“We didn”t find anyone with his knowledge and passion for football”

This seems to be the closest Farhad will come to saying, "Yes, we heard the reaction of the fans. But we ignored it in this case because we believe we have now found what we thought we had found in Carlo Ancelotti."

I wonder if he is just repeating the same mistake? A has-been, a yesterday's man who can spout a nice line in interviews, but will be as singularly unable to produce the results from the players he has as was Carlo Ancelotti.

Why were we so patient with him? Well, the absence of crowds has to have been a major factor that dragged out the inevitable. I'd like to think that the Goodison faithful would have really delivered a message to Carlo that this was simply "Not Good Enough". But we were told repeatedly he needed time, he needed better players, we must not be impatient, it's a marathon not a sprint… blah blah blah.

I was guilty of giving Ancelotti the benefit of the doubt and expecting jam tomorrow always jam tomorrow. Did that make me gullible or suupine? Or was it the sign of being a good supporter?

Some write in fear of the atmosphere at Goodison quickly turning 'toxic' if we don't start well under Benitez. For me, I think that would be excellent. The manager and the players need to be told in no uncertain terms if they are not performeing.

But then I'm an accolyte of a certain Sir John Moores, who acknowdged that:

The supporters of Everton expect the best. Only the best is good enough, and if it's not the best then they will demand the best.

“At this stage with a major stadium project, you need to go for experience and a winning mentality.” That sums it up for me. Experience equals ‘a safe pair of hands' and winning mentality sounds ambitious without actually promising anything.

I was not against the appointment of Benitez and had no issues around him formally managing Liverpool. Nor was I in the least bit bothered about the "small club" reference that seems to leave some of our supporters in a frenzy.

However, you have to acknowledge the high risk strategy being employed by Moshiri here, given the clearly divisive nature of the appointment and a poor run of games will inevitably see real evidence of discontent.

The reported shortlist of other candidates was underwhelming though and none of them (as is the way with managerial appointments) gave any indication that they would be a sure fire appointment. Unfortunately, as well, we are not in the frame to be able to appoint a Guardiola type manager at the moment who would almost guarantee success.

So, on balance, I'm content with the appointment and understand what Moshiri has said above as being a sound rationale.

We need to back Benitez and the team from the off. I hope that some of the fans can get over their "he's a kopite" tag, as if that somehow logically explains their angry rejection of him.

Like all managers, like Kendall in his pomp, he needs a bit of luck and, at the risk of sounding biased, Everton are surely due a bit of luck. Let's hope we can get that and have a cracking season. Ever the optimist.

I'd love to see what Rafa has on his computer about Iwobi and some of our other geniuses. Be careful what you wish for.

In fairness to Moshiri, I think he's genuinely trying to get it right.

Michael,

I was reading some of the articles on RS websites yesterday, to get some sort of insight if possible. What Moshiri says here is pretty much replicated in some of the more reasoned views expressed. He is an obsessive basically, by the sound of it. He doesn't suffer fools gladly, be they players, colleagues or directors. If he feels let down he lets people know. And he does seem to love the place, as does his family. He's a pragmatist too, and ruthless.

His relationship with Brands might be interesting. I suspect Rafa is a pretty distant bloke. But that's fine, because a relationship based on trust and respect, is a decent way to proceed, and both have to be earned. Cognitive dissonance is a good spur for management colleagues.

Moshiri has stuck his neck out, but it has been done based on some reasoned thinking process by the sound of it, but as always no guarantees.

I bloody hope so, because Brands is right, we desperately need continuity.

Pat #4. Computer says No.

A continuation of the Ancelotti plan confirmed if you read Moshiri's words. They were caught off guard and looked for as close to a like for like they could find to fit with the plan. Agree or not, that's my take.

I think the majority believe in the expectation and John Moores' principles. I foolishly and gullibley do. I was brought up on it and then lived the 80s from the Gwladys Street.

Interestingly, Catterick was apparently a task master, not necessarily popular and cared little for reputations. But Moores was quick enough to appoint. But he won titles and trophies. Do we now have similar?

I think the owner is trying to do the right thing. If he was trying to do the popular thing he'd have chosen a very different option.

Just to remind everyone before the happy clapper apologist calls come in or whatever phrase we coin next; option 3 (disappointed) on the poll from me.

Pat, Iwob-who? I think Moshiri refers to Benitez maintaining a database of footballers.

Cheapshot and harsh from me.

One thing for sure next season, Benitez knows how to pick a team that can defend. If Everton could have defended better at home last season, Everton would have made the Champions League. Everton last season in many games at home were conceding 2 goals a game with zero return in quite a few of them.

I thought the article was quite interesting, if you read between the lines:

“I didn't want to get rid of Martinez but I listened to the fans. I wanted Moyes but I listened to the fans. This time the fans can piss off, I want Benitez, so we've got him.”

He takes this entirely upon himself because you can read by what he doesn't say, you can bet your bottom dollar Kenwright didn't want this appointment. The difference between a businessman who has seen enough and an old-fashioned Chairman who is actually an Everton fan!

Who is right? Only time will tell.

Ian @10.

What, so the reason we've been shite over the course of this man's tenure is because he's been listening to others? Doesn't sound like someone taking responsibility to me. Who wanted Silva, Allardyce, Koeman, etc?

Nobody wanted Allardyce amongst the supporters but he still appointed him.

I say well done Moshiri.
I didn't want Benitez, probably because of his past with Liverpool and also his style of play, but being realistic he was the best candidate by far of all those who were mentioned and if he can get a few early wins under his belt then we will all get behind him.
I just dread us having a bad start because I feel the wrath of the fans would only make things worse and possibly make players lose confidence.
Now he's here let's get behind him and the team with our full support win or lose for at least this season and see where it gets us.
COYB

"On his computer he has maybe 3,000 players' details. Name a player, he knows everything about them — injuries, history — and he just won't stop."

Yeah so have I. Its called Championship Manager.

Interesting to read Michael's quote from John Moores. I remember confronting Moores in Goodison Road after a 3-1 defeat to QPR in March 1976. I suggested it was time for Bingham to go after nearly three years in charge. Moores replied ‘You can't change your manager every week!'

It took another nine months for the Board to act.

Paul 13

Lol you beat me to it. That apart I am torn on his reactions to fans. On one hand, you don't want a Kroenke type aloof owner who's out of touch. On the other hand, is having a "Stars in their eyes" type poll a good way to decided on firing RM or hiring Moyes? I think being decisive is good, but having employed Brands to handle such matters I am puzzled as to why Mosh doesn't utilize him.

Good take Michael, I was going to say it's an okay second take but still as tone deaf as can be.

Hey everyone, Moshiri Antoinette is serving cake. Who's having it?

He's completely gone, I thought his Mcarthy (part of the family) and Lukaku (voodoo) comments couldn't be topped but ohhhh noooo!!

“𝗜'𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗜 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻"

Translation - Fans want a challenging, attacking team but the Albatross of a new stadium is where it's at so they can do one. Remember, Benitez lives local so moonlight flits a la pasta gob are off the agenda and he'll keep us up!! Jump on the "time heals everything" bandwagon (ignore Ireland and the Middle East) and we might even borrow "you'll never walk alone".

Hello. hello anyone there??

Who said karaoke? - "my way" for me

Who wants a fig roll??

NURSE!!

Barry - I suppose he could've said:

“Look, I've already invested half a billion in this club and it nearly went tits up. The least I expect is for us to stay in the fucking Premier League whilst I build you lot a new stadium and spunk even more money on players.”

If he had I think we all would've respected the decision far more.

I wasn't happy with this right up until I heard Spurs had settled for Nuno whatshisname that ended up being mocked by Wolves fans as clueless. This was after them interviewing the likes of Conte and getting nowhere.

If we had few choices on the table Benitez at least has some kind of reputation. More than an Eddie Howe or Dunc at least. Might be worth something when we want to try and bring in a player. Maybe he'll contribute a bit more towards Duncs managerial development than the others shortlisted.

Nah, cant lie, I'm still not happy with this but I'm facing the fact that I could, with some of the other lesser choices Moyes especially, be cat-kicking livid and nervous about next season. I'm not now just not particularly excited.

Hopefully I'm proved wrong. I've been served some fine meals by portly waiters in my time. Maybe another one can serve up a surprise.

Correction to post 14. It was a 2-0 defeat to QPR. Gerry Francis waved two fingers towards the Street End as he led his team on to the pitch.

John Toshack ex RS, former Real Madrid, few years without a trophy, let's get him for Wales useless

Jurgen Klinsmann, "I have a house in the US" great let's get him for the US team useless

Pepe Mel, overweight, balding, Spanish, Let's get him for WBA Useless

Graeme Souness, ex RS, has a moustache useless manager

Carlo Ancelotti, age 61, useless at Everton

The omens are bad

Evans in the Indie reckons we're paying him £15m a year. If true that is plain crazy.

I think Moshiri might have been better advised to say nothing than come out with that diatribe today. " We didnt find anyone with his knowledge or passion for football" did you ask him with all that passion and knowledge how come his last 5/6 clubs werent winning trophies, and why he had to go to China to earn a living, how come with that knowledge and passion did nobody in Europe take a chance on him.

As for "I am the biggest fan and I sacked Martinez when the banners went up, and I didnt reappoint Moyes". Well what happened to carrying out the fans wishes on hiring Allardyce who nobody wanted.
Then we come to the best bit " The ability to go from Real Madrid to a Championship side shows a robust mentality, he took Newcastle down into the Championship he didnt go to a Championship club he took over a premier league club and got them relegated. The only part that has a grain of realism is they think he will be a safe pair of hands till BMD is built.

My question to Moshiri would be well seeing you sacked Martinez because of the crowds banners if in 6 months we are struggling and there are even more banners calling for Benitez to be sacked what happens then.

Yes Danny#3 A continuation of the Anchelotti plan. Anchelotti before he left give Moshiri a ear full of where the barriers to progress lay on the football side.

Benitez fulfilled the criteria of continuing the plan and tackling the barrier to progress. Benitez has given Moshiri a tour of his methods, which Steve Fearns has given us a incite to on another threads. Sounds familar as a result, without Steve's analysis.

Moshiri really does believe you can parachute a Manager in and change a whole organisation. The problem is that the Manager is only in charge of the playing side of the Club and is dependent on others to hold up their end of the Club.

For a Business Manager he has a alarming lack of knowledge of governance, accountability and monitoring performance in a Business organisation.

Is he going to back Benitez to run the whole club? If he backs him even on the playing side Everton may get somewhere. Benitez is a necessary according to Moshiri long term appointment. He stayed at Liverpool for six years, but his other tenure lasted at most four years.

The only good thing is there are no illusions this time. The pressure is on from the start and Moshiri has no choice but to back Benitez.

There is alot more' now or never' regarding this appointment and Everton this season.

Jerome #24

"Ancelotti before he left gave Moshiri an ear full of where the barriers to progress lay on the football side."

Where are your sources... post them on TW. Some will agree, some will disagree but stop making stuff up... please?

Michael @ 1; This seems to be the closest Farhad will come to saying, "Yes, we heard the reaction of the fans. But we ignored it in this case because we believe we have now found what we thought we had found in Carlo Ancelotti."

It's a done deal and I have to get used to it.

If so, then fair enough, now we just have to sit back and wait to see if the fine words translate into fine actions...and even finer results.

Getting some of the players to appear to actually give a fuck will be a start.

Brendan#25

You don't really think that Anchelotti's public pronoucements regarding effort and committent, recruitment would not have been discussed with Moshiri at some stage or that Moshiri on hearing them would have not asked Anchelotti about them?

Rafa's main pronouncement at his first interview was the need for competitiveness: effort and committement. He did not make that up. It is a big part of his job and was a key reason he got the job.

Brian#23

I agree. Psychologists say when you feel the need to give a reason , you are making a excuse. Moshiiri has left himself wide open to all you say.

Just hope he is right and has found the right Manager

Interesting comments from Fahrad, anyone else find him embarrassing at times? I am grateful for his support though. I see we are linked with Ben White heavily this morning, fantastic player but, unless it involves players going the other way, I cannot see this happening. Money is needed for other areas, RM RB and ST.

Also Conor Coady, Steve. Although that is a "Tottenham will challenge Everton" headline. Probably a lazy one linked to Nuno.

I don't know a lot about Ben White, but if that's where we're shopping, I hope he's more Ben Godfrey than Michael Keane.

I might be nitpicking here but how did 3000 players on his computer help him in China and how will all those Chinese players help him in the Premier League and will he be swapping lists with Director Brands or is that a battle for another time.

And were there only three applicants considered, is the pool really that small?

Alan#30

As Steve Ferns pointed out, Benitez was well know for being a pioneer for collecting player data. Now Clubs have Data Analysts employed specially to collect such data.

Everton have three Data Analysts on players working for them.

Sorry, you probably already know all this and of course as you say Brands will be up to speed on this.

Hopefully Moshiri had amongst his selection criteria 'ability to delegate'. Benitez is going to be busy enough in what he has to do.

Jerome(#31); What does surprise me is that Moshiri doesn't seem to know and seems to be giving it as part of the reason for hiring him. I think Moyes had some sort of colour system for his own players and Martinez was mad for video research. A lot of what he says just seems to be excuses for his previous appointments, or their sackings, and in defence rather than explanation of this appointment.

But he's here now whether we like it or not and it will be results that matter as part of the Board have created a rift and any future move will be a stand down with great reluctance.

The waiters data. Regarding iWobi. Pass completion still waiting to fill that but in.

Alan#32

I got the same impression and Moshiri in that statement doesn't seem to know what is going on. As you say it comes across as excuses. The problem is just not the playing side, it is also a divided Everton. Hopefully it will work out and they get together or changes are made to help the process of getting together. More than anything a Everton with a unity of purpose is needed, or else your conclusion will be spot on.

If he came on Toffeeweb with a Post like that he would be slaughtered.

He comes across as a genuine bloke , with a tendency to be too honest.

"I'm the biggest fan and I have reacted in most cases to fans when there is discontent. When there were rallies and banners against [Roberto] Martinez, I acted. When I wanted to get David Moyes and there were protests, I didn't take him"

This to me read like he's saying the fans got it wrong - with Martinez and Moyes both being held in high regard currently - and that he'd rather have kept Martinez, and rather have appointed Moyes.to Ancelotti.

Jerome #27,

I don't know, neither do you... so why post it as fact when you have absolutely no knowledge? I do notice that you have at least gone from stating that "Ancelotti before he left give Moshiri an earful" to simply suggesting the two men would have discussed the issues at some point.

But yet again you still can't help yourself: "Rafa's main pronouncement at his first interview was the need for competitiveness: effort and commitment. He did not make that up. It is a big part of his job and was a key reason he got the job."(My added emphasis.)

How do you know what were the decisive factors in Moshiri giving Benitez the job?

"I am the biggest fan!"

What utter rot. Nowhere near the biggest fan. You are simply the major shareholder. This appointment is all about protecting your future payout when the stadium is built and the value of all of the assets rise.

Rafa, fits the bill, a guy with lots of knowledge, who should perform okay. The rest of the fans will just have to hope it all works out.

Having 3,000 player profiles on your iPad is hardly a reason to give someone a multi-year, multi-million pound contract to manage a Premier League club. I mean, the kid next door has a full set of Panini Euro 2020 stickers, but I don't see him appearing on the shortlist for the next England manager.

Three new Premier League managers at Everton, Spurs and Palace. At the end of the season, we will see who made the right call. Of those three, I think we have got the best.

What is a ‘biggest fan?'

Is it the 65-year-old fan who's followed Everton all of his life and has a long-time season ticket? Or a man who has taken a huge personal risk and invested a large amount of his own personal wealth into the club and is in the process of making the biggest investment in the club's entire history?

Brendan#36

You should post your explanation of what is happening at Everton, and see how it stands up to scrutiny. You will then respect other peoples right to have opinions that differ from yours. When you actually do some research you will come across evidence and form opinions. I am not going to do the research for you.

Before this guy even opened up his mouth I thought he was a complete buffoon. Bill Kenwright comes in for a lot of stick from our fan base but I personally would have a lot more faith in our 'luvvie dovey' than our new so called supremo.

Moshiri has been a bastion of incompetence from the moment he walked through the door. Not only has been a total disaster with regards to recruiting of management but he has no strategy, no plan and no sense of where he wants to take the club. He has behaved like a kid in a candy shop and I think it was Darren who accurately labelled him as having the temperament of a 'paranoid schizophrenic' as he flits between ideologies, philosophies and age profiles of players dependent on the latest flavour of the month employed.

If things couldn't get much worse the imbecile has now laid many of his woeful mistakes on the doorstep of our loyal fan base for whom he has been given a uniquely lenient time in comparison to his much more canny predecessor.

Firstly let's deal with Martinez. Yes I was in the minority who still had faith in Roberto,feeling that he should be afforded more time. For me it was only from December that third season when the wheels came off and I felt with 72 points, European last 16 and two cup semis that there was certainly merit to Moshiri backing him if he so wished.

However, in all sincerity, it wasn't just the majority of fans who had lost faith in Roberto. Many of the players had shown they didn't retain the faith in the Spaniard and league results were a real source of underachievement for the squad at his disposal. Ultimately it wasn't the fans alone who drove Roberto out, it was fans,players and results, a lethal combination.

If Moshiri had similar convictions to me he could have easily came in and said that he felt Roberto hadn't had the backing, that Roberto understood and knew how to address the problems, that he had shown he could achieve things in his three years, that the supremo would invest over 100 million that summer and that he would get until December to turn things around. This would have been enough I believe for the fans to trust the owner and his grant his desires.

Secondly how many fans would have wanted Roberto replaced with Koeman?This was a manager who previous had overseen two dire failures and two mini successes, one of which was founded by the brilliance of a Mauricio Pochettino. Even those like me who understood that Martinez deserved to lose his job would never have wanted such an inferior manager, had a totally different philosophy and had no history or intention of bringing through youth. It was a comical nonsensical appointment just like Allardyce and Silva which all had little support from the fan base Moshiri likes to scapegoat. He doesn't take the rap for these such is his arrogance.

Finally Moshiri justifies Benitez appointment by saying he wanted Moyes. Everton fans didn't want Moyes not because he was poor but because he would never bring us trophies, because he shit on the club and because we had already walked that walk.

Does Moshiri not understand that the arrival of the tycoon encouraged fans to believe that we could now achieve something special and brought about dreams of top managers and players alike donning the Everton Blue? Talking about wanting Martinez and Moyes, who despite being two of our better managers, represented 'failure' to the majority of our supporters whether accurate or not. Moshiri could have appointed any three managers in the world (excluding his aforementioned three) who would have garnered the goodwill of the majority once appointed. The fact he was insistent on these three shows exactly how truly idiotic and deluded the man is.

Walter Mitty...I mean Jerome #40

"I am not going to do the research for you."

No worries I'm more than capable of making up crap myself if the mood takes me

As for the 3000 names on Rafa's computer. That's not his fucking job. His is to coach, it's Marcel who should have 3 million names and Rafa needs to highlight the profile of player he needs.

Good Lord. We lost a great manager to Real Madrid who are arguably the biggest club in the universe, and we replaced him with a man who also managed Real Madrid but is unfortunate to have won the Champions League for those lot a mile away as a stain on his resume.

Moshari has been a great owner, imho. He has moved us from being a small provincial club to one that the very top echelon of managers and coaches now at least consider when they are looking for work.

Buried beneath us by this managerial distraction is a not too often mentioned truth: that is, despite our falling off at the end of the season, Everton were in contention for a Top 4 finish until the last month of the season.

We were perhaps not Top 4 on merit but our 10th place finish was not a true reflection of the value and worth of this team.

Benitez is not going to replace Seamus Coleman; he will probably just find a way of playing without him.

When we were managed by Desktop Davey and Liverpool were managed by Rafa, I always wished we had someone with the basic on-the-ground savvy as Rafa. This club finally has a great manager who has the pull to attract elite players.

Given he is Moshiri's man, Benitez will hopefully have greater access to funds to strengthen the squad. Brands also has to be decisive to reduce the wage bill this summer to keep us within FFP rules.

Belgium aren't looking for a new manager are they as it might only be a short list of two.

Mike@45 there hasn't been a great manager yet appointed by Moshiri, only formerly great managers, a big difference.

John #20, I had been at that same season's match against QPR in London. We lost 5-0. There was some progress by March, to judge by the score line. No reason for Moores to get rid of Bingham, then.