Few really seem to know exactly what is going on when it comes to Everton, with Farhad Moshiri unfortunately one such example.
His reckless leadership across the last eight years has taken the Toffees from a side widely recognised as the best of the rest and turned them into regular relegation candidates.
And yet, his ownership was largely seen as the lesser of two evils when compared to 777 Partners, who had initially struck a deal with the Iranian businessman back in September to buy the club.
Now, nearly ten months on, we are seemingly still no closer to a conclusion on this matter.
Kieran Maguire delivers 777 Partners verdict
Speaking on his The Price of Football podcast, released earlier today, the football finance expert and University lecturer offered his insightful verdict on Everton’s takeover process, which continues to dominate the headlines.
With so many new suitors coming out of the shadows to affirm their interest in the club, which Moshiri has made clear his desire to sell, it is hard to keep up with who the favourite is with each passing day.
However, Maguire at least has sought to outline one party which is completely out of contention, and it should really come as no surprise despite them once being in the driving seat to assume control.
He noted: ‘777 are now completely out of the equation it would appear. I think we’ve been hinting at that for some time.
‘It looks as if there are still three or four interested parties. John Textor, who’s the part-owner of Crystal Palace, he’s sort of fading away mainly due to the fact that he needs to be able to get a deal over the line in terms of selling his Palace shares first and I think Farhad Moshiri is looking for a quick solution.’
Everton need more stable owners than 777 Partners and A-Cap
Just as many have claimed for months now, including Maguire, 777 Partners were simply not fit or ready enough to actually become owners of Everton.
They lacked the necessary financial power to push through the deal, and seemingly had their own internal problems to deal with which were so lofty that they could not divert focus elsewhere.
So, it is for the best that their bid, lodged back in September, ultimately failed.
However, given how inextricably linked the Miami-based firm are to A-Cap, the new frontrunners for the Everton takeover, this marks a worrying development that already has some pundits scared.
These two parties, who have been lambasted for their shady practices across their entire lifespan as companies, are not stable or safe enough to own a Premier League club, let alone one the size of Everton.
The Toffees need a long-term and intelligent strategy based on the foundation of a fine ownership group, and unfortunately, neither 777 Partners nor A-Cap seems up to standard.