Ferguson urged Moyes not to renew Everton contract

, 22 October, 0comments  |  Jump to most recent
Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed his hand in David Moyes's stalling over a new contract at Everton earlier this year, saying that he advised him not to extend his 11-year tenure at Goodison Park.

The former Manchester United manager has been ruffling feathers today with the publication of his autobiography in which he spills the beans on everything from his views of David Beckham's penchant for celebrity, the transfer policies of a succession of Liverpool managers, and the time he alleges a tearful Bill Kenwright allowed his mother to rip into him over the phone over the transfer of Wayne Rooney to Old Trafford in 2004.

His admission over his role in drawing Moyes away from Everton will come as no surprise to Evertonians, however. Moyes had been putting off talk of a new deal at Goodison for months and Ferguson confirms that, starting in February, he urged his fellow Scot on a few occasions not to sign a new contract. “[Moyes] phoned me around February for some advice about his contract, they were pushing him to sign a new contract," Sir Alex says. "I said to him, 'do not sign a new contract'.

“I knew in myself I was going to retire, so I'm thinking If he signed a contract it would be more difficult for us.

“I said to him you've had ten years there that's long enough, you'll get a bigger club.

“I kept phoning David to make sure he wasn't going to sign a new contract.

“We had to wait till the League was decided. Once the League was decided I got David over to the house and I think he thought we were going to talk about his contract again, but I said, 'look, I'm retiring, I want you to take over'. He was flabbergasted.”

Moyes left Everton in May, six weeks before his contract expired, leaving the club with nothing in terms of compensation, an issue that still rankles with some Blues fans.

 



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