"Communicating with the fans," is a complete irrelevance to me.

Catterick held the media in contempt but had no trouble communicating his ideas to the men who mattered: The players.

In the age of the 24 hour news-cycle, with society being conditioned to expect, desire and indeed demand a sound bite, in a sport where generic cliches dominate, genuinely interesting & meaningful interviews have become a rarity.

The amount of Evertonians who have taken to psychoanalyse, obsess or fret over the manager's 'body-language'...has also started to look ridiculous now.

Kevin Hudson: Well said. I think you make an important point. Football has become obsessed with its own image.

Being an Evertonian who goes back to the mid-fifties, I cannot remember anyone obsessing about Harry Catterick's body language.

I don't think Moyes comes across as humourless, arrogant, unlikeable, lacking in personality at all, perhaps unengaging, but I couldnt be arsed dealing with the media either.

Moyes isn't there to tell jokes and be clown for everyone. I think he is very likeable which is why a lot of other managers and pundits constantly praise him. He just says it as it is.

I would rather an honest straight talker than a clown like Warnock or a sulking liar who doesnt see anything like Wenger or a dillusional bullshitter like Rodger or a bully who has tantrums like Ferguson or scum bag like Redknapp.

I think Moyes is one of the most likeable managers in the league along with Laudrup, Jol, O'Neil and Martinez.

Agree absolutely Ian. I think Moyes comes across as a thoroughly decent fella and manages to maintain a level of dignity lacking in so many of his contemporaries and a few of his subtle digs at Roffa Beneathus when he was spewing his nonsense across the park were priceless.

For what it's worth I have family in Glasgow who have known the Moyes family well for many years (DM and his brother Kenny went to school with my second cousin) and can't speak highly enough of them. I have a copy of a (hilarious) school photo from about 1968 featuring our Davie, standing out like a sore thumb with his bright copper barnet!

Sorry Kev Johnson, I am not with you on this one where Moyes is concerned. The 'Emperor's New Clothes' reference to that clown now in charge of them lot is bang on though. That fella is straight out of the David Brent school. I bet he's got a little book of "useful soundbites" in his back pocket for all occasions.

In fairness he continuously gets asked the same inane questions every week that always require the same answer. Saying that he is often unnecessarily rude to journalists who are merely carrying out their job and asking questions that he is contracted to answer, why he has to make a chore of most of them I don't know.

In my opinion there's 4 categories of interviews that managers give.

1) The Ferguson interview: nearly always on the back of a win, patronising praise for the opposition but mostly just bigging your own team up.

2) The Kenny Dalglish: Often completely deluded visions of grandeur, treating any home win like you've won the world cup, treating every question asked when you've lost as a personal assault against the name of Liverpool football club.

3) The Brendan Rodgers: an unconvincing air of pseudo intellectualism often mixed with the same delusion as the Dalglish, rather than a hostility after losing their is just a flat out denial of ever having played badly.

4) The David Moyes: Even after winning, praise the opposition and your own luck in winning, point out where you weren't good enough, and personally criticise whichever of your players got MotM. If you lose, make out like you're probably not going to win the next one either.

It isn't all about keeping Sky Sports News happy. If Harry Redknapp or any other manager pissed in a bucket for twenty minutes at his next press conference they would air it, just because they had a camera there. For Sky, it's all about airing something, anything, no matter how inane and stupid.

The BBC, for all it's international reputation, isn't much better when it comes to it's football coverage.

If Moyes feels he has nothing to say, then say nothing.

I've never gone out of my way to listen or watch David Moyes because it doesn't matter one jot what he says to the press.

I like him during interviews, he comes across as honest and straightforward.
Unlike Brenda, who. If you listen to his interviews is constantly spouting shite about how a club with this "Rich history", "Pedigree" etc.....
This is usually after they have just been twatted and the kopites swallow it hook line and sinker with quotes like. " He understands what being a Liverpudlian means". Knobheads.

Good points, Kevin Hudson. Football has taken over the world to such an extent that we do over analyze every cretinous comment. Alf Ramsey had the right approach. He dealt with the media like shit off his shoe.

Not Moyes's biggest fan but one thing I have always enjoyed is his barely (ie: not at all) concealed contempt for the 'meeja'. Specially when he's narked and gives them 'that look' (picture Mart Feldman's expression if he sat on porcupine).

Kev Hudson, I agree but you have to be in the cat bird seat like Catterick or Ferguson to get away with it otherwise you tend to look a tit, it's one of my biggest gripes with Moyes.

He went from "I'm still learning" to hearing SAF was tipping him for the Utd job and I don't think he's ever recovered. He absolutely revelled in it, old guns like me respect other clubs but none are better than Everton (I hear you Labby) have a bit of respect Dave.

But his head was turned and that business of "I'd do it again" after the anfield hiding last year were the words of a man dangerously adrift from the rank and file.

He showed the same contempt trying to flirt with the Spurs job last summer and now he's convinced himself todays utterance about his future is fine and dandy - he just doesn't get it.

When he goes somewhere else his PR will contribute to seeing him off.

Y

(there it is)

Everyone seems to be ignoring what I said about media interviews being a gateway to the fans. Moyes can't even be civil talking to Everton TV! The contempt he shows to anyone who dares asks him a question implies a contempt for the fans, in my opinion. Now if he'd won loads of trophies that would be forgiveable. But he hasn't. He seems believe his own publicity nowadays.

It's not a question of me not liking him. I admire his honesty and integrity, as I've said before, but I also admire other qualities - like good humour and charm - which Moyes lacks completely and a non-bullshitter like Joe Royal had (and still has) in abundance. Again, it wouldn't matter if he was bringing home the bacon, but he isn't. Comparing him with Catterick is pointless - those were different times altogether.

Kev Johnson, I get it and agree totally by the way.

Roy Hodgson was a decent man with a decent cv but he couldn't communicate with the RS chimps (he is a linguist but not a native neanderthal speaker) and didn't get a chance whereas Kenny "worked the crowd" he knew what grunt meant "Tee-shirt".

Rodgers isn't as good but placates the primates with "non-Carroll" ointment

Kev its his personality, he cant change who he is. I would rather he be himself than to try and put on a fake smile like Gordon Brown and look a complete idiot. Why should he look happy when he hasnt won anything in 10 years at Everton and has had little backing from the chairman?

Give the guy a break and let him concentrate on managing and coaching the players.

Ian: Eh? The guy has been given a break. It's ten years since he took the job!

I think that communication is an INTRINSIC part of his job - and he's not doing it.

Is a football club different than other workplaces? Yes, it is in a way. But, in general, no it's not. Good principles apply anywhere. In what line of business could you get with having a permanent gob on you for ten years, rarely bothering to smile or express yourself engagingly because it's "not who you are" and, anyway, you've got nothing to smile about? The fact that he receives inadequate backing from his "boss" (BK) is a pretty standard employment dilemma, is it not? (I've been in that situation myself, with rather less cash to fall back on.) The options are to (a) compromise and muddle through or (b) heroically design. Long term round the clock scowling is not an option unless, in real world terms, you want the sack.

Oh yeah, and another thing... COYB!

I don't think you can really blame Rodgers for his comments.....if we're being honest, the amount of time the RS have outplayed the oppoisition and ended up with a draw or loss is amazing. And I'm no RS fan, I'm a blue-blood through and through. Nothing gives me more pleasure than seeing the RS where they are now. But to say that Rodgers is bull-shitting is going a little too far. He is correct when he says that his team played well. In a sense, the RS of today is not too different from the Everton of today....how many times have we also played well this season (i.e. shots on goal, possession, etc), yet drew or lost the game....and I recall each time Moyes saying the same thing at the post match interview as Rodgers......"we played well and should have won"....or something to that effect.

Timothy, it's so admirable that you can be so understanding and tolerant of the RS and their manager, but I cannot agree, I can't comment on how well they have or haven't played because I don't watch them. However they can hardly complain if things are not falling their way, they have had more than their fair share of 'good luck' over the years and even last Monday they had a dubious penalty awarded - or so I'm told - so sorry no sympathy from my viewpoint. But I do applaud your sporting instincts.

Timothy they got beat 2-0 and he said it was the perfect away performance. Come on, he is a tool, but he is brilliant at leading along their stupid fans.

He tells them they are progressing, how can that be when they won a trophy and reached another final the season before? They have gone backwards. They will go backwards further still when Carra is gone and Gerrard will also be less effective, Suarez will be gone and he will waste the money on more shite like Joe Allen.

It's going to be so funny seeing those with some kind of pathalogic hatred of David Moyes worm and struggle when DM leaves and we go back to struggling again.

Andy 591 - I believe Alf Ramsey sent the press away with the proverbial feal in their ear the day after winning the world cup with 'I'm sorry, gentlemen, but I don't work on Sundays.'

Guy Ramsey came out with a belter before one Home International against the auld enemy up in Glasgow. When one of the local 4th Estate said..."welcome to Scotland Mr Ramsey " his reply was ...."you must be fuckin' jokin' ".
Would love to see that kind of repartee these days !

Our family also support the New England Patriots. You should listen to Bill Belichick's news confrences. In comparison he makes Moyes the epitome of verbosity.

And he has won 3 superbowls and lost 2 in 11 years.

In terms of Moyes being aloof, arrogant etc, I was lucky enough to go to a dinner last year where he was speaking. He actually say on the table with the guests and was funny, engaging, personable and genuine. Overall somebody, I was proud to have represent the club. It's the media he dislikes as they are always looking for an angle (although appreciate it's their job to).

So, get off his back. When he's gone next year, that's when most on here will raise what we had....

Jon - this is nothing at all to do with whether or not Moyes is a nice person. I suspect he is, although I really wouldn't know. I am talking about how he presents himself (and the club) in interviews. It's just not good enough to say "I dislike the media so I'm not going to be arsed" - especially when it is a way of talking to the fans, keeping them in the loop, because they (us) are an important part of the whole. He has a responsibility to communicate, it's part of his job. Football has benefited financially from the hugely increased media interest in the sport in the last two decades. If you take the money then you have to play the game.

Moyes' teams play like him - and that has often bored me. Funnily enough, as a football fan, I want to be entertained.

Kev its just so petty, seriously you need to get out more and stop worrying about how Moyes comes accross with the media. I don't think most fans give a toss about his way witht he media. You say Moyes team play like him which has bored you, but you admit you have never met the man, but we have Joh here who has met the man and he says he is funny and engaging, so perhaps Everton are not playing like him.

There are so many contradictions amongst you lot, I dispair.

We own the club not Bill because we are here all the time and we will never leave, but then Moyes has to communicate to the fans. Why? We ain't going to leave so does it matter what he says, it will make no difference to our loyalty.

How many "glory hunters" decided to support United or Liverpool because their manager was wonderful in interviews? Fingers of one hand? No, they gave their allegance because they were successful. So providing Moyes delivers a team which wins (as in BB in New England) people will follow and think "ah well, he really is a character the way he abuses the media and don't they deserve it"

Moyes, I know from a friend who is a best mate of him and who roomed with DM when they were at Cambridge, is a really nice guy and I am proud that he is the manager of my great club. My hope is that he does a Fergie and stays until he is over 70, gets some more money and wins some trophies.

I despair as well - at the inability of most people on this thread to get the flipping point!

Phil - Moyes has patently NOT delivered a team which wins. Ten years, no trophies. So analogies with the US bloke are unfounded.

I am simply not interested in the private life of people in the public arena. If Mrs Thatcher was a lovely woman in private, I don't care. If Nelson Mandela is a grumpy old devil in private, I don't care. It is what Moyes does that matters and, secondarily, how he conducts himself in public.

Anyway, I'm banging my head on a brick wall here, so I'll leave it at that.

Kev. I think most get your point but just don't agree with it mate. We'd all like Moyes to be expansive, charismatic, entertaining... but he's not that type of person, and he's not the type of person to pretend to be that type of person to please ANYONE.

He's absolutely obsessed with winning something with Everton, and that's what drives him. If he could forego all the interviews to spend another ten minutes trying to figure out why we didn't win, or what went wrong... he would.

Maybe the bit people aren't gettng is your NEED for him to be a certain way. He ain't like that: he's a dour Scot from Glasgow who'd rather nut the journo who's asked a silly question than anything else.

Let him be who he is....

What I got from your article, Kev, is that, as fans, we want to know things about the inside of the club, and Moyes disregards our desires through his poor media presentations. I agree with that.

Last year we wanted to know about Drenthe. Fair enough, it was fine that Moyes didn't want to go into details in public, but to ignore the question entirely and walk out, that wasn't fine. All it would have taken was a, "There's been issues with the player, and he won't be playing for us again," and we would have accepted it.

Recently when we bid for Fer, he was asked how he felt about it. His response, "I'm not concerned with that right now." No, once again, fine. The thing is though, David, WE ARE concerned, which is why you're being asked in the first place.

I've gone blue in the face telling the same travel stories to relatives over and over again when they ask. I do it because they want to know and have the decency to be interested and I have the decency to treat them with respect because they are my family. I don't roll my eyes and tell them that it isn't important and we should really be concentrating on being a family rather than the experiences of that family.

Well, David, we are your family, and you're making us feel very unappreciated.

After reading this article I actually sat down and listened to Brendan Rogers for twenty minutes. My goodness, what a tedious bloke. I feel sorry for people who have to interact with a pedantic dullard like that on a daily basis.

Here's Brendan's take on the horse meat crisis:

http://www.bluekipper.com/funnies/73-blubber/5951-king_brenny_and_the_horsemeat_crisis.html

Has anyone just watched the utterly mind boggling episode of MOTD2. I assume it was taken straight from Liverpool TV. Not even the most remote pretence of balance. Michael Owen has the personality and charisma of a dog turd , okay he was born that way, but surely this toe curling example of arse licking sycophancy shouldn't be funded by the tax payer. His "interview" with Rodgers honestly actually made me burn with embarrassment for him,

What on earth qualifies this greedy bastard to be on television?

Only scanned through all the previous comments so may have missed it, but he was the ultimate communicator when he first came with his 'People's Club' remark.

Who gives a flying fuck what he says in interviews. He has no reason to feed the fans information, that's what the shite Official Site is for.

He is there to manage the team and is contractually obliged to sit there for however many minutes and answer the same shite questions time and time again.

"David, you best players has been banned for 3 games, how does that affect your team?"

Personally I would have been imprisoned after decking some of the arrogant fuckwits who think it's funny to ask twattish questions to get a sensationalist headline out of a person who clearly doesn't want to be there.