Barry Horne believes the uncertainty surrounding Everton’s ownership could make it more difficult for the club to attract a leading managerial candidate when the time comes to appoint a successor to David Moyes.
The former Everton midfielder stressed that the club remains a magnificent proposition, but questioned what an ambitious manager would make of the situation behind the scenes, particularly when considering the ownership uncertainty and transfer investment.
The Friedkin Group announced last month that it was exploring investment opportunities and a potential sale after less than two years at Everton.
Moyes’ contract expires next summer, with contract talks reportedly paused as TFG explore a sale.
Speaking to ToffeeWeb as part of our Once a Blue podcast, Horne suggested the January transfer window could provide a clearer indication of the situation behind the scenes. He also questioned whether Everton’s current circumstances would make the job attractive to a manager with several options.
“I go back to the position of manager, is the job currently very attractive? Obviously it’s an attractive job, Everton is still a magnificent club,” he said.
“But if a manager has a choice, like Eddie Howe, for example, if he has a choice of two or three jobs, what is he looking at at Everton that makes him think, yeah, I quite fancy that?
“What makes him think I’ve got every chance of succeeding there? When he looks behind the scenes and where he will fit in and who’s going to be owning the club. Is there going to be investment? All this uncertainty, it’s difficult.”
Horne’s comments come with Everton facing important decisions over the club’s longer-term direction, with questions remaining over ownership, recruitment and the club’s football leadership structure.
“I think this transfer window will obviously tell us a great deal about what’s happening behind the scenes. There’s actually no doubt that we need players in. We’ve spoken about the squad being small,” Horne continued.
“Who comes in, who brings them in, who makes the decisions, whether the owners are willing to spend any money at all, I don’t know.”
Horne names Eddie Howe as ‘great’ candidate to replace David Moyes
Horne was also asked about several names who have been linked with replacing Moyes, with Eddie Howe, former Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna and ex-Everton midfielder Lee Carsley among those discussed.
Of that trio, Howe was Horne’s preferred choice, with the former Wales captain highlighting his Premier League experience and the work he did at Newcastle.
“Eddie Howe, in many ways, can you compare him to David Moyes? Experienced, quite stoic, honest, hardworking,” Horne said.
“I think in the end that Newcastle was maybe working in an environment which wasn’t perfectly to his liking. I think he’d be great.
“I think it would be more whether Eddie Howe will come to Everton rather than just a simple, can we go and get him? I’m sure he’s been sounded out by various clubs. Man United seem to be courting him.”
Read more – Barry Horne senses David Moyes friction at Everton and issues warning to fans who want change