Jamie Carragher has defended Everton chairman Bill Kenwright and called on critics to "wake up" over his recent comments following the defeat to Aston Villa.
Numerous protests against the board have taken place over recent days at Goodison Park, including a sit-in demonstration following the recent defeat against Steven Gerrard's side.
Kenwright was confronted afterwards by a group of Evertonians outside the main reception to the stadium, in which he talked about "good times" fans have had during his time at the club.
Those comments have come under fire from some sections of the fanbase, with the Blues currently on a trophy drought which will span 27 years at the end of the current campaign if they are not successful in this year's FA Cup.
However Carragher, writing in his column for the Telegraph, has defended the Everton chairman and believes critics should have a different perspective.
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The pundit said: "The attacks on chairman Bill Kenwright, for example, do not sit comfortably with me.
"Kenwright’s response to fans who surrounded him outside Goodison Park last weekend - insisting that there have been ‘good times’ in the last 27 years - has been met with ridicule and criticism.
"For an older generation, the definition of ‘good times’ is winning league titles and European trophies. Wake up. Given the competition, the season in which Everton finished in the top four under David Moyes was more than good. Being a regular in the top six is good.
"Kenwright sacked only one manager – Walter Smith – after giving him as long as possible to revive the team, and moved for Moyes at the right time. Moyes was the best Everton manager since Howard Kendall.
"There is a lot of rewriting of history with regards Kenwright's only other appointment, Roberto Martínez, too.
"He won the most Premier League points in a season of any Everton manager and reached two semi-finals. It went wrong at the end, but it has been no better since.
"You can’t attack Kenwright for not having the financial muscle of rivals prior to the club’s sale in 2016.
"I am inclined to agree Kenwright should walk away at the end of this season because he has no real influence and is still getting blamed for what is happening.
"In Moshiri’s absence on matchdays, Kenwright is left to front up for all boardroom criticism. Why put up with that?
"Another argument is if Kenwright left, the lunatics really will be left to run the asylum. The warning signs of it getting worse are there after six years in which Moshiri has hired and fired two directors of football and is searching for a seventh manager.
"Before Moshiri’s takeover, the persistent attack on Kenwright was that he had not sold the club. Now we are seeing the consequences of a rich owner who thinks throwing money at it is enough to secure a seat at the top table. "
Everton are still on the hunt for a new permanent manager with reports suggesting that all of Frank Lampard, Vitor Pereira and Duncan Ferguson are set for more talks over the role on Friday.
Out of those options, Carragher is clear on who he thinks would be the best fit for the position.
"No manager - no matter how good - can revolutionise Everton’s team in the next six months. When conducting the interviews, the immediate priority had to be a coach who will get the most out of a limited squad.
"There is no reason why that man cannot be Duncan Ferguson, whose belated inclusion on the shortlist to replace Rafa Benítez makes sense.
"Never underestimate the value of a manager with a passionate crowd on his side. It means the players can’t shirk their responsibility, as this group has for a long time now, while the coach has absorbed most of the pressure.
"Moshiri needs to realise before it is too late that Goodison is the biggest asset he has in a survival battle. Packed and behind the team, a unified fanbase will make a difference.
"Between now and the end of the season, that can be enough to deal with this emergency.
"The other most suitable candidate of those in the frame is Frank Lampard.
"His managerial career got off to a promising start at Derby County and he did a lot of good work at Chelsea after he was thrown in at the deep end while the club dealt with its transfer embargo."
