I'm absolutely convinced now that EFC, although having to stay formally silent at present, has briefed figures like Wyness and Burnham to throw curve balls around in order to expose the flakiness of the whole sketch.
Wyness' almost accidental suggestion on Friday that Everton might sue Man City, and Burnham's doubling-down against Brittain over the weekend, were surely signs that EFC is utilising every tactic at its disposal.
The official news that the City verdict won't come until after 24/25 has changed the whole landscape. Even a legal trainee on a school work-placement would have the nous to call a stay on EFC's compo case (if there even is one) on the basis that if City are found in breach then our true financial picture circa the end 2018/19 (the extreme book-end of the period relating to allegations) can't be known until the shakedown of the City verdict.
For example, even on the back of a ciggy pack, Everton could claim to have lost out on: over 12m in merit prize money; one Champions League qualification; five Europa qualifications; and lost expenditure having had to play Ruzemberok home and away in 2017.
And that's before fine combing the figures.
All of that could have drastically altered our financial health heading into the period circa 2018/19 and the focus in question on our accounts (yeah, anno, Koeman would have spunked even more on another six No.10s etc.)
And that's before every other club would weigh in also with their claims: e.g. Libbewl and Utd being denied two titles apiece (sorry lads, you'd still be one behind the Mancs!)
It would be chaos
I just found it funny that on the same day that Wyness just casually hinted that Everton might sue City, Matt Hughes of all people pressed his 'exclusive' that Leicester et al would be dropping their compo claims.
Surely because they've realised that they'd merely be feeding football's equivalent of Jarndyce v Jarndyce.
And then you've got the absolute hypocrisy of Leicester and Leeds even daring to carp about another club's finances. Leeds should have been relegated to the bottom of the pyramid circa 2007 and forced to fight their way back. Meanwhile Leicester should never have been allowed into the Prem with their promotion of 2014 (ironically playing us first match) let alone allowed to win an utterly bent title two years later.
Only Burnley have got even the remotest remote shout at us, and that's about as strong as Kompany's defensive strategy.
I'm just hoping that Everton are muddying enough waters to ensure that enough heads of influence realise that the compo aspect of our punishment is quietly ditched, however diplomatically it's dressed up.
on December 4, 2023, 2:26 pm, in reply to "