Former Everton captain Alan Stubbs has called for “major changes from boardroom level down” after the club survived relegation on the final day of the season. The win extended their 69-year stay in English football’s top tier. Stubbs expressed his feelings of both relief and anger, praising the players and manager Sean Dyche for their efforts under immense pressure. However, he believes that the board must make changes in order for the club to move forward.
The Toffees have had a difficult two seasons, with Frank Lampard being sacked in January after a run of nine defeats in 12 games, leaving them second-bottom of the Premier League. They turned to former Burnley boss Sean Dyche, who successfully avoided relegation by guiding Everton to eight points from the final five games of the season.
The club’s troubles run deeper than the results on the pitch. The board, which includes owner Farhad Moshiri, chairman Bill Kenwright and chief executive Denise Barrett-Baxendale, have not attended a game since January due to safety concerns as fans protest against how the club is being run. The Toffees have also been referred to an independent commission by the Premier League over alleged breaches of the financial fair play rules.
Stubbs believes that Moshiri should step aside as he is not a football person and should not be making football decisions. He also believes that Kenwright and Barrett-Baxendale should resign due to their failure on and off the pitch, causing animosity among the fanbase. He concluded that major changes are needed in order for Everton to be fixed.