Buying the most talked about player outside the top flight has worked for the Blues’ manager on several occasions – while everyone else has sent scouts and dithered to an extent, he’s taken the plunge with players like Tim Cahill, Phil Jagielka and Joleon Lescott, and they’ve turned out to be absolute gems.

In the case of Lescott, the one everyone fancied but were too worried about his dodgy knees, he’s proven such a success that there seems to be a growing feeling that he’s played his last game in royal blue.

If you believe the rumours he’s destined for Manchester City, and it’s a sign of the way that everyone know accepts the commercialisation of football that no-one seems to be that bothered.

He’s a superb player, and obviously he would be tough to replace, but even supporters now seem to accept that getting a transfer to somewhere like City is football’s equivalent of a lottery win.

And you can bet that if he does go nobody at Everton – players or management – will begrudge him for one moment the chance to earn potty money at Eastlands, especially if, as also rumoured, we stand to make around £10million profit on any deal.

Very few clubs can compete with the freaky situation at City – all they can do is try and fleece as much money out of them as possible.

If Lescott does go, hopefully he will at least have the decency to hold his hands up and say that he’s done so for the cash, and not try and come out with the same flannel as Gareth Barry. ‘Scared of going stale’ indeed.