Something very odd

Don't put your faith in long term contracts signed recently. I'll bet that they all have release clauses, and I'll also bet that as they were signed before Kooeman left he knows the figures that will set off those clauses. With Evertons new wealth and Mr Moshiri's determination I hope for your sake that your players are happy at the club, but as you yourself have said, money talks, and your board seem quite happy to listen to what it has to say.

I doubt that Saints would have needlessly included release clauses, if they did they would be pretty large and would suit saint recycling policy. I cant see any player that would be a good fit with Everton other than maybe Wanyama and TBH honest if Everton are going to pay more than Spurs they are welcome to him. Everton might be interested in Van Dyke for example but he would cost a big portion of the £100m and i dont think saints would even sanction a sale. The only other player i have heard mentioned is Classie, and again Saints fans wouldn't be too disappointed to see him make way for Reed

ElGreco2 you demonstrate how little you understand about Saints. Koeman would have no involvement in contracts so he's unlikely to have any idea what is in them

£100m won't go far. These aren't the days of Jack Walker and Blackburn. Can't see them winning toffee..

Also if I were Everton wouldn't rely too much on recycling funds for Lukaku based on tonight's performance.

Also interesting, we keep hearing about Moshiri's apparent wealth, yet as I understand it he's not as affluent as Southampton's owners. The difference being the latter don't think throwing money at a club is the way forward for a sustainable future. We'll see though..

since RK the signings have be class but is that down to the manager or the recruiters half have been bang average apart from FF and VVD thothers are still warming Tadic and mane now in full stride.. i think deeper in the board room they feel the youngsters are not included enough and the people like martina and classie are jumping the queue because RK brought them in under recommendation. Taggert is next choice just behind Cedric for example


however the gel of the team now is good if you let wanyama go will not be to effected.

i would like to get some players opinions on how those who are still with us compare Adkins MP and RK
Jay rod Jose and the likes

seems we still got a lot to be hopeful for next season just dont let our rivals take the players who are doing so well for us .

The argument about RK knowing what's in a players contract to enable him and Everton prise our players away is nonsense as the players agent will know exactly what's in the contract and will willingly divulge said information to any suitors.

Well put bstokesaint.

Lukaku does not appear to me to be a big game player.He had a shocker at Wembley in the F A Cup semi and last night was no different.

On the basis of his performance yesterday I am surprised that we may wish to sell Pelle irrespective of his age.Then again these are indeed strange times in which we live.

El Greco,

It is sad that you feel you have to keep posting here with a sense that Everton will now dominate the world. Lavishing loads of money at the problems Everton have is not a guarantee of success - particularly in the short term. Man Utd's spending and subsequent performance are a useful example. It is very doubtful Everton will be able to attract the elite level players as they don't have any European football and it is not set in stone they will have in the next 1-3 seasons. Everton may be able to lure some mercenaries for ridiculous money but that may require Everton to change styles of play. It is likely to upset the apple cart with regards to squad dynamics: lots of egos suddenly descending into Goodison with massive salaries may not bring instant success.

What you can definitely expect is hugely inflated fees for players linked with your club. Everton will be seen as that fool who is happy to part with his cash. That transfer kitty will reduce rapidly.

And please save any juvenile willy waving about "bigger clubs" and ambition for other sites. Both clubs have ambition: it's just that they have different strategies for how they think it can be achieved.

When all this is over will we ever know what went wrong with our marriage made in heaven? I doubt it, the PR machine will vilify Koeman and heap (self) adulation on Reed and the behind-the-scenes team that cocked the whole thing up in the first place.

Of course they will not afford us the courtesy of explaining anything and all we'll hear is "We March On" rhetoric although mercifully without the nonsense of "We are One" and "We are together" as evidently we have not been since these slogans were coined.

Still this episode has saved me £780.

Pintsized, I've never taken a dig at Southampton, nor, if you read and understand do I resort to club comparison. What I've done in my post is put forward possible scenarios in the wake of Koemans departure. Of course money doesn't guarantee success, but it helps, you can't buy players without it.
As for possible signings forcing a change in style I bloody well hope so, we might not let in as many goals.
Now, onto me posting on this site. People from outside your own circles offering different points of view and, sometimes furnishing facts you may not know, will open up debate and give people more to think about, and therefore more to talk about.
Just because I post on a Saints site doesn't mean I'm being smug in any way, it means I'm open to other points of view. If you can think of one instance where I've been disrespectful in any way or presumed to be superior then please point it out.
OK, the contract thing. I'd be amazed if Koeman doesn't know the contents of players contracts or the means to obtain them.
Now that this saga is drawing to a close I wish you well and good luck for the coming season .

Good post, pint sized. We have seen what happens when money is thrown at clubs without concern for any structure. Look at our friends to the East for the prime case of that. When it doesn't go right for Koeman, I'm sure Moshiri wI'll grow impatient quickly, and will probably be looking at selling in 2 or 3 years when he hasn't achieved what is required.

So here we go then... "We March On" even if on crutches and without a RSM.

As I've said before, RK leaving doesn't have to be a disaster. Let's not forget that we were pretty ordinary for about half the season and part of that was caused by Koeman's tactical decisions and odd selections.
I can't see Everton prizing away any of our best and most important players (Forster, Virgil, Mane) because, as others have said here, shed-loads of cash won't necessarily buy Everton success any time soon. Far more likely that Virgil et al will stay at least another season and then, depending on how that goes, move on to Arsenal etc.
It's different for Koeman as manager because this move is a 'project', that will show his credentials as a coach. Others may disagree but I say thanks and good luck to him. I'm confident we can get someone better in

Just looked at the official website statement. No thanks or mentioning our achievements under him, maybe the recent stories circulating are true and they were glad to see the back of him. We move on and upwards! COYR!

More likely angry at his behaviour than pleased he's gone Christchurch.

I know those of a certain view are/will be flailing the 'ambition' stick around but all in all I suspect that once Koeman decided he wanted to go there was nothing the club could have done. He also probably decided well before, some at least, of those "I am staying at Southampton" comments. I think we have to accept that they were probably out-and-out lies and those that will say he had integrity and reluctantly went for 'ambition' reasons ought to consult their dictionaries on words such as 'lie', 'deceit', 'honour' and 'integrity'. Koeman has behaved worse than MoPo, Hoddle, Strachan or Alan Ball and those that wish to attack the club should accept that. The last three years have been the best to be a Saints supporter since the 1980s and the next three can build on that. We do need to control these summers of 'turmoil' of course and they are not good for the blood-pressure of bedwetters like me but in my heart I know a Pompey/Leeds style blast of 'ambition' would be far more likely to sink us than send us to the Champions League final. Supporters of Sevilla and Athletico Madrid would also confirm that life isn't simple even at the higher levels we aspire to.

At least, apart from for those who stayed hopeful of Koeman's 'integrity' until the bitter end, the drawn out nature of this has taken the sting out of the hurt and leaves me looking forward to a quick replacement. The thing we do not need now is a situation where every one of our best players is 'linked' with another club. Of course this will happen but we need it to be happening with a new strong manager in place, not during a power vacuum where everything we do is reactive to others. A player told he is going nowhere NOW is a different animal from one who has three weeks to get used to the idea that the grass will be greener somewhere else.

PS I repeat what I said a few days ago: Any sensible Everton supporter will wait until Uncle Ronald has acheived something before he/she crows too much. Remember Hoddle????

Agree with you SanMarco, I didn't mean, pleased as in "pleased" if you get my drift. SFC Have always tried to do things in the "correct" way, which I greatly respect. They never hang their dirty washing out in public and never publicly get embroiled in disrespect- except in ( as you mention!) the case of Hoddle and the North London yobboes outburst from Lowe.