Everton owner Farhad Moshiri has blamed supporters for 'driving' bad managerial hires in response to their recent calls to 'sack the board' at Goodison Park.
With Frank Lampard's side sitting in the Premier League relegation zone, the Toffee's major shareholder has been under pressure from fans’ groups to speak about the situation in which the club finds itself.
And, with supporters planning to protest against the board after Saturday’s fixture against Southampton, Moshiri has urged Toffees fans not to 'make rash decisions'.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Moshiri was asked whether he believes the Everton fans still have faith in him and his decisions. He said: 'Well, I hope so. I put my money where my mouth is, that's the most an owner can do. I've done that.
'Some of the decisions we've taken, is with together with the fans. All the managers have been driven by the fans, not by me, initially.
'I think you've got to stay with the manager to get the systems going, the players that they buy. I have a lot of faith in Frank [Lampard] to get it right.'
Moshiri was named majority shareholder of the club in 2016 and has overseen a total of six different permanent managers.
Ronald Koeman, Sam Allardyce, Marco Silva, Carlo Ancelotti, Rafael Benitez and now Lampard have all struggled to find success under Moshiri's ownership.
The Iranian was then asked directly about supporters' plans to protest against the Everton board after their upcoming match against Southampton.
'Protest is a democratic right for everyone. The feeling is well known, we’re communicating, but I would say the biggest thing is to support the team,' Moshiri said.
'They [members of the board] have been there for a long time, some are new appointments, but they're long-standing, they're dedicated, they're local.
'It's so important to keep the club in Liverpool. Those are the roots of the club. They've been attending games under every condition. Building a £760m stadium, one of best in the country, is an enormous challenge for a club.
'I think they need to acknowledge they are going through a transformation. You can't just make rash decisions. We have two big games and that's the only focus.'
The club have been building a state-of-the-art stadium at Bramley-Moore dock across the past year with plans to move in at the start of the 2024-25 campaign.
The Toffees will enter the must-win match at against the Saints sitting in the relegation zone having failed to win a league fixture since October 22.
Frank Lampard's team are currently on an eight-match winless run in all competitions and have exited both the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup in that time.
Earlier this week, Moshiri pledged his support to Lampard and expressed faith that his embattled manager will turn things around this season.
Moshiri received an open letter from Everton’s Fans Forum, where they expressed their concerns about the direction of the club, and the Iranian responded in an open letter of his own, published on their official website.
‘As the majority shareholder and proud custodian of Everton, I have the utmost respect for the support of Evertonians,’ Moshiri wrote. ‘I am also fully aware and understand the concerns that fans may have.
‘I have faith in the work being done not only by our manager, but our Director of Football (Kevin Thelwell) and our board of directors.'
Lampard led Everton to a great escape from relegation last season, finishing 16th, but their fortunes haven't improved this season.
Star player Richarlison was sold to Tottenham for £60million in the summer to ease the club's coffers and keep them within Financial Fair Play rules.
The Toffees face fellow strugglers Southampton and West Ham in their next two matches.
