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https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/everton-face-marco-silva-tapping-up-inquiry-25swkm8xp
Everton face Marco Silva ‘tapping-up’ inquiry
Club could receive points deduction over manager pursuit
exclusive
Matt Dickinson, Chief Sports Writer
September 14 2018, 12:01am, The Times
Watford were angered by Everton’s pursuit of Silva last season IAN MACNICOL/GETTY IMAGES
An independent inquiry has been launched into Everton’s recruitment of Marco Silva that could result in the club facing a substantial fine or even a points deduction.
The investigation into an alleged “tapping-up” of Silva while he was employed by Watford could require Everton’s hierarchy, including Farhad Moshiri, the club’s owner, and their Portuguese manager to hand over phone records and diaries to a QC to uncover any contact between the two parties and when it took place.
It is a significant escalation in the affair, which began when Watford were enraged by Everton’s pursuit of Silva last season, and is set to become the most high-profile case of its kind since Chelsea were found guilty of approaching Ashley Cole in 2005 against Premier League rules
Chelsea received a £300,000 fine and a suspended three-point deduction, while Cole was fined £75,000 and José Mourinho had to pay £75,000 for attending a meeting at a London hotel with the Arsenal defender.
Jonathan Barnett, Cole’s agent, was fined £100,000 and banned from working in football for 12 months, eight suspended, after a separate FA commission found him guilty of facilitating an illegal approach. Carlos Gonçalves, Silva’s agent, will form part of the inquiries, although it remains to be seen if he can be compelled by English football authorities to give evidence.
The Premier League had made attempts at mediation, with the possibility of financial compensation for Watford, but they proved to beunsuccessful. There were hopes at the league’s headquarters that the row would be settled when Everton were negotiating with Watford over the £40 million purchase of Richarlison, the Brazil attacker, in the summer.
However, it is understood that the clubs never came close to any agreement and, with Watford having made a formal complaint over Everton’s conduct, the case is in the hands of lawyers appointed by the Premier League to examine the evidence and basis for any charge.
Watford’s anger stems from November. They had started the season so strongly under Silva, who had joined the previous May on a two-year contract, that they were in the top four in October after eight matches, ahead of Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool.
Everton sacked Ronald Koeman at the end of that month and it was not long before Silva’s name was being mentioned as the No 1 target. As speculation mounted, Watford made it clear that they would not entertain an approach for their manager, who did not have a break clause in his contract, and rejected substantial financial offers to release Silva.
The nature of Everton’s pursuit — if, when and how they made contact with Watford, Silva and his representatives — is at the heart of the inquiries. Lawyers could demand emails and phone logs as well as statements from Moshiri, Silva and others.
Moshiri turned to Sam Allardyce, albeit reluctantly, by which time Watford’s form had plunged dramatically, with one win in 11 matches from the end of November leaving them five points above the relegation zone by January 21 when the decision was made to sack Silva.
A statement from Vicarage Road pointedly blamed a rival club for unsettling their manager: “The catalyst for this decision is that unwarranted approach, something which the board believes has seen a significant deterioration in focus and results to the point where the long-term future of Watford FC has been jeopardised.”
Silva, 41, was appointed manager of Everton at the end of May after the sacking of Allardyce. In July, Watford released a statement insisting that their case against Everton was less about receiving financial compensation than making a stand over what they believe to be a clear breach of rules with damaging consequences.
“In pursuing its disciplinary claim, the club has known from the outset it forfeited any right to compensation as a consequence of not following a proposed arbitration process,” Watford said. “We believe this situation is not about a compensation figure but the principle of making a stand when the actions of one Premier League club undermine and cause intrinsic damage to a fellow member club.”
If Everton do have to answer charges over their approach for Silva, the case is likely to be dealt with by a three-man independent commission led by a QC.
In the Cole case, the panel said that it felt the sanctions should “deter other clubs who may be tempted to act in a similar fashion” but they declined to order Chelsea to pay compensation to Arsenal.
Everton declined to comment last night.