Given the drama and near despair of the past two Everton summers in is encouraging to see the start of this pre-season bring good news. First up is the news that Tim Cahill and Seamus Coleman have both agreed new deals.
For Cahill it will almost certainly mean he ends his career at the club which, in these days of players moving every other year in order to line their bank accounts, it is a welcoming show of loyalty from one of our key players.
Coleman is at the other end of his career than Cahill but his signing is no less exciting. We have only seen glimpses of him this season but his prowess going forward makes him out as an attacking full-back of some potential. You only have to ask Blackpool fans for their opinion on him to show work out how well he has player during his loan spell there. Although I expect Moyes to play Phil Neville at full back next season, I think Coleman will be pushing the former England man all the way and should get his fair share of first team action.
I honestly feel our first XI is good enough to challenge for the top four so wholesale changes aren't required this summer. What is important though is that we keep our best players, these two signing on is a step in the right direction. Over to you now Mr Pienaar.....
There was also good news on the injury front with Steve Round reporting that Marouane Fellaini's recovery from an ankle injury is ahead of schedule and he could make pre-season. This is fantastic news. The big man was injured right in the middle of his best form of his career. and given all our injury problems last year it would be great to have him fully fit and firing ahead of the big kick off.
Similarly Dan Gosling's cruciate knee injury is not as bad as first feared. Fair play to goose, he played on for five minutes despite his busted knee at Wolves back in April, and it was predicted he would not return until December. However that has now been brought forward a few months.
So all in all some reasons to be positive going into the summer. Though all this good news makes me worried that something bad is bound to be lurking nearby.......
Before I go I will leave with a quote from Tim Cahill upon signing his new deal, just to remind us all of how much a legend he is:
"When you assess the situation, see where you are as a footballer, people question money and things like that, but there’s only so much more you can earn. The grass isn’t always greener.
"I don’t chase big moves. That’s the one thing I’ve done all my career, I’ve never invited clubs, I’ve never speculated.
"Everton know the way I work. It’s a sign of respect. With the history we’ve got, the future we’ve got, I feel there’s no bigger club."