Fans deserve end to Everton stalemate

Aug 3 2004 By Mark Lawrenson, Daily Post

BILL KENWRIGHT has rightly made great play of the fact Everton have a rich history of 125 years in existence.

It is a fantastic achievement, but I fear the club may not last for the next 125 days unless Bill sorts out the row with Paul Gregg.

Like everyone else with even a passing interest in football, I have watched on as the pair of them have behaved like a couple of scrapping kids in the playground.

I don't think they have said 'My dad is bigger than your dad' yet,, but it has not been too far removed from that. In a way it is like the US Presidential elections, where the emphasis is not so much on what they would do if they get in, but on attacking your rival at all costs.

With neither of them having budged an inch, it has left the club caught in the stalemate and the supporters desperate to know just what is happening.

In my opinion, they should be told the truth, because Evertonians are known for their loyalty and will at least then have something solid on which to base their thoughts about the club and how best to get behind them. At the moment they are resorting to guesswork and rumour.

Bill is obviously trying to bring in some investment, although the question about that is why has he not done that before now? Taking that idea to its conclusion, the answer would be that he has not been able to.

On the other side, if Paul Gregg can really bring in £15million of fresh investment as he claims, then he should be allowed to.

As a supporter of Everton, Bill should fall on his sword because that investment of cash could be the difference between some relative success and relegation. Clearly, though, he has grave reservations about the credibility of Gregg's plans or he would have followed up his statements about standing aside if necessary if money could be brought in.

At the moment though it is just a mess and does not show any signs of getting better. I have never known a situation like it at any club, especially in pre-season.

Because of that I think David Moyes did the right thing by heading for the hills in America. Out there, they will have been isolated from the in-fighting, because I don't think the Daily Post is sold in Texas.

In that environment, he will have been able to concentrate on getting set for the season with plenty of emphasis on team spirit, fitness and tactics, away from the constant pressure they would have been under every time they came in to Bellefield or Goodison Park.

No doubt he will be disappointed to have returned only to find the club is still in turmoil. Believe me when I say that the most important relationship at a football club is between the manager and the chairman.

David Moyes knows Bill Kenwright is the chairman, but he is also aware that he may not be next week, and that uncertainty affects every other department at the club. Of course, bubbling away in the background is the doubt surrounding Wayne Rooney, with his future still no clearer either.

If I were at Manchester United or whoever else is waiting in the wings, I would be loving all the in-fighting that is going on at the moment, because every claim and counter-claim between the rival camps brings the day closer when another club comes in with a cheeky bid for young Wayne.

Despite the new signings of an Athens-bound Tim Cahill and Eddy Bosnar, it is not an enticing picture, so the men at the top have to sort their situation out as soon as possible, because if they don't, I fear the season will be over for Everton before it has even started.