Anybody read Japanese ?
【特集】Jクラブの新たなる海外戦略#2 J1の主力はもちろん、J2から即海外というルートも目立つようになった昨
www.footballista.jp
n today's transfer market, it's not just the main players in J1 who are increasingly moving overseas, but also the route from J2 to overseas is becoming more prominent. In order to adapt to the changing environment, new developments are emerging in the overseas strategies of J clubs. In times of rapid change, what is required is a clear vision and the ability to execute. While success or failure remains to be seen, we would like to delve into the interesting challenges each club is taking on.
Parts 2 and 3 focus on the strategic partnership between Nagoya Grampus and Everton FC, which was announced on August 21st. In this two-part series, BF, representative of Everton Japan, the official Everton FC supporters club, will examine the synergy that will be generated from the international strategy of The Friedkin Group (TFG), which forms the foundation of the partnership.
A shock ran through my timeline. As an Evertonian (nickname for Everton supporters), I saw the photo posted on social media and, upon understanding its meaning, I was so excited that my goosebumps wouldn't subside for a while. My beloved royal blue shirt and the red shirt I usually recognize as the color of my rival club were displayed side by side in front of the two representatives. The image of them exchanging jerseys and looking friendly with each other was striking.
The blue shirts represent Everton, and the red represents fellow Merseyside club Liverpool... but no, it's Japan's Akashachi (Red Shachi) team, Nagoya. On August 21, 2025, Everton FC of the Premier League and Nagoya Grampus of the J1 League announced a "Strategic Partnership." This exciting news raises vague expectations about the kind of relationship and synergy that Everton will build by teaming up with a Japanese club. Why Everton and Grampus?
Behind this story lies the twists and turns of a club that had forgotten how to swim at the bottom of the dark ocean, struggling to survive by relying on a single ray of light shining through from the surface. Emerging from the water, bathed in light, they felt a sense of relief, freed from the suffocating pressure. They grabbed the outstretched hand, and Everton's story of great ambition and challenge began.
Everton's self-inflicted slump
Everton is now entering a new era. In the 2024-25 season, they said goodbye to Goodison Park, their home ground with over 130 years of history. It was a sad yet glorious end for the "Grand Old Lady" beloved by generations. They have now completed their relocation to a new stadium built at Bramley Moore Dock, located on the banks of the River Mersey in Liverpool's port district. From the 2025-26 season, they will use their new home to further their ambitions in the competitive Premier League.
It's fair to say that Everton is one of the most prestigious clubs in English football. Since the club's founding in 1878, they have won nine league titles, five FA Cups, and the European Cup Winners' Cup. Since the Premier League was established in 1992, they have continued to compete in the top league as one of the "original clubs" that has never been relegated. They are one of the historic clubs known as the "old guard." However, in recent years, their status has been in jeopardy.
Going back in time to 2016, we have the Iranian investor Farhad Moshiri, who became Everton's majority shareholder. He strengthened the club with massive financial injections, launched plans for a new stadium, and implemented a series of Hollywood-style personnel changes. He hired renowned and accomplished managers like Ronald Koeman and Carlo Ancelotti, and appointed a Director of Football for the first time in the club's history. He spent a ton of money without reservation in his quest to fully advance into Europe. Each time, he was seen as the leading candidate to break the Big Six's stronghold, but the wall remained high, and contrary to expectations, he continued to fall behind. Naturally, his ambition fell short of his goals, leading to confusion and a heavy price to pay.
The Premier League set a limit on the amount of losses each club can incur, with the aim of ensuring financial health and the sustainability of the league as a whole, and the club was penalized for violating the Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), becoming the first club in the league to have points deducted for violating these rules. In addition to poor performance compared to the funds spent, Everton, who were receiving significant support from Russian sponsors at the time, were also affected by the ongoing war, which resulted in the club losing a major source of income on which they had relied.
Ancelotti's sudden return to Real Madrid in the summer of the 2021-22 season, amidst the turmoil, was a bolt from the blue, but it was marked as the beginning of a nightmare. His successor, Rafael Benitez, who had been successful at rival Liverpool, was hired, but the situation changed dramatically. Not only did he face backlash from supporters, but the collapse of financial backing meant he was unable to allocate resources to strengthening the team, and he had to let key players go. A series of injuries and consecutive losses left the team in a tough situation, fighting to avoid relegation.
That season, they miraculously managed to stay in the league and breathed a sigh of relief, but even after managers like Frank Lampard and Sean Dyche tried to revive the club, they were unable to escape the difficult environment and austerity measures, and the club hit a dead end. Despite attracting high-paid players, the team was no longer able to produce results, and in order to balance the books, they had no choice but to let go of promising players, losing key players such as Richarlison (now at Tottenham), Anthony Gordon (now at Newcastle), and Alex Iwobi (now at Fulham), and there were also many cases where talented young players who had emerged from the academy were sold for cash before they ever saw the light of day.
Supporters began to protest against the club's leadership, and movements calling for the resignation of the owner and senior management became more active. The rebellious voices forced the CEO and other executives to resign, but in October of the same year, while the club was left without a clear path, Bill Kenwright, the iconic chairman and face of the club since the 2000s, passed away due to a worsening illness. While the club and supporters mourned in grief, Everton found itself in a predicament without a leader. Moshiri had already been considering selling the club even before Kenwright's death, but the funds for a new stadium were not forthcoming, and securing working capital was a challenge. Wealthy individuals who had caught wind of the business opportunity were drawn to the club, and numerous rumors circulated. In the midst of this chaotic financial situation, 777partners, an investor group that at the time owned Italian club Genoa and Belgian club Standard Liège, stepped in and secured exclusive negotiations.
