Karma - It's a weird and wonderful thing.

As I write this article, I am pondering what will happen in our only home fixture of the pre-season calendar at home to our old foes from the east coast of Spain, Villareal.

 

Some are saying the Yellow Submarine are Arteta’s future employers.  Reading between the lines it isn’t that hard to believe when you consider Arteta may want a move back to his native land given his age and the service he has given us with limited return personally (by that I mean trophies, medals etc.) the fact that he has recently inked a new deal thus securing a higher transfer fee for his services, and that sometimes one of the conditions of a transfer is that a club agree to a friendly game.

There’s no doubting that opposition of the stature of Werder Bremen and Villarreal, who both come from a league played in a similar way to the Premiership and the most technically able league in the world, respectively, provide the sort of opposition we should be playing in the build up to a competitive season if we want to progress.  Trips to America are good for team bonding and fitness work purely due to the climate and facilities available - remember Moyes used his first trip stateside to observe NFL and NBA players in training resulting in the massive steps being built up the wall of Finch Farm.  Trips to Australia are merely for financial purposes.  However, the thing they have in common are the likes of Philadelphia Union, Perth Glory and Gold Coast United just don’t prove to be realistic opposition to what we will be facing, and I mean that with the upmost respect.

However, although I will be paying attention to what happens on the pitch tonight, I will have a sly eye on the goings on around me in the stands amongst the supporters.

In 1999, after former chairman Peter Johnson refused to back the manager in the transfer market, the crowd turned on the directors’ box.  Chants of "We Want Johnson Out" and "Sack The Board" rang around the old lady, whilst fans regularly gathered around the Main Entrance on

Goodison Road

to voice their opinions collectively up at the Chairman’s office and adjoining board room.  On Christmas Eve, Peter Johnson sold his 68% controlling stake to Mr Bill Kenwright for £20million.  The people regarded him as a hero.

How quickly can someone go from hero to villain?

Kenwright has been the target of sets of supporters for some time now, so much so that groups of fans have been formed in the hope of another collective grievance against the hierarchy.  I just wonder if tonight’s game provides them with the perfect theatre stage to do air that grievance.

There are two things that shouldn’t be forgotten.

 

 

1. This isn’t the fault of the players.
2. Although the majority shareholder, Kenwright does not sit in the board room alone.  What do the other cronies i.e. Woods, Earl, Carter do??

 

 

In light of Carter, although he is Honorary Life President, he is very much old school.  He was on Chair of the Football League once.  He was also Chairman of our club at its peak.  However, maybe the time has come for fresh blood.  You can still have your comp for the game, Sir Phil, but back off a little.

Jon Woods – the only thing I see him doing of note is polluting the air outside Goodison with his cigarette.  Someone fetch him a brush.

Robert Earl? Well I’ve just stayed at the hotel he runs in Las Vegas, which costs over $1million per day to run.  Brilliant it was, it has to be said, but when was the last time he had any sort of input into a board meeting, I wonder.

Finally, you have to remember - although Kenwright is the majority shareholder, he was once the minority.  He started a movement against Peter Johnson.  What goes around could well be coming around, Bill.