I'm 50-50 on it all. I hate Moyes negativity which has cost us so many points over the years but don't forget where we were before he came. 4th from bottom was seen as an achievement. Since he came we have finished 4th, 5th (twice), 6th, 7th (3 times), 8th, 11th and 17th. Before Moyes it was 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th.

People say he hasn't won a trophy but look at Birmingham, Blackburn, Middlesbrough, Leicester, Portsmouth have all won trophies since Everton have but have been relegated.

I can't see who is going to come in and take Everton to the 'next level' with so little money to spend. I also fear a Baines, Jagielka, Fellaini exodus should Moyes leave.

Well Steve McClaren is available now. And it'd only be fair to hire him seeing as Everton's medical staff set in motion a series of events that ended up with him quitting FC Twente.

That's a fair point.

I remember saying to some Evertonian mates/colleagues a couple of years ago that I thought Moyes needed to move on as he'd taken Everton as far as he could and it was becoming stale, but you do have to wonder who could do better given the circumstances. Everton are a club crying out for investment - a good squad of players who are certainly capable of a decent European campaign assuming they qualify this season, a strong fanbase and the potential for the Club to really take a step upwards.

I get the feeling Moyes will sign a new contract if he has European football to coach next season.

Regardless who's manager, I just can't see Everton making a sustained effort above the level they're currently at without investment.

If Everton are to stay the way they are, they probably aren't going to improve on Moyes. They will probably end up going the way of Aston Villa like when MON left (I am far from a MON lover but they've struggled since), i.e. decline quite rapidly into a struggling side.

If Everton can get investment or suddenly something dramatic happens where it isn't a top 4 but a top 6 or a top 8, then they could maybe entertain the thought of pushing on beyond Moyes's limit, but for now, Moyes has them at their ceiling and they can't get any better, IMO.

The financial rewards of Champions League football just make the gap between those who dine at Europe's top table and the rest of their domestic competitors even bigger.

Were it not for Arsenal's refusal to break the bank on players or wages, you would be looking at the same top four in England year in, year out. It will take one of United, City, Arsenal and Chelsea to implode before anyone else can break into the cartel and start building up the financial clout to compete.

At least he appears to have stopped diving now.

Looks like Rafa's going quietly...

I'm delighted that the Fat Man is going.

And TBH I agree with most of what he's saying. Hopefully everyone will start pulling together, we can secure a CL place, win either or both the cups were in.

As things stood the biggest priority for a lot of Chelsea fans was making sure Benitez wouldn't be in charge next year. Now that he won't be, they should forget about abusing him and get behind the team - which is what the fat man said.

I think Benitez is putting his failure at CFC down to the lack of support he's been given. I can accept he might have a point. Hopefully he'll be able to improve things so we are a double cup winner and CL qualifiers. That helps us, but it helps him too. His career could be hitting a brick wall if he drops us out of the CL places and we win nothing. He doesn't want that. So that's what's brought on the outburst IMO.

Credit to Benitez for speaking his mind, rather than just toeing the Abramovich party line right up to the point where he was going to get dumped.

A section of the Chelsea support has acted like the spoiled chlldren of rich parents. Hopefully no decent manager worth his salt will take the job and they'll be left dragging someone like Steve Clarke back.

You all 'made sure' Avram Grant wouldn't be in charge the next year, when maybe, with a little bit of support (not plastic flags), Grant might have taken you to the level Mourinho never could.

Steve McClaren's Chelsea. That's got a certain ring to it.