Macca to Everton??

[655321]

How real is this rumour?? (no pun intented, honestly).

Considering that 1)he grew up a blue and 2)he left Liverpool pretty high and dry by waiting out for a Bosman, would this really upset the supporters that much??

[Lanky134]

F- the lazy turncoat.

[kopiteinkc]

My best mate at home is an Everton season ticket holder (has been for about 20-odd years) and he reckons Everton are interested in Macca but only if the deal with Fulham's Davies falls through.

It is one or the other, not both. Davis is their priority but they have had one offer turned down.

Most bluesnoses would be happy to see anyone added to their squad. Other rumours include DeMarcus Beasley & Jason Koumas.

They can only afford one of these though. Personally I don't think they can afford Macca's wage demands.

[skipshady]

The thing is, if he had gone anywhere else but Real, I bet he would be in more demand. Not exactly Ronaldinho-like, but he would actually have serious suitors, considering that he was effective in what little opportunity he got.

That said, I agree that he is lazy. And it's the laziness that kept him at Madrid. I'm all for loyalty to the club, but when your club is signing Figo and Zidane, and you're losing your place to Solari, you would be delusional not to see the writing on the wall. It just seemed that being in Madrid, even if he wasn't playing, was more important to him than going to a smaller club, fighting for a first team place and actually being a productive player.

It's a shame that a player so naturally gifted chose not to challenge himself and wasted the best years of his career.

[Matt Clark]

Has he though?

He left Liverpool at 27, having excelled there for many years before going stale under the burden of being the team's sole creative outlet in the final death throes of the Evans years.

He has now been in Madrid for four years - those, given his age, are the prime years of a footballer's life. In that time, he has been a regular for two seasons and a strong contributor for the third. Last season he made 31 appearances, mainly as sub. IN that time he has won two Spanish titles and two European Cups. He has played alongside some of the finest players on the planet, scored a Champions League final goal and lives on £67,000 a week in a massive villa in Madrid with his (very settled) wife who has a good career as a lawyer out there.

Back home, he DOES have serious suitors. Middlesbrough, Everton, City, Leeds and even Chelsea have shown firm interest in the past 18 months - if his wages were not what they are, they would do a deal. Even as things stand, he may return - presuming someone can persuade him to take a 50% pay cut. Contrary to received wisdom, he is not against doing so - but only if the right offer to tempt him away from everything listed above comes in. Whereever he goes, he will be a guaranteed fixture in the team, but he does not want to return to a situation such as the one he left at Liverpool in 1999.

[Lanky134]

It's official:

http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/030715/21/e48r7.html

[skipshady]

Originally posted by Matt Clark
Has he though?Matt, I agree with pretty much everything you wrote about his Madrid years, but I still stand by my "wasted his best years" line. No doubt that he was effective, and that he played a part in possibly the best teams assembled in recent history. But he had/has the talent to play a starring role for a big club. After that first season, he was no more than a role player for Real.

Now, I don't blame him for staying at Real. How he chooses to live is no business of min and Madrid is a wonderful city. But being the best player that he could be clearly wasn't a priority for Macca, the way it is for the top players in the world.
if his wages were not what they are, they would do a deal.I guess this is the point. His talent justifies his wages, but what he has shown in the past couple of seasons doesn't.

But as I said, I agree with pretty much your entire post, and he clearly decided Everton will be a good situation for him, and they probably could use some veteran savvy.

[Bjornebye]

Originally posted by Lanky134
It's official:

http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/030715/21/e48r7.html

Stig is going to be sick.

Stig

[Matt Clark]

Originally posted by skipshady
[B]But he had/has the talent to play a starring role for a big club. After that first season, he was no more than a role player for Real.[/b

I just don't think this matches up with how Macca perceives his situation. He is humble enough to know that he will never play a 'starring role' with Madrid now that the likes of Zidane and Ronaldo are there, but also ambitious and confident enough to know that he can contribute. Once you take that as his default position, the desire to remain in Madrid is obviously grounded in football as much as it is in money and lifestyle. Who would not want to be part of the biggest team in the world - even in the increasingly peripheral sense of his last season? Add to that the fact that the fans absolutely revere him and what's left to speculate?

Ah well - agree to disagree, eh?

[skipshady]

Originally posted by Matt Clark
Ah well - agree to disagree, eh? Actually, the more I think about it, the more I agree with you. Perhaps a suitcase full of cash will convince me 100 percent.

While on one hand, there's still a part of me that thinks professional pride should compel a player of Macca's talents to make his name on his own, I do understand your point much better now. In fact, if I were in his shoes, I probably would have done exactly the same.

And interesting how much of a fan favorite he had become. A couple of years ago, one of the guys I regularly drank with was a guy from Madrid whose family had been socios for generations. We talked about Real Madrid naturally, and I was genuinely surprised that he was just gushing with praise for Macca.

[kopiteinkc]

Originally posted by Lanky134
It's official:

http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/030715/21/e48r7.html

or not

http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/030716/21/e4947.html

Everton deny Macca rumours.

[Lanky134]

Originally posted by kopiteinkc
or not

http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/030716/21/e4947.html

Everton deny Macca rumours.
Why is the press always trying to make me look foolish?

[kopiteinkc]

Originally posted by Lanky134
Why is the press always trying to make me look foolish?

It was strange, you had posted that link, so I email my friend at home and say, "so you got Macca on a free" and he said "we did?" and didn't know anything about it.

I go back to yahoo sports and there's the denial.

Blame the internet ...

[Lanky134]

I'd rather blame Everton.

[usscouse]

Originally posted by Lanky134
Why is the press always trying to make me look foolish? As if you need help from them.

[Bjornebye]

...but Jayson Blair could never do comms...

Stig

[Lanky134]

Originally posted by usscouse
As if you need help from them.
One day and five hours later somebody finally takes the setup.

[usscouse]

Originally posted by Lanky134
One day and five hours later somebody finally takes the setup. I didn't look in on the 17th and couldn't believe that people are so "Politically correct" that they would pass it up.

Man if it's hanging out...cut it off..!

[Lanky134]

Originally posted by Bjornebye
...but Jayson Blair could never do comms...

Stig

He could, but nobody would know if he's telling the truth or not.