Friedkin Group Stabilizes Everton, Moyes Revitalizes Squad, Stadium Upgrade

Key Quotes

"A year ago on Friday, Everton's takeover was complete. Since then the club has been rejuvenated. So how far can they go under the David Moyes and The Friedkin Group?"

This quote sets the stage for the discussion by highlighting a significant turning point for Everton Football Club: the completion of its takeover by the Friedkin Group one year prior. The host, Ayo Akinwolere, frames the central question of the podcast, which is to assess the club's progress and future potential under new ownership and the management of David Moyes.

"Yeah, I think it's just a different club. I think, you know, to cover Everton 12 months ago or 18 months ago, and there was a sense of turbulence behind the scenes that Everton really could not shake, and I think at times the concern was almost existential for the club. Move 12 months on, and a lot of the financial worries have dissipated. The Friedkin Group have stabilized the club financially, doing a new stadium, but there's another big difference, and on the pitch, they've kind of flirted between that kind of fifth, sixth, seventh place in the table and kind of lower mid-table. So a sea change, really, for a side that was imperiled financially and battling relegation every year to what is relative stability right now."

Paddy Boyland describes the profound transformation at Everton since the Friedkin Group's takeover. He contrasts the previous state of financial instability and existential threat with the current situation of financial stabilization and improved on-pitch performance. Boyland emphasizes that this shift represents a significant change from a club constantly facing relegation to one experiencing relative stability.

"I think the main thing was, was as you said in the intro, really, was the change of ownership and the sense of hope that that gave the club. You know, putting behind them the constant fear of being docked points by the Premier League because of PSR breaches, have had to lose to this kind of away from the field existential crisis that was long in the brewing, really. And it was always, well, whatever happened on the pitch, good or bad, and it was largely bad, in the background was this chance that the club could, could just completely implode. So the new owners have brought stability."

Greg O'Keeffe identifies the change of ownership as the primary catalyst for renewed hope at Everton. He explains that the new owners have alleviated the club's anxieties regarding Premier League Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR) breaches and the broader threat of financial collapse. O'Keeffe concludes that the new ownership has successfully brought much-needed stability to the club.

"Yeah, I think one of the things that came through very early on with the Friedkin Group is that they were well-funded and well-intentioned. Now, for Everton, given their financial problems behind the scenes over the last few years, that was a really great thing to add to the club. More or less overnight, when the takeover was was completed, they they refinanced the debt on low interest, long-term rates. That obviously has a big impact on their spending power. They've invested in the squad to the tune of over 100 million pounds over the summer, and there's just this general sense that they are steady custodians. I don't think we necessarily are going to go anything beyond that right now. I don't think they've set the world on fire, but I think there's a steadiness about Everton that just simply was not there with Farhad Moshiri."

Paddy Boyland highlights the Friedkin Group's financial strength and positive intentions as crucial assets for Everton. He notes that their immediate refinancing of debt at favorable rates significantly boosted the club's financial flexibility and spending capacity. Boyland characterizes the Friedkin Group as "steady custodians," providing a sense of stability that was absent under the previous owner, Farhad Moshiri.

"I think it's a combination of making them believe in themselves, but also making them realize their importance to the team and the importance of their performance with regards to the team getting a result and how people rely on each other. He makes you believe that the team can't get a result unless you, you are one of 11 players that play well, and suddenly you realize the significance of of that. You're wanting to make sure you give your all. And we all know that going into every single football match that players have real quality, but you can't expect a 10 out of 10 performance from every player every week. That will fluctuate. Levels of performance always will, but what he demands is that your level of effort doesn't."

Leon Osman explains David Moyes' effectiveness in motivating attacking players. Osman states that Moyes instills self-belief and emphasizes each player's crucial role in achieving team success. He highlights Moyes' demand for consistent effort, even when individual performance levels may vary, as a key factor in ensuring the team remains competitive.

"Yeah, I think there is, and I'd actually say that of anybody probably from Manchester City and Arsenal, the league is more saturated than ever this year, partly because the promoted clubs have done so well. So there's this kind of big blob in the middle where everybody is beating everybody, results are quite volatile. I think in the space of a week, Everton went away to Old Trafford and with 10 men beat Manchester United for the first time since 2013, then at the weekend lost 4-1 at home to Newcastle, who hadn't won an away game in the Premier League all season. Manchester United, who had lost to Everton with 10 men at Old Trafford, then went and beat Crystal Palace, who'd been doing really well away at Selhurst. So I don't think that's just an Everton problem, but it's one that obviously they need to work on themselves and get right. They are, to me, performing like a mid-table side, a pretty solid mid-table side that has those fluctuations, but in the main is pretty solid."

Paddy Boyland discusses the volatility and competitiveness of the current Premier League season. He points to the unpredictable results, where teams can achieve significant wins one week and suffer unexpected losses the next, as a characteristic of the league. Boyland describes Everton's current performance as that of a solid mid-table side, capable of strong performances but also prone to fluctuations.