Gosling has been poorly advised over Everton exit

Last week I was shocked by the announcement that young Everton midfielder Dan Gosling was leaving on a free transfer.

I couldn’t believe this was due to an admin error. Imagine in this day and age a Premier League club losing a player worth millions because of an admin error.

Agreement

Everton had offered the youngster an extension to his contract verbally but had not actually given him a written offer.

Gosling’s agent pounced on the mistake and decided to take Everton to a Premier League tribunal to prove the 20 year-old was a free agent.

The tribunal ruled in favour of the player or more importantly his agent. Everton have now appealed the decision, so that they will recoup some money when Gosling join’s a new club. It’s been a complete farce on Everton’s part but I believe the youngster has been poorly advised.

Money

Everton had reported offered the midfielder £15,000 per week. Not exactly a bad pay packet for a player who was hardly a regular in the Everton team last season. It seems that his agent believes he can get a bigger wage elsewhere and that means the agent will receive a larger commission.

That seems like the agent looking after his own interests, rather the young player’s interests. This whole farce seems to sum up the problems of English football nowadays, young guys with too much money too soon, who are poorly advised by greedy agents.

First Team football

Dan Gosling apparently stated the reasons for leaving Everton was that he felt that he would get regular football elsewhere. He wants to play in central midfield and believes he will play in that position at Newcastle United.

Does he really think he can just walk into the Newcastle team? I really doubt it. Then again he will reportedly pick up an extra £10,000 a week in the North East than at Everton, so I’m sure he won’t lose any sleep sitting on the bench.

Jeffers

Now Gosling only has to look at the case of Francis Jeffers to prove that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Jeffers was a highly rated youngster at Everton; he then joined Arsenal for a big fee.

He joined Arsenal to develop and win trophies. He struggled to get into the Gunners team and has spent the last three years in the Championship with Sheffield Wednesday. He has recently been released by the Owls after scoring just five goals in 54 appearances.

Jeffers career is a cautionary tale to the young player who thought he was better than he was. He had lots of potential but if he would have been better advised he could have stayed at Everton and fulfilled his potential instead he chased money.

At 29 years-old Jeffers is currently without a club. He is set to undergo a trial with Premier League new boys Blackpool. He will be hoping that he can do enough to secure a contract with the Tangerines.

Hero

Dan Gosling has spoilt his hero’s status on the blue-half of Merseyside by this ill-advised move. Gosling was a hero thanks to his famous extra-time winner against Liverpool in the FA Cup last year. Everton fans will always remember him for that goal but he has slightly tainted that moment.

He could have gone about leaving the club in a different way rather than dragging the club through a Premier League tribunal. Everton have stood by him while he received treatment for his cruciate ligament injury and he has now stabbed the club in the back.

Mistake

I will be really surprised if Dan Gosling ever becomes a top player. He obviously didn’t have the talent of Jack Rodwell and looked at the youngster with envious eyes. Thanks for the Liverpool goal Dan and good luck in your search for money, sorry I mean first team football.

(I must issue an apology to our readers for another Everton related article. I just couldn’t let the issue of English player’s failing to fulfil their potential go unmentioned, that seems to be a theme this summer!)