The Farhad Moshiri reign at Everton was turbulent, to say the least.
The former owner was at the helm at Goodison Park for nine years, and there was widespread joy when The Friedkin Group acquired the club from him in December 2024.
Some Everton fans did have mixed feelings about Moshiri’s tenure, but the feeling for most was that his exit was a positive for the club.
Fans are hoping for smoother times under the new American owners, and smarter decisions to be made.
Under Farhad Moshiri’s stewardship, the club engaged in relegation battles several times.
There was a brief period when it looked like the tide was turning, and that was when Carlo Ancelotti came to the club in December 2019.
That appointment was hugely surprising to a lot of people given his pedigree and Everton’s struggles.
It was a move that Moshiri made happen – but director of football at the time Marcel Brands actually wanted someone else who is now a top Premier League manager.
Marcel Brands pushed for Mikel Arteta to manage Everton before Carlo Ancelotti appointment
Moshiri was responsible for some questionable hires during his time as Everton owner.
The appointment of Ancelotti was on him, but despite the Italian being seen as a real coup, he was not the choice of Brands, who made an interesting admission about the situation in 2023.
The Dutchman had actually wanted former Everton midfielder Mikel Arteta to succeed Silva.
Reflecting on his time at the club, Brands told NRC: “In my second year, Marco Silva was fired and I tried to prevent that, but it was beyond my control.
“I knew he was a good coach and he is now proving that at Fulham.
“The owner also determined there should be an experienced successor, and while the chairman and I wanted Mikel Arteta, in the end, it was Carlo Ancelotti.”
Brands also spoke to Soccernews last year about hiring Arteta for Everton, saying: “I moved heaven and earth to bring Arteta to Everton.
“He is also a former player of course. I spent the entire evening at his house and I saw him as the ideal man for us. I immediately saw a top trainer.”
Everton’s fortunes may have been so different with Mikel Arteta
While Ancelotti turned out to be one of the better Moshiri appointments, Arteta might well have made for a better long-term option after Silva.
Clearly, he was a very bright coach at the time having been Pep Guardiola’s number two at Manchester City.
| Mikel Arteta’s record at Arsenal |
| Games managed – 273 |
| Wins – 165 |
| Draws – 45 |
| Losses – 64 |
| Goals scored – 504 |
| Goals conceded – 286 |
| Major trophies – 1 |
We are now seeing what he’s all about in the Premier League as manager of Arsenal.
He has obviously not yet won the league. But he’s been successful in that he’s had the Gunners challenging a seriously strong Manchester City side in recent years.
He’s also drawn plenty of plaudits during his time there as well, with Unai Emery branding him a ‘genius’ just last summer (via BBC Sport).
Who knows, perhaps one day the stars will align and Arteta will be on the touchline at the new Everton Stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, as former director Brands had wanted to see all along.
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