You would struggle to find a more emotionally-invested chairman than Bill Kenwright.
And judging on his investment so far, Farhad Moshiri is shaping up to be a fairly supportive club owner.
Everton are lucky to have them both – but they are making an almighty mess of things right now.
Ronald Koeman was clearly struggling both to motivate his players and to find a system that got the best out of a large but limited bunch. He actually looked as if he was struggling to motivate himself and had to go.
As good as Arsenal were in Koeman’s final game, Everton looked pretty clueless throughout.
But to sack a manager of Koeman’s experience and not have a successor lined up is simply negligent.
Did they really think David Unsworth was going to turn things round? If so, on what basis? Success with the under-23s and being a passionate Evertonian? Maybe the romantic streak in the boardroom wanted Unsworth to succeed.
That would be the same romantic streak that made them think it was a cracking idea for Wayne Rooney, surplus to requirements at Manchester United, to re-sign for the club.
People who have seen more of Everton than me suggest Rooney has been one of the better players so far this season.
Fair enough, but that is a damning indictment of the summer’s recruitment.
Rooney will have his moments of brilliance because his well of brilliance has been so deep. But the bucket will have to go down further and further as he toils to keep pace with the speed of today’s game. Having a passion for the club is brilliant, but it does not get you points. Professionalism gets you points and, right now, there is not a great deal of either at Goodison.
The recruitment – and the vaunted Steve Walsh must shoulder a huge share of the blame – has turned out to be misguided.
But while the main stick used to beat Walsh is that a top-end striker was not recruited to replace Romelu Lukaku, no one ever asks why Lukaku was sold in the first place. He was under contract.
Liverpool did not sell Philippe Coutinho, Southampton did not sell Virgil van Dijk. However unlikely, keeping Lukaku was an option. The latest word from Goodison is that their managerial options are still open, the manager of this afternoon’s opponents still a name being bandied around.
But why would you give the gig to Marco Silva ahead of Sam Allardyce?
Silva is doing a decent job at Watford but Allardyce’s track record of survival goes without saying and his suitability does not end there.
As if it were some sort of ancient history, people forget Allardyce had Bolton operating at the top end of the Premier League table.
He would not just be an appointment for the parlous present, he would be one for the future.
Unsworth might get a much-needed win against Watford, but to make him the permanent manager while a candidate of Allardyce’s calibre seems open to an offer would be a huge risk. Everton need a safe pair of hands and they don’t come much safer than Sam’s.