TalkSPORT pundit Jason Cundy was left in disbelief at Andy Goldstein’s verdict that Everton fans would like a year in the Championship had they been relegated last season.
The 2022/23 Premier League campaign was another disastrous and disappointing one for the Toffees faithful only narrowly avoiding the drop on the final day following a 1-0 win at Bournemouth.
Goldstein asked: “Do you not think Everton fans if they were guaranteed to come up the following season, would like a year in the Championship to have a season of just happy weekends and win and go up as Championship winners?”
Goldstein went on to say: “No it’s not. So Everton fans, every week will be like, ‘oh we lost 1-0, we lost 2-0, oh we got a draw the other week, ahh we’re going to stay up’.
“Football fans of lower league football all enjoy success. Even Wrexham fans that weren’t even in the league, no Wrexham fan had their season spoilt on the back of an amazing season because it was only to get into the football league.
“I’m asking the question: Do you think if Everton were guaranteed to play their football in the 24/25 season, they would play this coming season in the Championship and go up as winners? I think they would!”
Strange verdict
Goldstein’s verdict is certainly strange and will certainly have some Everton fans raging at the radio after what they’d heard but his comments do have some truth to it.
What would the Everton fans prefer? Premier League football, losing every week to then narrowly avoid relegation every year or a year out of the English top flight to rebuild, win every week and instil a winning culture and mentality by triumphing in the English second division?
Sometimes clubs have to take a step back to take steps forward, and there are plenty of clubs right now who are enjoying themselves in the Premier League after facing relegation.
You only need to look at Aston Villa, Newcastle and Brighton who are now established English top-flight teams and will be playing European football next season.
Certainly, playing in the Championship isn’t a nice feat having enjoyed a run in the Premier League but a board like Everton’s, desperately need a wake-up call, which relegation last season will have given them. It remains to be seen whether the club board will learn lessons from mistakes in the past to move forward next year.
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