“A strategic review of the football structure will now take place which will inform the best model for the club to proceed with in the long-term.”
Since the above statement from Everton’s board following Marcel Brands’ departure, chaos has been the order of the day at Goodison Park.
Multiple years of poor recruitment. Managerial upheaval. A lack of distinct direction. They are just three issues Everton’s supporters have had to contend with recently.
When Dutchman Brands departed following a 4-1 hammering at hands of Liverpool, all footballing power seemed to be placed in the hands of Rafa Benitez.
So much so that star full-back Lucas Digne was allowed to leave the club for Aston Villa following a falling out with the Spaniard.
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But just over a month after Brands’ departure, Benitez was also heading for the exit after he was sacked following a 2-1 defeat to Norwich City.
Following Brands’ departure, the club’s head of recruitment and development, Gretar Steinsson, and manager of scouting and operations, Dan Purdy, both left.
While in the immediate aftermath of Benitez’s sacking, Everton announced a series of coaching changes that saw Francisco de Miguel Moreno, Antonio Gomez, Jamie Harley and Cristian Fernandez all leave the club with 'immediate effect'.
And just like that Everton found themselves in the middle of the January transfer window with no manager, no director of football and no head of recruitment.
Even by Everton’s pretty shambolic standards over the past few years this was a remarkable turn of events.
Then Everton supporters were forced to endure a new manager search that ended up as entertaining, if not more entertaining, as a soap opera.
There is no doubt that Everton’s search for a new manager peaked when Vitor Pereira, who looked to be heading for the role, decided to appear on Sky Sports.
It might have made a gripping watch for the neutral, but for Evertonians it was a toe-curling experience that lasted 22-minutes. It was nothing more than a car crash.
In the end, common sense prevailed and Everton finally made a sensible appointment in Frank Lampard.
Granted there are no guarantees that Lampard will be a success at Goodison Park, but he is a much safer option than wildcard Pereira.
The appointment of Lampard has been 'aligned' with the club's strategic review and Farhad Moshiri confirmed that Tim Cahill has been helping him during the process in a recent interview.
The ECHO understands that Moshiri has been impressed with Cahill’s knowledge of the game and he is now in line for a 'part-time' role at the club.
As well as having knowledge of the club, Cahill has a business career that is diverse across a range of industries.
The former Australia international is currently chief sports officer at the Aspire Academy in the UAE and is on the board at Belgian side KAS Eupen.
For some, any role for Cahill is another 'job for the boys' - but the truth is that it would be another sensible and common sense appointment. That type of appointment is needed.
Then to add another piece to the jigsaw on Wednesday afternoon the news broke that Everton are to retain the vacant position of director of football to work alongside Lampard.
The ECHO understands the Blues are weighing up a move for Steve Hitchen as they look set to reshape their recruitment department.
Hitchen has today resigned from his scouting and recruitment post at Tottenham Hotspur and has also worked for Queens Park Rangers and Derby County in similar roles in the past.
Moshiri made a common sense decision by appointing Lampard, and could be about to do the same with Cahill’s role at the club.
So whether it be Hitchen, or anyone else for that matter, Moshiri must make sure he continues this recent trend when appointing Everton’s next director of football.
The last thing he and Everton need is another 'strategic review of the football structure' in the next couple of years.
