Sea Change at Everton as Moshiri Seeks to Correct Course
There have been mis-steps under Moshiri's reign but they have not caused irrevocable damage. The swift moves witnessed this week provide a means to get the Iranian-born businessman's project moving in the right direction again.
It's unlikely that even in his more troubling nightmares Farhad Moshiri might have envisaged his much-vaunted takeover at Everton and the ambitious plan he had for the club he launched going as awry and as quickly as it has over the past 9 months.
Thankfully, he doesn't appear to be contemplating his navel as he reflects on what has gone wrong; rather, with a shambolic season now out the way, he is moving with speed to reset things at Goodison Park and Finch Farm.
In a dizzying 24 hours of change, the club has dismissed its manager, replaced its director of football, said goodbye to its long-time CEO and ushered in a restructuring at the executive level that appears to provide greater clarity and, we hope, the energy and expertise to move the club forward on a number of important fronts.
Off the pitch, the proposed stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, a project still awaiting the green light in terms of funding, and the need for greater and more accelerated commercial growth are top of mind. In his new role as Director of Finance and Commercial Officer, assisted by new Deputy Chairman Dr Keith Harris, who has experience from his involvement in the new Wembley Stadium, Sasha Ryazantsev has been charged with spurring on the progress of those developments.
Since the arrival of Moshiri and Ryazantsev, the club have already negotiated a number of new commercial and sponsorship deals — SportPesa, Angry Birds, USM and Sure, as examples — and while the stadium naming rights will be the big target, there is scope to expand the club's commercial performance in other areas.
In promoting Denise Barrett-Baxendale, a lady known for her dynamism and determination with impressive credentials for her much-lauded work with Everton In The Community, Moshiri has ensured that an Evertonian intimately acquainted with the soul of the club is at the helm.
In what appears to be a savvy division of responsibilities, in handing a brief of the commercial and financial side of the club to Ryazantsev, it lessens the burden on Barrett-Baxendale as she gets to grips with what is a significant step up, allowing her to focus her energy on day-to-day affairs.
If there were criticisms from some — valid or not — that Robert Elstone was too cautious, pragmatic and, at times, indifferent to individual fans' concerns, by the end of his time with the club he had demonstrated a desire to keep the ordinary supporter and the preservation of Everton's traditional role as a community club at the centre of its ethos, particularly with ticket prize freezes and concessions to the Blues' all-important young fans. As a local and a Blue, Barrett-Baxendale can only strengthen that commitment and provide a vital link to the older guard in a time of rapid change.
The boardroom reshuffle could eventually prove to be important but it's on the pitch where the more tangible changes will happen in the coming weeks and months. In what was almost surely — barring a miraculous transformation from journeyman “fire-fighter” to imaginative and expansive coach — preordained the moment he put pen to paper at the end of November, Sam Allardyce was officially relieved of his duties yesterday morning.
Brought in with a remit befitting his CV and capabilities, the Dudleyite successfully kept the Blues away from relegation danger but failed on every level to entertain or pass what was, effectively, an interview for the very different job that now lies ahead at Goodison.
That task will now fall to a new man — at the time of writing, Marco Silva remains the favourite — and while he will demand the support of and deep reserves of patience from the Everton faithful, he will start with considerably more of both than did Allardyce.
He will also have Marcel Brands who might yet prove to be the most important acquisition Moshiri has made thus far. The Dutchman has built a towering reputation on the Continent as a recruitment savant and someone capable of transforming football clubs.
Where his predecessor, Steve Walsh, was lauded as a key component in the assembly of Leicester City's stunning title success of two years ago, Brands's accomplishments stretch back to his entry to the world of technical direction 13 years ago. Granted it was within the confines of an inferior league in the form of the Eredivisie, but the 56-year-old's achievements in turning unfashionable AZ Alkmaar into Dutch champions and Europa League quarter-finalists and then helping establish PSV Eindhoven's grip on the top honour in the Netherlands were impressive nonetheless.
If he can bring those team-building talents to Everton, then the club should be in much more capable hands.
Two whirlwind years into his effective ownership, Moshiri has been criticised for not having a plan but that's possibly on overly harsh assessment. After all, most Evertonians had spent years clamouring for change and ambition and while the transition hasn't been smooth sailing, the club clearly now has it.
There has been evidence of a plan, not to mention a timescale for it, but where footballing matters are concerned it has been undermined by a measure of naivety and a failure on the part of the personnel to whom he entrusted to execute the vision.
If there was an expectation that he could throw enough at the proverbial wall in terms of monetary outlay that enough would stick, he has been given a rude awakening. But he hasn't lacked ambition with his hires and might rue that certain appointments haven't worked out rather than second-guess himself over whether he was right to bring them in in the first place.
After all, few argued with the appointment of Ronald Koeman at the time; likewise the poaching of Leicester's successful chief scout was lauded as a coup. It was the where player recruitment under that duo was concerned that there was an almost cavalier, money's-no-object approach to signing players and a criminal neglect of certain key positions in the team. (In that respect, Moshiri was guilty of a little too much delegation and not enough oversight.)
The club clearly wanted to get the bulk of their summer spending out the way quickly last summer and circumvented potential hurdles and bidding wars with other clubs by simply paying over the odds.
There was little or no competition for the likes of Davy Klaassen, Michael Keane, Gylfi Sigurdsson or Jordan Pickford because they simply weren't worth to the other clubs what Everton were prepared to pay to get them through the door. In Pickford's case, it looks like money well-spent — Everton will either get a decade or more's service out of him or they'll make double their money back if a team with even bigger pockets comes knocking somewhere down the line. The same probably can't be said for Klaassen, Keane or Bolasie (from the year before) unless the new manager is able to coax significantly more out of them than they have offered thus far.
Judging by his track record and the outline of his new role as he sees it, Brands will hopefully bring more sanity, consideration and pragmatism to Everton's player recruitment and it appears from his early comments that more of the control over those dealings will reside with him. That can only be a good thing as Everton search for steadier hands on the tiller and a more even keel in the coming months.
In that time, Moshiri is expected to increase his stake at Everton and become the majority shareholder, an important step in him taking firm control of the club and enforcing his vision. With the old guard stepping aside, there is far less scope for doubt over who is in charge and making the decisions.
The mis-steps under his de facto stewardship date have been destructive to a degree and undoubtedly very expensive but they have not caused irrevocable damage. The moves that we have witnessed this week, together with their swiftness, provide a means by which Everton can course-correct and get the Iranian-born businessman's project moving in the right direction again.
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Reader Comments (75)
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2 Posted 17/05/2018 at 01:33:26
3 Posted 17/05/2018 at 01:45:00
Instead I'm somewhat excited about a new manager coming in alongside the deficiencies in our playing staff being addressed.
4 Posted 17/05/2018 at 01:48:29
5 Posted 17/05/2018 at 01:49:37
That is actually a great point. It is fantastic that the club did not take those season ticket sales for granted. I stand corrected as I was still thinking that they would carry on with the status quo as Kenwright had done for decades. But Moshiri isn't doing that, so well done.
6 Posted 17/05/2018 at 02:18:17
I wish some of the press would pick these up as the view from Everton.
Regarding the mistakes made that aren't irrevocable and seeing things from an Everton perspective, in lieu of the English Press' take on things.
I distinctly remember Spurs making a bunch of shit, shit signings that didn't work out when they sold Bale. The press over there were always saying, "it's a process" and, "they'll get it right Spurs are on the right path."
Meanwhile (a bit in the future from the Spurs crap) while we sell Lukaku and make some poor signings we're crucified and not given the time of day.
Moshri has moved in decisive manner and literally overhauled a failing ship in under 24 hours.
No back-pats from the press in England. No, "they'll get it right eventually." Only, "what the fuck are Everton doing? Clueless! Small Club."
As an American I think I can be more neutral and not as biased; seeing things from afar as it were.
In this case I only see a one-sided, double standard of reporting.
No matter what the rags over there say.
And with that being said, yes it is very refreshing to see this article from Lyndon and the Everton perspective.
If only the pompous English press would see what we and Lyndon do.
7 Posted 17/05/2018 at 02:23:57
Today's piece in the Guardian was also one of the few thoughtful articles regarding the transitions that are happening at our club.
Today was impeccably stage managed by the club and even the O/S. It is the first time I can remember being struck by how well the talking points were controlled in the announcements. I think the new board is already stamping it's personality on how Everton intend to conduct business going forward.
In hindsight, it seems that the last couple of years were more of a compromise approach, with Moshiri balancing decision making with allowing Kenwright to continue to fulfill the role that he had previously. I think it is abundantly clear today that the situation has evolved.
Silva and Brands have great hair. Can't wait to see moody shots of them staring out across the Mersey, Liver building in the background, towards the future home of EFC.
The RS can fuck off back to Mordor! :-)
8 Posted 17/05/2018 at 02:38:16
Year two started out well in regards going out and getting transfers done early, but here is where the ship ran aground.
Media reports of a club in chaos are over the top. In actual terms we finished one place worse off than the previous season. Not where we want to be but damage limitation measures succeeded.
Sam was always getting the boot. A Band-Aid to stop the bleeding. Had he shut his mouth and just got on with the job, knowing he would make ٤ million plus for 6 months of work he could have done his thing and sailed away with a lot less agro
The squad isn't that bad, we have no money concerns and mosh has shown affirmative action this week in ringing the changes. All teams can have blips. Chelsea under both Conte and Jose have gone from champions to finishing outside the Champions League placings the next season, as have Man Utd a few years back.
9 Posted 17/05/2018 at 03:05:55
Yes, Moshiri has made mistakes but he has at least tried to move Everton forward. Bad player recruiting has caused an unbalanced team and a lack of cohesion. I for one am exited about the future under Brands and whoever is our new manager.
Kenwright's non-departure is the only dampener on an otherwise excellent week.
10 Posted 17/05/2018 at 03:12:20
As a Kopite friend just said, their director of football is now seen as a genius but in reality it's down to Klopp and 18 months ago the director of football was under attack. The next managerial appointment is key.
11 Posted 17/05/2018 at 03:20:35
The Guardian piece an example, just piling on to bury Allardyce now they realise how wrong they got it.
Very few of today's media are worth reading. Traditional forms of football reporting and highlights are not worth anyone's time.
Too top down, unbalanced and ill-informed.
Forums, fan tv, podcasts and other such club-centric media are the best source of information and debate.
Unless they act quickly to introduce better pundits their prize possession will go to Amazon et al.
As for the reshuffle, many have said the take over had way points for Moshiri to increase his stake and change up the board. That's maybe so. However his decisions to date have been dubious at best, the communication terrible.
Appointing Allardyce has stained the club irrevocably.
What we've seen is a standard division of responsibilities and now we know whose accountable, transparency?!
Time to get it right Farhad laa.
12 Posted 17/05/2018 at 03:28:25
But one also doesn't get there by being precipitous. Moshiri had a bit over two years as a (barely) minority owner to assess the situation with the club and wait for the deadline to become majority owner. Along the way, he let the existing club officials do their jobs -- and undoubtedly reached the same conclusion we all have about the quality of that work. But except for bringing in Allardyce to protect his investment from the catastrophe of relegation (I disagreed then and disagree now with that move, but from his perspective I can understand it), he held his fire.
Now that this is about to be truly his club, he has stepped in with dispatch and decisiveness. Only time will tell whether he has chosen the right people for the right positions, but now there is no one left among the Toffee faithful who can accuse him of dithering or a lack of assertiveness.
I'm more optimistic than I have been in some time. It feels good.
13 Posted 17/05/2018 at 03:40:26
After all the doom and gloom of the previous campaign, it's good to see the club making some very prudent changes, it seems Moshiri is no mug.
It's amazing how only after a few days after a cack season and all hope seemed lost, I dare to dream, if only for a little bit.
14 Posted 17/05/2018 at 03:50:44
15 Posted 17/05/2018 at 04:10:42
Kenwright's interference in the playing side will continue to be an abscess unless neutralised. I look forward to "Operation Goodison" being completed in August with the appointment of a new chairman.
16 Posted 17/05/2018 at 04:11:58
17 Posted 17/05/2018 at 04:42:21
18 Posted 17/05/2018 at 04:50:55
If a new manager can organize, galvanize and motivate the existing squad with some ins and outs to be sorted, with players built into a team around their proper playing positions and strengths, we should be good to go forward.
the press meanwhile will just stay as they are. They won't change. City have blown the rest away this season and have earned some grudging respect. We have a long way to go before we are viewed as a winning top caliber club in their eyes, if we ever will . . . . . .
However, even with my cynicism of the media, I think their position on the Allardyce, except the Guardian, has been a shocking example of personalized / politicized reporting of the worst kind. As a discussion it is too lengthy to get into in detail here, but as a reality it is, as I said, absolutely shocking.
19 Posted 17/05/2018 at 05:12:47
It's so refreshing to read articles about Everton by somebody who cares what he writes and knows what he's talking about.
Excellent article, Lyndon.
20 Posted 17/05/2018 at 06:26:15
Must pull you up on one important point – you omitted to mention that Trent Alexander-Arnold is in the England World Cup squad.
I think that omission is going to be fatal to your prospects of getting a gig with Sky or the BBC.
21 Posted 17/05/2018 at 06:35:57
Just to repeat some of the rhetoric I've read on here from various posters over the last six months.
Great article, Lyndon ðŸ‘
22 Posted 17/05/2018 at 07:08:36
A tactician carries out the strategic direction, dictated by the company's policy, which in turn is dictated by its mission statement together with it's short-, medium- and long-term aims and objectives.
I will now contradict myself by saying that Moshiri is a cut above my perception of a pure strategist. He has come in to our club, allowed certain events to unfold, whilst seemingly taking a back seat and bankrolling us! ... nothing could be further from the truth.
He has allowed certain individuals a period of time to prove themselves, which (regrettably) they have either failed to do so, or were not up to the task in the first place.
Having observed the shenanigans at the tactical level for the last 2 years, Moshiri the strategist, dipped his toe into the water as a tactition, did what had to be done, by appointing new tactitions, and promptly withdrew his toe from the water, back to observe from on high.
It's going to take time, but I firmly believe we are on the way up. Top 6 next year, hopefully. Top 4 two years at least.
I believe that Moshiri courted Jim White Sky Sports News & TalkSport for a purpose. White would constantly refer to his "good friend" Farhad Moshiri, with personnel quotes. Strange that he never seems to mention/quote Moshiri anymore! The only person who can answer that is Moshiri himself, but he will keep his powder dry, and step down from on high only when he has too!
Bill Kenwright could get an honorary role as President, as a face-saving thank you, once Jon Woods's shares change hands.
23 Posted 17/05/2018 at 07:22:22
We have to accept mistakes are and were made, unfortunately for the Club they were expensive. The earlier the new manager is appointed the earlier we can hopefully get rid of some of the players who, through no fault of their own, are just not good enough.
Please, Mr Moshiri, make the World's Greatest Evertonian even richer and continue the cull.
24 Posted 17/05/2018 at 07:23:44
Buying people for top dollar and 3 number 10s were also poor decisions but the Lukaku fiasco is the main reason they both got sacked.
Add a top striker or Lukaku to the mix for last season and we would have been such a different team.
Let's hope we start the season In much better shape.
25 Posted 17/05/2018 at 07:25:15
Whether Kenwright stays or goes is immaterial in my view; he has no power and is basically irrelevant at this stage. At best he could be described as a figurehead.
Listening to Phil McNulty of the BBC last night, it would appear that the major signing long-term is that of Brands. He will call the shots going forward and will play a major role in selecting the new manager. If Silva ends up getting the job I am pretty sure his appointment will have Brands's blessing and approval.
Looking forward to watching a better brand of football in the years ahead.
26 Posted 17/05/2018 at 07:52:43
Randy Lerner was initially thought to be the saviour of Aston Villa.
29 Posted 17/05/2018 at 08:07:08
The former has been a good servant but was the architect of our season-defining transfer window last season when we replaced Lukaku with a washed-up, unfit alehouse – the latter not a decent Premier League player 3 years ago or a decent person ever... a stain on our club. We can really start to move forwards with these out of the way.
30 Posted 17/05/2018 at 08:13:52
A few Clogg mates who follow Ajax reckon Marcel Brands is astute and meticulous. Let's hope he, and whoever the new manager is, have a clear line of sight. It looks that at least there's clear onus now in the boardroom, and perhaps an air of professionalism now is instilled back in the club.
Surely, surely the future will be better. A long way to go, but hopefully on the road to a better place.
31 Posted 17/05/2018 at 08:27:25
32 Posted 17/05/2018 at 08:32:07
33 Posted 17/05/2018 at 08:49:26
It will happen.
Have you ever had a pain that disappeared overnight, and the next day you wonder where it went?
It may be disguised or dressed up in a presentable manner, but it will happen.
I think you will have to be patient on that score for a little bit longer, I'm afraid.
Looking from the outside, it appears to me that Bill Kenwright has already had his teeth pulled out. Woods's share transfer will seal Kenwright's fate.
You might not like this, but an honorary position, might be the disguise I'm alluding to!
34 Posted 17/05/2018 at 08:49:32
And why is Ferguson still there?
Can you imagine any manager anywhere else having to have Ferguson as part of his backroom staff?
It's still a farce.
35 Posted 17/05/2018 at 09:08:36
36 Posted 17/05/2018 at 09:15:09
"Add a top striker or Lukaku to the mix for last season and we would have been such a different team."
I sign mate; I think Messi could be played last year and we'd still have been toothless.
The side lacks any pace and besides hoofing and hoping; there was no creativity in the side. No striker would fix that.
It's going to be difficult for the new manager to address too as I can't see many suitors for some of the table that we've picked up.
Whoever he is; he'll need time.
37 Posted 17/05/2018 at 09:17:10
Jonathan @ 34 'still a farce' ? Maybe wait for the ending first.
38 Posted 17/05/2018 at 09:18:07
We need to appoint the new boss very quickly, if no one has realised it yet the transfer window opened today.
Get the new man in, unload the deadwood (God knows we have enough of it) and start the rebuild.
39 Posted 17/05/2018 at 09:40:47
40 Posted 17/05/2018 at 09:53:34
If he brings in Silva, or any manager of a similar reputation, I will be expecting just more of the same thing we have been served up for the last two decades.
If you wish to challenge for a top four placing, the shortlist for manager should only include the same names that the teams that compete for those places include.
Silva is not linked with Arsenal, or for that matter any other team that expects Champions League Football, he should not be linked with us.
We need a manager (and DOF), with experience of top clubs, who know how to spend a big war chest, not run around like kids let loose in a sweet shop like Koeman and Walsh.
We have not brought in one person who was wanted by a top side and it shows. Wasting money on top clubs deadwood and paying over the odds for average staff is getting us nowhere.
To those that say we cannot attract the correct calibre of manager, why not? If Moshiri and Kenwright . On second thoughts, if Moshiri and Brands spoke to managers of the standing of Ancelloti, Pellegrini, Mancini or Emery, offered them a pay package commensurate with the likes of Arsenal. If they let him bring in the staff they needed and promised the money required to attract top quality players, I can't one of them wouldn't be interested.
Chelsea and Man. City attracted suitable staff and they were not a better proposition before The Money arrived.
41 Posted 17/05/2018 at 10:42:10
David Barks great post sir.
I am a little concerned that the last time I looked Silva was only on 12% of the vote after more than 4,700 had voiced their opinion. I ask myself is this man the right choice after all, not that he is here yet!
42 Posted 17/05/2018 at 10:42:25
Interesting times and green shoots appearing everywhere. The club has come out of a dark winter .
Reading Brands' comments yesterday it looks to me that Silva is a nailed on appointment. I think the model requires a hands on, coaching manager like Silva is.
There will be clearer definition between roles allowing for maximum focus in each of their areas. Brands and Silva will be a good combination, complimenting each other.
I feel the planning and attention to detail on the recruitment, training and technical side will be dramatically improved.
Silva isn't the only candidate who could succeed in the role. Fonseca/Emery/would be great appointments too. Mr Moshiri, by his own admission would like Simeone . So would I ! There's a ‘very' thin strand of logic that says it could happen.
With the drip drip rumours of Usmanov being interested in project Everton, incremental progress could be bypassed.
Moshiri gets overall control, Usmanov buys him out and takes complete control of the club. Diego Simeone with a war chest of 300m and the new stadium bankrolled.
That would blow a rather large hole in the status quo.
Am I getting carried away a bit?
43 Posted 17/05/2018 at 10:54:25
Changes at board and Senior Management level having been made and in the offing with the Woods share buyout leave one more obstacle to proper sea change in Boys Pen Bill.
Offing Walsh and bringing in Brands is a big move in the right direction of the model the club said it wanted to follow two seasons ago with having a DoF, the only problem being they bought in a scout and not an experienced DoF.
Brands will hopefully bring with him good knowledge of player markets to tap into to bring the caliber of players required without paying silly money for, on top of this bring a proper structure to the coaching, training and youth setup to get the most out of all the players on the books.
Silva being mooted as the likely new manager but I'm with others in saying aim for the stars if we want to really kick on and challenge the top table teams. Not saying that Silva is a bad manager I just feel we need a proven manager who has the track record of managing top teams who have won top honours to instill the right mentality into the players throughout the club.
If it's not happened already I would urge Moshiri and Brands to speak to Unai Emery. Currently gainfully unemployed but having managed Valencia, Spartak Moscow (briefly), Sevilla and lastly PSG as his last four clubs. Gaining three successive Top 3 finishes with Valencia and three successive Europa League victories with Sevilla, this is the caliber of manager we need to take us forward if we want to challenge for honours.
The people saying Emery cannot speak English need to see beyond this shortsighted view, he couldn't speak French when he joined PSG, he soon picked up French and as can be seen in YouTube interviews with French journos was able to converse and get his points across.
Viva la revolution! COYB!
44 Posted 17/05/2018 at 10:58:02
Moshiri deserves some credit for his decisivesness in these affairs and I feel more confident about these appointments than I did about the last ones. Brands in particular I think will prove a crucial addition over time. And he does have great hair as someone pointed out.
The media are whining but the fact is that this is 'big club' mentality. If something is not working then remove it and aim higher. No room for dragging sentiment or fear. I'm excited by this new Everton.
45 Posted 17/05/2018 at 11:03:45
46 Posted 17/05/2018 at 11:46:01
Hopefully good times ahead, the next hurdle to be negotiated is the appointment of a Manager. I hope Brands is involved in the eventual outcome, as it would be counter productive to install someone who didn't share his views and approve of his plans.
As has been referred to, I hope the likes of Lookman, and possibly Sandro even, will be given a different insight as to their futures at the Club.
47 Posted 17/05/2018 at 13:11:10
48 Posted 17/05/2018 at 13:18:04
49 Posted 17/05/2018 at 13:20:09
Again, thank you Lyndon.
50 Posted 17/05/2018 at 13:21:24
Chairman matters little these days. it's the CEO who matters. In the 70s the Chairman was the CEO. Now most Premier League Clubs have chairman you have never heard of, and rarely attend the club, even for matches.
I think the moves made yesterday have marginalised Kenwright completely and that DBB is now effectively doing what Kenwright was doing previously. Sure, if BK starts becoming visible once more, then it will show I am mistaken. But if i'm right, we won't hear from him much in the future. He seemed to do what he did as we had a CEO who didn't like talking to the media. I suspect this is different now.
51 Posted 17/05/2018 at 13:27:18
Kenwright will definitely be visible, in the physical sense.
He'll attend games and sit in the director's box alongside all the brass. He won't disappear.
But he has been frozen out of the running and handling of the club.
Everyone will see him, he just won't have jack to do with the operations and decisions at Everton.
[BRZ]
52 Posted 17/05/2018 at 13:58:03
But he had an OUTSTANDING whirlwind 24 hours, starting Tuesday evening.
As Lyndon writes, these were the actions of a man not content to navel gaze.
This didn't happen spontaneously. This day and all its component parts have been long in the making. There has been a lot of long term planning and behind the scene negotiations to coordinate all this.
There were so many topics of discussion yesterday with a new Everton story breaking almost hourly that it is impossible to address them all succinctly in a single post.
What I particularly liked amidst all this was how Everton and the official club site controlled the dialogue. There was a planned sequence to this coup and purge.
On the official club site, the rolling news stories rapidly pushed Sam's departure off the front page. Steve Walsh got a single one-line mention at the end of the Brands' appointment story.
This smacks of old-school Soviet Orwellian-like manipulation of 'the story' and dialogue. Allardyce and Walsh - literally, yesterday's men at Goodison - have today been rapidly air-brushed out of even contemporary history. The focus is very much on the present with optimism for the future.
And I for one share that optimism. As Lyndon writes in his closing paragraph, yes – there have been mis-steps under Moshiri to date, but not so destructive as to cause irrevocable damage. I am also of the opinion that things can turn around quickly.
In this regard Spurs are a good exemplar. Sold Bale for big money. Blew that on players that didn't fit. Tried a succession of managers until taking a punt on Pochettino. Improved their transfer policy and promoted the best of their academy. Look where they are now. OK, still no trophies, but at least they are seriously competing in all competitions they enter.
With the right structure, policies and personnel in place, why can't Everton not only emulate Spurs, but surpass them – and others – in our quest for greatness again?
53 Posted 17/05/2018 at 14:36:00
After obtaining John Woods shares, Moshiri then calls his friend Usinov to complete operation Goodison, sailing in along the Mersey for a photo shoot, with the liver buildings in the background,he glances over towards Bramley Moore docks, with a stern nod as if to say, get it done and no shortcuts.
54 Posted 17/05/2018 at 14:48:17
Is the new manager gonna be Silva..? Who ever comes in needs 100% backing from all sides of the club, as the clock is running to the new season start.
55 Posted 17/05/2018 at 14:57:11
[BRZ]
56 Posted 17/05/2018 at 15:07:35
Ho! Ho! Ho!
Do you play Santa or The Grinch at kids' Xmas parties..?
It's the 17th of MAY, Steve, not 17th of August.
A bit of wriggle room there to address your concerns, doncha think..?
57 Posted 17/05/2018 at 15:26:59
58 Posted 17/05/2018 at 16:12:43
Allardyce was heavily criticised by Everton fans for the team's style of play under him, but he feels the dissenting voices drowned out those who supported him."I think there were certainly more Everton fans who were happy with what we were doing and going in the right direction than the ones that weren't," he said.
"Those who show discontent are the ones who are more open and vocal about it. I would say most of them didn't want me out."
59 Posted 17/05/2018 at 19:10:27
Recruitment is the biggest problem and, after the last few windows, I'm convinced 100% that our Iranian is having his pants royally pulled down in regards to transfers.
In today's market, I can see him losing interest rapidly, especially if another 𧴜 million is spunked on the coming World Cup versions of Amokachi or Pistone. Crossroads, I reckon.
60 Posted 17/05/2018 at 19:18:41
What have we been told? Nothing! Can we get odds for who gets a new manager in first?
61 Posted 17/05/2018 at 19:24:52
I hope Brands's reputation is justified. He must be in charge of all transfers, with the board / finance department only interfering to tell him his budgets (transfers / wages). Of course he should work in tandem with the manager / head coach, but when the money talk starts, unlike Davie Moyes, the new guy needs to leave the room and let Brands and his team to get the job done.
It then allows the manager to reassure the player that he really does want him, and any hard-line in negotiation is down to Brands. The manager can then say to the player, "Don't worry (about the lesser contract than you expected). I'll put in a good word (with Brands) and see about a pay rise in the summer", etc.
62 Posted 17/05/2018 at 19:34:30
is a great forum for Evertonians who want to read and contribute their tuppence worth to well-written commentary.
63 Posted 17/05/2018 at 19:39:07
He talks about more money, which should mean taking more care, because money can make people lazy, even if he's never been the lazy type.
Only words, and we all know that talk can be cheap, but it was a statement full of common sense, and although this should be a given, that's very rarely the case when it comes to football, and the people clubs employ?
Give us a clever manager, and surround him with clever people, because this is usually the remedy for success!
64 Posted 17/05/2018 at 19:48:43
If Brands is going to be a real DoF and do the job properly, then this gives us the chance to have a real continental style head coach, ie Fonseca, Silva, Emery etc.
I feel very optimistic about the future, although I'm happy for 7th and for closing back in on top 4 or 6 to the same distance as 12 months ago (and not the massive gap to the top 4 or 5 that we have now). I would be optimistic that with a couple of astute signings, including a top coach, and a bit of luck, then it is possible to close in on Arsenal.
Arsenal are going to be a real wild card next season. If they really are appointing Arteta, and that is a very bold appointment, then who knows how he will handle it. He could be terrible. Being a coach is one thing (and who's word do we have for him actually being a good coach?), being head coach is another, and stepping into Wenger's shoes is a something else altogether. I can see this really going wrong, and we could capitalise.
65 Posted 17/05/2018 at 20:04:47
Back to "the Toffs" and, after what I've witnessed over the last four seasons, then the thing I'm going to be interested in next season is if the team can entertain.
I just want Goodison to become enjoyable again, and for that reason, I will be hoping for some exciting football above all else next season.
66 Posted 17/05/2018 at 20:10:13
Silva is counter-attacking, but in a way that is more attacking than defensive. Fonseca likes possession based football, but without being overly tikka-takka. Conceicao played a very possession based game at Porto, but not at his other clubs (where he was mostly sacked).
The entertainment should be there. You should enjoy going to the games, and if it's Silva or Fonseca then you can go to the Derby with a genuine hope of victory, and not fearing a big defeat as a dour defensive coach tries in vain to park the bus.
67 Posted 17/05/2018 at 20:27:29
68 Posted 17/05/2018 at 20:28:35
69 Posted 17/05/2018 at 20:37:54
I like Silva the guy has something about him, I know some say well he has only won trophies in Portugal and Greece, but even Mourhino had to start somewhere. The difference between what Hull were playing under Mike Phelan and what Silva had them playing was totally different. Although a good coach Phelan set Hull out not to get beat, Silva had Hull trying to win every game. Yes they still get relegated, but hasnt been our criticsm of our past 3 managers is lack of style and belief. The one thing you can guarantee with Silva is whether its Chelsea or Liverpool away he will attack them just as he will any opposition because thats what he believes in.
So if it happens and we get Silva I cant say we will win a trophy, but I can guarantee you will like his style of football. I also believe that with Moshiri backing him financially he will have us challenging for a top 4 spot with 2 seasons. I know some have mentioned them losing a 2 goal lead to us at Goodison this season. He commented after the game that the crowd had won the game for Everton, and he did say his team were thrown off guard by the crowds reaction in the second half, and they needed to show a little more composure when this happens. And Cleverly did miss a penalty in the dying seconds which would have given them a point.
70 Posted 17/05/2018 at 20:52:12
It's why I couldn't get my head around Allardyce, because he's been in football long enough to know that, if you can get the crowd going at Goodison, then it's been known to help win Everton the game. You know what scientific Sam would say to that, though? There was nothing wrong with our home form anyway!
71 Posted 17/05/2018 at 22:30:29
72 Posted 17/05/2018 at 22:41:06
73 Posted 17/05/2018 at 22:59:29
74 Posted 17/05/2018 at 23:41:11
In all four games, home and away, the style was the same – pressure starting around the midfield line, pounce on the giveaway and then explode into a track meet. No emphasis on possession that I ever saw.
By the way, Bernardo's available on a free this summer. The kid is about 5-foot-4 and and laser-fast. Goodison would fall in love with him in five minutes.
75 Posted 18/05/2018 at 05:54:13
I think he's having his pocket picked, and I think it's a deliberate thing. To engineer his removal from the club? Or maybe because he's got more money than sense and is easily fleeced?
Certainly, I've seen little to no evidence of the "business acumen" Moshiri is meant to have. How he handled the Allardyce negotiations would have gotten you laughed out of an A-Level commerce class.
I hope Ferns et al are correct, and he's made the right moves here. Another hundred million quid on rubbish, and I can see Moshiri's wallet slamming shut like the till on Open All Hours.
This is a crossroads.
76 Posted 18/05/2018 at 09:22:19
78 Posted 18/05/2018 at 15:50:22
Top four and Champions League glory... yeah, right... jeez!!!
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1 Posted 17/05/2018 at 01:28:29
I think the point you make in the last paragraph is the most important. None of the mistakes to date are irrevocable. Personally I believe that with the right manager, style of play and key recruitment that the likes of Klaassen and even Sandro could show something. But more importantly, Davies's development could reverse direction and Lookman can become a player for us.
Big Summer ahead but I love the decisiveness that Moshiri has shown. He's appointed a woman as CEO, which makes me feel good about our club. I'm excited about Brands coming in to build our club. I just hope we get the manager right, which no matter who we hire, only time will tell.