Paul Quinn’s analysis of The Friedkin Group

‘Everton News’ claims big money will be spent this summer and Moyes will be offered a new deal.

I despair at the absolute shite they spout. Are they real people, robots, or some kopites taking the piss? Even AI couldn’t make up the garbage that they make up.

In any event, I’d not be surprised if absent owners do so in offering a new deal. Just my opinion. They’re no show so far has us all wondering why. Yet they pass the UK to watch their favourite Rome team.

Back to Moyes and his bench. Your face has to clearly fit.
The likes of O’Brien, Keane, Tarkowski, Gueye are safe.
Have a good game in their absence; expect them to replace you the next game.

Soul-destroying for playing well.

I do wonder what plans TFG have for us. So far, they haven’t bothered to visit the stadium or met the manager or players and most importantly haven’t bothered to meet the fans.

Dan Friedkin came over for the Dunhill Cup, a golf competition played in Scotland, but cant be bothered jumping on his private jet and popping in to see his massive outlay on a new stadium.

I am beginning to think they are more interested in the money they can earn from putting on non-football events at the new stadium, than they are about the footballing side.

Yes, we dodged a bullet not ending up with 777 Partners as owners but the lack of interaction between TFG and the club and the fans is worrying. Obviously being safe in the Premier League for another season means there has been no fan pressure on the owners.

The Silence from The Friedkins is appalling, Brian.

Thanks for buying us, you don’t have to speak to us, but surely showing just a little bit of interest might just help stir the emotions and give us a feeling that these people lack a little bit more ambition than adding to their portfolio.

Sean:

‘In any event, I’d not be surprised if absent owners do so in offering a new deal. Just my opinion. They’re no show so far has us all wondering why. Yet they pass the UK to watch their favourite Rome team.’.

Saint Daniel the Absent loves his jolly jaunts to Rome and golf in Scotland but he has been nowhere near our ground, or players or fans, and I wonder if he even talks to Moyes.

Similarly, Saint Angus the Silent hardly makes up for the lack of communication. He dashed off his miserable last window missive and nothing at all since then and nothing of substance before it this season.

Brian (41) is spot on. Friedkin does not get us and has made no attempt to do so, it seems — although, rermember, Mr Gaynes did tell us that he can ‘guarantee’ that St Daniel the Absent is — what was the phrase? — falling for us. Mr Gaynes did not respond to multiple requests for the evidence for his ‘guarantee’.

One of the consistent complaints about the last regime was the lack of communication. If anything, it is worse now. This emptiness does make you wonder with Brian about the nature of TFG’s commitment to us and what the main motivatiions are.

We keep being reminded that TFG care and they stabilised our finances. Well, of course they did; they cannot make the big bucks until they do so. Am I wrong in thinking that TFG recently took a fair chunk of change from the club?

If Patterson, Aznou and Dibling aren’t worth playing, then we need to bin them fast and sign replacements for each. Plus a second right-back.

Then one has to assess the striker position because, of our current two, neither looks first choice and maybe not even back-up. If we count George as ours and if he’s good enough, and we don’t sign Grealish (certainly not for tens of millions) then we need one more wide player, this time with some pace.

That is 6 or 7 (quality) signings in summer — just to get a proper squad that could get into Europe — and assumes everyone else stays and we’re okay with ageing players like Tarkowski, Keane and Gana.

Does Friedkin have that kind of money, £200M plus? I can’t see it…

Mark #73, assuming Beto, Patterson, Coleman and Keane all depart, and possibly Gana as well, I think we’ll need 10-12 signings to credibly compete in Europe. If Rohl, George and Grealish are three of them, we will still need four across the backline at an absolute minimum, more pace on the wings, and of course two forwards.

In my opinion, the primary question surrounding our spending is not whether Friedkin has the money — he’s considerably wealthier than the RS or Spurs owners, for example — but what he is allowed to spend under PSR/SCR.

If projections that Everton will increase revenues 50% this year are accurate, then the club will generate somewhere around £300M. Under the new SCR regs a club can net spend 85% of its revenues on players. That would give us a budget cap of roughly £250M.

I have no idea if that’s accurate, or whether Friedkin is in fact willing to spend that much, but it may well mean we will be swimming in more bountiful waters this summer.

Ah, Mr Gaynes who has been assuring us — might I use the word ‘guarantee’? — for months now that TFG have a long-term plan in which the next window – stage 2? – will involve big expenditure that we – what? – should salivate over, is now saying this summer’s window will now depend on ‘what [Saint Daniel the Absent] is allowed to spend under PSR/SCR’.

More shifting goal posts, Darren – 78. MG sounds like Saint Angus the Silent before the last window, suggesting that we might not get what we want.

But hey-ho, let’s raise a glass to stage 2 that will surely sort out our major squad issues.

ITFGWT
ISDTAWT
ISATSWT

Mike,

I don’t think anybody is questioning whether TFG has the money to invest, I think the question many are asking is: Why hasn’t he visited the ground?

I think our previous owner has been to the Hill Dickinson Stadium more than Dan Friedkin. Paul Quinn has written a very interesting article on X about TFG. The group own 3 clubs and I get the impression that he just treats them like another one of his Toyota franchises.

This to Friedkin is just a business venture that he hopes will give him a good return on his investment, and absolutely nothing wrong in that. But he has visited AS Roma one of his other clubs on numerous occasions.

Now while Everton might be just another investment in his portfolio, you would think, just out of curiosity, he would have visited. As I said in an earlier post, he finds time to fly into Scotland every year for the 4-day Dunhill Cup competition, so why, when being so close, is the Hill Dickinson Stadium not on his agenda to visit?

I have no idea whether TFG will be good owners or not but I do worry about their arm’s length approach to Everton.

The first thing I came to when I tried to google that, Brian, was an article reposted about the Glazers being the kings of leveraging, and it got me thinking about the dividend TFG paid themselves not so long ago.

Everyone has got to make a profit, but I think the Premier League should have stepped in years ago (straight after it became apparent what the Glazers were actually doing) with regard to this type of leveraged buyout.

I might be talking nonsense but something doesn’t sit right about this type of buyout, and I don’t think Man Utd, ve been the same since this particular takeover.

I think we are going to be finding out a lot more about the silent Friedkins very soon… but up to now, I’ve been very dubious about their overall intentions regarding Everton Football Club.

The fat one out of the two cowboys who bought Liverpool on similar subject, Tony.

Asked to explain leveraged buyouts: “I bought Weetabix a while back, every time someone eats a bowl of Weetabix, they are helping me to pay for it.”

I’m not liking what I’m seeing on this; hopefully I am wrong. The transfer window in summer will give us a lot of answers.

Everton’s revenue is forecast to rise by 30% to nearer £250M for the financial year ending 30 June 2026.

The club will able to spend 85% of revenue on squad costs (£212M) — players wages, transfer fees and agents fees. The current wage bill for 2025-26 is £76.3M and we likely spent £10M on agents’ fees.

Therefore, the amount available for net spend on transfers could be around £125M. So similar to last summer.

Quick FYI: I’ve moved most of the TFG discussion to this thread.

In the words of our leader, Thank you for your attention to this matter.

You only have to scan the Paul Quinn TFG piece to realise the scale of the Friedkin business empire and the fact that we are a relatively small cog in a very big structured business model.

Those craving emotive ownership are highly unlikely to see it. Those simply craving financial stability (we came very close to the edge under previous ownership and the 777 Partners deal, if concluded, would have sunk us) have seen a dramatic positive turnaround.

Big spend this summer? We will have to replace, rebuild etc but like all clubs limited by the new SCR at 85% of turnover. That is why turnover is king for us, increasing it by whatever means is vital.

So wheeling and dealing round the lower end (by ‘lower’, I suggest £35M tops with some additions for a lot less plus loans etc). Given the financial constraints, that is why I found the Dibling acquisition so puzzling.

In my opinion, we are likely to see incremental improvement but we are not about to go on a spending frenzy anytime soon; we can’t under the Premier League rules.

The clubs with the highest turnover will continue to dominate; whilst our new commercialism is welcome, it’s not a game changer imo.

Well written observations.

Clearly Dan Freidkin doesn’t care. I would guess it’s not his thing, just another filler at the end of an AGM. If that.

Maybe it was his son or other members of the portfolio committee who saw a great opportunity for a grab. Lets face it, Usamov and Moshiri lost a vast amount on the sale. Both club and stadium.

And TFG know a bargain.

I had said previously on other threads, whilst we were still at Goodison, that it wouldn’t be before the end of this season where we would clearly see that moving had improved finances within the rules greatly. The larger capacity being vital.

However, there”s little point in cash and greater flexibility if money is wasted on shite, which it mostly was in the summer. Yet a-fuckin’-gain!

I don’t like or trust Kinnear. The glued-to-the-screen scouting system (which many on here deem vital and indispensable) with favoured agents in pockets has failed for decades.
So has Moyes’s whiteboard.

Its beyond comprehension that we could overlook the glaringly obvious urgent needs all over the pitch. But it’s Everton.

TFG have entrusted project #2,467 to the Corporates. These suits know a thing or two about points and numbers. Just not in relation to anything football.

Let’s hope that all gets turned on its head come the summer window.

I’m grateful for the stability, although I do worry that we are nothing more than another football club in The Friedkin Group portfolio. Ian.

With regard to the 777 Partners deal, I don’t believe it would ever have sunk us, simply because I didn’t think there was any way that it would have ever been ratified to begin with.

The more you look at the Dibling deal, I think it’s obvious that there must have been crossed wires or not enough due-diligence done, although it does look like the club have shown a lot more intent to start signing younger players — which is probably another crossed wire with a manager who definitely appears to favour experience?

Is it really a big deal if Dan Friedkin hasn’t visited the new ground?

I don’t think so; his son Ryan has a couple of times apparently. And other family members regularly attend.

All I care about is what happens on the pitch. Not who’s in the stands.

Steve #11, I don’t have your level of expertise, but based on what I’ve read, the estimate you cite of Everton’s revenue at £250M includes the increased game-day revenue from Hill-Dickinson Stadium and the new commercial agreements with Pepsi, Budweiser, Aramark et al.

It does not, however, include the sales of Goodison and the women’s team to other entities within TFG — which will count towards gross revenue (a loophole that we and Chelsea took advantage of before it was closed).

So, if that’s been reported correctly and I’ve read it right, that would bring us up near £300M and raise our spending cap accordingly.

Paul – 17: ‘his son Ryan has a couple of times apparently. And other family members regular attend’.

Could you provide absolutely unequivocal evidence of these things, Paul, please?

Do you mean have I photo or video evidence, then no.

But it’s been reported that Ryan and family members attend. Suppose you want proof on that as well?.

Absolutely PH. Where do those reports come from/who made them. Reports mean nothing unless we know who made them and where they come from.

Is it a newspaper? Someone on here? Somewhere or someone else?

I’ve haven’t heard anything along these lines and, quite frankly, do not believe that ‘other family members regularly attend’, although I am obviously open to being corrected. But for this I will need to know your sources.

Or, perhaps, you might reply in the manner that Mr. Gaynes did when I asked him for his sources on another matter that he did not/refused/want not able to give.

‘Why? I read these resources, keep notes, post information for those interested. You can’t be bothered. If you’re curious about the quality of what I post, do your own research. It’s all right out there if you’re willing to make the effort. Which you are not’.

Never read anything like that in all my time on ToffeeWeb or any other site now I think of it.

Dan Friedkin’s wife and daughter have attended a game, Paul.

Use your imagination and go on Google. It’s easy to find.

Under oath please Mr Hewitt! Wonder could we have some AI powered detector on this site so little squabbles that arise and develop into insults about the accuracy of stats and who is or has been to the ground can be a thing of the past or transferred to the TW of the Gmail bin.

But this has gone on for years.

Mercifully, an actual game of football usually brought people to their senses as it dawns that they got carried away when bored and were actually just longing for a game.

Either that or this is the new reality were 11 players who actually play for Everton on a match day are just a bloody side issue.

Certainly how the modern broadcast and tabloid journos see it and worries me a group of intelligent people on here are just following the same rich men soap opera.

Or is it me just getting old?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Paul, a Gayne’s like swerve. I warned you.

I’m with Victor M: I Don’t believe it. I don’t believe that they are in your word ‘regular’ attendees. But I’ll google Dan Friedkins wife and daughter HDS regularly and other variants

So, this is what I found Paul. An Echo story that wife and daughter went to one match and that a son went to the Roma match. Jeez, that’s ‘regular’.

Also: Friedkin senior, who is Everton chairman, was in the UK the day before their home game with Crystal Palace, [but] he has still not attended a game at Hill Dickinson Stadium,

Also, said son was with Pop at the Dunhill golf in Scotland but neither thought it worthy to get down to Hill Dickinson Stadium… WOOOOOOOOHHHHH!!!

I knew that a certain someone would be lurking.

PG.

Like I said, I don’t care who attends the games. You do. End of.

You’ve become a little bit of a wind-up merchant and clown, Ged @65, haven’t you? When did that happen? I thought that you might be impressed by my ‘research’ that irrefutably makes my point for me. That would be the word ‘regular’.

You see, it’s like this. When I read something anywhere that I have significant doubts about (this I do for my job, by the way), I ask the composer of this stuff to eradicate my doubts and educate me by showing me the derivation of the comment.

This is what we ought to be doing in life. Cheshire GS: requesting veracity, checking the source of something, learning, being educated. If you don’t believe that this is legitimate and reasonable, then there’s no hope for you, squire.

As the Renaissance philosopher Pico della Mirandola wrote: we must question everything. This, as I’m sure you know, was a critical influence on Christian Humanism (most famously Erasmus), the Reformation, and the Scientific ‘Revolution’ of the 16th and 17th centuries.

Brand new oven ready stadium and lots of TV money coming, what’s not like for TFG?

Keep us ticking over in the Premier League, job done. Who needs them pesky trophies?

Well thanks to TW and Google search and Paul G I have learned what a WUM is. Only tend to do do it on TW, one of the few sites I contribute to.

But, I think you’re just dressing up spats as some kind intellectual discipline passed down through the centuries.

All self perception in the end for us all I guess.

And WUM. Now I know what it is. Totally guilty as charged!

I hardly think that it was a ‘spat’, Ged. I reasonably questioned Paul and he responded. That said, not very effectively in my opinion that I am allowed to have.

Also, I do not at all understand PH @27. If he does not care, why raise it in the first place? All is good.

Have I read that correctly, we have a chairman who has never attended a game?

So what? He’s only the fucking chairman.

Paul G: Mea culpa.. I think semi-retirement and working freelance has brought out another bout of mischievousness.

As someone who trained as a newspaper journalist with NCTJ way back, checking the source of something was an important thing I learned.

As was pondering motivation.

Anyway, a game soon, whoever attends!

Spot on Tony @33 — but Saint Daniel the Absent likes going to the eternal city, mate. Perhaps he has google imaged The Dock Road or The Piggeries?

This disgusts me:

‘Friedkin senior, who is Everton chairman, was in the UK the day before their home game with Crystal Palace, [but] he has still not attended a game at Hill Dickinson Stadium’.

Two different trains of thought are in place, Paul.

Some aren’t interested if he’s never attended a game, even though he’s invested a lot of money into purchasing Everton, whilst others think that football is about more than being an investment and think along the lines that there probably wouldn’t be a football club anywhere in the world if people weren’t emotionally invested.

Err…

Friedkin senior, who is Everton chairman.

Sorry but Dan Friedkin is not the Chairman of Everton FC. He’s not even on the Board of Directors.

We all used to know only too well exactly who was the Chairman, but he’s been dead for more than 2 years (will someone please tell Don Alexander).

There’s a new bloke at the helm, he seems to be even better than Dan Friedkin at maintaining a low profile… I wonder how many can name him without looking it up?

Is my post @33 still factual, Michael?

Or have we got another man of the people back in the boardroom?

Our chairman I think is somebody called Watts, Michael or Mathew Watts.

A TFG senior management figure.

Marc Watts is the executive chairman.

He is a TFG man.

I’m getting really lazy these days, so I asked my friend Al:

While there is no public “attendance tracker” for club executives, we can determine a minimum number based on confirmed sightings and official club events since he was appointed Executive Chairman in December 2024.

Based on official reports and photography, he has been confirmed in attendance at several key matches:

Everton vs Chelsea (22 December 2024): This was his first official match in charge following The Friedkin Group’s takeover. He was photographed extensively in the Directors Box alongside interim CEO Colin Chong.

Everton vs Aston Villa (15 January 2025): He was again spotted and photographed in the stands at Goodison Park for this Premier League fixture.

Everton vs Liverpool (February 2025): He acted as a personal host for special guests Margaret Aspinall and Andy Burnham during the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.

As the Executive Chairman and a key lieutenant for Dan Friedkin, he is based primarily in Houston but maintains a heavy presence in Liverpool to oversee the club’s “new era.”

His attendance is most consistent at home matches at the new Hill Dickinson Stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, as well as for major commercial milestones. While the exact total is not a matter of public record, he has been a visible figure at nearly all high-profile home fixtures since the takeover was ratified.

19 December 2024

By Dan Friedkin

Dear Evertonians,

Following the completion of the takeover of Everton Football Club, I want to express my gratitude for your continued support and introduce the incoming Executive Chairman of Everton, Marc Watts.

I take immense pride in welcoming one of England’s most historic football clubs to our global family, The Friedkin Group. Everton represents a proud legacy, and we are honoured to become custodians of this great institution.

Whilst we are new to the Club, we fully understand the vital role Everton plays in local culture, history, and the lives of Evertonians here and around the world. We are deeply committed to honouring this legacy while contributing positively to the community, economy, and people of this remarkable city.

Once again, thank you for your continued support.

Yours sincerely,

Dan Friedkin

Not sure it matters if a Chairman goes the match.

Mind you, It’s embarrassing to think that Kenwright went to about 50 times more matches than Don Alexander.

Is that genuine, Paul?

I didn’t think Yanks understood how to use the word “whilst”… but that probably just means it was written for him by Bill’s old PR department.

ps: Brownie points for Tony @37!

PG. You’re obsessed, mate.

Take a chill pill.

MK

https://www.evertonfc.com/news/2024/december/19/dan-friedkin-writes-to-evertonians/

There’s a link there also to a letter from Watts on the same day. Clearly they thought it would be a good use of time to get it all done in one day.

Nothing since then.

https://www.evertonfc.com/news/2024/december/19/message-from-everton-s-new-executive-chairman/

Dear Mr Friedkin.

I couldn’t care less if you turn up to a game. Couldn’t give two fucks tbh.

Just make sure you send the ackers on the first day of the summer window.

Friedkin should have mentioned that he bought the club to bring back success which means winning a Trophy. Pretty sad that he does not want to go to at least one home game and one away game, he would then get a feel for what the fans are about!

Tony 37, explains it perfectly!