Everton still thrive in their different world

Aug 13 2007 COMMENT by Chris Beesley, Liverpool Daily Post

Everton still thrive in their different world

IT SEEMS that Everton always like to do things a bit different to the rest. Until the arrival of left-back Leighton Baines from Saturday’s opponents Wigan last week the club had actually made a profit in their dealings over the close season in a summer when spiralling transfer fees were the norm for many of their Premier League arrivals.

The outlay for Phil Jagielka from Sheffield United, whose switch to Goodison was delayed by the Blades’ attempts to reverse their relegation was cancelled out by James Beattie’s move in the opposite direction while Gary Naysmith’s transfer across the Pennines ensured that Everton ended up £1million up from the Bramall Lane club.

Even the loan acquisition of Steven Pienaar from Borussia Dortmund was protracted because of a wait for visa clearance for the South African – ensuring that for the most part of summer, things did not go entirely swimmingly for manager David Moyes in the transfer marker.

However, no sooner had Everton tied up a swoop for Baines for what could turn out to be a record-breaking fee for a defender at Goodison then a seemingly new pot of gold appeared at the club to help fund further potentially ambitious purchases.

None of us are quite sure where the extra cash has come from – has chairman Bill Kenwright been given a big fat cheque from the Beeb to help find another new star for a West End musical? Did Keith Wyness’s numbers come up in the EuroMillions lottery? Or perhaps Robert Earl and true blue buddy Sly Stallone have pumped some Hollywood dollars into the budget?

Whatever went on behind the scenes, all of a sudden, there was a monster £12million bid for Argentine World Cup star Luis Gonzalez, swiftly followed by another record-breaking move for Middlesbrough’s Yakubu and an approach for last season’s loan man Manuel Fernandes – once rated at £12million by Benfica.

As yet, none of these players have yet to sign on the dotted line at Goodison but while frustrated supporters finally got some exciting names to conjure with, it was typically Everton for two home-grown players that cost the club nothing who won Saturday’s Premier League opener against Wigan Athletic.

With attempts made to add a stellar midfielder to the Goodison ranks to help alleviate the creative burden on main playmaker Mikel Arteta, Leon Osman in particular had a point to prove.

In an era when natural ball players like him and James McFadden are becoming increasingly marginalised in favour of physically imposing athletes on the football pitch, the opening goal of the 2007-08 campaign at Goodison was a sweet moment for the diminutive midfielder born in Billinge Higher End, which comes under the metropolitan borough of Wigan.

Although there were a few flashes of the brilliance we all know Osman is capable of last season, such as the stunning last-gasp strike at Watford, 2006-07 will probably have gone down as something of a frustrating season for a player who possesses arguably the best first touch at the club.

Overall, it was all reminiscent of the Watford opener 12 months ago but just as Everton hung on against the Hornets last year, they kept the Latics out to ensure they secured the win.

The opening day is all about winning – just ask tomorrow night’s opponents and Champions League hopefuls Spurs who succumbed to a sucker punch at Sunderland – there’s another nine months to work on gelling.

And all this was achieved with a starting XI that didn’t include any new faces.

Who knows, if Gonzalez, Yakubu and Fernandes ever do end up signing, perhaps they’ll have to join Jagielka and Pienaar on the bench and wait for their opportunities to come?