Gary Neville slams Farhad Moshiri after Everton point deduction news at Goodison Park
Gary Neville has slammed Everton owner Farhad Moshiri and the Toffees board for their role in the Blues’ point deduction, suggesting they had “to be better”.
The Toffees were deducted 10 points by an independent commission having been adjudged to have broken the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules, having overspent the allowed losses by £19 million under Moshiri’s ownership.
While Neville was in agreement that the punishment handed down to the Toffees was much more severe than was expected or necessary, he was incredibly critical of Moshiri and the Everton board for ignoring the warnings of the Premier League.
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo (27 November) he said: “I thought it was harsh. ‘Disproportionate’ is the word that Everton have used, they said they will also be looking at what other clubs’ punishments are going to be in the summer and I’m not surprised.
“I understand the anger, completely. I also would understand their anger at their own board and their own ownership.
“Twenty million pounds or £30m whatever they’re out, you’ve still got to be better than that. Let’s be clear. They were told, they were warned, they were working with the Premier League and knew they were over.”
Have to do better
You don’t have to tell Everton supporters that Moshiri has done a bad job during his time as owner at Goodison Park, the Toffees’ fanbase has been incredibly vocal in their dissatisfaction with their current owner after a miserable few years on Merseyside.
There is no doubt that the 10-point deduction imposed on the Toffees is incredibly harsh and Everton will be hoping that other Premier League clubs are punished similarly in the coming months and years and they are not the only ones made an example of.
But, Moshiri was well aware of the profit and sustainability rules in the Premier League and despite plenty of warnings they still overspent by £19 million. That may not be a massive figure in the grand scheme of modern football, but it is still an overspend.
Hopefully, Moshiri’s tenure at Goodison Park is drawing to its conclusion as 777 Partners continue their push to acquire the majority share of the Toffees, but you have to wonder if the American firm is much of an improvement when compared to the current team in charge of Everton.
In other Everton news, Jermaine Jenas has blasted Dwight McNeil over his “half-hearted” display against Manchester United