Sky Sports pundit defends Richarlison comments on lack of Everton ambition
We’re delighted to welcome former Everton striker Kevin Campbell as our exclusive columnist. Each week the former Toffees captain will be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Goodison Park…
Richarlison “has a point” because Everton’s ambition should be questioned “100%” despite them now heading in the right direction, says Kevin Campbell.
The former Toffees star, who moved to Tottenham for £60million in the summer, told FourFourTwo on 16 September that while he has a strong connection to the club he had to move on because they lack “ambition” and “eagerness” to win trophies, while being “a long way” from achieving big things.
And former Everton captain Campbell, a Sky Sports pundit, feels that the mess of last season, which the Brazilian played a crucial role in dragging the club out of, “scared” him and in those circumstances it is right to question the club, as the fans themselves have also done over the past year.
Speaking exclusively to Goodison News he said: “Listen, at the end of the day here’s what I will say. Richarlison was in there and he stuck at it for a while, battling, battling, battling.
“I think the last season scared him if I’m honest with you.
“You think to yourself, ‘Here I am, Rafa Benitez there, the atmosphere around the club not great.’ He stuck to his guns. He was a difference maker on the pitch, let’s be honest, without Richarlison Everton go down.
“But there’s only so far that’s going to take you. He gave his lot, Evertonians know that, they respect that.
“And Evertonians question the ambition of the club, let’s have it right, let alone Richarlison saying it.
“So let’s not make it more than it is. Richarlison’s got to look after himself, fair enough. Get enough money for him and they move him on, no problem.
“But let’s be fair, the ambition of the club got questioned by the fans when Rafa Benitez took over.
“Safe pair of hands and all that, but it didn’t work out and then you question what’s going on in the club, and you find out there’s difficulties, potential FFP difficulties.
“So it is what it is. Everton are in a transition yet again. I believe they’ve got the right manager. I believe they’re going in the right direction under Frank Lampard.
“It’s going to take a bit of time and it’s going to take a bit more patience but I think you can start to see the bones of a good side forming now.
“I think Richarlison’s got a point. The ambition of Everton is to be questioned, 100%.”
It is uncomfortable to hear but under the direction of Farhad Moshiri there is plenty to criticise around the club, and perhaps Richarlison’s heroics during the relegation battle have earned him the right to make those comments.
Fans didn’t want to see him go, and it was the financial problems that have been allowed to spiral that meant the club was powerless to prevent it.
Things are now looking up under the stewardship of Frank Lampard, but the side is still a long way from where it should be.
Pure ambition might not have been the issue, as the huge sums spent in recent years show, but the manner in which the ambition was channeled has certainly been a big problem and the current side is still picking up the pieces.