This is the question that The Times poses this morning, five years and £585m into the Moshiri era.
The article by Paul Joyce suggests that it has taken longer and cost more to get the club where Moshiri would want to be - within sight of a Champions League place with the Europa League as a second best solution.
So far Moshiri has spent £135m on acquiring a majority stake; another £450m has been made available, mostly for transfers; and £100m is earmarked for the new stadium at Bramley-Moore.
There has been no lack of commitment from Moshiri 'when other owners might have got tired of banging their head against a glass ceiling [but] there have been various costly missteps along the way.' Getting decisions about managers and players right is never easy, but at last the club have a genuinely word class manager. The squad still needs greater strength in depth.
Of course, relying on a generous benefactor has its risks. And as Paul Joyce points out. 'in contrast to how Chelsea and Manchester City established themselves, Premier League profitability and sustainability rules (and beyond that Fifa's Financial Play) do not allow for open chequebooks and may necessitate the sale of a player early in the summer.'
For a club like Everton, a great history can become a burden as much as an inspiration. As Moshiri said in 2017: 'It's not enough to say you are a special club and a great club - we don't want to be a museum. We need to be competitive and to win.'
That is why I think the move to Bramley-Moore is so important, not just for the location and the potential boosts to revenue. It provides the opportunity for a psychological reset away from the neighbours.
Comments
Post a Comment