I am beginning to think TFG are just waiting this out. There are a lot of fans online than want Moyes to stay, the poll on this page shows that. TFG probably want him gone but do not want to upset half the fanbase.

These interviews smack of damage limitation, almost like a politician who had a list of pre approved questions he knew he was going to get and all really controversial questions blocked. It all seemed very rehearsed BBC and Toffee TV almost identical interviews and answers.

This season I feel has already been written off They probably already have the next manager lined up to replace Moyes and will have them in at the end of the season or sooner if results turn sour.

Moyes himself is coming across as a man who knows he is on borrowed time. Meanwhile us fans will continue to pay good money to watch the club stagnate.

Andy raises an important question: are TFG just "waiting this out"? I see it differently. My original article aimed to broaden awareness of the underlying issues at Everton—the infrastructure gaps, the technology lag, the recruitment failures—rather than focus on Moyes . it was obvious from the Toffee TV interview that his future and team management were off the agenda. Kinnear's imprudent admission about the right-back situation surprised me most.

I see Moyes as a stabilising presence who lowers expectations while TFG work on the infrastructure. He's just a serious, dour, awkward man who says what he thinks and often counters the fan narrative because that's his personality, or some professional strategy.

The real barrier is culture. TFG's Head of Technology has said tech must consider existing culture—you can't drop AI into a club run on instinct for decades. That takes time. Finch Farm is another problem; the option to buy is being deliberated, and it may be a white elephant with no easy answers.

My core thesis is that TFG need time. They're not waiting it out—they're buying time, and they'll readjust as needed. They will monitor the season closely and decide whether they need another season with Moyes before making a permanent change. But they will also require improvement in the development of young players with potential—the £150m gamble needs to start showing returns, and Moyes will be expected to deliver on that front.

Good article Jerome, I enjoyed reading it, without me listening to the actual interviews with Kinnear via the different local mediums.

A couple of points, and god forbid, I've slagged the club off, most notably during the Kenwright era, but let's not forget, TFG saved the club from probable bankruptcy, and having a half finished new stadium.

There were NO suitable suitors lined up with the financial clout to rescue the club,remember the cowboys 777, so I will be forever grateful for their actions.

The Finch farm dilemma is an interesting one, look around the Premiership, and the ambitious clubs all now have far superior training grounds than Everton do.

There not just a facility anymore where the first team squad train, then go home. They double up as a medical centre, youth development, probably recruitment and data analysis. It could be and I don't know the actual size of Finch Farm, but the current plot may not be big enough to develop the facility to the standard they require, and hence not worth buying outright? Who knows if they are actively looking for a site to construct a modern day facility, somewhere around the city?

If you look at their past record at Roma, the Friedkins won't fanny about, if they feel the current manager isn't making the required progress given their level of investment, he will be gone.

If I had a crystal ball, it's highly unlikely Moyes, 64 next birthday, will be offered an extension to his current contract, he probably doesn't want that level of intensity if I'm honest, but the mass clearout of both technical and commercial staff in the last 12 months, shows a desire to bring increase both revenue and real footballing expertise on and off the pitch.

I believe it's a little early to be too critical pf the organisation just yet, my only concern is the lack of a public statement of intent from the Friedkin family themselves, as to the vision they have for Everton, now and in the future.

I see the Kinnear interview as a deeply cynical spiking of Moyes's guns when they knew he would be asked for the first time about how the recruitment was going, and they knew he would say the owners aren't spending.
I think the current situation reveals the full cynicism of the Friedkins. they have told Moyes to be quiet rather than raise concerns (until that became impossible), but also realise if they sack him and get someone else in they will have to promise any half decent manager a decent budget. Which they clearly don't want to do. They will wait for the window to clang shut, breathe a sigh of relief, and then look to get the next manager in.
Carpetbagging cheapskate billionaires is what we've got.

These interviews are just PR nonsense and not worth paying any attention to.

Basically the situation is this - the club and playing squad were in an absolutely terrible shape when TFG took over. They fixed it up a bit last season for the SMALL sum of €129.75m gross (less the €12.60m we got for Chermiti and Maupay).

That translates to a net spend of €117m and £100m in sterling (the 14th lowest in the Premier League last season). Low and behold, we're still not very good - and financial constraints mean this summer we're paying Coventry City prices for players.

To Steve, Kevin & Robert

Green belt blocks Finch Farm—buying it isn't enough. PSR isn't an excuse; Brighton, Villa & Brentford cope smarter. PR admissions are cheap without action.

TFG talk a good game but the Kinnear/Moyes split shows the gap. The £150m gamble, tech infrastructure and Finch Farm are the real tests.

Words without delivery are hot air. We'll know by January.

Kevin (4) those 'carpetbagging cheapskate billionaires' paid roughly £331m (inc Moshiri's payoff) to acquire Everton FC, plus initial funds to the club for transfer fees (net spend) £100m, plus recently £35m to Burnley as a form of compensation, currently under appeal, but still in Burnley's coffers.

By my reckoning that's around £466m, at the moment, they stand little chance of recouping any of that, barring a sale of the club in the near future.

How much did you contribute?

Jerome,

To be honest, I'm not particularly fussed about Finch Farm ownership. If I was the owner, it would be towards the bottom of a long list of much higher priorities.

In terms of the supposed £150m gamble - here are the actual figures:

Adam Aznou €9.00m (25/26 season)
Tyler Dibling €40.50m (25/26 season)
Charly Alcaraz €15.00m (25/26 season)
Merlin Rohl €25.00m (26/27 season)
Thierno Barry €30.00m (25/26 season)

In total that is €119 - which translates to £101m spent across two summer windows.

That is low cost and good value for 5 players of that age profile and quality. It's not a gamble, it's just what players cost these days. Anything under €30.00m is cheap.

Hopefully we'll see a few more arrivals - to add to the 5 decent quality players already purchased - now that our very successful opener is out of the way.

COYB.

Robert#8

All the top Clubs own their own training grounds,as do all the emerging Clubs Ipswich Training ground is owned a d worth £65million.There are reasons for that.

I was talking of the £150million last season. The net figure is a large sum to payout and not play the players to keep their value up and fevelop.I am hopeful that Moyes manages to play those players this season.That would be more benifical to Evertons finances, than short term contracts for older more experienced players. Hockley naturally plays the ball forward and can pass,which could change the dynamic in midfield.

Great presentation Jerome, thanks for putting that together.
TFG have a serious investment here, and they will mange this to a similar standard as all their other business interests.
Their decision making will not be sentimental or emotional, unlike people like myself who feel emotionally invested in the club, I would have parted ways with Moyes right at the close of last season.
But perhaps as yourself and contributors have included, they are waiting out the managers tenure, if so I hope we see a change around Christmas, even if we are "safely midtable" and "happily dissatisfied".
Have TFG ring fenced capital for the next manager and all that goes with it?, when might that tipping point come into play?
Finch farm is another matter all together, and from previous articles it seems to be impossible to develop that site into what we might really aspire to, I expect a few people will have eyes and ears open on potential other sites for development, the docks would be very expensive, so I would expect the new site could be quite a distance away from the stadium.
Man City got a very good deal taking on the old velodrome with a large apron of land around it, and in an ideal world I would love to see us take on more of the docklands, but that does not seem likely.
This season holds much interest off the pitch as well as on it.

I think we will look back on this interview as the moment when the whole thing collapsed. Moyes is now burning everything to the ground following Angus's late reveal about 'failure'. He's telling everyone tonight that there are no plans in place in the event we agree a sale of Ndaiye, so our whole strategy is a busted flush.
It's difficult to see how Davy and Angus patch this up.

Kevin # 11, why do you think TFG have no plan in place if Ndiaye is sold? That seems extremely unlikely. Indeed, since we already have Johnson, George and Dibling in these positions - we're not especially desperate.

In terms of TFG's approach to Moyes' ongoing appointment, the window and training ground, it all starts to make sense in (alas fairly dull fashion) if you look at it from a financial point of view (which is how TFG as owners will look at it).

Sadly years of mismanagement (and probably exploitation) mean we are not a big, rich club (yet). We're closer to Ipswich than even Villa in revenue (which has a massive impact on transfer spending). Based on figures published today our current wage bill is nearly half that of Villa and behind Newcastle, Forest, Brighton, Palace, Sunderland, Fulham and Bournemouth (and essentially neck and neck with Leeds).

So TFG have to be much more patient than the fans (and Moyes) want in sorting out a squad with some glaring weaknesses. But it looks very clear that TFG are hunting out low cost and good value from an overheated market - and will not budge from that. Frustrating, but when we look at the shape of the squad when the window closes next summer, it might well all look like a very sensible approach.

ask Moyes Robert. He's the one who said if we sell now it would probably be too difficult to reinvest.
while you're there, ask him if it's true TFG are selling Harrison out from under him in a firesale.