Ex-Everton director Ismailov charged with assault

It explains why he had to leave the board, never should have been on it to begin with, but it seems these Usmanovs are far worse characters than I thought.

The club urgently needs new owners before it continues its decent into irrelevance and nothingness.

An interesting reply to this story from a poster on Grand Old Team:

Part of me wishes we hadn't started BMD I really just want Moshiri and Co to do one now.

I wonder how many other Evertonians are thinking similar?

To use a familiar phrase: we should be careful what we wish for. It might happen.

I would settle for getting rid of Kenwright, he has destroyed EFC.

Moshiri has been a problem for years. He may have a lot of money and he’s spent it on players and managers, but his judgement is abysmal. Makes me wonder how he made his money as he doesn’t appear to have much nouse.

Ancelotti had his card marked and walked after he no doubt gave Moshiri some home truths.

I remember when news of his departure originally broke there were a number of posters on TW suggesting that Ishmailov was the "good guy" and his leaving was further evidence of how badly run we were as a club.

Of course the guy may be totally innocent but pretty clear now that he didn't leave for footballing reasons.

Moshiri is not really a businessman either. He is an accountant. I don’t think he has built any businesses up from scratch but has profited from his association with Usmanov. Thus the business side of EFC is still struggling badly. He has not been able to sort it out.

So it's not enough for people at the club to disgrace themselves on the field, they also have to do likewise off the field. Guess they probably have a lawyer on retainer anyway for the 31-year-old married Manchester resident, maybe the same one who handled the Francis Jeffers assault case.

In unrelated news. . . not sure if this "exclusive" from Football Insider is meant to be a joke or serious but:

"Everton will let Gylfi Sigurdsson go at the end of the season, Football Insider understands. The Iceland international’s exit will free up space on the club’s wage bill for some marquee signings. The attacking midfielder has not made a single appearance for Benitez’s side this season."

At best we're stuck with Benitez and Moshiri for a couple of years. Benitez could quit, I suppose. All we can hope for is mid table mediocrity before Benitez is shown the door and another manager is brought in to secure bigger names. The alternative is relegation scrapes. Past five years or so have been a How-to-Guide in appallingly bad leadership decision making.

While the dark humour is good, I suggest we start compiling a list of dis-appointments with some details on the side.

I would think the list alone would indict Moshiri of some sort of crime against Everton in the minds of many but, if they start to look like a list of characters with whom we simply do not wish Everton to be associated, that is a valid case for fan upheaval.

And let's face it, Moshiri's football decisions are nothing he could fall back on in his defence.

And Kieran, I think that's called the punchline.

Shame our first team cannot have a bit of fight in them, tongue firmly in cheek.

And here's me thinking Kenwright had plumbed the depths when he involved the odious Philip Green in our fate.

Don,

I am starting to worry who will be next to be invited to join the Everton management committee?

Basil Fawlty springs to mind as appropriately qualified to slot in seamlessly with the incumbents. No doubt Bill Kenwright would spin it to a person with unrivalled hospitality knowledge, expertise in customer service, an expert in multi-lingual communication and a wonderful calm persona – all-in-all, "What a director!"

If Basil plays hard to get, check with Nigel.

Moshiri sits lower mid-table of Premier League owners' net wealth. Hopefully it gets too much and he sells up. He's a disaster and I can't see, other than through blind optimism, why it will get better under him. He's another Ellis Short or Randy Lerner.

I would happily give up the new stadium to get rid of Moshiri. He's been a total disaster.

Moshiri is not beyond criticism, he has certainly made mistakes. But if you look at the managers he has employed (Silva and Allardyce aside), they have all been highly rated managers – Martinez, Koeman, Ancelotti, now Benitez.

He has also appointed two of the best Directors of Football out there based on reputation – Walsh was the mastermind behind Leicester winning the Premier League, apparently, while Brands was the mastermind behind PSV doing the same in Holland…

I think the anger towards Moshiri should be directed towards underperforming players, DoFs and managers. If he has made mistakes, it is that he has not been hands-on enough, and he has expected the people above to do their jobs, which he has paid them handsomely to do!

Moshiri has put his hand in his pocket to the tune of £500 million, and he has got his fingers severely burnt. He's probably gonna pull the plug on spending now, and who can blame him?

If I win the lottery and hand the money to someone to invest for me and he loses the lot, it's not the lottery that's at fault, it's the clown I put my trust in.

If Moshiri's millions had been invested wisely, there isn't a single poster on here who wouldn't be praising him to the rafters.

Danny @18,

Martinez was already at Everton when Moshiri arrived and he took very little time to sack the Spaniard.

As for the £500M that is oft-quoted, isn't at least 40% of that offset by the transfers received for the players that Everton has sold? £300M works out at about £50M per season, which still means that Everton has indeed bought some rubbish, and it's probably the wage bill that is the real reason for the troubles we have with Financial Fair Play.

I think what all the managers have in common, is that they lack a certain affinity with Everton FC and none of them would win a personality or popularity contest.

Kendall and Royle both had the affinity and the personality to manage Everton and we are still looking for someone similar in character to those two.

Life happens and just because this guy has done wrong doesn't mean everyone else is crap.

I understand the growing criticism of Moshiri but this particular incident does not reflect on him and at least he presumably told the guy to leave.

However, Barry, we're not going to get a Kendall or Royle with that type of affinity from previous links. Not of that calibre. They had affinity but they'd also won the league title as players. Most ex-Everton players with affinity to the club now are serial mediocre at best.

You can however build affinity without prior connection. Ferguson at Man Utd. Wenger at Arsenal. Pep at Man City. I shall go and swill the dirty dishwater, but Klopp is another good example.

Cast the net, Everton. If you want a blind-minded Evertonian, hire me and keep Kenwright.

Danny B @18,

The anger directed at Moshiri is also related to his mismanagement of our team roster.

He did appoint some managers who had decent reputations at the time. The challenges they faced with our squad tested their mettle and diminished them for the most part or made them hit the road.

Moshiri's inability to set up and direct the DoF position to success in clearing the roster during the Allardyce - Koeman period left us with deadwood that eventually petrified on our payroll.

Moshiri is responsible for the turnover and thus the lack of development of the players that did possess potential. If Moshiri were more hands-on we'd be...

Okay, I'll skip the Weinstein - Saville joke, insert your own punchline.

Moshiri has done far far more damage to this football club than Bill Kenwright. But most won't say it.

Paul, most won't say it, because it simply isn't true.

Danny @ 18;

"Moshiri has put his hand in his pocket to the tune of £500 million," ... I'm not too sure that it's his own personal stash of cash to be honest... banks fall over themselves to lend to billionaires.

He may have put his hand in somebody's pocket, but you can bet all his billions to a chocolate fish that the receipts are firmly locked in a cash box marked 'Property of EFC (Nothing to do with me at all; signed F Moshiri)'

This stinks, and as Paul 24] says, Moshiri has and is doing far more damage to EFC than we know. With I presume Usmanov riding shotgun, or roughshod, take your pick.

As I didn't know anything about the names in this piece other than Sanjar and Sarvar Ismailov; brothers and both nephews of Alisher Usmanov, whom I have researched before; I thought I'd look up the other names in the piece.

Sarvar joined EFC in 2019; and here on the EFC website on July 14th 2021 is the release of the details of his promotion to the board and other duties;

Everton Football Club can confirm the appointment of Sarvar Ismailov and Grant Ingles to its Board of Directors.

Mr Ismailov joined Everton in 2019 as Global Commercial Consultant before becoming Everton Women’s first Sporting and Commercial Director and a member of the Everton Women Strategic Leadership Team in 2020.

In his role as Sporting and Commercial Director he has overseen significant progress for Everton Women both on and off the pitch, including strong commercial growth and improvements to on-field performance, with the side reaching the final of the 2020 FA Cup and finishing fifth in the WSL in 2021.

Mr Ismailov will retain his role at Everton Women and will also remain on the Club’s Stadium Board – a post he took up in 2019.

He will join Sasha Ryazantsev as owner’s representative on the Board.

Mr Ismailov said: “It’s an honour and a privilege to join Everton’s Board of Directors. It is a big responsibility which I will not take lightly. I want to thank our Board and our Majority Shareholder for giving me this opportunity and placing their faith in me.

“I love this club inside and out – and I assure you I have blue blood running through my veins. I am determined and ambitious and will bring new ideas and youthful energy to my role. We are – and always will be – a family club but we are entirely focused on bringing success on the pitch – that is our absolute priority. This is an exciting new chapter for our club. We are beginning a new era and we are only looking forward, determined to deliver success for every Evertonian.”

Link

Then this just 33 days later;

"Everton have confirmed that Finance and Commercial Director Sasha Ryazantsev will leave the club's Board of Directors on 31st August.
He will also leave his role as Managing Director of Everton Women.

The move is part of a boardroom reorganisation at the club that recently saw Sarvar Ismailov join the board.

Everton Chief Executive, Denise Barrett-Baxendale, said: "On behalf of the Board of Directors I would like to thank Sasha for his work with us over the last five years.

“During his time with us Sasha has always acted with integrity, professionalism and commitment.

“His experience proved to be instrumental in arranging various finance and commercial initiatives for the club.

"We all wish him every success as he moves on to his next project."

Ryazantsev said of his imminent departure: “It has been a great honour and privilege to serve on the Board of this special Club and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Board and Mr Moshiri for their unwavering support.

“I feel proud of what we have been able to achieve on the various projects and wish Everton the success the Club truly deserves in the future.”"

Reported on this very site... Link

Then of course Savjar Ismailov departs on the 2nd November 2021. A mere 111 days in position!?

Sarvar Ismailov has stepped down from his duties as a Director of Everton FC for personal and health reasons.

He has resigned from the Club's Board of Directors and the positions of Owner's Executive Representative and Sporting and Commercial Director at Everton Women.

The club have stated that the decision was taken by Mr Ismailov and is effective immediately. He has been on the Board less than 4 months after having been appointed in July.

Link

So, that all seems a little odd to me looking back at it? Plus no news of an appointment re a new DoF?

Tellingly, Sarvar and Sanjar are both before the beak on December 15th regards the alleged assault, so maybe Uncle Ali told him to get out of dodge before then, hopefully before they drag his EFC 'investment' thru anymore mud? I don't know, it's just supposition at this point.

Now then, onto Edmond Krasniqi (EK), a Kosovan, living in Hyde Park Gate, Kenington London, with a 2 bedroom flat being valued at £2.5m+...
This is apparently where he and the glamour model/porn star Astrid Fajcsi were 'allegedly' assaulted on June 11 2021.

This date is interesting, as on June 9th EK submitted to Companies House the Articles of Incorporation for a company called: BOOM CIRCLE SERVICES LIMITED, Company number 13449261.

Which was indeed ratified and incorporated on 10th June.

Then on the 11th of June, the OP assault took place as described here, and elsewhere on the web.

So, I ask myself why is this companies Correspondence address here at;
85 Great Portland Street, London, United Kingdom, W1W 7LT.

Now see here; Link

Here is some info regards the company; Link

Which leads me to 'guess' that this might be a 'boiler room' operation?

This SEC site explains it well;

Link

Now, if you have stuck with me this far, then you are probably asking yourself "WTF is he raving about!?"

Well how about that EFC is being used as a cash donkey for Usmanov, I.e. he keeps putting money in, but a very clever accountant knows how to get more money out for Usmanov, whilst making it look like just bad governance?

Again, you'd probably say I'm going nuts, and I'm a conspiracy theorist; but ask yourself this.

IF after SIX years in charge of a business, an owner is not doing anything to improve the running of a club that is leaking £2.5m a week!!

Link

AND having just enough success on the pitch to stay in the EPL with no structured recruitment policy, and very poor on field performances week in, week out; would you say that that owner is fit for purpose? OR is the whole situation being done on purpose?

The reason why I ask this involves the last person in this piece, Astrid Fajcsi..!? Now how the hell can a glamour model/porn star be involved?
Well her current 'beau' is one Josh Cartu, and guess what, he's been a bit naughty regarding this;

"Regulators accuse the Cartu brothers of selling risky “binary options,” effectively bets on the future direction of a publicly traded stock’s price. Like sports bets, they are all-or-nothing propositions. Guess correctly which way a stock will go and the investment pays out in full. Guess wrong and it’s gone.

Investors were allegedly recruited online and offered returns of “between 60-85%” but most lost money."

Now to me, that sounds like a boiler room scheme, or I may be grasping at straws here. Though the dates seem to tally up, if you think about.

Here is the whole article about Mr. Cartu and his brothers for your delectation;

Link

So maybe the Ismailovs had/have their own little scheme going, and didn't like this Kosovan interloper trying to set up his and have a go at a boiler scheme himself, and they arranged to 'discuss' it with him and his go-between sheet warmer..?

I dunno, I'm just guessing, but I feel that Kenwright has sold us up the swanny and he doesn't care as long as he and his cronies get a piece of the pie.
Before you suggest that wouldn't it be better to try and get further up the league and get european football; no, it wouldn't, as that would lead to enhanced financial scrutiny by UEFA, which just might find issues with our clever accountant owner...

Just my thoughts and apologies if tl;dr

I think that you may well be right Derek, unfortunately!

How much is Goodison valued at, along with prime property on the Royal Blue Mersey?

I wonder if we're just being rail-roaded into a new investors scheme? Asset stripped, and broke?

By the heavens, I feel soooo cheery tonight?

Stephen @ 19,

Vicarious Liability

You are the client. It's your fault for putting your trust in a clown.

Simon (#27), thanks for your intriguing post, genuinely. It's great to read one of such detail, length and interest. With all of those qualities I assume you don't live in Brazil!

Russian oligarchs (some folk for some reason now defining "oligarch" as "thoroughly ruthless bent bastard" by the way) have long since "invaded" the good ol' UK as the best possible place on the planet to protect their, erm, "mysteriously" acquired £billions.

Apart from disappointing seasonal temperatures in the South, and "Brenda's" death-defying presence on the throne, the UK is in every respect now the First World equivalent of what we shamefully used to call a "Banana Republic."

I rue the connivance, greed and ineptitude I attribute to Kenwright but I regretfully have to come to the conclusion that he's been 100% subsumed in those distasteful characteristics by those he's sold us out to.

Simon

I think it's pretty likely that Moshiri and Usmanov are shady merchants. But I don't buy the 'deliberate failure' part of your theory. Everton's income is negligible. They could have done a Mike Ashley and say “we can't spend more cause of FFP” if that was the plan.

There have been moments under Moshiri when we looked like we might qualify for Europe and he's been quick on the trigger to fire managers. If he wanted to avoid Europe, then he took a risk bringing in Carlo and James because, even though it ended in tears, it looked like it might succeed.

Oh for heavens sake! If there is anything dodgy going on then Bill will be on the case looking for the right investors 24/7 who should be in place just in time for the 10th anniversary of the Kenwright Palisade, sorry, BMD.

Remember, BMD wasn't built in a day!

I am pretty sure that Usmanov's and Moshiri's plans are to stay up in the Premier League until the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock is built and unveiled to the footballing world, and then sell the club for a hefty profit.

If that is all there is, then it is certainly not the worst scenario because it would mean that (a) they will have to support the manager – likely Rafa because he is an experienced and 'safe' pair of hands – with necessary player investments, and (b) we have a brand new iconic stadium on the waterfront.

All we can hope for is that the next buyer is rich and somebody / some organisation with a history of successful sports franchises.

Alan @32.

It wasn't built in a day. Neither was Kirkby (thank god), Walton Hall Park, nor Kings Dock. If he had an ounce of decency after all his failings in this club, he should steer well clear of the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock. A smiling yank (Dan Meis) shaking his hand doesn't fool anyone.

'Cor Blimey Guvn'r' ... is about all I can say!

Anyone seen Eastern Promises? Be careful Bill, be very careful😄

Give up the stadium to get rid of Moshiri... genius!

Keep the comedy gold coming as we all like a laugh.

Football clubs are made for money laundering.

Steve # 37. Some village has clearly lost its idiot!! 😁😁😁

Modern football club ownership is a shady business but I too would find it highly unlikely that an investment is backed by a wish to avoid success.

That said, I've frequently wondered why we did not engage in any transfer activity in the January window, the opening of which saw us in 2nd place in the Premier League table.

The oft mooted interest in signing Zaha was seemingly silenced and, in my mind, the inactivity cost us Europa League involvement, possibly even Champions League qualification.

Sounds like a film could be made out of this...

The Moshfather – the Everton Years.

Did I really read a suggestion to give up the new stadium to get rid of the owner?

I get current situation frustration as well as that with reckless spending.

I'm not going to expend time on what is probably a lash out. But a sentence containing the words 'nose', 'cut', 'face' and 'spite' springs to mind.

Barry Hesketh @2

I've been predicting dire times for the club as a result of the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock since it was confirmed – I just didn't think it would be as soon as the first shovel... So yep, I wouldn't shed a tear.

I like Moshiri, he has an affable Sergeant Wilson (Dad's Army) approach. He gave it a go and, like all the other billionaires, realised what a great way of losing money footy is. He's more or less jacked it now but, unless we can get a country to buy us, we might as well stick with him.

Simon, money laundering? Shady cloak and dagger characters? Sounds like something out of a John le Carre novel. Where’s our Smiley? Oh wait a mo, it’s our very own Boys Pen Bill.

Bill will save us from this East European mob of dastardly criminals and regain control of his dying fiefdom.

Probably best start up a petition to get them all out and then we can concentrate on our master plan to get into the Championship where, with a bit of luck, we will win a few more games.

Glad all of the other club owners in the Premier league are good upstanding and respectable people who have never been involved in anything shady.

Take over, big Bill – we need you to be our saviour.

I'm not sure how one individual's (apparent) bad behaviour reflects the club or team I support.

Not wanting BMD or Moshiris investment is almost like saying we were all happy with everything at Everton 6 years ago.

We are currently treading water on the pitch but off it plans to drag this club into the 21st century are well underway thanks to Moshiri.

Yes he's made mistakes, but it's his money to make them with.

Yerrrrr hmmm Justin. It is his money. Perhaps the fans as much as performance have forced his hand to make too many changes? Too many points of view. One manager thought that Cuco Martina was good enough for Everton. Although even Moyes had both top half and bottom half finishes before he settled us down and we had regular runs in Europe. He would of been sacked under Moshiri.

There have been at least 2 major fails in transfer windows that now see us handcuffed. Moshiri even funded Sam Alardyce £50m on players and paid him his 18 month contract for 6 months work when he had no intention of keeping him on.

On the field we have treaded water. We have a top 7 first 11 and a Championship bench. I wonder what financial setting we will be in when we play our first game at BMD.

I'm almost certain we will need to sell 2 of Pickford, Digne, Richy and Dom just to get through the next couple of years. Comes back to our manager and Brands to do their jobs that pay them lottery money. Us fans have had to endure this slow motion crash.

Lets hope we can turn the corner today.

The Echo's Phil Kirkbride reports:

The case against former Everton board member Sarvar Ismailov has been discontinued.

Ismailov had been expected to appear at a hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London this morning having been charged with grievous bodily harm (GBH).

Ismailov, who quit the Blues for “personal and health” reasons last month, had appeared via video link at a hearing in late November.

But this morning, it was revealed in court that the Crown Prosecution Service would not be taking the case any further.