Everton's leadership deserves credit, now they need to prove Monday wasn't a fluke

I'd be 100 percent lying if I didn't say I had a little egg on my face Monday evening after Everton pulled off a fantastic late transfer window buying/selling spree. Having wrote this piece condemning the board and Bill Kenwright for appearing to screw things up again, they went out and did the exact opposite.

Someone on Twitter even suggested I should apologize to Kenwright (never) or retract the article (that's chickenshit). I'll do neither, I'll leave my work out there for people to read and criticize all they want. I'm fine with that.

I'm not so arrogant or stupid to realize it was premature and a just a bit of an over-reaction, but can you really blame me? Considering the history this club has recently of falling over themselves when trying to accomplish complicated task, you have to admit you felt the same way when all that news broke about things going to pieces.

I wrote what many felt. I said what many didn't have the platform to say. I'm proud of that and I don't care one bit that Everton made me eat my words. In fact, I'm thrilled they did. I wouldn't be writing here or be that passionate about the situation if I wasn't an Everton fan.

That's why I'm fine with having egg on my face.

Everton did great in getting maximum value for Marouane Fellaini, getting borderline ridiculous money for Victor Anichebe and bringing in three plays that will make this team better. Roberto Martinez now has two midfielders better suited to play the style of game he's trying to implement. He's also got a world class striker to put the ball in the back of the net on a consistent basis...hopefully.

Holding on to Leighton Baines and making Dave Whelan look foolish was fun as well.

It was a banner final 10 minutes of the transfer window for the Toffees and hopefully it's a sign of things to come. Maybe there is hope for this board and and the leadership at Everton. Maybe David Moyes was, in a way, holding the club back a little. Just look at the absolute disaster Manchester United had on Monday.

It's way to early to claim a total success or start having parades, but it's a positive sign. Kenwright, Robert Elstone and the rest deserve all the criticism that is piled upon them, but they also deserve credit for a strengthening the club this week.

The next step is making sure some of the remaining money is still around in January.