Political Parallels

OK, before I get accused of being on the 'funny stuff' prior to writing this article, the parallel I am trying to draw was I wonder whether during Moyes current reign at Everton he may end up as the 'nearly man'?

I still believe it's a big ask for Everton to win a trophy next season given the respective spending powers of not only the Sky 4, but the clutch of clubs below them with far more wealthier owners than we have. I for one believe that if we don't land a trophy of some sort in the next two season's then Moyes will walk away, where to I don't know. This is of course, if he actually signs a new contract at all in the next few weeks. I stiil believe it's not beyond the bounds of possibility that with the funds offered to him during the close season, he may say enough is enough.

So, if he goes, what will be his legacy? His supporters will point to the fact that he inherited an ageing side full of players well past their sell by dates and has slowly turned things round (with a few set-backs along the way) to build a side with maybe half a dozen genuine class players, amongst them Lescott, Arteta, Howard, Yobo, Yakubu and Cahill. They may also point out that only financial restraints have stopped him developing the squad more quickly than most of us would have liked.

Certainly, the dark days of six years ago when April/May each season were never great months for Evertonian's to look forward to as each of us would eye the remaining fixtures, and second guess where the next points were coming from, seemed to have vanished.

Indeed, we have had some fantastic European nights both home and away in the much maligned UEFA cup this season. However, his detractors will once again bemoan the fact that apart, from a brief spell this season, the brand of football played under Moyes has been at times, painful to watch. The emphasis on the long ball simply plays into our opponents hands and doesn't utilise the skills of Johnson, who must despair at having to jump against a 6'5' centre half with his back to goal! Also, there seems to be little or no attempt to simply 'play football', with our mid-field (Arteta apart) unable to pick out a pass and actually control the game.

We simply must move on from the 'high intensity', high workrate ethos that seems to come first in his coaching doctrine simply because it is impossibe to maintain over a season now involving over 50 games. In his defence, perhaps he simply did not have the financial clout to bring in top class mid-fielders capable of this function. But whilst other areas of the team, mostly in defence, have been repeatedly strenthened over the last few years, midfield seems to have been ignored.

So, I guess only time will tell just exactly what the Moyes legacy will be, one of providing a solid bedrock in which the club's fortunes were truly turned around, and ultimately a platform for others to build upon? Or one where a brand of fairly undistinguished 'hoofball' was the norm with brief flashes of brilliance?

Oh, by the way, they both have red hair!

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