupid money on players who turn out to be bang-average. Money spent well can buy you success – but your spending can ruin you, too, as other clubs have found out.
“Look what it did to Leeds United. Back in the day, they were a big club, so were Aston Villa – and both suffered relegation.”
Ratcliffe hopes that Thursday’s win has galvanised both the players and the fans for the important weeks ahead in the survival fight.
He added: “I couldn’t fault the players for their effort. They were always putting a shift in, even when things weren’t going their way.
“At the end against Newcastle, with the old place jumping, you would have thought that we’d won the World Cup! Those fans can get you over the line.”