The Everton Predicament: Clear and Present Danger

When I played golf, people would ask me if I was any good. My stock reply was "That depends on who you compare me with". Comparing Dyche with other managers at present shows him in a very favourable light. Let's be grateful for the work he and his staff have done with the team, and be optimistic for a journey to the top of the tree with him.

Belief is a common theme on these pages. let's believe in our manager, and not prejudge his abilities to get us to where we all want to be.

Dyche knows his role in all of the palaver that goes on above his pay grade, and that is coaching and team affairs on the training ground and on the pitch.

We now know of the clear and present danger, on the very existence of our club, as a result of Premier League investigations and sanctions on the club.

What happens after that is outside of the control of the fans. All we can hope for is an true Evertonian owner, who has the same passion and aspirations of the fans.

The reason why I said that Dyche has his limitations, is that in his near 14 year management career, he has not thus far demonstrated a wide variation in tactics, or achieved outstanding success.

Yes, he got Burnley into Europe, yes Everton when he took over were in deep trouble and we stayed up, but... Did he use the perceived weakness on the EPL that season to get to 6th with Burnley or was it outstanding management? Did Dyche's influence keep us up, or did the players actually realise that they needed to perform better? Who knows, who cares in reality. Bygones...

The past is what it is. I support and believe in Dyche. For me he has to use that horrible phrase, "credit in the bank" and he is earning interest on that currently.

However, what happens if we lose (what I feel is a must WIN game) at Burnley. Followed by getting nothing in the Spurs (A), City (H), Wolves (A) and Villa (H) games?

We're stuck on thirteen points pending a decision from the appeals board. With other teams having some easier fixtures around us. Also, until we get there, who knows what January will bring? NB I don't mean in terms of incoming players, I mean about the future of the Club.

Dyche has undoubtedly got the team up to pace since the first game of the season.

Performances have improved (unfortunately finishing hadn't improved at the same rate, or we'd be on 'Cloud 3rd='), the players have clearly demonstrated that they have a togetherness and collective will now.

Individual players have been coached and handled correctly, and are showing improvement on the immediate previous seasons E.g. Dom's fitness, Myko's form, the upturn in Dwight's and Douc's performances.

I think you did however, misinterpret what I was trying to say James. Yet, you also made me think, how far can Dyche take us..?

As you say Moyes had his perceived glass ceiling which was reaching Europe and a Cup Final.

However, until 'Dyche's Act' has been played out, none of us truly know. Though that still allows us to opine and comment on what we see being played out before us.

Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you James for at least reading the article, and I appreciate and have learnt from your comment.

Everyday is a school day.

Just plain and simple, "Well said that man!"

Thank you.

Thank you for your polite and measured response. Please don't think my post was a criticism of you, far from it. I have no intention to ever criticise any poster willing to express their views on this forum, and I agree with all the points you make in your response. As you put it, we will only know when "Dyche's Act" is played out, which encapsulates the point I was trying to make.

I sincerely hope Dyche is the man to take us to the promised land. I am very impressed with what he has achieved at Everton thus far.

Best wishes, and thank you for your excellent article.

Part of a few club combination? Swerve that.

Without real money, we're locked into the sell-to-buy straightjacket and such clubs eventually go down.

Hard to see a way out, to be honest.

Liverpool were a whisker away from going out of business less than 20 years ago; look at Man Utd, Leicester… you get used to it after a while, and we've been in this hole now for what seems forever but we're still here.

Maybe it's the new normal.

Something will probably turn up, it always has so far.

Where did you source the information on Moshiri in your first bullet, specifically this:

"… he appointed himself initially as a Nonexecutive Director on the EFC Board."

As a Shareholder, I've kept an eye on the membership of the Board and this is at odds with my understanding. Moshiri was never an Everton Director or Board member until earlier this year.

It was in the initial Presser from the club. The three execs were Maryniak, Chong and Kenwright, whilst Spellman and Moshiri were non-execs.

I'm pretty sure the article was used on here for a thread..?

When the news was initially announced, it made me raise an eyebrow, until you realised he just wanted information about the board directly, whilst not having to commit (time and energy) to anything. I.e. he could stay in Monaco and just Teams the Board meetings if necessary.

I'll have a little dig again for you on the official EFC site...

Here you Michael, it is on the Official Website archived, but here is the Echo's article dealing with it;

Inside Everton's interim board changes

"The length of time between the two announcements caused concern around the process, which ended with Chong taking on the role of interim chief executive - and director and majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri and chartered accountant John Spellman becoming non-executive directors. Bill Kenwright remained as chairman while James Maryniak, previously the director of finance, became interim chief finance officer."

I hope that helps? I dunno, call yourself a shareholder!! ;/) hehe Just kidding, Michael!

Don't worry, I'm pretty thick-skinned, and I didn't take it as a 'criticism' per se, but I understood that I might have touched a nerve regards Sean. Hence the polite and measured response, while I tried to explain my reasoning without trying to come across as snarky or slighted.

I meant what I said, everyday is a school day, and you made me think about my preconceived notions about lots at the club, including Sean.

Good wishes to you and all on here.

Chapeau!

ps: Michael, when I said initially, I meant initially with the composition of the interim board, not when he initially joined the club.

Is that how I have caused the confusion?

It is genuinely appreciated.

Thank you,

Simon

"Every day's a school day" is a very refreshing attitude.

So in that spirit:

# Moshiri is still a non-executive director
# Non-executive directors can vote at board meetings
# Maryniack was not appointed to the board

Sorry but we need to take a scalpel to this:

In Farhad Moshiri, we still have an absentee owner who clearly didn't have a genuine grasp on what was happening at board level during his tenure as owner.

Is this an assumption or a fact? How do you know he was not kept fully informed of all board meetings throughout his ownership? That seems the more likely operating model to me, so I'm curious where you're getting this information.

Hence why he appointed himself initially as a Nonexecutive Director on the EFC Board, so he would have access to the Board meetings and minutes.

Incorrect. Strictly, he cannot appoint himself as a director. He can only be proposed as one, and has to be approved by an official vote of the shareholders. They used to do this at AGMs but of course they got ditched.

He did not appoint himself initially as an Executive Director, just as a Non-executive Director, which meant he did not have a vote at the Board meetings.

Incorrect, as Brendan says, Non-Executive Directors can vote at Board Meetings. My understanding is that 'Executive' means that, as well as being a director, they hold an executive (typically C-level) post with the company, Everton FC Co Ltd, so CEO, CFO, etc.

However since the passing of the Chairman, Mr Moshiri is now an Executive Director.

Again, incorrect. Morshiri is a non-executive director because he does not work for EFC.

Please be more careful with what you post. If I had previewed this, it wouldn't have got through until all this misinformation was removed, but unfortunately Lyndon is a little more lax.

As a shareholder you might be able to give me some advice for a friend.

My friend's dad died recently and she seems to be having problems getting her dad's shares transferred to her name.

Her dad had no problem when his wife died getting her shares transferred to his name.

Apart from that, would you advise her to hold onto the shares (7 in total) or sell them? With the state of the club, I told her it was a gamble either way, stick with them or selling.

Firstly, I'd always been under the impression that NEDs couldn't vote, but as you and Michael have corrected, and I've just increased my knowledge by reading the duties and roles of the various positions, I am well and truly schooled. Another lesson learnt. Thank you both.

Secondly, on the official website, it now states that Mr. Moshiri and Mr. Spellman are Directors of the club. Whereas previously, if I recall correctly, they were listed as NEDs..? However, as the Companies Handbook says, there is NO distinction made between an Executive Director and a NED. Both are listed as just 'Director'.
I will bow to your knowledge and accept that they are both still NEDs. Unless proved otherwise.

Please could I ask how you know that they are both NEDs; is it because neither are employees of the club?

Lastly, the ECHO showed a photo of Maryniak amongst the exalted company in the Directors box, and listed him as a Director of Everton. However, I have looked at the People listing on Companies House for Everton FC and he has never been listed as a Director for the company.

Therefore, I took what I read at face value and incorrectly reported him being a Board member. Where it appears he just got a promotion to 'Interim' CFO — not as a Director.

Boy, have I been to school today.

Thank you, Brendan, 'tis genuinely appreciated, as it helps my understanding to deepen and my knowledge to widen as they say.

Thanks to you too Michael.

I was aware that Executive Directors are also employees whereas Non-exec's aren't. I would have included that on my list above but I thought three learning points on a Friday in the festive season was more than enough for anyone.

Keep posting... keep learning!

This is a tough day at school day I feel... *Gulp!*

Your first point is an assumption on my behalf based on the performance of the board, and during his tenureship, how out-of-touch he seemed to be to myself as an external observer.

As I'm aware, he also stated that he didn't want to spend more than 5% of his time involved with the club. Hence why I believed, and was lead to believe via the media, that Sasha Ryazantsev was his man on the board to report back to Moshiri, before he was sacked.

Thus enabling Moshiri to have an 'inside track without being a director'. Alas, unless you are a Board member, you still do not have legal access to Board meeting minutes and agendas. So, just maybe Moshiri was getting some information, but not the full picture..? Again, an assumption I'm afraid.

Moshiri was appointed to the board whilst there was only one Director on the board, which was Bill Kenwright. I am also aware of the procedure to appoint Directors.

As you say it should be thru an AGM, but as AGMs and EGMs were effectively banned or pointless to call. Moshiri as the majority shareholder, could as his his right, vote off Bill as Chairman in a heartbeat (or following a period of notice) he then could vote for whoever he wanted on the board including himself. With 94.1% of the shareholding he could effectively do what hewanted regards board appointments etc. So here, I'm going to beg to differ. You say tomato, I say tomatoe... As it were.

Points three and four have been covered, and all I can say is "Mea Culpa" and I can only apologise for my inaccuracies.

My only defence (if allowable) is 'ignorance' (NB I've been called worse!) Hehe

Anyway, I think I've had three of the best, and told to pull my socks up!

To be honest, Brendan, I feel a 'lurking' period coming on, as I think I have posted plenty enough recently, and I don't feel to any positive effect at that...

It seems to be me who is full of conjecture and supposition. Back to the drawing board, or school desk as it were... I'll be back.

I'm just pleased that Christine Foster is back posting again. A much more rewarding experience.

**As I shuffle off to the cloakroom, to quietly sob and reflect on my school work** ;/)

Good wishes to all...

I did think about about your major shareholder self-appointment point, and that raises a question: What is the correct procedure now for appointing directors in lieu of AGMs.

The answer is hopefully buried in the Articles of Association, the last iteration of which was added to the Companies House account in February 2022. But they make for a horrible reading assignment!

There's a Shareholder Portal here:

Welcome to Signal shares for Everton

Unlikely that her dad registered an account there but she should be able to, I would think, and ask for the shares to be transferred to her. She will probably need the share numbers off the paper copies of the shares.

Under Documents, there is a Register the death of a shareholder with Link Market Services download link.

I don't know if Blankstone Sington are still the 'official' traders in these privately held shares but they would have an idea of the going rate and could arrange a sale. It was as high as £3,500 but may well be tumbling drastically in light of recent concerns….

Uh-oh... I'm just seeing they went into administration in October! Eeeek!!!!

Thanks, I will pass that link on to her.

Being a bit nosey, are you inclined to sell or hold on to them?