Monday Musing
Friedkin puts his money where his mouth is; Carsley forces the FA's hand.
The international break has provided a breather from the rigours of the Premier League, but that has not meant it has been totally quiet — in particular for Everton, as the takeover from The Friedkin Group continues to pick up pace.
Meanwhile, Lee Carsley has gone through a rough patch in his interim spell in charge of England, and it may have made the FA’s mind up.
Here’s your latest Monday Musing.
TFG ‘PUT THEIR MONEY WHERE THEIR MOUTH IS’
In an interview with Toffee TV, John Solano — of RomaPress — discussed The Friedkin Group’s ongoing takeover of Everton.
While there has been plenty of unrest at Roma this season, after the dismissal of club legend Daniele De Rossi, Solano says that TFG’s commitment to the Serie A side cannot be underestimated.
“They have put in obscene amounts of cash into Roma. Roma were publicly traded until about a year ago, so we used to be able to get the breakdowns of how much they actually put in, beyond what they paid for the club. It’s crazy to me, because unlike the Premier League, with Italian football it’s difficult to see where you can make the money.
“The media rights — Serie A could only wish to [match the Premier League] within the next decade. The absolute commitment they have showed. They have been very committed on the market. If an important player wants to leave, they bring in another big name. With [Everton’s new] stadium, I have to imagine that played a huge part in their interest within the club — owning their own stadium. Roma have been trying to get a new stadium since 2013, and not a single shovel has been in the ground, but they have made more headway in the past three years than the previous owners had in six or seven.
“They have been committed [to Roma] since day one. I don’t think anyone can question their commitment or their eagerness to drive Roma on and off the pitch. Have they made mistakes? Of course. They are learning, but the commitment they have shown, they have put their money where their mouth is. If a Roma fan is upset with The Friedkin Group, I doubt it would be in regards to money or transfers. It could be in regards to the coaches or something in that regard. But if you look at everything they’ve done, you can’t question [their commitment].”
Solano explained that TFG — unlike other prominent club officials and owners in Serie A — do not regularly speak openly to either the media or supporters. But he believes the expectations at Roma are out of kilter with what the club has actually achieved.
“I have gone to lengths I’m not proud of to get information on these guys! They just do not talk.
“Roma is such a particular and unique environment — you have expectations akin to Real Madrid, but you have a trophy cabinet that would fill up one small shelf. There’s no balance. When things go bad, it’s a disaster. When things go well, it’s a parade.
“There’s no in-between or nuance. I don’t think, in the Premier League, there’s this demand for perfection while having no reason to demand perfection in the first place.
“They have held an approach of shutting up, they just don’t speak. They have taken a very corporate approach that you don’t usually see in Serie A. In a place like Roma, that’s a great thing. When it’s going bad, as we’ve seen this season, it can be detrimental to your standing in the fanbase.”
Has the takeover attempt at Everton impacted TFG’s standing at Roma? Solano doesn’t think so.
This is the first time they’re handling a rough patch at Roma… But it doesn’t matter who the ownership group is. At some point, they’ll experience something like this. I don’t think the takeover at Everton has been used as an excuse for why the season has gone like it has or that it’s had any impact on the team at all.
DECISION TIME
The FA got lucky with Gareth Southgate.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to More Than A Game to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.