GLF 54: Stuart has been keeping an eye on Faddy.
FROM FAD TO WORSE FOR JAMES…
4.45PM,Monday 1st September 2003!!Memories of that moment still send a shiver down my spine.Despite surviving months and months of speculation and moving into September,James McFadden finally departed Fir Park in the final 15 minutes of the extended transfer window.Throughout that tense Monday at work,I phoned home with increasing regularity for updates on Faddy’s situation.Counting down the hours,it seemed that Davie Moyes had made his move too late.However, as the clock slowly ticked towards the 5pm deadline,I received the fatal text message:“ He’s gone,Everton finalise £1.25mil move for McFadden.”My heart sunk,his majestic double against Thistle was the last we would see of our hero in a Claret & Amber jersey !!
How would we survive ??The previous season,we finished bottom of the pile despite the immense contribution of our talisman.Surely our SPL status was in grave danger now that McFadden was away !!How wrong could I be,defying the pessimists Butcher’s babes went from strength to strength and rocketed up the league. And despite our recent slump,there is ample evidence to suggest that last years achievements were by no means a one - season wonder.
While McFadden’s departure galvanised the spirit of the unsung heroes he left behind at Fir Park,James has not had the best of times down at Goodison.To my amazement, the man heralded as the brightest talent in Scottish Football has failed to make his mark in the Premiership.Despite the limitations of the Everton squad, Faddy has fallen down the pecking order behind the likes of Marcus Bent and Duncan Ferguson !?!
In start contrast to recent fortunes,Faddy’s Everton career got off to a flyer.For the 2 months that followed his Fir Park farewell,McFadden was riding the crest of a wave.Before making his Everton debut,Faddy came off the Hampden bench to score his first goal for Scotland,securing a 3-1 victory over the Faroes - much to the relief of the Tartan Army.To the delight of the Davie Moyes,his form north of the border continued while gracing the Everton jersey.Faddy captured the imagination of the Everton faithful with a couple of scintillating performances against Leeds United and Stockport County.Despite Moyes insisting that McFadden would take time to adjust to the rigours of English football,the Blues fans were instantly treated to an array of Faddy’s twists and turns as he mesmerised the opposing fullbacks.Followers of The Toffees were presumably excited by the mouth-watering prospect of Scotland and England’s hottest properties lining up in the Everton strikeforce.
The highlight of McFadden’s career so far came against Holland in the 1st leg of the memorable Euro 2004 playoff.Waltzing through the Dutch defence,Faddy finished off a glorious one-two with Fletcher and 50,000 Scots lifted the roof of Hampden.All of a sudden,queuing overnight at Safeway to get my hands on a couple of tickets seemed worthwhile. Like any ‘Well fan,I was so proud of OUR Faddy,he was the toast of the nation !!He and Fletcher appeared to be the bright lights at the end of the long dark SFA tunnel.Unfortunately,it was a false dawn.Since that fine Hampden performance,McFadden and Scotland have endured a parallel decline in fortunes.Dogged by niggling injuries - not to mention the form of the rejuvenated Kevin Kilbane - Faddy’s first team opportunities were at a premium.And when he did play, he was usually playing on the unfavoured right wing.
McFadden’s unhappiness was highlighted by Berti Vogts' decision to drop him for a Friendly against Romania back in March.According to wee Berti, the “ cheeky boy ” had lost his spark.In true McFadden fashion however,James had the last word !!2 down to Romania,Faddy came off the bench and sparked a dismal Scotland into life with a fine solo effort that lifted the spirits of the depressed fans.In post match interviews however,McFadden exhibited the characteristics of a jaded and frustrated lad who just wants to play first team football.However Moyes had always maintained that Faddy would have to be patient,next season would be his big year !! A couple of decent displays against Wolves and Spurs towards the end of the season, suggested that Moyes’ plan was progressing nicely - McFadden’s bench warming would become a distant memory…
The noises coming out of Goodison indicated that Faddy was going to fulfil his potential this season.According to reports,he shook off a niggling knock to become the star man of pre-season,scoring and creating plenty of goals.His first team credentials were somewhat symbolised by Everton’s decision to give him the No.11 jersey.With Wayne Rooney destined for Old Trafford,was Faddy about to become the new fans favourite ??
Like many ‘Well fans,I tuned into Sky Sports on the opening day of the season with great anticipation as Everton commenced battle with the Champions.Unfortunately, Arsenal annihilated Everton and McFadden in particular looked out of his depth.His first touch was poor and seemed to lack pace and power.As his frustration grew,he tried to do too much with the ball - a trait that we witnessed more than once in his Motherwell days.Consequently,David Moyes didn’t bring him out for the second half.It was so disappointing to see Faddy perform well below par.Nonetheless,I wasn’t too concerned as I assumed that he was firmly in the first team plans of the Everton boss.However, Everton responded to the opening-day demolition by going on a scintillating run that has surprised everyone - unfortunately Faddy was dropped after the Arsenal loss and has only made a sprinkling of substitute appearances since. Understandably,Moyes is keen to stand by the 11 guys that have taken them to 3rd in the league - a position that allows the Toffees to look down on their arch rivals Liverpool,as well as Rooney’s new employers !!
So far,McFadden’s starting slots have been limited to the Carling Cup.While he has done okay in these games,it would appear that the standard of his performances have failed to merit a chance in the Premiership.Indeed,a crucial penalty miss against Bristol in the 2nd round suggests that Faddy is playing without any confidence.The ultimate blow came in October,when Scotland hosted Norway.Faddy was the poor soul on the line who instinctively stretched out his hand to prevent a goal.In that regrettable split second,Scotland’s World Cup dreams had all but vanished !Faddy was clearly gutted as he trudged off the Hampden turf.Within a year,the fans favourite amongst the Tartan Army had suffered a traumatic turnaround that few would have predicted.
2004 has turned out to be a bit of a nightmare for a lad who has the world at his feet. So what does the future hold for James McFadden ??
Rarely have I had so much confidence in a player’s talent and dedication.Bearing in mind that the Everton directors are likely to splash the cash in the January sales,McFadden will be determined to justify a starting slot in the coming month.Does David Moyes share my faith in order to offer Faddy an extended run in the Premiership ?If not,it is likely that his immediate future lies away from Goodison.
A loan move to a club in the Coca Cola Championship is an obvious option.To be honest,I’m somewhat surprised that Billy Davies didn’t make a move for him when he took over the reins at Preston.With Ricardo Fuller and David Healy recently departing Deepdale,the ex - ‘Well boss is surely pursuing a couple of strikers !?! However,the fact that wee Billy is willing to shell out £750K for Scott Dobie - has anyone seen him since the Faroes debacle ? - would suggest that Davies is yet to master the art of talent spotting.If Faddy is approached to go on loan,he should look at his teammate Leon Osman for inspiration.The young midfielder was on his way out of Everton before going on loan to Derby County.Since returning,Osman has been a key influence in the Everton midfield and has bagged a few goals.
If the media are granted their wish,then McFadden will head north to one of the Old Firm - with Big Eck likely to show more interest than Martin O’Neill.Faddy has publicly stated on numerous occasions that he doesn’t want to come back up the road with his tail between his legs.If Everton continue to overlook him however,it’s only a matter of time before his hunger for football outweighs any sense of failure.I never imagined myself saying this but I wouldn’t be totally against the idea of him signing for either half of the gruesome twosome.Sure it would be hard to stomach when he returned to Fir Park in blue or green,however with the current lack of genuine Scottish talent,we need to look at the bigger picture.For the good of James McFadden and ultimately the national team,wouldn’t you prefer to see him play regularly for the OF as opposed to rotting away in the Everton Reserves !?!
While a temporary move back to Fir Park is extremely unlikely,I’m interested in how the fans would view such a proposition.While my heart tells me that I would love to see Faddy sporting a Claret and Amber jersey again,my head says that Motherwell have moved on.The return of a hero rarely breeds success !!Talented lads like McDonald, Kerr and hopefully McBride represent the future of the club.
At the moment, Faddy is a shadow of the player we used to worship on a weekly basis.Without doubt,he is the most talented player I have seen progress through the youth ranks at Fir Park.Even when he played below par,we always had a chance with McFadden in the team.Whenever the ball arrived at his feet,an air of anticipation and expectation would sweep through the Fir Park stands.Driving at defenders,McFadden created a sense of excitement that few players can achieve in this era.Indeed he was the first Motherwell player to have me constantly on the edge of my seat since the late great Davie Cooper.
Motherwell hearts will treasure Faddy for many years to come.He was the shining light during some of the darkest days of our 120 - year history and his transfer fee ultimately breathed life into the future of our beloved club.We know better than anyone how talented and dedicated McFadden is.If he fails to recapture his form in the coming year however,McFadden is unlikely to scale the heights we all predicted - which would be a damn shame !!I’m sure most fans will be gutted if Motherwell’s finest product joins the endless list of promising Scots who fail to fulfil their potential.
So come on Faddy, the ball is at your feet-do what you do best !!!
If not,I fear you will be remembered in the same breath as Eoin Jess,Charlie Miller, Duncan Ferguson,Simon Donnelly et al.The addition of James McFadden to that unenviable list would be a catastrophic blow for Scottish football…...
KEEP THE FAITH
STUART KERR
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