00:00Looking at the Freaking Group takeover, we've discussed Everton's takeover for so, so long
00:10it just seems like it's been going on and on and on. The Freaking Group have made already
00:16inroads with paying off numerous debts already before actually formally getting the keys
00:22to the club. They obviously have the stadium takeover in the new year and that's going
00:27to be interesting for next season. What's the first priority that the Freaking Group
00:32are going to do if they haven't already paid these debts off and they're trying to create
00:37a new business model and a new era for Everton? How do they come in straight away, fresh,
00:44and approach this incredibly tough job?
00:47Well, first of all, it's sorting out the hierarchy of the club. I think Everton haven't had enough
00:54expertise at boardroom level. They've had an interim CEO for the past 18 months, Colin
01:02Cheong, who's the club's chief stadium development officer. So that clearly implies his skillset
01:12is to do with the new stadium and he's had to be filling in in an interim role. He deserves
01:17a lot of credit for that. But Everton need a proper board in place, proper CEO in place
01:24who can drive the club forward, give the club leadership and bring it to the next level
01:31because I think a lot of supporters will think that there's a lot of untapped potential in
01:39Everton commercially. Are they where they should be as a Premier League club? Now, of
01:46course, the stadium, the move to the stadium will drive revenue significantly, but is there
01:52more to be done in terms of off the field? How can they drive revenues up as well? I've
01:58seen at Roma with the Freekans group that they've brokered deals with Adidas to manufacture
02:06the kit and Reartsies and it's their front of chair sponsor. So I think that will be
02:13a big one for the Freekans. But more short term, they've got to look at the position
02:18of Sean Dyche and director of football Kevin Falwell as well, both out of contract at the
02:23end of the season. What do they do there? What's at the club? But there has been some
02:30scrutiny on some of the buys that he's made. So yeah, as I say, getting the leadership,
02:36the club right is the first thing. Then they'll be looking at the management, the football side,
02:42the squads as well, because there's 11 players in the current squad who are out of contract
02:47in the summer and they've got to look at that. And you would like to think that whoever is
02:51going to be the director of football will have a say in that and to offer new deals.
02:55So maybe that's the approach they take.
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