Everton will be making a number of big decisions in the coming weeks and months – and it looks like a significant appointment may now be set in stone.
The Friedkin Group completed their takeover of Everton just before Christmas and so far, they have been measured in their approach.
They’re taking their time to ensure the correct appointments are made, and are keen not to rush into anything.
TFG did replace Sean Dyche with David Moyes at the start of January.
But they were rather forced into that decision, with Dyche telling The Friedkin Group he’d take Everton as far as he could.
Next on the agenda is a new CEO, and Everton have been in talks with Angus Kinnear. Today it’s been suggested Kinnear is set to take up the role at Everton in the summer.
And there’s one prediction Kinnear made at Leeds United that will be music to Everton fans’ ears.
What Angus Kinnear wanted for Leeds United that bodes well for Everton
Kinnear is an experienced football executive, having held his position at Leeds United since 2017.
Prior to moving to Elland Road he had a spell at West Ham United, and spent 10 years at Arsenal.
His time at Arsenal potentially makes him very good for Everton – he was the Gunners’ commercial director in 2007, which was when the club moved into the Emirates Stadium.
So with that experience of a new stadium move under his belt, he could be a good fit.
When Leeds gained promotion to the Premier League in 2020, that was an exciting time for the club given their exile from the top-flight in 16 years.
But Kinnear was keen to play that down, and tell fans he was keen for the club to play in the Champions League.
He said (via TNT Sports): “Whilst we’re celebrating, whilst we’re all very excited, we’ve got back to where we belong. This really is base camp for Leeds.
“Now it’s going to be really about building on that and making sure that over the next few years we start to compete at the level Leeds should be competing in, which ultimately is the top six.
“Leeds should have a Premier League team. Candidly, Leeds should have a Champions League team and that’s the vision.”
The kind of ambition Everton fans can get behind
In the end, of course, Leeds got nowhere near the Champions League places.
In their first season back in the Premier League, they finished ninth. But the season after, they finished 17th, before going down at the end of the 2022/23 season.
It turned out to be a poor prediction from Kinnear, but one has to admire the ambition.
Leeds had a great first season back in the Premier League, before the wheels kind of came off.
Some Leeds fans are happy Kinnear is set to join Everton. But at Everton, Kinnear would be the CEO of a club that is moving into an incredible new stadium, with new owners and one of the most passionate fanbases in the world.
He’ll likely have the same ambition as he did at Leeds, but will surely be better placed to realise them with the Toffees.
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