With David Moyes confirming today he is likely to hold off contract talks until the end of the season, a sense of concern and perhaps even deflation entered my mind. Here is a team aiming for the heights of the lucrative Champions League and yet the man in charge has only a matter of a few months left to go before he can walk out of Goodison Park for nothing.
For all the talk of having a great chairman and a great board, David Moyes is leaving it late, so late that it could not only down the spirit of the fans but the team itself and all the good progress made this season could be for nothing. Stern questions need to be asked as to why Moyes has yet to commit himself to Everton, his body language when quizzed slightly on the matter from the press is of a man who is in full control of his destiny, a relaxed look giving the impression Everton need him before Moyes needs Everton.
Should Moyes leave, either to another Premier League club or abroad, it will be interesting to see how the club’s board react. There is bound to be fan backlash and surely at this late stage, there should be plans in place to move quickly to find a successor. Will the board find another man capable of gaining respectable league finishes with such weak financial backing? Tough to say, despite any silverware Moyes has done well to balance and improve a team over the years which at one time had the likes of David Ginola and Alex Nyarko as regular starters.
It’s a big summer for the Blues: as well as the managerial situation, the more sought-after players in the squad might decide to quit also, such as Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines, should big offers and the prospect of regular European football come in. A player’s career is short; the mindset could be will they settle for potentially becoming stagnant or join a club with a better chance of winning trophies and earning better wages. It’s daunting to think of but it could become a real possibility, which leaves us questioning the very top of the club.
"Be careful what you wish for" is a common phrase some Evertonians put forward when anyone questions the strategies and financial backing of Chairman Bill Kenwright and the board, suggesting we could possibly become a fallen giant of English football such as Leeds United with another board in place. Kenwright and his friends are not getting any younger, time passes quickly, so when that time comes for them to retire, what next? What will we be wishing for when the inevitable comes to pass? We have to deal with these issues straight on; we cannot just hope for the best and deal with difficult situations later, despite the first team doing pretty well at the moment, real long-term issues linger which could see us losing Moyes, talented players and all the solid work the Scotsman has put in place be for nothing.
I am careful what I wish for; I wish for a club with a long-term plan, consistent investment into the playing squad, an attitude better than "punching above our weight", a riddance of the "plucky little Everton" tag which is an insult to achievements gone by from great managers, players and the club’s motto. I do not wish to become stagnant and see failure to capitalise on a club with so much potential. We have no divine right to win anything but, for a change, it would be refreshing to see ambitious long-term plans to at least try.
Reader Comments (35)
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2 Posted 15/02/2013 at 22:28:24
3 Posted 15/02/2013 at 22:51:07
4 Posted 15/02/2013 at 22:53:47
5 Posted 15/02/2013 at 22:57:56
6 Posted 16/02/2013 at 00:58:42
7 Posted 16/02/2013 at 08:17:13
8 Posted 16/02/2013 at 08:45:36
Thank him for ten years of winning nothing and let-downs and watch him end up back at Preston via Chelsea, Sunderland, West Ham and Burnley.
9 Posted 16/02/2013 at 09:06:54
But he must feel deflated after the last non event transfer window.
After many seasons of doing a job of keeping the team in the top half of the premiership, he has now built a team that is the most entertaining during his managerial tenure with real hopes of reaching a european spot and doing far better than last time.
He badly needed support to be able to push on for the 4th league spot and scouted and pinpointed the player he wanted.
This dismal board allowed the window to virtually close before belatedly bringing Fer over.
Once the 'injury' showed up on the scan it was too late to go for an alternative.
This follows closely on the failed attempt to loan IN Ofoe due to late paperwork of all things.
This Board have no difficulty in loaning OUT players by the busload and at very short notice.
However, loaning IN seems to be very difficult.
We can bring IN players who no one else wants and who are cheap.
Its no wonder Moyes is holding out on his contract.
His hands are fiscally tied and his ambitions and the fans are of no matter to this board.
I hate to see the Moyes baiters writing about his faults when he has very little in the way of alternatives.
10 Posted 16/02/2013 at 09:12:32
Whilst some on here believe the club is run well, stop, look and listen to Moyes. He has had enough of broken promises and failed transfers, I fear January was the straw that eventually broke his back.
For those who believe this club is run well, how did we manage to stuff up the transfer window so badly? So much so that Moyes publically defends tired players!
Who is too blame?
Dan, if we sold Baines and Felli, it would go to reducing the debt, which actually serves the shareholders well if they are selling as the price paid for shares would be discounted by the level of debt, no debt? Greater return on shres sold if a buyer eventually comes in.
Expect to see a Moyes mk 2 from the Sottish league or lower league club..
Moyes? Already left the building...
11 Posted 16/02/2013 at 09:30:44
Which of the teams competing above our level would take him? Man City? Arsenal? Chelsea? I doubt it. West Ham if they were moving into the new Olympic stadium may have been a suitor. New stadium money to spend and an ambitious board.
So where is there to go unless he wants a challenge at a club such as Sunderland or maybe Leicester,if they get promoted, may look to offer him the world in terms of transfer funds and be willing to match his £4m-plus salary. He would still not get any CL experience at clubs such as this.
I do believe he will go but for the reason that he wants a new challenge and a club that is guaranteed European qualification. The Everton Board are to blame for not backing his ambitions with funds for a CL push in the January Window.
I think he will go to Germany, where teams compete on a more level playing field and he has already intimated that he sees this as a way of developing his career. Going there, competing in the CL, and building on his already excellent reputation within the game would make him a strong favourite to take over at Old Trafford when Taggart goes in two years. If he chooses to stay, then in my view he is as bad as the Everton board and, whatever happens then, they will deserve each other.
At the beginning of this post I asked "Who Cares?" I believe we have peaked under Moyes and both the Club and the Manager need a change. There are plenty of managers out there that could and would do a job and a good job at a club such as Everton. Who had heard of Laudrup as a manager before Swansea?
The worry for everyone is that really we have no real confidence in Blue Bill to do anything right. The man is a disaster as a Chairman of Everton FC. I think that is the reason people say "Be careful what you wish for" as we all know Bill will fuck up when the time does come to replace Moyes. How will he cope with looking for both a New Manager and Investment 24/7???
12 Posted 16/02/2013 at 10:20:03
13 Posted 16/02/2013 at 11:28:17
The world won't end when Moyes leaves but don't be surprised if Kenshite brings in some clown as he didn't find Moyes in the first place and wanted Megson.
14 Posted 16/02/2013 at 14:47:19
The questions are, who is Kenwright talking to about taking over and who would we like to see get the job?
15 Posted 16/02/2013 at 16:06:09
16 Posted 16/02/2013 at 20:19:54
What is the reason we don't have Ofoe? There is nothing to stop his loan now. We have loaned out three players since the transfer window closed.
I really hate to see Moyes haters lambasting the man and making him the Board's aunt Sally. He is not a liar but he has been hoodwinked in the same way that the fans have.
Someone should write an article lambasting the Board and defending the manager who has operated with both arms tied behind his back, both physically and fiscally!!
17 Posted 16/02/2013 at 20:06:43
Added to that lot it is likely that we will lose Baines, Fellaini and Moyes. A dire scenario indeed.
18 Posted 16/02/2013 at 23:33:33
20 Posted 17/02/2013 at 09:20:26
21 Posted 17/02/2013 at 13:45:50
Despite that I'd welcome him moving on, it is about time we had a change and about time for fresh thinking. With him off I'd sell Fellaini for about £35m and Baines for £20m that plus the £8m available from the failed Fer signing and a few fringe players Heitinga, Naismith and Coleman. With that we'd be able to repay further debt and have a £55m war chest to freshen things up.
I'd like to see Brian Laudrup in as manager and Phil Neville his assistant. And imagine what Laudrup could do with £55m to supplement the existing squad. Bring on new signing Stone, what better manager to get the best out of Barkley, Mirallas and Junior, and break Duffy into a starting berth. This proposed management team have both won league titles and European trophies they know what it takes to be the best and stay there... Perfect for our new team to develop under and a massive step change, a manager lining up a team going out for wins instead of trying not to get beaten. Laudrup might even have a UK domestic trophy too as manager.
If this were to happen then I think we'd then all be very very excited about 2013/2014 and with that Kenwright would probably have silenced many doubters...self included. We would look impressive.
22 Posted 17/02/2013 at 14:43:06
23 Posted 17/02/2013 at 14:46:22
24 Posted 17/02/2013 at 15:01:06
"..But because it is his team, most players have been here for years and will no doubt suffer a drop in performance as a result"
A 'drop in performance'!?
What a drop in Neville's performance would leave us with, I fucking shudder to think.
(I'm picturing Private Godfrey...only drunk...and blind).
25 Posted 17/02/2013 at 20:14:38
Amit (#130) — Yes, I did mean Michael, my bad and thanks for the correction. When Hibbert is fit, Coleman doesn't play, defensively he has been found wanting: Reading Away and Norwich Home spring to mind.
Eugene (#134) — Yep, have that one covered, Neville is Assistant Manager and off the pitch. That said, he wasn't too bad yesterday at Oldham.
26 Posted 17/02/2013 at 22:19:22
27 Posted 19/02/2013 at 11:36:37
If he doesnt then the offer expires and all parties agree that he leaves at the end of the season.
28 Posted 19/02/2013 at 11:49:03
29 Posted 19/02/2013 at 11:54:26
30 Posted 19/02/2013 at 12:28:23
"... some people have very short memories. How many supporters would of (sic) taken losing 4 games by late Feb??"
Some of us have l-o-n-g memories, John and our expectations are tempered by experience of great Everton teams.
Not many of us who saw the 60s and 80s would have taken winning 10 games by late February.
31 Posted 19/02/2013 at 12:52:15
My nightmare concerns names like Allardyce, Hughes, McCarthy. Whilst I would be well pleased with Martinez coming in, I would be quite pleased with anyone who had some revolutionary ideas —like leaving one or (whisper it) even two men up when the other side has a corner. As if!
32 Posted 19/02/2013 at 15:08:25
I can see us coming to 1 June, Moyes's contract expires, we have no manager and just a few weeks to sort it. It's no good BK searching for a new manager and putting feelers out in case he stays, which I don't think he will. No-one will be interested in talking. By saying "Sign it or go," there is clarity and we can start looking for a replacement.
33 Posted 19/02/2013 at 15:29:03
22% of Arsenal fans want David Moyes to replace Arsene Wenger, whilst 19% of those polled want Wenger to stay, come on be honest how many of those who supposedly belong to the MOB have been voting?
34 Posted 19/02/2013 at 15:23:09
Moyes was never going to come out and say he was leaving, this would have rocked the boat too much. All this "see where we are" is a load of old flannel.
He is off, and has told Kenwright as much.
I doubt even our excuse for a board would consider the likes of Hughes or Allardyce.
My guess is Martinez or Owen Coyle. Uninspiring choices, but Martinez seems a popular choice on these boards at least.
Here's the man we should be going after ;
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2234013/Ole-Gunnar-Solskjaer-secrets-success-Molde-manager.html
35 Posted 19/02/2013 at 15:42:23
Moyes is simply wanting 4th spot, which is possible. His contract is up and after 11 years there's no point in flogging a dead horse if it's not achieved. Even if they promised investment this summer he probably had it in mind long ago, as it has been discussed on these pages, that this was the make-or-break season. If anything, January just confirmed the break.
36 Posted 20/02/2013 at 10:41:00
He will sulk and show people he is not happy with having no transfer funds, then he will sign regardless.
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1 Posted 15/02/2013 at 22:03:40
We've come a long way since the dark days of the 90s, some people have very short memories. How many supporters would of taken losing 4 games by late Feb??