Farhad Moshiri: Ronald Koeman Statement

[evertonarntwe]

saying he doesn't expect to get results against some of the teams we played, yet one of his opening statements when investing was about returning everton to where we belong, winning trophies, challenging for the top 4 etc etc, how does he expect to do that by not winning any of the big games?

hate the defeatist attitude that has plagued this club since I can remember

 

[davek]

I agree with all of this. Fans of other teams are not going to ruminate on what Moshiri says or doesn't say, and most won't know his name.

But his comments contribute to the underlying narrative that the club presents, whether it be consciously or otherwise. Everton is a multi-million pound business, if you want to look at it coldly, and yet nobody at the club seems to care about how its presented to fans, customers, the football industry, whatever you want to call people who even have a vague interest.

There is so much football-related stuff going around, particularly with social media. Yesterday our effective owner decided to add to all of this flotsam and jetsam floating around by saying it's really ok for Everton to be on a bad run at present as we lost only one game we might have hoped to win.

There are some people old enough here to remember Gerald Ratners 'crap' comment. It was a moment of perhaps off-the-cuff honesty, but he could never shake it off. Sport and football is all aspirational, yesterday was hardly Al Pacino in Any Given Sunday from Moshiri was it?

If you can't win, and are not going to try to change that, what on earth is the point?

The comment about not expecting to win certain games: it's not so much the message to the outside world and our image to it; it's the corrosive INTERNAL effect it has on the club which is the most important thing. It was Moshiri's knife to a gunfight moment. It's a Rubicon crossed in his relations with fans and the damage it's done to that relationship is here for all to see.

He has a long road back now. Something startling has to happen to win back lost converts, such as a change of manager or the announcement of a spade in the ground at Bramley Moore Docks and the acceleration of the stadium scheme into reality rather than the usual pipe dream stage we're used to with stadium schemes.

 

[Lanolin]

Again, I don't think this is how he meant it - even though I totally agree it was a stupid thing to say.

But the whole use of the term 'laughing stock' gets on my nerves. People say it all the time and it just seems a bit childish.

I absolutely agree with what you're saying, I just wish people would use a different phrase it's a real knit-pick of mine

I honestly don't know. That was my first thought too, but looking at it again I'm not sure.

I think it's important to note that this wasn't a live interview, where you can forgive him for not quite being able to find the right word and so saying something similar which actually puts a different slant on the whole thing. Nor was it an excerpt from a longer interview, where a quote has been taken out of context when used in isolation. This was effectively an official statement from Moshiri, which he had plenty of time to prepare, check, and ask for other opinions on. It's at best an amateurish attempt in which he's stoked the fires he was attempting to put out, and at worst it's exactly what he meant.

I don't think the use of 'honest and objective' before expectations was accidental either. It's basically a way of saying we might let down the fans actual expectations - challenging for trophies and giving a game to any side we play - but if you look at it totally objectively (because fans are known for that trait, right?) then as long as we don't keep losing at home to sides like Burnley they shouldn't be too disappointed.

 

[davek]

Lets be honest did we expect to win

Yes. Against 10 men City? Against top clubs early in the season when they haven't fully got their form together? I expected at least one win out of the games against the four top teams we played.

 

[BlueToff]

The comment about not expecting to win certain games: it's not so much the message to the outside world and our image to it; it's the corrosive INTERNAL effect it has on the club which is the most important thing. It was Moshiri's knife to a gunfight moment. It's a Rubicon crossed in his relations with fans and the damage it's done to that relationship is here for all to see.

He has a long road back now. Something startling has to happen to win back lost converts, such as a change of manager or the announcement of a spade in the ground at Bramley Moore Docks and the acceleration of the stadium scheme into reality rather than the usual pipe dream stage we're used to with stadium schemes.

Agree with that David.

The whole upper echelons from the club - starting with the experienced senior pros, going through the coaching staff, the manager, the director of football, the board and Mr Moshiri - have let us down in the last 6 weeks. Massively.

They all have a long road back.

 

[BlueToff]

Yes. Against 10 men City? Against top clubs early in the season when they haven't fully got their form together? I expected at least one win out of the games against the four top teams we played.

City are an exceptional side. A side that eclipsed our spending on 8 players by the signings of three full-backs.

We had a very good first half and ultimately didn't do well enough in the second.

City would hammer most sides in the league with 10 men or not.

The performances since then simply haven't been up to scratch.

 

[davek]

City are an exceptional side. A side that eclipsed our spending on 8 players by the signings of three full-backs.

We had a very good first half and ultimately didn't do well enough in the second.

City would hammer most sides in the league with 10 men or not.

The performances since then simply haven't been up to scratch.

...we allowed 10 men to boss us in a game of football for a whole half of a game we were one goal up in. They were there to be dispatched by a couple of goals at least.

 

[Khalekan]

I honestly don't know. That was my firs

I think it's important to note that this wasn't a live interview, where you can forgive him for not quite being able to find the right word and so saying something similar which actually puts a different slant on the whole thing. Nor was it an excerpt from a longer interview, where a quote has been taken out of context when used in isolation. This was effectively an official statement from Moshiri, which he had plenty of time to prepare, check, and ask for other opinions on. It's at best an amateurish attempt in which he's stoked the fires he was attempting to put out, and at worst it's exactly what he meant.

I don't think the use of 'honest and objective' before expectations was accidental either. It's basically a way of saying we might let down the fans actual expectations - challenging for trophies and giving a game to any side we play - but if you look at it totally objectively (because fans are known for that trait, right?) then as long as we don't keep losing at home to sides like Burnley they shouldn't be too disappointed.

What he was saying was saying was that, like thirteen other owners in the EPL, he "knows" his club's place in the pecking order and he is quite cool about losing to Spurs, Chelsea etc. because they are de facto in a different league......it is the Burnleys we need to be beating in order to maintain a place in the gold rush that is the EPL.

Moshiri's statement was the mask slipping and the platitudes laid bare.

 

[CahillsCornerFlag]

Feel so disappointed in us as a club at the moment. There is no excuse for this small time attitude, and for expectancy levels to be as low as ever. Do I think we’re good enough to break into the top 4 with the squad we’ve got? No. But should our majority shareholder be coming our with such defeatist drivel? Absolutely not.

 

[longers]

So anyone want to post some links to us getting mocked by other fans because of Moshiris comment ? Should be easy to find hundreds given so many peoples assertion that everyone is laughing at us right now.

I look forward to the inventiable silence as the penny drops that no one gives a toss.

 

[BlueToff]

...we allowed 10 men to boss us in a game of football for a whole half of a game we were one goal up in. They were there to be dispatched by a couple of goals at least.

We should have gone out and got that winner mate, not denying that.

But, Pep is the best manager in world football. If you remember the game, we looked extremely comfortable until the 60th minute.

At that stage, Koeman went for the win. He changed from a back three to a 4-2-3-1, bringing on two attacking midfielders (Klaassen and Sigurdsson) in an attempt to get us further forward and kill the game, as City looked devoid of ideas.

And, if you remember, for about 5/10 minutes after that we had three chances - two headers from Rooney and one Sigurdsson cross that Ederson flapped at - that we really should have finished off.

Pep responded with a brilliant change, switching from a back three himself and pushing Sterling central, with Danilo coming on at right-back.

That gave them pace in the middle and we couldn't get out. Their goal came from a mistake from Holgate.

I see that game as being a tactical battle where both sides cancelled each other out (and we did that to the form side in European football atm), and one that was ultimately settled on a mistake from a young player.

The displays since that game haven't been anywhere near up to scratch, but in that game Koeman wasn't negative. He actively made subs that were intended to get us up the pitch. Pep reacted with subs that countered that, and ultimately Koeman probably could have then introduced a bit more pace in the form of Mirallas to try and push us back up, only for Schneiderlin's card to complicate things further.

 

[Saint Domingo]

Feel so disappointed in us as a club at the moment. There is no excuse for this small time attitude, and for expectancy levels to be as low as ever. Do I think we’re good enough to break into the top 4 with the squad we’ve got? No. But should our majority shareholder be coming our with such defeatist drivel? Absolutely not.

Yet we continue to sell Goodison out with capacity crowds. Honestly I don't know what hasvyo happen for anyone at Goodison to get the message that at least they should talk the talk even if they can't bring the walk to match it. Instead we have a manager and owner telling us we will be lucky to get 7th and that there's some games the club don't expect to win. Unbelievable. Can you imagine how fans of United/Liverpool/Chelsea would react to that? We just continue to provide this shower with guaranteed matcheay invone and the best away following in the country, and this is how they repay us.

 

[CahillsCornerFlag]

Yet we continue to sell Goodison out with capacity crowds. Honestly I don't know what hasvyo happen for anyone at Goodison to get the message that at least they should talk the talk even if they can't bring the walk to match it. Instead we have a manager and owner telling us we will be lucky to get 7th and that there's some games the club don't expect to win. Unbelievable. Can you imagine how fans of United/Liverpool/Chelsea would react to that? We just continue to provide this shower with guaranteed matcheay invone and the best away following in the country, and this is how they repay us.

We’re definitely among the most passive fans in the land. We’re far more prone to grumble to the fella stood next to us whilst muttering “Everton that” than to do anything about it. I think it’s a lack of pride after years of bottom of the barrel expectations, and defeatist propaganda from those in charge.

 

[blue61]

The comment about not expecting to win certain games: it's not so much the message to the outside world and our image to it; it's the corrosive INTERNAL effect it has on the club which is the most important thing. It was Moshiri's knife to a gunfight moment. It's a Rubicon crossed in his relations with fans and the damage it's done to that relationship is here for all to see.

He has a long road back now. Something startling has to happen to win back lost converts, such as a change of manager or the announcement of a spade in the ground at Bramley Moore Docks and the acceleration of the stadium scheme into reality rather than the usual pipe dream stage we're used to with stadium schemes.

Spot in this Dave, it's felt like a huge, collective kick in the teeth to the fanbase after all the fanfare. The heart of the club appears to be as incompetent as ever at customer relations.

 

[davek]

We should have gone out and got that winner mate, not denying that.

But, Pep is the best manager in world football. If you remember the game, we looked extremely comfortable until the 60th minute.

At that stage, Koeman went for the win. He changed from a back three to a 4-2-3-1, bringing on two attacking midfielders (Klaassen and Sigurdsson) in an attempt to get us further forward and kill the game, as City looked devoid of ideas.

And, if you remember, for about 5/10 minutes after that we had three chances - two headers from Rooney and one Sigurdsson cross that Ederson flapped at - that we really should have finished off.

Pep responded with a brilliant change, switching from a back three himself and pushing Sterling central, with Danilo coming on at right-back.

That gave them pace in the middle and we couldn't get out. Their goal came from a mistake from Holgate.

I see that game as being a tactical battle where both sides cancelled each other out (and we did that to the form side in European football atm), and one that was ultimately settled on a mistake from a young player.

The displays since that game haven't been anywhere near up to scratch, but in that game Koeman wasn't negative. He actively made subs that were intended to get us up the pitch. Pep reacted with subs that countered that, and ultimately Koeman probably could have then introduced a bit more pace in the form of Mirallas to try and push us back up, only for Schneiderlin's card to complicate things further.

...he made the wrong move. He should have gone for pace and width...that's what you do to a team with 10 men: stretch them and get them going backwards. We put on two static central playing players.

Shambles.