Farhad Moshiri can reportedly call a general meeting at Everton to remove Bill Kenwright as director of the club giving the majority shareholder the perfect solution to clear up the uncertainty.
The much-maligned Everton chairman has become a battering ram for fans along with several of the club hierarchy after yet another disappointing Premier League campaign, with chants of “sack the board” following the final-day relegation escape against Bournemouth on Sunday (28 May).
The Daily Mail reported on Tuesday 23 May, that Farhad Moshiri has entered an exclusivity agreement with the US-based investment firm MSP Sports Capital ahead of a 25% takeover, which will leave room for plenty of change at boardroom level should a takeover be completed.
As a result, on 12 June, Denise Barrett-Baxendale, Grant Ingles and Graeme Sharp all left their roles at the club, with Kenwright’s future thought to be decided in the following 48 hours from that announcement.
However, ten days have now passed and Kenwright is still in his position behind-the-scenes at Goodison Park which has brought some scathing criticism from journalists and those within Everton.
The Liverpool Echo reported on 21 June that some Everton insiders simply do not know what is going on in regard to the chairman position at the club following Bill Kenwright’s expected exit further adding fuel to an already blazing furnace that is seeping Goodison Park in regard to the uncertainty behind the scenes.
In yet another strange spate of controversy surrounding Moshiri’s disastrous decisions at the club, it was been reported in The Mirror on 12 June that Kenwright had in fact tried to resign with the others, but was convinced to stay on by Moshiri in order for him to find a replacement.
However, in a new development, the majority shareholder may now have been handed the perfect solution and opportunity to clear up the uncertainty that has simply halted Everton’s progress since their Premier League safety achievement.
According to The Esk [22 June], Moshiri can actually call a general meeting at Everton to remove Kenwright as director of the club in the worst-case scenario.
Writing on his personal Twitter account, The Esk wrote: “At worst, Moshiri could call a general meeting to remove Bill Kenwright as director.
“Minimum notice period is 14 days. However, with the support of holders of an additional 1219 shares (taking support above the 95% threshold), that notice period can be shortened at will.”
Everton really are a club in turmoil at present.
The fact that Moshiri has missed his own deadline when deciding Kenwright’s future tells you everything you need to know about his incompetence and the problems the club are steeped in.
Moshiri promised to change the relationship between the fanbase and the board with new investments and ideas at the very top, with the likes of Denise Barrett-Baxendale already.
But, Kenwright is still in position and that is a shock to everyone when it was fully expected that he would be shown the exit too by the owner.
However, he has now been handed the ideal solution to clear up this unnecessary mess at Goodison Park, but whether he finally decides to be bullish and assertive in his role and take up the advice is another matter entirely, because, throughout the last five years, he’s shown he really doesn’t care too much about how Everton can move forward.
Kenwright needs to depart ASAP. Everton fans no longer want a chairman incapable of being honest with them and lacking the kind of communication that really makes or breaks such a role.
The sooner he leaves his role, the better. But the power to relieve him of his duty now rests in Moshiri’s hands. But fans can be forgiven for not holding their breath at whether he will take action.