Everton's shock decision to hold talks over selling Harrison Armstrong, and the subsequent U-turn, has been criticised, with the teenager praised for his performance in the Premier League match at Bournemouth.
Writing in his column, former Everton defender Michael Ball said he was 'lucky' compared to Armstrong, recalling how he was sold by the club in 2001 in the same transfer window as Francis Jeffers, with Wayne Rooney following in 2004.
Pressure on teenager before match
Ball said the news, which broke on the morning of the match, piled pressure on the teenager, who was staying in a hotel on the south coast. He said such talks should happen behind the scenes and that the timing was unfair on a young player.
'Whoever leaked it, that kind of news breaking just hours before a game is bad enough for a senior professional, so imagine the kind of pressure that was on a teenager's shoulders at Bournemouth?' Ball wrote.
Ball gave 'huge credit' to Armstrong for playing and performing well despite the distraction, noting that other players in the past have let their heads go down in similar situations.
Club hierarchy and fan reaction
The former player questioned the decision-making process, saying the club's hierarchy 'really piled pressure' on Armstrong and that the initial decision to accept a bid appeared to be reversed only after fans voiced their concerns at the match and online.
Ball referenced comments from Angus Kinnear about the club being well-funded with wealthy backers, and said the accepted bid for Armstrong contradicted that message. He argued that David Moyes should have been able to say no to the sale.
'We don't want to hear that another Scouse lad is leaving at the first opportunity. We want to grow this football club,' Ball wrote, adding that selling prize assets to rivals such as Nottingham Forest was not the way to improve the team.
Refereeing controversy and performance
Ball also criticised the refereeing in the Bournemouth match, saying Everton were 'let down by another refereeing decision' involving Chris Kavanagh. He said a challenge on Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall should have been a penalty, with the referee's vision apparently impaired.
He praised James Tarkowski for a 'fantastic strike' to score, but said the team's mentality in the second half was 'easy to play against', allowing Bournemouth to dictate the tempo.
Ball concluded by saying that when the transfer window closes, the club should reassess and provide more transparency over what has happened, warning against rash decisions following the Armstrong and right-back situations.
