However, taking a step back and looking at the 11-year reign, I think we are too quick to judge on the basis of ‘moments’ which quite rightly define the manager.
This may be blasphemy for some but I would love to see David Moyes to stay and sign a new contract. There are reasons behind this statement which I hope make as much sense to you as they do to me.
1. Overall, Moyes has been great financially for this club. He has done the sell-to-buy and even sell-to-sell year on year and, to be honest, he has improved us every time. When selling Lescott, two of the three players he then signed are still in the team today. When selling Rodwell, he brought Mirallas into the club, who in my opinion is having a significant say on where we finish now. Moyes sold Johnson and brought in Fellaini, he eased older players out of the squad over time and brought in Jagielka, Baines, Gibson, Pienaar and the rest (Cahill, Arteta etc.).
I think Moyes’s record over time has been fantastic and the quality we have is simply down to spending the money wisely. No spending above our means argument, but simply having £X million and investing it well. Not every player he has signed has been world class but no manager in the past 20 years has had that sort of record. I think if you look at the squad now, would anyone else have brought in the same level of some of these players for such a low amount of money?
2. In hindsight a lot of his tactical decisions have been forced onto him. For example, looking at when Arteta was our right winger instead of our creative midfielder, if you look at it one way, who else could possibly do that role to the same level? If Moyes did not have the money to sign a player to fit into that role, then it would explain why some players become square pegs in round holes. Perhaps the criticism over the years for doing this is simply due to the fact that he had no-one else to that level. Even going as far back as last year, Cahill and Saha were not performing, but perhaps the lack of a viable alternative at the time was the reason behind it. Vellios, Stracq and Co perhaps not the same level as potentially Saha on a good day. I’m sure Saha was scoring for fun at Finch Farm.
3. His record at the Sky 4 away has been shocking and that is something you cannot defend. Perhaps there has now been a change in perception and Moyes sees us as a genuine contender now and not punching above our weight. Perhaps back him in the summer and allow him to add the quality we need and this time next year we could be the team to be caught in 3rd place. It does scream of "give him one more chance," but personally I think until Moyes is given genuine funds to build, we will never know if we could take the next step.
4. He epitomises the club in the way he acts and talks. A bit of a broad statement to be fair but I think he is the type of manager we should have here. Someone who comes across as quite reserved, honest and now finally jolly compared to recent years. He seems to me as though he is enjoying his job all over again and seeing all the work finally pay off must be something that could keep him at the club. Let’s be honest, who didn’t see David at the boxing and not laugh?
I am not trying to defend Moyes in this, or even justify anything in regards to the last 11 years. I think there has been glaring problems that have never gone away and people who want Moyes to go may be right in wanting so based on them. But for me in the past few months I have seen a change in our manager that suggests to me the penny has dropped. Our record in the league is quite amazing, 5 losses in 40 odd games, and at the end of this we are producing the great football and magic we all want and deserve after 11 years. I would just love to see David Moyes get £30 mill + to spend into the squad and see this new-found enthusiasm and attacking style have a crack at the top 4.
One other thing I believe: Phil Neville is the reason we are out the FA Cup this year, not Moyes. At 1-0, it was fine as we concede goals all the time first. At 3-0 the squad was a little shocked at conceding 2 so quick and as they are human I can expect the tiny loss in concentration. But Neville giving the ball away so terribly to concede that second effectively lost us the game. Not a coincidence that he hasn’t been near the team since.
Reader Comments (22)
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2 Posted 19/04/2013 at 16:09:08
Sure DM has made some mistakes - or we perceive them mistakes but I really think there has been no better manager under the constraints we have had. Undoubtedly we are a far better team now than when he took over.
3 Posted 19/04/2013 at 16:16:23
We remember their mistakes because they're... mistakes!!! — and they cost us goals or points or games.
4 Posted 19/04/2013 at 16:06:07
I fully appreciate that an away supporter flogging out for the tickets and travel will want more than the inevitable, and a thrice season match goer like me looks to results and league table than the match-day experience.
So come the end of season, if Moyes ever disappoints in the league placings its only due to the potential he allows us to hope for - maybe, probably, perhaps like this season.
But such things as a record at 4 away grounds are not an equal and opposite aspect to making Everton competitive each and every season.
5 Posted 19/04/2013 at 17:00:10
I personally believe that for £3.5 million or £4 million per year, he has not achieved ENOUGH. I admit he has achieved lots in his tenure and if he leaves, he should leave with pride, but, if we are to move forward to the next level, we need a change at boardroom and managerial level.
It will be sad to see DM go, but a change is needed to progress further.
6 Posted 19/04/2013 at 18:25:03
I thought Moyes should have left on principle 2 years ago when he wasnt given a penny to spend and we ended up losing some good players to keep the banks happy.
He had a face like a smacked arse for the first half of the season which is why I believe the results were bad.
But having seen the way he brought Miralls and Jelavic (and Naismith) in I am starting to think if he had a bit more backing we really could challenge the big money boys. We already have the hoodoo over City, level with Spurs IMO and jostling with Arsenal who have lost their way a little. I think we only lost 3 games in 2012 so if we could convert some of those draws into wins we could be up there challenging but to do that we need a better quality MF and someone to put the ball away regularly (Oh and a better GK).which leads me to conclude that the board should go not Moyes.
7 Posted 19/04/2013 at 18:49:36
I would like Rijkaard in.
8 Posted 19/04/2013 at 18:53:51
9 Posted 19/04/2013 at 19:09:17
There are only 2 other managers in the Prem with as much influence on their clubs as Moyes, so I am sure he knows exactly what money will be in the kitty for next season and probably the season after. He will also be well aware if there is any interest from anybody wanting to buy Everton. I hope he stays he has been tremendous for our club but if he does go then I say thanks for everything you have done. You have turned us from relegation fodder to a club competing at the top end of the league and you will be a hard act to follow. As a final footnote now that the decision is getting near funny how the pole on ToffeeWeb is now showing a 25% lead for him to stay
10 Posted 19/04/2013 at 19:41:17
11 Posted 19/04/2013 at 20:14:33
In case he doesn't allow me.
£3.5 million per year wages.
12 Posted 19/04/2013 at 20:32:21
Like Chris I too would like wonder how well Moysie would with a bit of dosh to spend or whether the sell and buy on a limited budget is his game. I think this summer will be an interesting one, as I can't decide if he is staying or going, but the confusion can't be good for the club going forward.
13 Posted 19/04/2013 at 20:32:55
We've failed to win almost half our last 40-odd games so the manager must be rubbish. Goes to say, doesn't it, that he sent out his players to make all those draws when he should have ordered them to lose gloriously!
Moyes out!
14 Posted 19/04/2013 at 20:01:01
Moyes has plenty of faults and baffles me with some of his dithering and team selections, but all managers make decisions us fans don't agree with. The fact is that we are always challenging in the top 8 of the PL consistently, I know that isn't good enough for most people and it shouldn't be either, but that is the fault of our board and not Moyes.
All-in-all, Moyes has done a sterling job for the last 11 years and we are still fighting for a CL spot with 5 games remaining. If refereeing decisions had gone more in our favour, we would be 6 or 7 points better off and would be in pole position for the CL.
I would say, it's Kenwright who's overstayed his welcome — not Moyes
15 Posted 19/04/2013 at 21:49:13
But he doesn't hold the purse strings. For me, the big question, end of season, is how the Club can get Fella and Baines to stay? They're flat not earning what players of their proven ability are earning at other clubs. They're not; especially Baines. Must be the most under-paid player of his quality in the Prem.
16 Posted 19/04/2013 at 22:25:01
I think many of them would be “found out” for what they are if they took the helm at Everton. And their egos are so much bigger than their balls, they won’t stoop to try.
I hope Moyes stays but, if he does not, I’d look for us to avoid a big name, especially avoid a big ex-player who has not served his time. To be able to manage everton, to have a ragtag financial outfit like us knocking on the door of the top 4 in the best league in the world – now that takes a fucking good manager. Because that’s a true managerial test, and of all the big names out there very few can claim to have hammered that test home quite like David Moyes.
17 Posted 19/04/2013 at 23:22:33
Soleskjaer is the name for me.
Would prefer Moyes stays.
18 Posted 20/04/2013 at 00:44:18
So it's up to BK to pull some rabbits out of his arse if he wants to keep Moyes.
19 Posted 20/04/2013 at 16:46:36
Rest my case..............
20 Posted 20/04/2013 at 20:05:20
I'd like to see him stay IF we have new owners (that's where I see the real problem if you didn't already notice).
In the absence of new owners, even with the increased broadcast revenue, we'll still struggle. Moyes will continue to get pissed off, and rinse and repeat.
21 Posted 21/04/2013 at 07:27:55
If he stays, he must change some of his draconian tactics, ie, cut the dithering out, stop giving the ball away with the hoof ball, loyalty to certain players, one man up front and holding on to one goal leads. He needs a complete new backroom staff with fresh ideas, pace, youth, top-class strikers, and, last but not least, MONEY from the board.
And you never know... WE MIGHT EVEN WIN A TROPHY OR TWO?
22 Posted 21/04/2013 at 12:21:20
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1 Posted 19/04/2013 at 15:20:06
In overall terms, any manager can be expected to make a few mistakes over 11 years (think of some of the shite SAF and Wenger have signed and cast off !) and tactically our man gets a lot more right than wrong.
In my view, he simply HAS to stay or I feel for our future. I really do.