Greedy & Greedier Statement

Gosling-gate has been dragged out for weeks now with a whole host of rumours coming to ahead last Sunday when newspapers quoted David Hodgsons version of events. The latest news, and hopefully the final word on the matter, is an Official Everton Football Club response to the allegations.

Everton simply state that a number of meetings were concluded with verbal and handshake agreements with both Mr Gosling and his representative. These meetings are reportedly prior to June 2010 and go back until January 2008 when Gosling signed for the blues. The offer on the table was a significant increase in his terms and were extension deals leading in to a fourth and fifth year. This would actually ring true with the facts being that back in 2008 when Gosling signed, the rules and regulations meant that the maximum deal he could ‘put pen to paper’ on was a three year deal.

The Everton Football Club statement is one of the more believable reports regarding the matter and it quotes Bill Kenwright, Robert Elstone and David Moyes, with Moyes concluding the statement on the website “I read at the weekend that he cried when he didn’t receive a formal, written offer. Well, trust me, the money Everton were offering was certainly not a crying matter,”.

The facts surrounding the summer events will only ever be known to those involved. It was certainly the most bizarre transfer story of this preseason and if nothing else it distracted us from the “hungry wolves” that have encircled our key players throughout the World Cup campaign. One thing is for certain, it looks likely that Everton’s traditional and honourable dealings will have to be replaced with a formal and text book approach if we’re to avoid silly loses in the future.

It is easy to look back and criticise, but if that is how Everton ‘did’ business there’s something really sad about the story that goes beyond the cash implications. Another tradition gone. Handshakes will no longer be an option – I’m afraid it will be a ‘have your people read through our offer’ approach. An approach that will further feather the nest of those most likely to have orchestrated the whole incident in the first place.

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Born not manufactured, season ticket holder, proud to be blue