Inside Everton's civil war

Seems to be pretty thorough and accurate coverage to my mind, in a national daily too. Part of the much-maligned Mainstream Media what we are told by the cognoscenti not to trust or believe.

Michael, although Bascombe is a red you cant dispute what he has written, encapsulates everything that is wrong at Everton at the moment.

Our fanbase is even divided over who is responsible for the mess we are in: it's either the players, the managers or the owners or the chairman take your pick.

As you know I have often said that the real problem is who actually does make the decisions at Everton, and for me the main culprit is quite clearly Alisher Usmanov – ably assisted by his glove puppet Moshiri.

Within months of taking over the club they decided that they wanted to go down the DOF route – not something we had ever done before. But some will point to this system working well in Germany, but cant think of to many times it has been successful here.

So they appointed Steve Walsh now whether that was with Koemans agreement of not I don't know, but in reality Walsh was more like a super scout rather than the DOF version that was successful in Germany. But we dispensed with Koeman after allowing him and Walsh to spent vast fortunes on what turned out to be average players.

But undeterred, under a younger coach in Marco Silva he appointed another well respected DoF Marcel Brands. But again diluted his role as a DoF to pretty much what Walsh was, ie, another super scout.

But if anyone doubted the real power behind the throne, you only have to ask why Carlo Ancelotti spent over 2 hours talking to Usmanov before agreeing to be manager. Why would the thoughts of a sponsor carry such weight, he didn't own any shares and wasn't on the board.

Then in the summer, Benitez was on his yacht off the coast of Sardinia for 3 days before agreeing to be manager.

Usmanov said when Moshiri took over, he would help his friend in what ever way he could. I just didn't think it would go as far as him selecting our managers. But my real question is: Why didn't you become the owner, seeing as you are the real power behind your employed accountant?

In truth, the article fell short of explaining why Kenwright is the focus of ire. It blames the "terrible decisions" on Moshiri. Whilst it could be argued that Moshiri is only an investor, leaving the running of the club to the board, funding their decisions.

But that's only half the truth. He should be accused of meddling in the football decision making; whether this is incompetence or frustration at watching the board stuff up again and again, only he knows.

Big but, Kenwright has now got a get out of jail card letting his boss take all the pressure. I can't imagine Moshiri is too happy with that. But what is needed right now is support for Ferguson while a new manager is found.

In a related article, this piece speaks of how Stan Kroenke the Arsenal owner spared his club from'doing an Everton'.

Kroenke Saved Arsenal From 'Doing an Everton'

A sobering read.

As not a Telegraph subscriber, I cannot read the article. However if it says anything like – Wherever there is division the consequence will always be catastrophe. Well we are looking at it and watching it happen.

If it continues there will only be one end. Relegation. I have actually resigned myself to us going down.

I have been through the threat before on a couple of occasions but this feels very different, very different indeed. There are no Dogs of War and the belief seems to have been sucked from the soul of the Evertonians.

Jay,

If Moshiri does sell up, which I wish he would, then I hope he stays away from Ashley.

Absolutely correct Christine.
Bascombe failed to explain why Moshiri's decision to allow Kenwright to continue in power as Chairman has proved to be so catastrophic.

Moshiri, or Usmanov, need to decide (at least) 3 things.
Be totally absentee owners and just bother with the Stadium and stop interfering.
Let Bill run it as before.
Put in people who actually know wtf they are doing - pretty damn quick.

Our present form...Downwards (and luck)...has Newtons 1st law of motion written all over it, which basically says - 'The direction of a body will not change unless an outside force is exerted upon it'

Thanks for the link to the article Jay (4). Maybe things would have panned out differently at Arsenal as they don't have a Mr Kenwright as a sitting tenant.

Eighteen out of twenty Premier League clubs have a director of football or sporting director. Most have made a success of it.

John,

Do you not see a flaw in that statement?

The buck stops with Moshiri, it has since he purchased the club. The fact Kenwright is Chairman is irrelevant and people can aim all their hatred to him all they want.

We bought Lookman, decided to sell him and purchased Iwobi for twice the price. We bought Vlasic and sold him without allowing him time to develop. We put together an unbalanced squad and have couldn't even give away players

We sacked managers after giving them power over transfer dealings, even though we had Brands, who l thought had knowledge and experience of identifying young talent worldwide.

We bring in Mykolenko for major money and sell Digne days before sacking the manager that forced him out. Yet our fanbase seem hell-bent on blaming Kenwright . Fine.

But let me tell you... we may be getting the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock which in a few years will be fantastic and a game changer. Meanwhile, however we have our very own Tony Fernandes. Thank god Kenwright is still in there. And no, I am not on a wind up, sorry to say.

Watford have just appointed another manager, it took them 2 days? We will piss around and ponder for weeks and weeks on a decision that should have been discussed months ago... and in the end, Moshiri is likely to get it wrong again.

Even someone like me, who absolutely despises Bill Kenwright, can understand that logic David. The blind are being led by the blind, and it's absolutely terrifying, mate.

Darren (10),

Yes, success is relative. Brighton currently see themselves as successful even though fans booed them off the pitch after a 0-0 home draw earlier in the season. I wish we had had a few more 0-0 draws home or away.

Tony,

It's like watching a car crash in slow motion wondering when the last car stops rolling. Not that l ever have, this is terrifying enough.

Trying to be objective here about 'Our Bill' but his list of achievements includes what?

1. Ridding the club of Agent Johnson
2. Appointing David Moyes on the advice of Walter Smith
3. Finding Moshiri to bankroll the club and build a stadium
4. Sorrry can't think of anything else.

Of course it's Moshiri's baby now and he's ultimately the man who is responsible for all things Everton, but if the chairman has or had doubts about the owner, why does he remain as chairman?

Farhad Moshiri is the man so the buck stops with him but the detail below contributing to the mess is anyone's guess. Kenwright, Ferguson, Brands, Barrett-Baxendale, umpteen managers, the medical staff, the players – the list is never-ending. You pays your money and you takes your choice

Not so much civil war but the Battle of Waterloo reborn with Hougoumont, La Haye Saint, the Old Guard, Scots Greys and the Eniskillens all going at it, hammer and tong, wondering if the Prussians will ever arrive.