Moshiri signs exclusivity agreement with MSP Sports Capital

22/05/2023 82comments  |  Jump to last

Jeff Moorad (back left) and Jahm Najafi (back right) attended the home defeat to Southampton in January

Updated According to reports, MSP Sports Capital have secured exclusivity in their negotiations with Farhad Moshiri as a precursor to a possible investment deal that could provide Everton with much-needed funds and lead to change at boardroom level.

The New York-based investment firm has been in discussions with Moshiri for months and, as was hinted a few days ago, is now said by The Athletic and Sky Sports News to be in pole position over 777 Partners to provide investment into the club. 

Earlier reports had suggested that MSP, who are headed up by former sport agent Jeff Moorad and businessman Jahm Nahjafi, were seeking a minority stake of around £105m, perhaps in preferential shares, rather than an outright takeover.

Alan Myers of Sky has tweeted that talks are "progressing well" but stressed that there is substantial work still to be done before anything is officially announced.

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While Everton need to provide stadium contractors, Laing O'Rourke with the next tranche of funding for the new ground at Bramley-Moore Dock and MailSport suggest a deal with MSP could be done as soon as today, Myers says that Moshiri insistent that the focus this week be on Everton's bid to preserve their Premier League status when they play Bournemouth on Sunday. 

In addition to stakes in McClaren's Formula One team McClaren and the X Games, MSP have existing football interests having bought shares in Bundesliga side Augsburg, Spanish club AD Alcorcon, Estoril in Portugal and Belgian outfit Beveren.

They were rumoured to have switched their attention from Everton to a £3bn takeover of Tottenham Hotspur but that speculation appears to have been wide of the mark.

777 Partners, meanwhile, are said by the Liverpool Echo to have also reached a non-binding agreement with Moshiri, albeit with regard to an outright takeover of his 94% stake in the Blues but any deal with MSP wouldn't necessarily preclude investment from 777. 

Doubts persist over their ability to guarantee the club's outstanding debt, fund both the remainder of the construction of the stadium and ongoing transfer activity should they buy Moshiri out completely but finance expert and ToffeeWeb contributor Paul the Esk indicates that the Florida-based company could still "provide working capital for the club via an issue of shares".

 

 

Reader Comments (82)

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Mark Ryan
1 Posted 22/05/2023 at 14:03:05
So it's MSP and not 777 who sign an exclusivity deal with Moshiri?
Jamie Crowley
2 Posted 22/05/2023 at 15:04:36
Big deal this! It's MSP who will provide investment, not the South Beach Samba dudes. MSP could sue the pants off Everton if we break the exclusivity agreement, so it's them and no-one else, most likely.

Is the deal only for investment, or is Moshri selling outright? This situation with MSP always sounded more like investment and not an acquisition to me?

Dan Nulty
3 Posted 22/05/2023 at 15:06:01
Surprised about the timing of the announcement or is it about trying to get some positive messages out before the weekend?

Given the breach of P&S rules hanging over us, then I'd be surprised about the investment taking place. I'd guess they've had some assurances regards that too as I wouldn't want to be investing that amount of money with that hanging over us?

Alec Gaston
4 Posted 22/05/2023 at 15:11:27
Possibly bullshit to keep us all positive?

Fingers crossed it isn't! 🤞

Raymond Fox
5 Posted 22/05/2023 at 15:12:46
It's non-news… 'Talks progressing well'. Tell us if and when a deal is done.
Kieran Kinsella
6 Posted 22/05/2023 at 15:14:45
They have an impressive stable of assets: a 2nd division Belgian team, a 2nd division Spanish team, 15th placed Portuguese team, 6th placed Danish team and 14th placed German team.
Jamie Crowley
7 Posted 22/05/2023 at 15:16:00
I can't see the club putting out a bullshit message like this, especially if Alan Myers is reporting it.

I'm sure Moshri just put his eggs in the MSP basket.

Michael Kenrick
8 Posted 22/05/2023 at 15:18:49
I understand the cynicism, Ray, but I would say (if true) it's a bit more than non-news. What we've had up until now has largely been non-news but the exclusivity agreement is a necessary and tangible precursor to a deal being agreed... or not agreed – as that is always a possibility, of course.

Personally, I'm glad it's out there as it means something really is going on. No guarantees though that anything will come of it,

Jamie Crowley
9 Posted 22/05/2023 at 15:20:18
Conjecture:

I'd also bet the investment is for the stadium, not the Club proper. With relegation looming, MSP will want a stake in the stadium asset, not an asset that could plummet come Sunday.

Just a guess. Now off to work like a dog as I know I'll be half working while the Leicester game is on this afternoon.

Mark Murphy
10 Posted 22/05/2023 at 15:26:47
I hope MSP doesn't stand for Moshiris Secret Partnerships…
Jamie Crowley
11 Posted 22/05/2023 at 15:26:59
Michael is 100% spot on here.

If you're buying an asset, you want exclusivity. It prevents the negotiations moving forward outside of good faith – there can't be any bait-and-switch before closing the deal, with another party entering in at the 11th hour and outbidding.

This gives MSP the assurance their time isn't wasted and now both parties can move forward in good faith to strike the final deal. You also never grant exclusivity without real assurance the deal will ultimately go through. Both parties have likely negotiated and have a deal in principle, with minor details to be hammered out.

This is real news, and solidifies the deal in principle. It's also good news as the Club can hone in on the deal and move forward knowing its financial position.

Say what you want about Moshri, the dude definitely needs to stay out of footballing decisions. But he's renovated Finch Farm, bought the Liver Building, and built a new stadium for Everton. Financially, he's backed the Club without question.

I don't like our current predicament or the footballing decisions that have again placed us in a ridiculous precarious position. But he's backed the Club financially to the hilt and made some serious, very worthwhile investments.

Raymond Fox
12 Posted 22/05/2023 at 15:29:18
Sorry Michael, I'm not criticising you for reporting what Alan Myers says, but it counts for nothing yet.
Alan McGuffog
13 Posted 22/05/2023 at 15:36:29
Moshiri talking about backing Dyche and concentrating on the weekend.

Golly... just like a real-life match-going owner. Whatever next?

Mark Taylor
14 Posted 22/05/2023 at 15:53:03
Hard to comment when we have no detail whatsover as to the nature of the deal and whether it will see our current board removed.

We have had quite a few individuals and entities 'invest' in us and not in a good way. I seem to recall the level of interest rates applied at the time to those 'investments'.

File this one in pending.

Paul Kossoff
15 Posted 22/05/2023 at 15:56:48
According to ten minutes ago on the BBC, the deal is not done yet. Sources have said the deal is not yet done, but talks are progressing over future funding.

MSP look to have jumped ahead of 777 Partners, who have been in talks over a takeover from owner Farhad Moshiri.

MSP are believed to be looking for a 25% stake with a preferential share structure, not equity in the club, so would be paid back in interest.

777 have had access to the 'data room' (financial accounts), but have not been prepared to pay a 'significant' price as they have looked at the debt on the balance sheet - which stood at £141.7M in the latest accounts.

In February, Moshiri told the Fans Advisory Board the club was "not for sale" but he had been talking to "top investors of real quality".

The club requires funding for their new stadium, which is being built on Bramley-Moore Dock, after costs increased from £500M originally to about £760M.

Mike Hayes
16 Posted 22/05/2023 at 15:59:15
Won't believe it until Jim White says so… 🥳
Kieran Kinsella
17 Posted 22/05/2023 at 16:03:18
Paul Kossoff,

"MSP are believed to be looking for a 25% stake with a preferential share structure, not equity in the club, so would be paid back in interest."

What does that mean in layman's terms?

Didn't we have a similar exclusivity deal with Kenyon's group this time last year?

Finn Taylor
18 Posted 22/05/2023 at 16:09:34
Hmmm... sounds like a loan to me! Dressed up as 'investment.'

If (and it's still a big 'if') we do stay up, we're going to need a new team... so where is the money for that coming from?

Paul Hewitt
19 Posted 22/05/2023 at 16:10:43
Just win on Sunday. Everything else can wait.
Mark Ryan
20 Posted 22/05/2023 at 16:13:03
Vinny O'Connor just ruined my night. Talk about pissing on my strawberries.

" With MSP Capital this means we could see what, 2 or 3 new directors on Evertons board"

Fuck off, Kenwright !!!!

Dennis Stevens
21 Posted 22/05/2023 at 16:19:53
Youth teams, Finn. It'll be a sharp learning curve for them!
Dale Self
22 Posted 22/05/2023 at 16:32:17
Paul, would these instruments be more like warrants?
Pat Kelly
23 Posted 22/05/2023 at 16:34:31
This is consistent with the piece on 19 May in the Rumour Mill which suggested MSP wanted a deal by today. While not a done deal, it appears to be closing the door while the details are finalised and our fate in the Premier League is decided.

The earlier report suggested an initial Investment of £105m. Would that even be enough to finish the stadium?

The rumoured state of the Club's finances suggest much more will be needed. A complete takeover by someone with deep pockets and a strong stomach might be preferable.

Mark Ryan
24 Posted 22/05/2023 at 16:44:57
I've got a sinking feeling here. Moshiri sells up but leaves MSP with our current board telling them:

"Bill is Everton through and through and oh, by the way, I've sold the Stadium naming rights to the Liverpool Echo. It's going to be called the Liverpool City Stadium, that's okay isn't it?"

Moshiri is going to royally take the piss with this sale.

Finn Taylor
25 Posted 22/05/2023 at 16:47:08
I could have sworn I read we need to pay £505 million this summer for the stadium... could be wrong!

I think we need a billion quid to steady the ship... but by the sounds of things, the accounts are such a mess, we'd need more.

Oh and rumours Doucouré is staying another year...

Neil Copeland
26 Posted 22/05/2023 at 16:49:23
Alan #13, perhaps Jim White will persuade him to appear on Talkshite singing “Spirit of the Blues”?
Brent Stephens
27 Posted 22/05/2023 at 16:54:30
Don’t care who they are as long as they don’t have dodgy hamstrings.
Kevin Molloy
28 Posted 22/05/2023 at 16:57:51
Why would anybody 'invest' in Everton? It would be like taking a big bite out of a shit pie.

You don't 'invest' in troubled concerns, you snap them up at bargain prices and offer them loans at crippling rates of interest.

Jay Harris
29 Posted 22/05/2023 at 16:58:19
What happened to better fan communications and the FAB? I guess Moshiri is still guided by Bill Kenwright and Jim White and has decided his lying open letters could come back to haunt him.

No doubt the media team will put a positive spin on things but, for me, unless Moshiri and Kenwright have no further influence on the club, it will not be a satisfactory situation.

Mike Gaynes
30 Posted 22/05/2023 at 17:04:33
I've said this in previous posts, so apologies if this comes off as repetitive, but I will be ecstatic if MSP is in on our club.

Jahm Najafi and Jeff Moorad are pros. They know what they are doing. Najafi, a minority owner of the NBA's Phoenix Suns, is an international investor and philanthropist with a Harvard MBA.

But the guy to be excited about is Moorad. He started out as a massively successful player agent and moved into international sports investment management. He is one of the smartest sports law and business people we could have hoped to find -- he will provide exactly the expertise Everton desperately needs and will suffer none of the fools in our boardroom.

Just as important, these are principled, honorable people -- no dirty deals, no dirty money, no unsavory associations. They will be appropriate custodians of the Everton tradition.

Make it happen.

Jay Harris
31 Posted 22/05/2023 at 17:10:04
Mike,

Thats good to know. There are so many dodgy characters involved in sport these days, it is rare to find the good ones.

From what you sa, these are in the positive group but I still worry how much time they will have to spend at Everton with all of their other interests.

Lyndon Lloyd
32 Posted 22/05/2023 at 17:12:43
Couldn't have put it better myself, Mike. My only disappointment in this is that they aren't looking to buy us outright immediately but their prudence in starting with ~25% is surely yet more evidence that they're savvy.
Michael Lynch
33 Posted 22/05/2023 at 17:28:14
"At MSP Sports Capital, we only pursue investments with operational control or significant influence", says Jeff Moorad.

I'd like to invite him to exert significant influence on our train-wreck of a club please.

Stan Grace
34 Posted 22/05/2023 at 17:29:41
My biggest concern is that our owner (and board?) are in charge of any deals and decision-making regarding investment or takeovers.

It's like expecting us to be confident that Holgate can do a job at left-back.

Brian Harrison
35 Posted 22/05/2023 at 17:30:09
Mike 30

I am sure with MSP being an American-based company you would probably have greater insight as to what they are like as a company. I did read some weeks back that they were interested in making a bid to takeover Spurs – has that now cooled seeing they have an exclusivity deal with Everton?

I know they have interests in McClaren racing and other sporting clubs; how successful have these clubs performed since the interest from MSP?

Pete Neilson
36 Posted 22/05/2023 at 17:35:24
A couple of months ago it was widely reported that Najafi had pulled together a consortium to buy Spurs for around £3.1 billion. He was said to have 70% of the bid covered (including £700m debt loaded onto Spurs) and the remaining 30% from backers in Gulf states.

Joe Lewis values Spurs at over £4 billion so it didn't progress.

Danny O’Neill
37 Posted 22/05/2023 at 17:43:12
Delete. Double Tap.
Danny O’Neill
38 Posted 22/05/2023 at 17:43:12
If change is happening, then I'm glad of it because we can't carry on as we are.

But right now, let's just beat Bournemouth.

Then we vent and rant about what that have done to us and put us through and get them out.

Barry McNally
39 Posted 22/05/2023 at 17:45:06
Michael, Lyndon - Great photo on the homepage of the gates - is that at Goodison?
Jerome Shields
40 Posted 22/05/2023 at 17:53:03
Moshiri still in control and looking for a investment in the Club.Paul the Esk reported that it would be loan based, converting to equity.I would be interested in details regarding MSP conditions regarding the Board and Management of the Club going forward.

Early on in negotiations it was rumoured when a MSP deal was possible that the Board was initially advised that there positions would end, but then when the interest of MSP appears to wane the Chairman announced at a Board Meeting that they would be staying on.

If ever there was a Club that needed Professional Management , Everton must be top of this list.

Barry Rathbone
41 Posted 22/05/2023 at 18:01:02
Millions – not billions – keeps us as minions.
Dale Self
42 Posted 22/05/2023 at 18:08:14
Casually it looks like MSP had the best offet covering the possibility of relegation. I had ruled them out but that could be a shrewd move for them. Updating my beliefs of their skillset.
Finn Taylor
43 Posted 22/05/2023 at 18:13:35
Hmmm... been thinking about this... and this is a bit cynical...

So... MSP get a stake at 25%... the worse case - we go down, go into admin and they can pick the club up with an administrative sleight of hand for next to nothing. Of course, I don't see how that helps Moshiri or the stadium build...

Nigel Munford
44 Posted 22/05/2023 at 18:42:34
Can’t get excited about this, this will not get a new board, will not get Kenwright and his cronies out!!! Just need someone to buy the whole lot outright.
Colin Glassar
45 Posted 22/05/2023 at 18:44:17
So Moshiri only wants to give up a pittance for a decent wedge? He must have read Bill’s rarely read classic, ‘How to cling to power for ever and ever and ever’.

You can get a copy on eBay for a penny.

James Marshall
46 Posted 22/05/2023 at 18:49:34
Looking on the bright side, this smacks of confidence in us staying in the Premier League.

And potential for Kenwright leaving too. I'm going to try to remain positive – it's difficult… but feels gentler on my mental health.

Jamie Crowley
47 Posted 22/05/2023 at 19:03:26
Kevin @ 28 -

Or you buy in now for a minority share (assuming they will acquire the private stock / some equity) and wait to see what happens?

Everton stay up, steady the ship, revenue increase coming when the stadium is done.

Everton go down, you have equity and the right to buy more shares, the value of said shares just dropped through the basement, and viola! You own a Championship club on the cheap!

Maybe that's the thinking?

Jamie Crowley
48 Posted 22/05/2023 at 19:07:18
Mike Gaynes -

That's very relieving to know. And echoed by Lyndon shortly thereafter quells any fears I had of MSP.

The 777 thing had me in knots. I didn't like the "vibe" of that situation at all.

Perhaps Moshri really does have Everton's best interests at heart? Bringing in ethical, sound businessmen with a sports background seems the best option surely.

Tony Everan
49 Posted 22/05/2023 at 19:16:00
Thanks Mike for your take on MSP, your confidence their ability had me hoping they were the favoured party out of those two. Change is now definitely in the air.

Brent 27, Their hamstrings will be fine, purse-strings may be a bit tight though.

Ray Said
50 Posted 22/05/2023 at 19:28:53
Mike (30) seems to have good knowledge of the MSP owners reputations but if MSP buy the club then I do hope they manage to do better with this investment than they have with their other football clubs; FC Augsburg, AD Alorcon, GD Estoril and SK Beveren.
Ray Said
51 Posted 22/05/2023 at 19:28:53
Mike (30) seems to have good knowledge of the MSP owners' reputations but, if MSP buy the club, then I do hope they manage to do better with this investment than they have with their other football clubs: FC Augsburg, AD Alorcon, GD Estoril and SK Beveren.
Raymond Fox
52 Posted 22/05/2023 at 19:40:26
25% doesnt give them enough influence does it.
Moshiri still would have the last say with his majority share of the club.

I cant believe that Moshiri and Kenwright will want to stay around though, it has to be obvious to them that they are not wanted, Kenwright especially.

Its all a worrying mess, which will only get worse if we go down.

Tony Abrahams
53 Posted 22/05/2023 at 19:48:11
I was also worried when I heard about 777, because I remembered a few posts from Mike G, and he seemed to be critical towards that group, but was always very positive about MSP.

It’s going to be a very long week, and speculating about our future is only going to make this week go even slower, especially if there’s a chance that the man, who has done more damage to Everton FC, than any other living Evertonian, has a chance of retaining any kind of position in “our club”

James Flynn
54 Posted 22/05/2023 at 20:27:42
What Mike (30) said.
James Newcombe
55 Posted 22/05/2023 at 20:28:10
Kenwright won’t leave if he can help it. I really hope they don’t name a stand after him in the new ground.
Paul Kossoff
56 Posted 22/05/2023 at 23:26:54
Kieran 17. Preference shares, more commonly referred to as preferred stock, are shares of a company’s stock with dividends that are paid out to shareholders before common stock dividends are issued. If the company enters bankruptcy, preferred stockholders are entitled to be paid from company assets before common stockholders. New stadium would be the golden egg unless Moshiri keeps it separate from the club sale.
Mike Gaynes
57 Posted 23/05/2023 at 00:51:50
Ray #50 and #51, depends how you define success. If by their indirect/minority investments in those four clubs MSP have helped bring them more financial stability and better business practices, I'd call that successful -- and exactly what Everton needs most. (I don't know that they have, because I haven't researched those clubs.)

However, if you're gauging success by whether MSP runs Everton up the table, I think that will only happen if Moorad can play striker. And from having interviewed him once, I remember him being about my age. 67.

Jamie #48, I've always been convinced Moshiri has had the club's best interest at heart. He simply doesn't have the ability to run a football club or hire people who can. Hopefully he does have the ability to pick the right people to sell to.

Nigel #44, I can absolutely guarantee you that any such investment from MSP will include at least a couple of seats on the board. I'm not sure about forcing anybody out, but it'll certainly get some desperately needed new blood in.

Eric Myles
58 Posted 23/05/2023 at 03:50:24
So MSP pay £105 million to get a 25% share in a team worth £600 million (to 777 allegedly) and Moshiri gets a cash injection and hopefully a professional business management team to increase his asset value.

I don't see that £105 million really helps out much in the way of stadium finance, but it would be handy to buy some decent players or to stave off P&S sanctions.

Eric Myles
59 Posted 23/05/2023 at 03:53:16
Mike #57, and presumably the new blood on the board would carry some clout being backed by 25% of the shares?

Unless Moshiri has given his voting proxy to Kenwright. In which case we're still doomed.

Mark Ryan
60 Posted 23/05/2023 at 08:23:13
From what I'm reading it sounds like some very decent people might be getting involved with our club. Some money was injected to complete the stadium's soaring costs. Potentially a few new faces on the current board.

The board and owner stay. Not what I was hoping for but its an improvement on where we are. It's not a Saudi buyout which is what I would like to see.

All eyes to Sunday. Leicester & Leeds will win. We have to win.

Jerome Shields
61 Posted 23/05/2023 at 08:56:54
Paul #56,

That is the real question in this deal. The stadium company is well run with good management, looking for more funds. The football company is run badly and is again looking for funds. Paul the Esk says that in the accounts the two are connected.

There is no clearly defined role regarding the possible funds injected by MSP.I t is speculated that this would be a loan converting to equity, but not ordinary shares. It is unclear where these funds would end up, eg funding the new stadium or the playing staff of the club going forward.

There is speculation that MSP would have a role in running the club. The current Board may not turn up at Goodison, but they still exist. There are leaked stories that Moshiri has been looking at board changes since March.

Finally, is Moshiri really on his financial uppers, with no access to money, or is that money inaccessible? Moshiri's main attribute has been his ability to move money around. He has not been accused of anything in regard to his Russian friends, other than by the highly speculative Mail that seems to change its tune daily.

Jim Lloyd
62 Posted 23/05/2023 at 09:14:35
Well! Not exactly Father Christmas coming along with a great big mountain of gold. But in the real world, what Mike's said @30 seems good to me. Not instant success but a solid foundation with good businessmen who know what they're doing.

To get involved in that board of ours and root out those who have misguided our club to the position (both on and off the field) we're in now.

Someone said, and I agree, that Moshiri wants our club to do well, but just didn't know how to run a football club. Or, more to the point, how to allow others to run it for him.

Colin Glassar
63 Posted 23/05/2023 at 09:22:29
Now according to The Esk, both MSP AND 777 are willing to invest. If MSP want 25% how much do 777 want? 75% and are they willing to accept this?

As long as Moshiri and Kenwright are gone, frankly my dear, I don't give a damn.

Jim Lloyd
64 Posted 23/05/2023 at 09:27:21
I'm not sure. Is Moshiri going? Because it looks to me that MSP are investing and "in the papers", it looks like 777 are frightened off by debts we have.

If Moshiri stays, and MSP start running the club properly, that'd do me.

Tony Everan
65 Posted 23/05/2023 at 10:57:10
According to The Esk, he says his reliable source told him a private Saudi consortium offered £480M a couple of weeks ago which was rejected. I can't quite put my finger on it, but maybe something didn't feel quite right about that deal?

Eric Myles
66 Posted 23/05/2023 at 11:18:44
Mark #60 "Some money injected to complete the stadium's soaring costs."

£105 million won't be enough to complete the stadium unless it acts as seed money to give confidence to others to invest.

I see it as being used to keep the P&S wolf from the door.

Peter Hodgson
67 Posted 23/05/2023 at 11:22:39
I'm not sure about this MSP Capital investment. I would suggest that people consider carefully that MSP, by taking Preferential Shares, are doing nothing more than protecting their investment by providing themselves with an assurance that they will be first in the queue in getting their money back should everything go pear-shaped.

Their presence on the Board does not indicate that they will have an involvement in the running of the football club as everybody is assuming. They however need to be on the Board to ensure everything runs smoothly at the new stadium project as that is where their interest (and money) lie.

So Uncle Bill and his friends will continue to do their worst in the short term at least.

I may have got the wrong end of the stick here but if you consider that Moshiri has always said that he was only interested in funding for the completion of the new stadium, these thoughts may not be a million miles away from the truth. Unfortunately. Finally, I do hope that I am wrong.

Mark Ryan
68 Posted 23/05/2023 at 13:42:51
We'll do the wrong thing.

I look at Eddie Howe, an Everton boy, and when you look at what he did at Bournemouth and now what he has done at Newcastle, I scratch my head and ask myself "Why did the luvvie not want him?"

Or perhaps he did and Moshiri didn't see him as high profile enough. For sure there have been opportunities to get him which as a club we overlooked.

Ernie Baywood
69 Posted 23/05/2023 at 13:52:03
Mark, if we'd got Howe (and plenty were against the idea), then he'd be faced with the same rubbish the rest have been.

I might not rate Dyche, but I also don't envy him having to select a right-back and having Iwobi or Holgate as options. Okay, Keane was an unusual and abysmal choice, but it's not like he had a good option available.

Howe would have failed at Everton like many before him. And his career would be in the toilet.

Smart managers steer clear of Everton. So we get the ones after a quick quid.

Ray Said
70 Posted 23/05/2023 at 15:40:07
Mike (57), thanks for the reply.

Yes to a bit of financial stability and better business practices – and I hope MSP can do that.

Tony Waring
71 Posted 24/05/2023 at 16:15:45
Ernie (69),

I tend to agree with your sentiments re Eddie Howe but, by the same token, the Newcastle he took over weren't exactly moving mountains, were they?

By all accounts, he has really had them putting in prodigious efforts on the training ground and I don't think he has made that many new signings.

He did a good job at Bournemouth with not much in the way of investment. Maybe we should have gone for him a couple of years ago!

Paul Hewitt
72 Posted 25/05/2023 at 08:02:31
The Echo report that 777 pull out of negotiations to buy the club:

US investment firm 777 Partners have moved on from Everton

So it's MSP or nothing.

Colin Glassar
73 Posted 25/05/2023 at 08:05:17
Putting all his (Moshiri) eggs in one basket? Risky… but this is Moshiri.

He seems to only trust fellow Iranians. I wonder if Kia Joorabchian has anything to do with this?

Paul Hewitt
74 Posted 25/05/2023 at 08:09:56
MSP will probably buy the club once we're in the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.
Brian Harrison
75 Posted 25/05/2023 at 09:56:19
I think, after we have secured our Premier League status on Sunday for the 2nd season running, the debate will start as to how do we make sure we are not in the same position next season.

Although Sean Dyche may not have been my choice to take over from Lampard, I believe he should be given time to carry on his work of changing the mentality of the club.

He might not play like Lampard and Silva and Martinez but none of their styles were very successful, mainly because they tried to play like Guardiola's Man City but without the talent to do it.

The old adage of "play to your strengths" is still true today as it's always been. Under Dyche, we are not losing possession on the edge of our own box because we had become obsessed with trying to play out from the back.

I think we as fans have to have a reset as to what is and isn't achievable over the next few seasons. We haven't used the money that Usmanov & Moshiri pumped in very well and they didn't invest their time in our club to make it work. So, even if MSP do become at some stage our new owners, they are not in the same financial position as were our present owners.

With Newcastle having the Saudi Royal Family funding them, they will be another club in the mix to challenge for trophies.

While many of the protest groups have quite rightly pointed out how long it's been since we last won a trophy, I think we have to set our sights on what is possible, rather than expecting us to be competing for trophies. I think if we can comfortably be anywhere between 7th and 11th, that's an improvement.

We don't know what sort of side Dyche wants or his style of play because so far he hasn't brought in a single player. So, rather than change again, let's give Dyche the time to rebuild this club on his mantra of "minimum requirement is maximum effort", which isn't a bad starting place. If we can add quality to that mantra, then that's when real improvement will happen.

Jim Lloyd
76 Posted 25/05/2023 at 10:22:48
I think you're right, Brian. In effect, if he can do a Moyes Mk II. He seemed to have got some decent players at Burnley and got them playing some decent football, then that is the starting point.

A funny old saying "Money isn't everything". in our case, that's been glaringly proven to be a true saying!

Brian Harrison
77 Posted 25/05/2023 at 10:35:43
Jim,

I can never understand why Moyes is castigated by so many on here – he saved us from certain relegation when he took over from Walter Smith and, while he won no trophies we were most seasons in and around 7th.

I see many fans talking about Roberto Di Zerbi at Brighton and Thomas Frank at Brentford, both being hailed for the jobs they have done, but Moyes did this year on year and, just like Brighton, had to sell his best players to keep the club afloat financially.

I could imagine the response if Everton had gone for Di Zerbi when Lampard was sacked – our fan base would have gone apoplectic. He had no great CV, joined Sassuolo in 2018 who finished 8th in the league, then went to Shakhatar Donetsk winning the Ukrainian Cup before leaving when Putin invaded Ukraine.

Danny O’Neill
78 Posted 25/05/2023 at 11:00:28
Moyes Mk II makes me shudder.

But as much as I am a romantic soul, I am also a realist occasionally. But always an optimist.

It is going to take years to repair the damage done to the club and lack of over decades. Since 1987 or 1970. Pick your decade.

Chelsea didn't happen overnight. Man City took a long time. Liverpool's recent success over years.

Fix the immediate problem. Fix the roof. Then build for the future. Literally with the stadium rising above the Mersey.

Rome wasn't built in a day, as they say.

Jim Lloyd
79 Posted 25/05/2023 at 11:10:52
I think it's a bit of a case of "which makes you shudder more", Danny? What we've been going through the last 7 years, or stability while we rebuild.

With the possibility of, whatever league we're in, being left with bugger-all to spend because of fines and/or points deducted because of the situation this Board has left us in?

Good points, Brian, and good info about Di Zerbi. (I'd never heard of him!) Some of the players Moyes bought were absolute bargain basement who turned out to be gems and kept us afloat.

I think Moyes thought things would never change at Everton, so he left. Can't blame him, it was getting like Groundhog Day, maybe for all of us. But looks preferable to the mess that's been made in the last 7 years.

A lot of things could change after Sunday and then there's the investigation to come, so you're right about what is possible and what is achievable, being our only option, unless and until massive money comes in and buys us... hopefully!

Michael Kenrick
80 Posted 25/05/2023 at 11:53:42
It's hard to have any certainty over what Moshiri is all about but he has consistently said the club is not for sale and this would appear to be copasetic with 777 Partners walking away (not to mention that tasty Saudi gem from Tony @65).

Unfortunately for those who were hoping to see a full takeover, and a new broom sweeping out all before it, including our moribund 'C-Level' management personnel and their hangers-on. That's assuming MSP Capital are still in for 25% and £105M, with a potential ineffectual place or two on the board.

As for the rest of the clowns who have overseen our journey to this parlous place, it could well be "as you were" and "Carry on Cratering".

Barry Hesketh
81 Posted 25/05/2023 at 12:04:23
Michael @80,

I'm afraid I see it that way too, we'll likely replace the CEO and lose Sharp as a board member, but I can see the Chairman remaining in place at least until the stadium is built. Moshiri will obviously want to complete a sale at a later more advantageous date for himself, or his mate is calling the shots and rich people always have time on their side.

Whatever happens, it will be a few more years of make-do-and-mend, due to FFP and or P&S. Most focus from the men in suits will be on completing the stadium and using that to raise the commercial profile of the club, whilst the first-team squad, unless we get lucky with loans and free transfers, will not be much stronger for the next few years than we currently are. Not great for Evertonians but so much depends on what happens on Sunday.

Brian Harrison
82 Posted 25/05/2023 at 12:57:40
Danny

Just to be clear I wasnt advocating the return of Moyes, my thoughts either as player or manager never go back its almost impossible to re create what you did first time around. We only have to look at Howard on his 2 returns, a huge mistake by him and the club.

I would much prefer going to a game believing we could win and if we didnt our players would be giving 100% as happened with Moyes, and other than Carlo the others just didnt have the ability to get this club anywhere near the 7thish we used to finish under Moyes. I dread who Moshiri would appoint if he sacks Dyche than that really makes me shudder.


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