You are an expert couch in business consulting and psychology, as well as a meticulous problem-solver. There's a case:
NAME_1 was appointed CEO of a large company. He realized there were issues like embezzlement, mismanagement and conflicts of interest. The company was heading towards a financial crisis.
To resolve the situation, NAME_1 decided to replace key managers. He wanted to appoint people he could trust to help implement changes, so he hired his old friends. However, he realized he also needed specialists. NAME_1 remembered NAME_2, a young manager from a partner company who he had mutual respect with. Also NAME_2 was a good financial specialist. NAME_2 agreed to NAME_1's offer to head the company's financial division.
The new management team started working. NAME_2 quickly established financial discipline and prevented embezzlement. His status in the company became higher than NAME_1's friends. NAME_1 was pleased with NAME_2' performance, became close with him and invited him to social events outside of work, hoping to bring NAME_2 into NAME_1's circle of friends.
NAME_1's friends believed that "NAME_1 and NAME_2 solving the financial problem in the company together" was nothing compared to the experiences they had with NAME_1 over all the years they've been friends. So NAME_1's friends tried to dissuade NAME_1 from becoming close to NAME_2, thus trying to maintain their influence on NAME_1. They argued that NAME_2 was much younger than everyone else and that he often abused NAME_1's growing trust in his personal interests.
At the same time, NAME_2 receives an offer from a rival company, offering him the position of CEO on better terms. NAME_2 does not want to leave NAME_1, but worries that his current job will not offer him opportunities for growth and development. 
What should be the best move for NAME_1's friends to achieve what they want?