PR attempt by Everton owner post Moussa Sissoko debacle is laughable

After missing out on Moussa Sissoko, the Everton owner is in the process of a PR clean up. Although, Farhad Moshiri might just be making a bigger mess in the process.

Everton missed out on Moussa Sissoko on transfer deadline day. The deal died with just hours to spare in the transfer window and now the Everton owner is doing his utmost to gain some good PR in the aftermath.

James McCarthy was rumored to be an outgoing Everton player, while Sissoko was said to be potentially arriving at the club. When Sissoko did a dramatic u-turn and signed for Tottenham, though, McCarthy also stayed at Goodison Park. Now Farhad Moshiri, the Everton owner, has made it known that McCarthy was always their preference over Sissoko.

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Moshiri said in a statement that keeping McCarthy at the club ”was a priority” over bringing Sissoko in. And commented how, regarding McCarthy, he just couldn’t bear to ”jeapordize his place at Everton.”

Why would you say this? You have to admire Moshiri for trying to turn the PR situation in the club’s favor. But the way he has attempted to do so is amateurish. It’s like yesterday never even happened.

Nobody is going to believe that you like Sissoko but prefer McCarthy. Not now. Why would you bid £30 million for a player you don’t need? I guess McCarthy was actually leaving the club for more than £30 million if Sissoko arrived? That was what was happening, right? Sure. Wink, wink.

Come on. Nobody believes this. Comments like this just compound the situation. The player made his decision and, if anything, Sissoko comes out of this looking like the bad guy. The transfer to Tottenham looks more like one big ploy as time goes by.

It seems Everton could have been used by Sissoko and his agent to help Spurs get a deal done. Or maybe just to encourage Spurs to match the offer. Whatever the plan was, Sissoko got what he wanted.

Everton didn’t get what they wanted, but this is not the way to handle the aftermath. Put some good PR out there? Sure. But why not just say it was all one big plan by Team Sissoko to get what they really wanted: a move to Spurs. Put it on them.

By saying you bid £30 million for a player you didn’t want and then you had to withdraw the offer because, you know, you don’t really want him, just makes the club look stupid. Everton are better than that. The club would have been better just saying nothing at all.

In hindsight, that’s exactly what Farhad Moshiri should have done.