Everton: Spot the Gosling

Gosling (noun):
1) A young goose;
2) A foolish, inexperienced person;

By now you’ll have heard the news, especially if you’re a Liverpool fan. In failing to offer a new contract in writing, Everton have left a loophole that allows Dan Gosling to leave the club for nothing.

Being only 20, Everton would normally expect to receive compensation if Gosling were to reject a contract offer and leave, but a Premier League inquiry has ruled that this no longer applies. Technically, Gosling is considered to have been released by the Toffees.

With the laughter of English football ringing in their ears, Everton would be forgiven for feeling like goslings themselves.

Yet, according to the Liverpool Echo, the club are furious that their young goose has engineered the situation by refusing to hold contract talks. Leaving for nothing is to his advantage because he can now demand a huge signing on fee.

Apparently, Gosling would prefer a club who will let him play regularly in his favoured central midfield role – unlikely at Everton, who boast Arteta, Cahill, Fellaini, Osman and so on – with Newcastle, Sunderland and West Ham all possible destinations.

It all carries the unmistakeable stench of player power + greed = chaos.

Everton seem to be a club beset by ill-fortune after injury problems last season and their perennial inability to compete on a level financial footing with their rivals.

So is it the work of a Machiavellian midfield genius looking for a big payday, or is it just that Everton have lost the plot?

Actually, the answer is probably both.

Will this be the first of many such cases? We could end up with desperate clubs hiring private detectives to hunt down their elusive quarry and forcibly serve them with a written contract offer.

Meanwhile, greedy players cower in secret hotel rooms while their Mr. 15% tries to ensure that their whereabouts remains unknown.