Evertonians have been left perplexed and annoyed after their club sent out a fan survey asking for their opinions on Sam Allardyce and his coaching team.
The Toffees emailed its list of season ticket holders and club members to ask them about a number of topics concerning the current campaign, with supporters asked to rate a series of statements from zero to 10.
Plenty of media outlets - the Times included - have reported that one such query relates to Allardyce, who many Everton fans have voiced their displeasure about since the 63-year-old's appointment.
— paul joyce (@_pauljoyce) April 17, 2018
And the statement has left many feeling frustrated over how the club is being run when plenty have made it clear that they don't wish to see ex-England manager Allardyce remain in the Goodison Park dugout at the end of this term.
The query in question stated: “I have a high level of trust in the current manager and coaching staff of Everton e.g. in making the right decisions to get the best out of the team” - after which fans are asked to rate what they think on a sliding scale from 'completely agree' or 'completely disagree'.
Some Evertonians have taken offence to being asked about whether they support Allardyce or not in a roundabout way, and have taken to social media to question why their club felt the need to send the forms out:
Anyone else had the @Everton survey through? Not sure they are going to like the results 😝🤣 pic.twitter.com/4ci3p9rSix
— Gareth Ratcliffe (@N9GJR) April 17, 2018
Don’t understand why Everton are running a fans’ survey about their manager. If the club can’t already see his ineptitude without the supporters’ feedback it’s rather worrying, don’t you think?
— Ric George (@Ric__George) April 17, 2018
I've done that fan survey good effort from the club to make me feel a wee bit of sympathy for Allardyce. Absolute arseholes trick regardless of my opinions on him as a manager
— David (@NothingbutBoffo) April 17, 2018
He’s done exactly what he always does - uninspiring football, excuse filled interviews and mediocre results! Exactly what it says in the tin! But hey at least he’s English right? #Uninspired
— I couldn’t help but notice 🕵🏻♂️ (@observerations) April 18, 2018
Everton already know the answers they will get from the survey, it's a face saving PR move at most to justify any changes they want to make down the line. Fortunately for then, few will disagree with it.
— Sean Lunt (@Sean_Lunt) April 17, 2018
Thanks for the survey @Everton Hopefully I've made myself clear! pic.twitter.com/s2gEFuPgAj
— Neil Tyler (@Tyler_ND6) April 17, 2018
(You may also be interested in Sam Allardyce Could Leave Everton as Toffees Line Up Super Agent for Dramatic Summer Overhaul)
Allardyce has faced constant speculation about his future on Merseyside due to a lack of positive results and defensive football that have begun to enrage Everton's fanbase in recent weeks.
The Blues lie ninth in the Premier League table - well clear of the growing relegation battle that Allardyce was asked to drag them away from in late November after Ronald Koeman's sacking a month before.
Despite completing that task, however, Evertonians don't believe he is the right man to take them forward and want majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri to replace him with a younger, hungrier, attack-minded manager in the close season.
