Everton maintain dialogue with the Premier League over historic financial losses

The lack of proper contingency in the event of relegation just sums up the ineptitude behind the scenes. Relegation clauses should be in every contract as standard, it's not like most players signing for us, this January excepted, would have thought it likely considering it's not happened for over 70 years!

It's like not insuring your house because it's never burnt down before.

Just read that article in the Mail that Everton could get a points reduction for breaking the FFP rules. I think we would be the first premier league team for this to happen.

I believe I read the other day that Moshiri was looking for another person to sponsor Everton in the areas that Usmanov was. There appears a lot of people wanting to buy Chelsea... I wonder if any of them would be interested?

Everton risk a Premier League points DEDUCTION as they teeter on the brink of breaking profit and sustainability rules after recording combined losses of over £260m between 2017 and 2020 - £155m more than is allowed over a three-year period

By Matt Hughes For The Daily Mail

Points Deduction Risk?

Wild dramatic speculation or real life concern?

If Everton FC do suffer a points deduction and thereby suffer relegation due to mal-administration, every one of the board should resign en-masse and the owner should sell the club asap. Knowing the Mail it's probably a hysterical report, but the club shouldn't be in such a position as to have the vultures pick on its bones for fun.

Barry

I once lost 500 quid when I left my wallet on the bus. It never happened again. How the hell fo you mismanage finances year after year to lose £260 million knowing there are penalties for doing so? The board (well Bill and Denise) should resign anyway.

Kenny, sometimes absent players seem better than the ones we have just because they're absent. There's no evidence from his loan at Standard Liege that Nkounkou is a Premier league left-back.

Per press accounts and game reports, he has largely been a failure in the much weaker Belgian league. He lost his left-back starting job to an 18-year-old from the reserves, and after a spell on the bench he is now playing left mid or wingback.

He has no goals, no assists and 6 yellow cards (one suspension) in 22 appearances.

Daily Mail talking about a possible points deduction thanks to FFP. When it rains it pours.

Colin,

The Telegraph have run it also. They are coming for us.

Good. Fuck us. we just need to keep spending on reinforcing. It worked for Germany post Weimar.

At least we now have a united fanbase – united in absolute contempt that is.

Has anyone else noticed Frank is already wearing that haunted "What the fuck have I got myself into?" look?

Kieran, I agree!

Go big or go home — let’s follow the Peter Risdale/Leeds model and see where it takes us.

What can possibly go wrong? :)

Mike, as you say, it's not the Nkounkou loan that's harmed us. As I see it the problem is the broader issue of what we've brought in.

Mykolenko and Patterson might well be fine players once they've settled. But they were expensive for their age / profile - and we need them to be ready now.

They look like very peculiar signings at the moment.

Then we have Dele Alli who has contributed absolutely nothing. Likewise El Ghazi.

Only VDB looks like a signing that makes any sense.

I think we will just about stay up this season but the club took a huge risk investing (finally) for the future with the full backs - just at the point we didn't have the luxury of time to develop them.

Over the past 5 years or I think we've probably had the worst transfer business in world football. That's not an emotional response to where we are - that's after driving myself mad for many years looking at statistics and what other clubs are doing.

Unfortunately, the club just can't sustain this level of incompetence in the transfer market. If it carries on then we will go down.

As dire as it looks for us, it has never been more important for us fans to get behind the club from now until May. We can ask questions later. The team need us all behind them. What a nightmare it has been getting a rich owner. Could only happen to us.

That’s exactly what it’s been Robert, incompetence in the transfer market. When Benitez got rid of Brands (“Such Power” - this has been written on these pages by many angry Evertonians though) he allegedly then went and spent £30 million on two unproven fullbacks, and also brought in El Ghazhi.

Whatever anyone thought of Rafa Benitez, I’d argue that you don’t have the success or longevity in the game, that he has had, if you’re not a thorough professional, and in a season that Everton have struggled to keep clean sheets, I don’t believe for one minute that Benitez wanted these unproven fullbacks, unless he was banking on the very unreliable Yerry Mina staying fit?

This would be very unprofessional imo, but also very convenient for whoever was signing the players, because it was obvious who was going to get the blame anyway.

Yesterday has already gone though (unless these reports are accurate, and they are going to go after Usmanov another way? - just a guess) so let’s just get behind these players, and especially the manager, who has been brought into such a characterless squad, and fight to keep Everton in the Premier League.

Don't worry about a potential points deduction. Worry about our being an execrable pile of unmitigated uselessness.

Right, me and my poor dogs are fretting right now. The boy in particular had to endure a terrible rant from me this morning.

Someone more educated please explain to me. If we get a points deduction, would it not kick in until the start of next season?

And surely with an accountant at the helm, he's done his homework and wouldn't have done business in January? He must have evidence to demonstrate that although we royally messed up, we have a remediation plan in place. As with any regulation, that can often satisfy the auditors.

I just hope we aren't going to be an easy target to be made an example of.

Danny.

"An accountant at the helm."

Best joke I've heard in years.

Do we even know if Lampard wanted Van de Beek and Dele Alli? Seems odd, don't really see them as his kind of signings.

For all we know, someone else at the club probably (Moshiri or Kenwright?) arranged those deals and for him to work with them.

Just starting to recover from the pain of Monday night - and then people start talking about points deduction penalties (I have had a malingering worry about this for some time).

I think it's time again for someone like Paul the Esk to help out simple laymen like myself to understand for better or worse the genuine risk we face here...

Danny, yes they have to be able to demonstrate a sustainable plan. I’m guessing that doesn’t include throwing millions more on the fire.

The rule book also states “W.51.4.2. deduct points scored or to be scored in League Matches or such other matches as are referred to in Rule W.51.4.1”.

So any points deduction would presumably be for the period we breached the rules (and if we don’t have a sustainable plan).
Grim and worrying times on and off the field. I’d have as much confidence if Bernie Madoff had bought the club.

The article in the Mail ( not a paper I would subscribe to) says that all Premier League clubs have until next month to publish their accounts, and the mail believe that Everton are in discussions with the league over their position with FFP.
The article says that Everton lost £260million in the years 2017- 2020 which under normal rules would see them fined or docked points. The most you are allowed to lose over a 3 year period is £105 million. Even more worrying is the paper says they believe when this years accounts are published it will show a further £100 million loss. Everton claim in 2019-2020 £67 million of the losses for that period were directly because of Covid.

Whichever way you look at the figures it doesn't look good, which makes the signing of the 2 full backs in the last window, make little or no sense.
I am really struggling to see how we will avoid a fine or worse a points deduction. So how bad is it that we get into such a financial mess with an accountant owning the club. I know he has no football acumen but at the very least you would expect a high profile accountant to keep you on the right side of any financial restrictions. I know both Ancelotti and Lampard have said they aren't magicians well I hope Moshiri is to magic away these losses.

Okay Paul, thanks.

I gain some slim comfort from that because at least it means (depending when the financial information is set in stone) that we should avoid any penalty this season. I actually think it would be absurd for that to happen anyway at this late stage as it would affect the future of more than just Everton.

Scott,

My view of the reasons for them getting shut of Digne. He was the most expendable player, who we could get money for in any reasonable sum. I would also guess that His sterling performance in hi first year, was not replicated in the following seasons. I remember Traore of Wolves giving him a roasting and they beat us 3-1 in their first season up. I think the rest of the division clubs followed the example. I also heard (how true?) that he was challenging the manager, when he was getting a hundred grand a week to play football.

As for the two young players, I would have thought they would be players for the future and bought in the Summer. Seems dodgy to me, to pay (if we did pay up front) such a sum out, without considering the consequences.
As for Benitez. I think he bought two players who have turned out to be among the best in our squad and two of the highest scorers. I don't think he would go out and rashly bring young players in at such a stage of the season. He'd have wanted a top class defender in the middle instead of either Keane or Holgate.

Can't understand why we bought Deli Alli, unless Frank believes he's got it in him to be an excellent player again,. Again, why at this stage of the desperate season we're in.

Whoever it was who brought these players in at this time is certainly a debatable point!

As for the possible deduction of points. It wouldn't surprise me!! wasn't Niasse the only player to be punished for "Blatant Diving"

Lots of debating points but it all boils down to the Performance of the Board over the last 25 or so years, especially when we go a rich shareholder. To blame Moshiri, in my view that's too easy. Kenwright got the feller he's been looking for, for decades. Someone rich, who will leave him in charge of his train set.

Well it looks like it's in serious danger of crashing!

Imagine having a man in charge of your club whose whole career is based around money and then getting a points deduction due to said man not knowing how to manage money. Say what you want about Kenwright but at least we spent within our means.

I get depressed with this club on the pitch but off-field we are the worst run club in the top flight. If we get relegated with our finances we are well and truly screwed.

Danny, The business done in January is irrelevant for the purpose of the current calculations. The next crucial date is 31 March which is the date our accounts for the year ending 30 June 2021 must be filed at Companies House. I suspect that they will be delayed until the very last minute.

Every club in world football lost millions last season due to playing behind closed doors. I’m pretty certain I read somewhere that Everton lost well over £100M last season alone, this being on top of the £260M for the previous three seasons.

So the Premier League will take playing behind closed doors into account when they review every clubs accounts, and will average out the overall loss for the past four seasons. The best we will get will be a suspended points deduction.

Brian. Yeah, that’s where I read it:

The Mail

I still reckon the most we will get will be a suspended points deduction. Then again, we’re not Man City who “Paid UEFA off” when they were threatened with a 2-year ban from Europe, which was “reduced” to a 1-year suspended sentence upon appeal.

Rob.

I hope you are right the last thing this club needs while fighting to stay in the Premier league is the threat of a points deduction.

I texted my son this morning and he reckons Paul the Esk reckons the club have spoken to the Premier League and they are OK with it, I hope the Esk is right.

Alex,

Kenwright is responsible for fitting us up with an incompetent owner after turning down good owners because they wouldn’t let him remain Chairman. Now Moshiri has probably lost the bulk of his fortune, most of which was in Russian shares.

Perish the thought these new figures make our CEO's and Chairman’s positions so untenable that we have to start again with competent people fit for purpose. Not very Everton that!

I think of Doug Ellis, then I think of Peter Swales, and then I think of Bill Kenwright. Aston Villa went, Man City went down two divisions, and now I await the fate of the “joker and the jinx” with a picture of his sycophantic face, telling everyone Farhad is the man who just keeps giving.

Paul the Esk has Tweeted:

Everton have been in discussion with the PL since last March over P&S & entered an agreement over spending for this year (wages & transfers). All clubs have to submit accounts & projections every March

USM will not affect this year's accounts.

He also says there's no need to panic. The PL are fully aware of our finances & we do not face any penalties from them over this year's accounts.

Someone correct me if I am wrong but I thought when Farhad Moshiri bought the club he was worth about £1.3 billion. I thought I would check on his net worth now 6 years later - according to Forbes he is now worth USD 2.8 billion which is about £2.1 billion. ??? Got me stumped that.

Forbes - Farhad Moshiri net worth

By no means an expert on FFP but if we offload Tosun, Gomes, Mina (unfortunately), Holgate, Keane, Coleman, Kenny, Rondon and one or both of Calvert-Lewin vand Richarlison and obviously find and unearth gems or at least low earners, would that help in this respect?

Laurie,

It was pretty widely reported last year that his wealth increased from £1.8B to £2.1B. Usmanov's also increased in the same period.

It depends where it comes from of course, and it might be interesting to see what happens now. But Farhad's been doing okay seemingly.

Andrew,

Yes quite right the incompetence in recruitment is part of much wider incompetence at club management. All sorts of things are wrong at our club and it has combined to very bad effect in the area of recruitment.

I don't for a minute believe this is simply a case of picking the wrong players to sign. You have to look at the reasons why we consistently underperformed in this area.

But ultimately we have underperformed - falling further behind when we had the money to catch up and now in danger of falling out of the division.

Barry @30.

I hope you and Paul the Esk are accurate. We must surely have been in discussion or surely we'd have been forced to declare?

Whatever happens, surely this is the end for this board.

The Echo are also saying that Everton have not contravened any Profit & Sustainability rules.

I think what we all have to take on board even if we stay up is that some first team players will have to be sold and the days of spending enormous amounts on players will be put on hold for a while.

When you think of the money we have spent on buying players who simply weren't fit for purpose and the salaries they earn has to stop. We have quite a few who the last 3 managers have hardly played but they are still picking up their £100,000 + per week, and won't leave till the last day of their contract, because no other club will pay them anything like we do.

Also look at the measly resale we got from all the players we have bought in the last 5 years. Contrast that to our neighbours who continue to buy right and sell expensively, Solankie hardly got a game for their first team and gets sold for £19 million, Torres loses form and they still persuade Chelsea to pay them £50 million, and the best of the lot they sell Coutinho for a £145 million and buy a world class keeper and centre-back with the money and haven't looked back since.

If they're going to make an example of anyone, it'd be Everton.

We really didn't need to approach the transfer market like that. So many clubs saw us coming. What a mess.

I like the Esk; I enjoy his podcast. But can anyone tell me where he gets his info? I mean, what is he privy to? An honest question. The spiral is we should go down, is going to be unthinkable.

I'm less worried by this and more worried by how much Moshiri's assets have shrunk with the collapse of the Russian stock market over the past 2 weeks.

Let's wait for the facts and hopefully Everton won't get any points deduction this season.

The Satanic Rights are taking Everton to the edge of the abyss and now, like never before, the club and all supporters need to show unity, confidence and belief to stay in the Premier League this season.

Let's pray that the training at Finch Farm this week will see a positive reaction vs Wolves, and victory for Everton.

Danny,

A nice optimistic thought: "Whatever happens, surely this is the end for this board."

But just not likely to happen. Bill will go at some point (perhaps in a coffin) but I doubt it would be because of this. Denise, so Tony keeps telling us, is looking for other work... which doesn't quite fit with the way she continues to be presented by the club, who no doubt see her as a fine case of wonderfully virtuous signalling.

The rest are just there to make up the numbers, and most (except Sharp!) have 'real' jobs inside the business.

Anyway, the Echo says it's all fake news. The Good Ship Everton sails on. no icebergs in sight.

Talk shites Simon whatshisname (the former Palace chairman) was saying he can't see how the FA "cannot" sanction Everton over FFP irregularities.

He did state he thought it would be next season though, but did mention that if we stay up at the expense of say Burnley by a couple of points then they might take out legal action against the FA for not following FFP rules.
I reckon this is going to get messy.

ps: I was in a cafe when I heard this on the radio.

Just to clarify, I do not listen to that station.

I hope for the sake of my poor dogs you're right about the icebergs, Michael. They seem concerned about me again.

Next season may well be Year Zero for us anyway. Assuming we do go down, we'll have to sell Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison, and possibly Pickford, plus we'll get the parachute payment.

Also, we'll probably get rid of Dele Alli, and we'll be bringing in some solid defenders and more energetic midfielders from other Championship sides. We'll clearly be an attractive proposition for the best lower league players.

I can't see Lampard staying, nor would I want him to if he relegates us, so it will be all change and a fair amount of outgoing sales and wages off the books.

Sadly, the board will remain, because nobody will want to buy us until we're back in the Premier League and have the funding fully nailed down for the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.

More from my crystal ball later.

Dave. Jeez it's getting just as scary off the pitch because Simon Jordon is normally quite switched on and savvy having himself been a chairman.

Admittedly he is a bit blind, usually vitriolic about our owner, and conveniently forgetting who he entrusted to run the club. He's a mate or at least associate of the chairman.

Same with Mike Parry, a good blue but totally deluded and in denial when his teary mate is out in the spotlight. Teflon teary arse indeed. For now...

Tbh I’m less worried by P&S than our current predicament in the league. Covid gives the PL a lot of leeway to allow clubs to effectively ignore the last two seasons etc.

Main issue is what’s going on on the pitch. I reckon 33/34 points will be enough to stay up (maybe a bit less). We’re crap on the road but have games at home to Wolves, Newcastle, Palace and Brentford to come. Winning 3 of these will probably be enough to stay up. I’d also hope in April and May we’ll be playing clubs with more or leas nothing to play for so can get some draws on the road - hopefully.

Not a lost cause by any means but fk me do we need to win against Wolves. That’s the only thing that really matters in the near future. (Obviously insignificant to what’s happening in Ukraine at the minute.)

Michael.

The good ship Everton sails on although it has no crow's nest to see any hazards, and Mr Christian as captain.

I've said for a long time that FFP is nonsense if you have a owner who can afford the losses. The club have wasted a lot of money on players but it's Covid and pulling the sponsorship deals that has pushed us over the edge, and that has been beyond our control.

I wouldn't worry about a further points deduction.

They already applied that policy when we played Man City.

Why would anyone take the word of Simon Jordan on TalkShite? He loves the sound of his own voice and is a self-proclaimed expert on almost every topic ever but… as an owner of a Premier League football club, he was an abject failure as he failed to pay the wages at Palace and they went into administration under his watch.

Since Usmanov had his assets frozen, the media seem to have jumped on Everton. We've had stories from the stadium build being in jeopardy, to wage crisis if we go down to today's FFP sanctions.

If we sell Pickford, Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin and Juve sell Moise Kean to PSG this summer, we're in line to get around £180m. This would sort the problem but that profit wouldn't show until the following year's accounts, so would it divert the problem? Who knows?!

Until this goes beyond media scare stories we just won't know. I think it would be very unfair given a large portion of losses have been beyond our control and we haven't been living in normal times.

The media have amped up the scare stories in the last week, but it's up to the players to get something from the Wolves and Barcodes games. If they do, that should quieten down some of the newspaper hacks.

Well, if folks are prepared to panic over newspaper talk, best of luck to them.

The likes of the Daily Mail are very unlikely to know what’s happening behind the scenes in terms of the accounting of Everton, but it won’t stop them printing stuff. That’s just what they do, and ordinary punters lap it up.

With regards to what Dave #42 says.

Should we be relegated by just one point, or even on goal difference, can we then take legal action against the Premier League for what would clearly be a loss of millions?

I'm referring of course to the penalty incident against Man City, which was a clear infringement of The FA rules but not given by incompetent Premier League officials. Would we have scored the penalty? Who knows... but we were clearly denied the opportunity to at least had a go.

Anyway, fuck Simon Jordan. He's a fucking arsehole!

Relegated, Bankrupt, an abandoned building site on the docks and in debt to the Russians. Thanks Bill & Farhad!

Could be worse, John - it could be raining!

I have no evidence for this, and it's somewhat dodgy morally, but if I was Usmanov and I needed to get rid of a lot of cash quickly, then I'd be giving it to Moshiri?!

Not sure it's right but surely a possibility!

Stephen @58,

I don't think that would be allowed to happen, however, given the amount of strange and expensive signings made during Moshiri's reign, it could be argued that money was wasted, perhaps, purposely.

The problem Everton FC now have is that everything that's done will be scrutinised a lot more closely by the authorities and the media than it has been thus far.

It's often said that our transfer business has been abysmal but, if you look back, it may not have been so obvious at the time:

● Keane was a success at Burnley;
● Sigurdsson kept a poor Swansea side up and was a stand out player;
● Richarlison was clearly a big talent;
● Gbamin had been impressive in Germany;
● Mina had a stellar World Cup;
● Doucouré was Watford's best player;
● Allan a top Italian midfielder;
● Kean was one of the most promising strikers in Europe.
That list isn't exhaustive.

It seems to me we are one of those rare clubs that, with the odd exception (Gray, Gordon, maybe Pickford), we seem to make players worse, not better. Almost like a black hole for talent. I don't know what has caused that – changing managers every season probably doesn't help. But I fear that black hole exists and I'm far from certain Frank knows enough to pull the squad out of it.

The delayed financial report is for the 20-21 season iss expected to show a huge loss of £100M+. The 21-22 season will probably generate an even larger loss as this will take into account the compensation paid to Benitez, Brands and other staff, estimated to be £10M.

In addition, the club will earn far less prize money due to a lower Premier League finish (assuming relegation is avoided) which is estimated to be £15M.

The wage bill this season is even higher than last when it was 89% of revenue. The club has been on a totally unsustainable path and the consequences will soon follow.

My theory is that the FA were already looking at sanctioning us because of FFP but they then watched a couple of our games and realized our players were saving them a load of paperwork.

On a serious note, Frank Lampard looks pissed off already and is feeling the pressure of having a team full of shitbags. Will he make big changes for the Wolves game? I don't see how he can play Keane – that's for sure!

I keep saying Denise is leaving because I believe everything that comes out of our club, when things are going badly, Michael K!

I said the minute that Chris Samuelson was introduced to everyone at one of the clubs AGM'S he was an extra from Emmerdale Farm, because I believe it's how the scheming, conniving Kenwright works, and I don't believe anything has changed on that score. It's why I keep mentioning Denise is leaving. Just in case we all bloody forget!

Alan Myers has just commented, saying it's unlikely we'll face a points deduction. I think his word is a lot more credible than a basement rag like the Daily Mail. Isn't Dominic King a RS anyway?

It looks like Usmanov is out of small change:

The 80-member crew of a Russian oligarch's superyacht jumped ship after the billionaire was apparently unable to pay wages due to international sanctions prompted by Moscow's war on Ukraine.

The Dilbar, a 510-foot vessel valued as high as $750 million and owned by metals and mining magnate Alisher Usmanov, is moored in Hamburg after the captain and his crew bolted. Usmanov, a 68-year-old, Uzbekistan-born pal of Russian President Vladimir Putin, is worth an estimated $18 billion, but he was one of several oligarchs to be individually sanctioned by the West.

Washington Examiner.

Regarding scrutiny of our transactions, I'm reminded of this story about a very respectable lady who was getting some work done at home, and paying cash, as you do.

When she went to the bank to withdraw another wedge, somewhat irked when the clerk would enquire, as they do, "Can I ask what this is for, Madame?"

"I'm funding a porn movie." she replied. The young lad turned bright red but, to his credit, asked to see an invoice.

Soon they will be able to replace that young lad with a robot, Michael, such are the everyday sanctions that are going completely unnoticed by large sections of society.

I believe as it states in the OP that we have been co-operating with the Premier League as per P&S rules and they will be aware of those contracts which will end this summer as a sign of reduced outgoings.

I also think that some allowance has to be made for circumstances of Covid and sanctions on sponsors. If Everton have points deducted, would this not mean that the Premier League are seen as also culpable in breaking their own rules?

I don't think there will be any points deduction and a fine seems rather pointless if they are trying to improve the financial situation but there will be a close watch on all financial transactions possibly even to the point of requiring approval on future transfers and contract renewals. If this all falls under P&S rules, then I can't see how any other clubs would be successful with any legal action.

Whatever, it does look like we will start next season under a handicap at least in terms of spending.

This is a football club who have just cancelled three sponsorship deals because of sanctions imposed by the government, so hopefully Boris Johnson might step-in and help us!

Alan @ 67,

My real concern is that the Premier League is so eager to protect their brand that they would throw any club under the bus that threatened the 'good name' of the league.

Some of the decisions on the pitch which have gone against Everton this season are beginning to look blatantly deliberate in nature; could this be because a relegated problem becomes a Football League issue and therefore nothing to do with the Premier League?

People keep telling me that sports and politics don't mix; however, the timing of the Newcastle United takeover, when they were almost beyond rescuing as far as its Premier League status was concerned, came about when the United States and others would have been seriously considering what to do with Russia should it overstep the mark in Ukraine, and therefore, they would have wanted an alternative supply of oil, in case Russia either cut its production or the rest of the world needed to reduce its imports of Russian oil.

Paul Burrell claimed last night that the Queen warned him that there were dark forces at work in Britain that could threaten him.

The former butler said the warning was issued during a three-hour meeting soon after the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997. He said the Queen looked him in the eye and said: “There are powers at work in this country about which we have no knowledge.”

Burrell may have been lying about that particular comment, but be in no doubt, football is not immune to outside political influence, no matter what colour shirt your club wears.

John # 60,

I suspect that our way forward will have to be to sell Calvert-Lewin or Richarlison this summer and most likely the other one of them in the following summer. That would inject some cash and be very positive from an FFP viewpoint as the paper profits would be extremely high.

This might not be too disastrous as Gordon and Gray must play if fit and Dobbin needs games now.

Barry (#69);

I believe the Americans approached Arab oil producers fairly recently and asked them to increase output to help cover any boycott of Russian oil but they are refusing so to do.

Strange thing for the Queen to say when there were/are those that believe British intelligence services may have been involved in Diana's death owing to the possibility that heirs to the throne may have been taken to and brought up in Islamic countries.

Some point to the small white car that was never found and that the only survivor was a former member of the British military.

Conspiracies everywhere, Barry.

Andrew #39, I have never seen any information to the effect that Moshiri is invested in the Russian stock market.

USM Holdings, the company he shares with Usmanov and the source of most of his wealth, is a non-public company, not traded on the stock market. (One of its subsidiaries, Metalloinvest, was planning an IPO this year, which obviously won't happen.)

Furthermore, Forbes reported this week that Moshiri has gradually divested his shares of USM over the last 18 months and now owns only about 5%.

Forbes speculates that he's sitting on a pile of cash.

It could be that Moshiri has avoided the market misery afflicting so many big investors.

Barry #70

The proceedings for the takeover of Newcastle commenced in April 2020, and were successfully concluded in October 2021. I don't believe at that time there was concern over Russia invading the Ukraine.

I just find this all a bit convenient.

We are owned by an Iranian business man… who they reckon is a front for a Russian billionaire. Russia invades Ukraine. Chelsea's owner for 19 years decides to sell. Everton strip every shred of Russian sponsorship off their stadium and out of the club overnight… yet… this isn't warranted as good enough. Quick… let's leak a story that Everton are in FFP trouble and yet again put more pressure on them this season.

Call me stupid here but I honestly think the FA have wanted us out of the Premier League since December. Here's why…

1) Postponed games. During the Winter, the amount of our games postponed was questionable. It's almost like the FA were happy to cancel these games to favour the opponents. Newcastle, for example, 30 December – postponed. Newcastle strengthen and, lo and behold, one of them ‘new' players scores against us. In my opinion any postponed games before the transfer window shouldn't've allowed ‘new' signings to play… a complete unfair advantage.

2) The decisions and the failings of the VAR. This one needs a complete thread of its own. Not only have referees been abysmal for us this season but it's been strange how the decisions have been overlooked by the VAR:
● James Tarkowski's horrible challenge on Richarlison, nothing given, not even a yellow card for the defender. This tackle injured Richarlison for weeks.
● We have a penalty not given against Rondon in the Brentford game. Their player pretty much grabs Rondon's shirt over his head, nothing given, no VAR review, nothing.
● We then have the Southampton penalty, the City penalty I would even argue Kane's third goal on Monday is a clear foul on Keane, Kane's arm wrapped around his neck.
● And then we have Shelvey's awful red-card tackle on Gordon, a leg breaker. Even the pundits went mad on this one.
Nothing has gone for us. It's either a coincidence or just downright awful refereeing.

3) Again, the Russian connection. As if these refs don't sit there and talk. As if they can't let what's going on in the world interfere with their decisions. In my opinion, it's a clear "Fuck them, owned by a Russian, let's get them gone."

Nobody will convince me that something isn't going on. We have complained to the FA and have an apology. To me, we have now prodded the bear, there will be more bad decisions for us from now until the end of the season because they simply do not want us in the Premier League. Even if we do manage to stay up, I've now no doubt we will be hit with a points deduction that will take us down. It's all a big fix. Has been for years.

Bill @74

There were concerns as early as April 2021 according to this report by the BBC:

Troop Build-up

I hope Moshiri negotiated a £½ billion severance package when he relinquished these posts recently!

Graeme 75, there's no sinister plot against us. We've just been rubbish.

Danny, I disagree.

Dave at 71,

I expect we will sell Calvert-Lewin or Richarlison this summer. The emergence of Gray and Gordon means we can afford to let Richarlison go. But we've really missed Calvert-Lewin this season. I hope he stays.

The prices of players could be all over the place though, with the pandemic and now Ukraine playing havoc with financial markets.

This will suit Newcastle unfortunately, who could potentially start next season with a really excellent side.

Fortunately there are lots of other clubs in a bad way. But a points deduction would hit us really hard. It would probably be another season fending off relegation (assuming we stay up).

We are going to need to work much harder to find value / quality at low cost.

We spent a decade doing it under Moyes, we briefly did it again last summer. We can do it again.

Without doubt, the mess we are in is self inflicted, but every man and his dog will be hoping we implode big time.

Robert, if we keep on of them it has to be Richie (although he will be worth more) as he's the one of the 2 that can score from outside 6 yards.

There really isn't any grand conspiracy against us and it's embarassing to try and excuse our failures with that. We've just made a huge amount of terrible decisions over the last few years which are coming back to haunt us. Unfortunately world events are also having an impact but nobody could've predicated that.

Honestly, we've way overspent on absolute crap and deserve pretty much everything we're getting at the moment. It wasn't a conspiracy that made us buy all this players, pay them ludicrous amounts of money on long contracts and hire Benitez.

Well we got our apology we demanded from the top brass Ref, I said then, they will throw everything at us now, dig up all kinds of dirt to disrupt us, if we as much as fart down wind, they will have us.

We know we have be teetering close to the wind with ffp, but no one could see a Panademic coming, loss of revenue, having to cut ties with Usm, we have acted in the right way, dropping links with the Russians, completely out of our hands Russia and the Panademic, but we have now had ffp, we have had them running stories of the Council not funding the £30 Million, even though back in January we informed the Council that we did not require their loan.

They are running false stories of Bramley Moore Dock, we are the number one easy target for the Media.

None of the top four gets attacked like Everton do, the big 12 breakaway, brushed under the carpet, with even the fines being dropped, City ban hushed up and no sanctions, the shite having the rules changed to get back in the Champs league after winning it and failing to qualify, the following season, yet still lower league clubs are still getting points deductions, through no fault of the players, or the fans.

Football is corrupt, the top four, even top 6 are looked after, by every bent ref, Var, The Premier league and uefa, they are untouchable, while the rest get dealt every bit of injustice, attacks from all corners.

Two premier league teams drawn away in the f a cup quarters, for the first time, var will be used at both those Championship grounds, the final corrupt will come this Friday, when the shite will be drawn away for the first leg of the Champions league, how many times can a team get an away leg first, having the advantage of a home second leg tie.

Like I say such a shame the big 12 breakaway failed, football would have survived and the Premier league without the corrupt clubs, would have thrived in time.

Many of us are convinced that they are making it up as they go along with regards to VAR, and then you read that they are suddenly bringing it into grounds outside the premier league when it suits?

It’s us against the world has never really bothered me before, and I’ve always liked it when people put their guard down and show their true colours, because it’s great knowing who the enemy is, and it’s even better when you come out the other side with that knowledge.

The only thing we can do is get behind our players, and our club, singing WE SHALL NOT BE FUCKING MOVED!

Brian # 84……so in other words “Unlucky Middlesbrough and Notts Forest, you put up a brave fight”!

Dodgy VAR decisions forthcoming to ensure Chelsea and the RS make it through to the semi finals.

We all know football is corrupt and the bias showed towards the favourites is clear, but the mismanagement of Everton football club by Moshiri,and his sidekick, is nothing short of scandalous and criminal.

If we are relegated, deducted points and go into administration this is all on those two incompetent morons!

He does score a lot of tap ins, Joe, and scruffy goals too. But he's a really good player. We just haven't seen him fit for months.

As much a shambles as it is, the luck has not been on our side.

If DCL (and Sigurdsson, also a big miss) had played a full season so far we'd be sitting in mid-table moaning that Benitez hadn't got us in the top 4.

Mark@60: Spot on. They’re not shit players, otherwise many on this site would be saying “what the fuck have we signed him for!” instead of “welcome to Everton, son”, which is what we do get.

Most signings have been initially welcomed here, and ironically one of the most successful signings in terms of cost effectiveness, Gana, was initially derided by many because he was only £7M and from Villa who’d just been relegated.

There’s a lot of rewriting of history and distortion of facts on this site, even though overall it’s a great site, and too much use of the term “deadwood”, when in actual fact there’s been a massive cultural problem at Everton for decades. I know, it’s done my head in.

Good players and managers come and go, but the ‘Everton malaise’ is a constant. The quality of Evertonians far exceeds the quality of EFC.

Why don't we shut down the women's team? Their wage bill is over a million a year now, it doubled (surprise surpise) this season. They attract crowds as low as 200 spectators and make a loss and that was before losing their sponsor Usmanov. Yes, it's small fry compared to the men's team but another example of a loss making enterprise. You add up this stuff, the outfits for Borehamwood, the various charitable enterprises etc, there is just obscene waste at every department in the club. Streamline, shut down all the ancillary stuff, just focus on the men's team, stop decorating Goodison with stupid pictures of Kenwright, Martinez whoever. Just run the club properly like skin flint Johns Moores did.

We can save more money by getting rid of all of the following who have fake or unnecessary jobs:

Joel Waldron
Head of Academy Recruitment (ha is that a joke? Josh Bowler?)
Daniel Conlin
Head of Strategy (there is no strategy so no job)
Rachael Jones
Head of People Operations (fake job)
Clare Kearney
Head of People Engagement (fake job, we have HR already)
Then we have five different Directors of Everton in the community. FIVE! None of whom are DBB. Couldn't manage with 1?
James Kemp
Head of Finance
James Maryniak
Deputy Finance Director (consolidate these two into one and fire both as our finances are a mess)
John Holmes
Head of Estates - USM Finch Farm (another fake job)
Paul Cuthbert
Head of Safeguarding (fake)
Mark Rollings
Head of Partnership Management (we have marketing already so no need for this)
Kim Healey
People Director (wtf is that?)
Alan McTavish
Managing Director - Everton Women (see ya)
Alan Bowen
Operations Director (we have a director of operations so why also have an operations director?)
Phil Davies
Head of Technology (we are not in silicon valley)

Obviously fire and replace anyone involved in finance, scouting, recruitment, training, as well as the board. And see if we can offload the entire first and under 23 squads and replace them save Gordon, and one or two others.

Kieran, no doubt all of that shite is a waste of time, and could easily be got rid of. But (!), it would be like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. It’s the integrity of the overall ship that needs sorting, not trivial detail. It’s the Everton sloppy malaise and general shiteness that needs sorting.

Rob @86, spot on, they will make sure if Boro or Forest score, every angle, offside will be scrutinised by the VAR. The VAR will make sure those two Premier League teams will get all the helping hand they need, from the VAR and the ref.

Pity really because the City ground is a bear pit when it wants to be, and we could have had an upset there; however, the VAR will see the Premier League two go through.

Kieran, your right, a bit of tidying up here and there, and some jobs trimmed could save us some money.

Showing my age by a fit of laughter at the name John Holmes, I feel a few innuendos coming up, on your post, strap yourself in.

Kieran, if we sell all our first eleven, just don’t replace Pickford with Donnarumma from PSG? Have you seen the right royal cock up he’s just done to gift Real Madrid a goal?

The FFP is a joke, trying to stop clubs from catching up and spending the same money as the so-called Top 6.

The Premier League were glad of our vote when the same Top 6 clubs greedily tried to start the European Super League, and thought nothing of their fans. Remember the threat of the massive sanctions? What did they impose? Sweet Fuck-All!

Didn't Man City use the Etihad as an excuse for big transfer spending a few years ago?

As for Simon Jordan, full of his own importance, and a chip on his shoulder, always criticising Everton, because he was chairman of Palace when they went into administration?

Kieran @ 91

I expect that Kim Healey People Director (what the fuck is that?), is the guy you ask to find out where the toilets are or the location of your seat and he grunts and points in a general direction?

Kieran #91.

The answer can't just be to sack normal people in normal jobs. I doubt some of these people are even on £35k a year. It's a drop in the ocean to the people on £170k a week.

It's players like Sigurdsson (who to be fair we should be able to write that off as it's not our fault what's happened with him), like Tosun, Delph, Iwobi – the others etc who are on massive money but won't leave us.

A badly run business can lose money like snow of a ditch. Everton has been badly run for years, with the same Chairman pulling the strings. He has got his money out and it looks like there is no plan for relegation.

The nightmare goes on.

Sounds like relegation might be a blessing.

Having Mr Kenwright still here might be a blessing as well. He is the calming influence we all need.

Better days are ahead. Stay positive all.

Kim Vivian @18.

We really don't need a Paul the Esk book post to tell us we have overspent since Moshiri arrived and broken the rules. Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea have all done it; let's just see if we are made an example of.

Brian @ 94, you're right, he's a bit of a dick that fella

It's easy to see where all that money has gone, we have such a plethora of talented players, and an embarrassment in the reserves. I'm being sarcastic of course, like many posters have previously mentioned, how can they keep making the same expensive mistakes, and not learn one iota from them?

The problems extend far beyond the coaches, managers and their staff, and even players to a degree, as we have had more changes in those departments, without any long-term difference. Now what could the root problem be?

I think I’d be a lot calmer sitting in a room with Robert John Maudsley, than Bill Kenwright, Ian R, although you did bring a smile to my face though!

Ian Riley@100
I can only hope your post was an attempt at sarcasm?

I heard something very telling, and something that might explain why Everton are in such a predicament, just before Benitez left Everton.

I heard a conversation took place on the team coach on the way back from Hull, and Bergovic allegedly said to the manager, it’s a lot different here than it was at Chelsea isn’t it.

What do you mean? Bergovic - Well the players at Chelsea are on Champions league money, but are constantly under pressure to get results and stay in the team, but some of the the players here, are not far off earning Champions league money, but finishing mid-table, with nobody threatening their places, meaning they are on easy street.

The club have done everything wrong since they brought Koeman and Walsh through the door, and instead of taking stock, they just continued to chase their tails. It looked like it was changing this season, with prudence finally coming into play, but it’s a mishmash of a squad put together by about 7/8 different people, and it really shows.

I just hope we can get to the end of this season in one place, and start again with a proper plan, with stability hopefully playing a major part in our future.

I haven't read all the posts but I was just reading that, should we go down, the Club has omitted any clauses regarding relegation and players' wages should it happen. So this collection of mercenaries will continue to pick up their telephone-number wages: it also states that would cause financial meltdown and seriously could mean the death of the club.

Well I'm glad Moshiri (who must be the most inept naive accountant in the whole universe of number crunching) kept Kenwright on as Chairman for his knowledge of running the club (which we now have it confirmed is zero).

I may be wrong but, when Rainhill and Winwick Mental Hospitals closed, did they transfer the worst cases to Goodison Park in the guise of Directors on the condition that Kenwright didn't wear his Napoleon uniform?

Tony(#106); If some of that coming out concerning sanctions against Abramovich is true then the reserve goalkeeper might also have asked who is pumping 90M (?) a month into Everton's wage bill, but then again reserve keepers aren't always consulted over wages and financial matters. And why wouldn't one club have both differences and similarities with other competitive organizations in the same business?

This is not a defence of what has gone on at Everton concerning financial matters but given how long it has taken to get to this position I doubt a recently appointed manager and a reserve keeper chatting (privately?) on the team bus would be that much in the know.

Sorry but I'd file this, at best, as "deadwood vs the Chelsea flower show".

Wow.. only thing not written is the truth about everyone connected with Everton being replaced by an alien race.

Apparently, the aliens wrongly believed the Evertonian blue blood was factual and now find themselves poisoning their own bodies.

They are trying to maintain their human form in the hope the good ship Bramley-Moore Dock will be built to fly them back to their home planet before it's too late.

Unfortunately, the men in black have got wind of this plot and are trying to slowly take Everton out of the Premier League spotlight so they can deal with them in a more trigger happy, 'soon to be forgotten', fashion without anyone noticing.

Now you know..

One thing we all know is that we've gone from being crap to being more crap to being even more crap – all the while spending £500M. Other teams – having spent a lot, lot less – have made football look easy and a delight.

We've got a defence based around a mentally ill centre-back and a mental goalkeeper, ably supported by an ageing right-back, a non-existent left-back and deputised by a manboy whose 'expertise' is limited to chewing gum, being arrogant and dangerous tackles when he's having a bad game.

Also, a boy whose family and country is under attack, a boy from Scotland, a lanky walking injury machine, and Ben Godfrey. And that's not to mention our stunning midfield.

Here's to 2 home wins and a climb up the table!

You're a brave man to reveal the truth, Justin. I just hope they don't manage to locate you, but if your posts disappear we'll know why! ;-)

Not worried about the men in Black coats, another few defeats and it will be the men in white coats I will be more than worried about.

Alan Myrers tweeted after adjustments for the Panademic, Everton have nothing to worry about, in regards to ffp.

Benjamin Dyke has given me my only laugh of the day so far.

Tony#106

That is very telling. For a experienced Professional Footballer to say that, means that he can see players who are not putting the work and effort in.

Alot of players at Everton are not worth the money paid for them or the wages they are on. Whilst Koeman and Walsh where the start. It continued under Brands and may have continued under Benitez and now Lampard.

There has been continuous interference in Transfers and attempts to influence the style of football.

It may be on popular on ToffeeWeb, but the Strategic Review IMO has solidified this influence with more recent involvement of ex players. The current style of play which works at home and is a disaster away is the product of a Manager who prefers that style of play, but there is a whole organisation behind him that is orientated to the same style of play.

Lampard may want to change the style of play away from home, but it will be like trying to turn a tanker to get the backroom organisation to fall in behind such a change.

Not content at bring Everton Financing to it's knees, they now could end up bringing the football side to it's knees.

As ever the problems at Everton are deep.

Maybe it is the times we are in, but it all looks very depressing.

Jerome @ 114
Do you attend Goodison Park or do you stay away because you make most if not all of the people at Finch Farm sound like closet Kopites? It might be they are not very good at their job, but I honestly can't see how so many hang on to their day jobs under so many managers if they aren't at least trying to move the team/squad/club in the right direction. One manager may turn a blind eye due to his own selfish ways, but so many managers all keeping shirkers and troublemakers on the coaching staff, No I can't see it mate, I think you see the world very differently to most people.

Barry (#115) every manager signs on with £millions per season being paid to him on a 3 year contract, minimum. As a condition he has had to accept the eternal presence of Kenwright's "we-get-Everton-"honest"" coaches, totally unqualified as most were on appointment, none of whom are for years ever seemingly sought after by other clubs, or ever seek a road elsewhere to try to progress their own careers.

They display complacency cubed, all the time, achieve next to nothing in terms of benefitting the first team, yet enjoy opulent life-styles in the process, albeit not comparable to those of the wasters in the first-team squad for which they have a duty to improve.

After the Spurs result why is Frank telling the media he's still learning "day-by-day" about the squad? He must have been speaking to all and sundry at Finch Farm since he took the job. This tells me that Everton staff at Finch Farm talk bollocks, period, in total devotion to their Kenwright-only derived, comfy incomes for the square root of fuck-all.

The Daily Mail also stated in the past that everything in this Link will give you cancer.

Not everything you read is true, and pretty much nothing you read in that rag is true. The Mail is as bad as The Sun and should be banned from TW in my view.

As an aside, I think it's a straight fight between us and Leeds as to who goes down with Norwich and Watford. Pretty much a case of who has the shittest defence, and luckily Leeds are just about edging that at the moment. It only takes a couple of wins from one of us and it's game over in my view.

I also think it'll be a very low points total that'll keep teams up this season.

Don #116

That exactly it.

Barry #115

Have supported Everton since the 1960s and have attended home and away game.

Kieran #90

You could go further than that if you looked at list of jobs at Finch Farm, including the Academy and the Board with the third highest remuneration in the Premier League.

By the way, I am visiting a nervous friend. He has just said that he hopes I am not posting on ToffeeWeb from here, because he does not want his windows pointed out.

If, as expected, we announce losses of £260 million, how can a CEO and Chairman not resign immediately for this gross negligence?

Or are they verbally paralysed with any announcement to find new sponsorship? Or any dialect unless it's an email to the fans, 'thanking them for their support' bullshit.

Obviously we can't expect the owner to sack himself but he entrusted other people besides his daft involvement picking a manager or two, plus Iwobi (allegedly).

Like many others, when I saw a piece about the club's finances, my first thought was: 'What does The Esk think?'

As he seems to be fairly relaxed about it, I have put the blood-pressure tablets back in the cupboard, and sent the loaded pistol back to the Officers' Mess!!

I'll go with the sentiment that manager after manager has had an institution that lives in its comfort zone imposed on them.

I hope this young manager who knows how to win is going to be allowed to set his own agenda.

But to do that properly, it needs change higher up the food chain of Everton Football Club. For too long, the manager has been the sacrificial lamb for failure.

I'm increasingly of the opinion that too many managers have come in, tried, but been defeated by the institutional culture of accepting mediocrity under Kenwright and Moyes. They were a good match.

Since then, we've recruited badly and some of the managers seem to have lost the will and couldn't work with the operating model.

Danny#122

Better put than myself and worryingly true even now.

I go with Evertons Survival being a straight fight with Leeds.

Reserve goalies aren’t consulted over wages and financial matters, but with a reserve goalkeeper being one of the cushiest jobs in football, I reckon they might just know a lot about being on easy street Alan J?

Brian (120) the saying that nobody spends somebody else’s money as carefully as they spend their own sums them up. I agree they’ve been both negligent and inept.

Especially the man who never took a penny out of the club Peter! He’s gave us some great times though, and for that I admire him, what a cheeky fucker our Chairman really is!

It’s all just a smoke screen to save that club owned by that Russian billionaire

Tony (#124);

I'd have thought that a newly arrived reserve keeper and newly appointed manager discussing other players pay and attitude would be far more damaging and divisive.

Alan#72,
Diana was never in the line of succession she was merely the former consort o the heir to the throne. Any children she may have had, would not have been royal and would not have been in the line of succession. So as far as that goes, in this case the British intelligence agencies would not have been trying to bump her off.

Yes Alan J, that definitely sounds a lot more damaging than paying the likes of Iwobi, over £100 grand a week, I hadn’t thought about that.

Tony (#130);

If you think that paying differing amounts in wages to players disrupts team spirit then it must be found in all clubs. Two people, one of whom is in a position where he should know better, shouldn't be worrying themselves about others' pay. If somebody heard and told you, then I wouldn't be surprised if all on the team coach know, and that is bound to have an effect and probably not for the better.

Had you thought about that?

It might have had an effect on the manager because he got the sack the very next week, Alan J, after bringing in a few players who were earning a lot less wages, which is the route it looked like our club was taking until Benitez got the sack.

The bigger issue, IMO, is that most of Everton's players are on Easy Street, and when I see performances like the last three away games, then they are definitely having a damaging effect on me, unfortunately.

Everton a club has too many players and coaching staff in their comfort zone Tony. Easy Street as you rightfully call it.

Forget the results, as a football person, you will understand, it's the performances that have dismayed me.

But, we're back for more tomorrow and despite how I felt in the aftermath of Monday night on the way home and my late night journey back from from Newcastle, I can't wait to be at Goodison tomorrow.

We've spoken - hope to catch up with you.

Tomorrow has got that really big game feeling for me, Danny, but I don't feel nervous or uncomfortable just yet, and probably because we are playing at Goodison Park.

I'm aware that football is all about results, but how the team performs has always been just as important to me, although I'd obviously take a poor performance tomorrow, just as long as Everton win!

Hopefully we can win our next three matches in eight days, and gain some much-needed confidence along the way? (15/1 I believe) I hope so anyway, because Wembley will feel like a home game if we can get there, and this should definitely suit our players!

Alan (131),

Going back quite a few years but I remember talking to Brian Labone about players' wages and I asked him if it bothered him if other players in the team were getting more money than him. He said, “Only if I find it is true that they are getting more than me, then I want to know why, and I want the same as them.”

Howard(#129); I don't know if you've missed the point or just demonstrated it. It is not a matter of if there is any truth in it but merely how easily conspiracy theories can be started and spread and the reported remarks of the Queen merely add to that theory of the time.

I don't suppose you've heard how a lot of Russian civilians think that most of the damage to civilians in Ukraine has been done by the Ukrainians themselves as that is what Russian state television is broadcasting and anyone reporting otherwise faces upto 15 years in prison for spreading "fake news".

Dave(#135); Exactly the point I was trying to make.
Talk between two recently arrived employees, both previously unemployed, about others pay and related effort will most likely only prove disruptive. And when you consider one was the manager who was partially responsible for team morale, and the other a reserve whose only contribution has been in second priority knockout Cup competitions against lower and non league opposition, one of which we were knocked out on a penalty shootout and was criticized by some on here for his lack of effort in that shootout, and on match day earns his own not unsubstantial wage by getting changed twice.

Don't know if either would have got much change out of Harry Catterick type manager but Labby would have had more chance.