Tony Bellew delivers Everton and Farhad Moshiri verdict in passionate rant

Tony Bellew delivered a passionate verdict on Farhad Moshiri and the future of Everton’s ownership when speaking to LiverpoolWorld.

Bellew, 40, is a lifelong Evertonian and famously sold out Goodison Park in 2016 when he won the WBC Cruiserweight World Championship belt against Ilunga Makabu, fulfilling a lifelong dream in the process.

That night provided what is now a historic sporting event in the city but, in that very same year, Moshiri’s reign of Everton began and the seven years that have followed have been full of ups and down and reckless spending that hasn’t translated to success on the pitch - and the club is looking to move towards a new future under 777 Partners.

But the whole ordeal involving the actions of the board in recent years has been hugely criticised by the fans, and Bellew himself, who has slammed Moshiri for taking the club backwards.

“I think Everton Football Club should be extremely grateful for the money that has been put in from the likes of...whether it's an Usmanov, whether it's a Moshiri or whatever,” He said when speaking to LiverpoolWorld at the Matchroom Community Boxing event at the No Limits ABC on Wednesday evening.

“As Evertonians, we’re extremely grateful and we’re very proud of what's being done. But, at the same time, he's [Moshiri] on the back end of making decisions and the buck always stops with the boss.

“And I'm sorry to tell you now, Farhad Moshiri has been in charge for six, seven years of Everton Football Club. Look where Everton Football Club was when you took over us and found us and look where we are now. Just look at the starting line-up. Just look at the team. Look at the team that was in place when Farhad Moshiri took over. We were in the Europa League, we’re flying. How have we spent £600million and we’re behind where that is? It's absolutely insane.

“Only Everton Football Club could manage such things but I'll be eternally grateful for where Farhad Moshiri tried to take us, but it has to be addressed and people will go on about ‘Oh why, aren’t you going on about Bill Kenwright’. Well, I'm sorry to tell you, but that team I've just named was formed, guess who under? Bill Kenwright.”

In terms of moving forward, he admitted a win at Anfield at the weekend against Liverpool is highly unlikely as well as going on to say that he believes the fans are owed some transparency for the past few years.

“It's football and it's disheartening and it's depressing. But, I tell you what, if we go and win on Saturday afternoon, I'll be singing the praises, let me tell you, and I'll be saying how great everyone is and how great Everton Football Club is. But the chances are slim to none and you just you go there with hope.

“The next few years are vital. I think Sean Dyche's is on the right trajectory to start getting more results. I just hope and pray Everton Football Club is sound, I believe it will be, I really do. We need to find out where the investments going, where the money is coming, who’s doing what. I mean, I'd love to see just some transparency at the club, I’d love someone to just come out and say this is what we messed up on. No one really knows what’s going on.”