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A sad end for Osman, Pienaar and Hibbert

No Evertonian will be shedding any tears over the expiring contracts of Leon Osman, Steven Pienaar and Tony Hibbert, but all three have been greats servants of Everton Football Club. The three of them have a combined appearance total of 991 games which is a huge amount of experience to lose from your squad.

The way all three of them were treated by the club was regrettable with them apparently being told by text that their contracts would not be renewed, it was a undignified way to handle the situation from a club that so often gets the little things right. Tim Howard left the club in May to much fanfare on his final match and on that occasion Osman, Pienaar and Hibbert must have been wondering that they were unlikely to receive the same farewell.

Osman and Hibbert especially are local lads who had Eveton in their hearts and represented the club with passion and honour for sixteen years. Both of them have had many critics in the past with fans left frustrated many times when they were included in the team sheet, but that’s not really the point. When they made their first team debuts at the turn of the millennium the Everton squad was a lot worse than it is now, and together they helped us see out one of the worst periods in the clubs history from relegation candidates to European qualification. It was the managers who decided to play them, and when chosen they gave 100% for the badge which can’t be said for a lot of players.

I think it was the correct decision to let all three players go, but I wish it was handled in a much better fashion. Due to the fact that any new manager would have had his say on who would be retained and who would be released, it’s a call that obviously couldn’t have come before the end of the season due to the sacking of Roberto Martinez. It’s clear however that it’s a decision that could have been made a week ago as the green light was given for Darron Gibson to get a new two year deal.

Whilst they may not be missed on the pitch, it will leave a big hole in the dressing room where their experience and love of the club would have been important, especially for new and younger players at the club. Leon Osman was probably underrated as an Everton player and often played out of position in order to fill holes that were in the team at any given time. His best position was always as a central attacking midfielder, but more talented players would often get in the way of him playing there. For so long under Moyes he was played on the right wing which didn’t suit him at all. He was a better player than a lot gave him credit for.

Tony Hibbert was an old fashioned right back in a position that evolved around him to a point where a lot more was expected from a full back than just being able to defend as the man who replaced him, Seamus Coleman, has proved. There was a saying amongst Evertonians of ‘Hibbert scores, we riot’ but that riot never came, apart from a jovial pitch invasion when his free kick squirmed into the goal on his testimonial. 328 appearances and that goal never came. He was a better defender than some gave him credit for, but it was clear that Coleman gave Everton so much more in the position.

Steven Pienaar was magical to watch in his day and together with Leighton Baines, formed a magical partnership that served Everton well for several years. Injuries got the better of the end of his career but he’s a player that many will reminisce about as he was a joy to watch.

All three gave so much to the club and deserved a better end to their career. It’s a new era for Everton with increased investment, the fact they won’t be in the squad at the start of the new season wont bother many Evertonians. Football is also a business and the handling of the situation wont affect the club in any way. One of the reasons though i’m proud to be an Evertonian however is that we go about our business with class and dignity, a class and dignity what was sadly missing when three great players for the club received the news 2nd hand via text message.