Welcome to the final Talking the Blues Podcast of 2024 with George and Andy Costigan. We look back on a terrible performance against high flying Nottingham Forest, Dyche’s tenure and an examination of cheating and time wasting in the modern game.
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As ever thanks for listening – or reading, the written transcript is available here.
Very best wishes for 2025 to all our listeners and readers and thanks as ever for all your support
Categories: podcast
Paul,
Yesterday was in all probability, my last ever game at Goodison Park. I’ve been attending the odd two or three home games every season since 1972. And though a proud Yorkshireman by birth, I’ve been a lifelong Evertonian, thanks in no small part to my dear old mum, who was born and raised on Scotland Road in the 1930s & 40s. As a kid, my formative years were the seventies. Sadly, it has to be said, surrounded by Leeds and Man Utd supporters. At school sports days, I was of course the only one with white diamonds on his sleeves!
But, yesterday. There were no diamonds on that pitch. I watched a team bereft of ingenuity and attacking intend. Football as a graceful game should be both passionate and instinctive. Qualities which are innate in ever professional footballer, but are brought to the fore, by good coaching and management.
Sadly, yesterday’s game and it has to be said, nearly every other game of this season. Has exemplified Sean Dyche’s complete inability to coach players to a better standard, and to effectively manage the field of play. Our football is simply anaemic. The lack of intent, quality and direction on the pitch is turning both players and fans pallid with indifference. Yesterday, I sat in the Lower Bullens and watched at first-hand players who simply didn’t want to be there. Mykolenko was like the proverbial rabbit in the headlights. He simply didn’t have confidence in the role he was asked to fulfil. Tarkowski looked like a captain weary of trying to drag his teammates out of the mire. Broja for a man starting his first game of the season showed his qualities as a better centre forward the DCL. But after 30 minutes, he had largely give up due to the lack of quality service and tactics. I came away from yesterday’s game with the impression that whole team are disheartened with the coaching, management and tactics. And as a result, we look like a relegation team. If I can see it in the Lower Bullens, then surely Kevin Thelwell can see it in the glorified echelons of the directors box.
Simply put, we need an immediate change in management or we will be relegated!
Hi Rob, thanks for your message, even with the contents that are so distressing for Blues to read. You sum up exactly our worst fears and a situation which has long been in the making – a potentially losing fight against relegation but above all else the absolute destruction of what should have been a celebratory final year at Goodison
Totally agree with George’s point about stopping the clock when players go down as if they’ve been shot. It’s such a simple idea, and doesn’t need pages and pages of written guidance to implement it. Dyche has been be relieved of his duties forthwith.
Thanks Paul, Andy & George for the time you devote to the TTB podcast. Much appreciated by all listeners.
Happy New Year to you all.