David Moyes has the final say on recruitment at the club

Signed off on a player who is a serious disappointment but who suffers from the lack of any quality service from the team that Moyes selects and organises.

Double disappointment?

I'm not writing Barry off after 6 months of his first season in the Premier League.

Beto is different, he's a seasoned player, who's probably peaked well before we bought bought him.

Barry will improve I think when we get Ndiaye and Dewsbury-Hall back.

The rest usual filler.

We've been told repeatedly till we're blue in the face that there is no way on god's green earth David Moyes could possibly have sanctioned the purchase of a raft of dismal failures that he has hardly used since they were signed.

People like Adam Aznou, a full-back with decent playing experience in the Bundesliga, brought to Everton from the mighty Bayern Munich. But not ready, we are told, for the vim and rigour of the Premier League. Although he did seem up for it in the FA Cup when finally unleashed for his first outing in the Royal Blue er... navy black and pink of Everton's first team.

People like Merlin Rohl, who comes on and runs around a lot, chasing the ball and looking busy, but sadly not achieving very much.

And of course the highly mysterious case of teenage protege Tyler Dibling, who can't be unleashed on Premier League teams he's faced already for Southampton, apparently because he lacks defensive discipline that must be learnt and exhibited at the expense of any overt extemporising skill and creativity that is obviously his natural penchant, but which Moyes is in the advanced stages of brow-beating out him, such that he has become a pathetic shadow of the dynamic young star Moyes signed.

Yea, I think we clearly have to ignore this story as AI-generated bullshit and return to the commonly held wisdom that repeatedly asserts they were all thrust upon him by the 'recruitment team' and Moyes had nothing to do with hiring these duffers.

Although I do think a rather strong case can be made for Moyes not using them properly. Perhaps that will be the next presser scoop: Moyes admits abject failure at integrating new players into his squad.

He wanted total control of all signings and sales. So why would he agree to join Everton unless he was given the control he deems suitable?

We are 15 points from the relegation places. Compare our position in January '26 to January '23,' 24 or '25 and tell me Moyes hasn't done a good job!

Having said that, if we're going to move forward from here, we will need a clean break with the past. No more former managers. No more former players as coaches. And no more players outstaying their usefulness.

At the end of Moyes's current contract, we should look elsewhere. In Moyes, we have found the medicine required to get us back on a stable footing. Longer term, there are no answers to be found by looking backwards.

This is utter arse-covering gibberish.

“It's not like we've shut ourselves off from the transfer window. We need players more than ever and we probably need them as soon as possible if we could make that happen. - But more than likely, this month is never done particularly quickly, so we're still looking. I'm not sure we will get anything but we're trying.”

This twaddle opens things and then closes them just in case. But OMG Moyes is sooooooooooooo 'realistic'. He is sooooooooo 'pragmatic'.

TFG/ace and crack recruitment team, your manager is saying that 'we need players more than ever'. Get on the diagnostics fellas. See if Roma can lend us some money. Hurry up, 16/17 days and counting, isn't it?

A gaffer who plays McNeil again and again apparently has the last word on recruitment. Yet TFG-boy Mr. Gaynes lectures us time after time on how absolutely fabulous our recruitment set-up is and is creaming himself telling us how absolutely fabulous the summer window will be when in 'reality' - that word again - he knows nothing.

Wouldn't it be nice if the sceptics and unbelievers amongst us ended up being wrong. Let's wait and see.

Dewsbury-Hall and Rohl (IMO obvs) are Moyes-style players from the infamous 'whiteboard wall'

Grealish... not so sure - Doesn't tick many boxes on the arl whiteboard wall; 'Old' Expensive, Slows the game up??
Though I think he may have been pleasantly surprised until Referee Clapping-gate

Anzou -- sorry, can't see him being anything to do with Moyes.

Dibling & Barry? -- Nobody's going to put their hand up for picking any of those two.

Given a choice between starting the season with only Beto as our strike force, then a choice between Barry and nowt is not so hard to make.

What more do you fucking need?

I'm sure he was consulted and had a say but they would be intended as part of the “future Everton” and not for immediate impact.

Moyes probably, and I'm obviously guessing here so could be miles out, thought he could get through most games with the established players we have -- McNeil, Ndiaye on the right, Mykolenko left-back and Beto up top, bringing those aforementioned in gradually.

My worry about Dibling is not that he lacks the quality to make a future star, but he's just a kid and obviously struggles living away from home. He really doesn't look happy, does he? Barry too is very young and could well be struggling to settle in the North-West.

As for Aznou, I bet Moyes will have looked at the two times he lost the ball rather than the twice he made something happen, and we won't see much more of that adventurous spontaneity from him.

Harry could fill in for Dibling while we wait for him to mature and next season Ndaiye could go back to the left wing while City struggle to get Jack Grealish off their books after we've reluctantly(?) sent him back.

It's baffling and complete madness to recruit players if the manager doesn't have the final say on which players are going to be brought into the club because the final decision with regards to every single team sheet always comes from the manager.

Moyes will have wanted more experience and with it being completely obvious that we needed players through the door on 1 January. (maximum points from our last two home games would have seen us sitting in 5th, one point behind Liverpool.)

My own view is that you could say it's either a dereliction of duty, or maybe certain people aren't quite connected when it comes to the recruitment of players.

TFG have decided that we need to follow a similar system to Chelsea, which is buy young and if they don't come up to expectations, sell them on. We in the last window have bought relatively untried youngsters, and you can criticise Moyes all you want but Dibling has had plenty of chances. I doubt if he was a homegrown player that he would have had as many appearances as Dibling.

Aznou came on against Sunderland and played left wing, not left back, the position he was bought for, and I am not convinced he is good enough defensively to play left-back.

Rohl, another youngster who looks way short of Premier League standard. Barry another youngster who is far from Premier League standard.

So this buying young is not proving very productive and I doubt very few if any of the youngsters will come good. Yet surprisingly the tried and trusted players, Dewsbury-Hall and Grealish, have turned out to be our better players.

But there is one positive: the youngster that has been out on loan and came through our academy looks better than those who have been bought. I don't believe the youngsters were Moyes's choice, I think he would have been wanting tried and trusted players.

“Now we have nothing to play for come January. This is progress.”

Lord, give me strength.

Moyes doesn't integrate, Moyes likes a small squad and a settled team, and this is why he has got such a pitiful record in cup competitions.

Dibling looks completely disinterested and doesn't warrant a place in the team, but I get a feeling that he doesn't enjoy playing for the manager. We all see and think different things...

Always has been. Always will be.

I was only talking to a mate on the subject of young players.
You play for the love of the game as a kid coming through, must be horrible for them to be restricted by a rigid set of defence-first instructions.

I can imagine the row in the changies if a player had tried to do something off the cuff and lost possession.

So maybe our elite transfer function isn't failing, maybe they found the next Semenyo and Moyes went, "Too skillful, too unproven -- not for me!"

We should be building for our next manager, not this failure.

Good piece on TalkSport that sporting directors need to do more. If they're pulling the levers, they need to be communicating a lot more than they do.

Amorim, Maresca have gone because of interference. If the buck stops with them, I don't blame them having their say.

Didn't somebody say we have the finest transfer team going... or is somebody telling fairies?

Having a final say ('is this the best you could come up with?) doesn't mean he targeted those players from the off, like he used to.

Posh or not, I don't think Moyes, a practicing Christian, is into that sort of thing!

Everton's approach, ie, using a transfer committee, has been entirely legitimate and is hardly news. They signed some players for the future and some for the here and now. No big deal.

Michael Kenrick's post is just more hot air, the desperation of the righteous believer who may actually think Moyes is the anti-Christ. It gets a bit tiring reading him after a while.

We're improving, slower than we'd all probably like, but improving nevertheless.

I see where the Preston manager is hoping to get Armstrong back this month; he's been our best player since coming back, and hell of a lot better than Moyes signing Rohl, who's so poor.

With Gueye back after Sunday, if Moyes allows him to leave, it would be ludicrous.

I think the Committee agree the team needs (they all seem to have neglected right-back) and identify players, Moyes gives final sign off. The days of Moyes identifying players himself are long gone, I think.

Add to this they all collectively say it's hard to attract players to Everton, normally stating lack of European football. I think that's true of elite Champions League players; not convinced about the rest.

Players don't want to join a relegation battle, understandably, but we're moving away from that. Could it be our style of play? Could it be the wages we offer?

We are unattractive to many it seems.

"Moyes has the final say on transfers, so why do some of the comments think he'd nothing to do with the signing of Barry?"

Of course he had something to do with the signing of Barry, but read posts #10 & #27 for context.

Hobson's Choice.

That's the most important line in the entire interview. Moyes -- who was reported months ago to be the lead of the recruitment team and now confirms it himself -- recognizes that we desperately need players but is not willing to settle for the stopgaps and fill-ins we have recruited previously.

I applaud that sentiment wholeheartedly. For example, the right-backs we missed on last summer, Kenny Tete and James Justin, would have been Cuco-esque space-fillers who would not have moved this club forward one bit.

No matter how frustrated we may all be, I continue to hope Moyes and his team will hold fire until they find a class player for that position.

I am entertained to see my obsessed admirer once again fixating on me at #8, adding unseemly sexual grossness to his usual integrity-free contribution.

For the record, I have never expressed a single opinion, positive or negative, on the quality of Everton's recruiting committee. Not one. Nor have I ever made a prediction on the success of the upcoming summer window. Not one. But be assured that you will continue to see my hapless admirer continue to push his invented narrative -- and to continue his descent into indignity as he does so.

Moyes used Anichebe more so than just about any other youngster and Barry reminds me a lot of him -- throwing himself to the ground, getting pushed around, unable to use his size to his advantage, and wayward finishing.

He also signed Marcus Bent who was far from prolific but had a similar build. So I personally blame Moyes for Barry and the man says himself he has final say, so why absolve him of responsibility he is happy to take?

Surely our 2 players were meant for Serie A and the two proven lads at Roma are made for the Premier League?

Why does it feel like Roma are the priority? I understand the lifestyle and if it was down to personal lifestyle choice then how can we compete with Rome? But crikey, 1 out of the 2 would have been nice.

Also, I'm intrigued by your examples, both of whom Roma would probably consider failures. Abraham had one spectacular season and then pretty much fell off a cliff, and is now playing on loan in Turkey.

And Ferguson went 13 months without a goal before finally bagging a few. Roma just signed two new forwards, Malen from Villa and Vaz from Marseille, and various rumours have Ferguson headed out for Wrexham, Celtic or Napoli in this window.

Maybe it's home comforts or their physicality, but they both produced over here.

“People like Adam Aznou, a full-back with decent playing experience in the Bundesliga.”

Really? 2 sub appearances amounting to a combined 15 minutes.

Aznou 899 minutes of senior football
Rohl 974 minutes
Dibling 2215 minutes

Surprised we paid the money we did, for such few minutes.

But maybe we could add in La Liga, where he had 874 minutes across 13 games?

But it's obvious why Moyes overlooked him for half a season. He wants to get forward and make something happen. Certainly not a Moyes type defensive robot.

Here's something else, as Moyes signed off on his transfer (according to the man himself), he must have his reasons for not picking him yet. Isn't that his prerogative as the manager of the team? He's not doing it out of spite is he? He brought him to the club after all.

I think Tony nailed it with this singing assessment:

Moyes doesn't integrate, Moyes likes a small squad and a settled team, and this is why he has got such a pitiful record in cup competitions.

His failure to integrate each and every one of his new players into the squad so that they can perform effectively when called upon is the biggest indictment of his methods and judgment.

“All managers, we’re all hoping to get bigger numbers, but I think the club have outlined we spent in the summer, that was the main part. It’s not me who is saying it, the CEO is saying it as well that we don’t expect to be doing too much business, so that’s where we are with it really.

“I think we had about 12 or 13 players out of contract in the summer, so it’s been quite a big turnaround already. If I can get a couple of players in, the club will certainly back me, I’ve got no doubt about that, they’ve been really good.

“Maybe they can’t back me on a £60M or £70M signing but they’ll back me on what they’d think would be the right numbers if we can come up with the players required.”

So... dumbing down any expectations in terms of quality, but holding out hope for the Rumour Mill readers that something might, just might happen before 2 February.

I also think Tony nailed it Michael.

With regard to whether our club would want them, Abraham is reported on at least £100,000/week, which is big coin for a guy who hasn't had a good season since 2021-22. And Ferguson is less proven than Barry, not at all an established goalscorer.

Your initial post way back at the start of the thread was a whine. I’m not even sure you know what point you were trying to make. I know you don’t like him (who doesn’t) but it gets a bit tiresome. When you start adding two and two together to make five, in pursuit of one of your many ill-advised rants about him, someone has to challenge.

It's only in your head that he's the lead, final say is not the lead, core nor key as you continually say.

The Athletic article you refer to defined the roles of each member of the committee, Moyes role is to define the roles of the players required, just like any manager would. Then it's the recruitment team that takes the lead to find the players that fit those roles.

So Moyes only input is to say 'I need a right footed right back' and when the recruitment team come up with Antonee Robinson he says 'no'.

He doesn't lead the recruitment process the way he used to with Chairman Bill.

Glasner finally loses all patience, but Moyes must feel something similar. My sympathy for the manager, however, is lessened as he knew he would need to use the new signings and squad players in this period. He did not give them enough playing time to be ready.

As Jimmy said, the table doesn’t lie - we are 12th which is crap given the potential in this squad.

Mr. Gaynes: good to see you going out of your way to play the TFG-boy card, but then this runs a tad contrary: 'Roma just signed two new forwards, Malen from Villa and Vaz from Marseille'.

Mr. Gaynes tries to swerve Mr. Kearn's acid comment with some top-drawer TFG PR but then runs straight into a brick wall, providing solid support for Mr. Kearns's original point.

Now I get what you are saying, that our ace/crack data-driven diametric statto fellas give Moyes a menu, BUT 'I’ve got the final say if we want to buy a player or we don’t want to buy a player' (Moyes).

Eric, what is the most important point of wheeling and dealing: saying we could do with this player OR 'I've got the final say' on who we buy. Is it the 'lead' or the 'final say'?

Oh, by the way, I would not be surprised if Moyes was throwing names of potential buys into the mix as well.

Waits for Eric to tell me that we cannot have a 'final say' without a 'lead'.

There, didn't want to dissapoint you, even though I would not have said that :-)

Finding out who might be available, what their wages are and what transfer fee might need to be paid and seeing how that fits into the budget available. Also checking that it meets PSR not just now but over the amortisation of the contract.

Then giving the manager a choice, 'you can have 2 fullbacks for £X million or 1 stiker for the same.'

Are you suggesting that Moyes does all that? If so why do we need this ace recruitment team to take the lead?

I have a mate here in Pattaya who's a relative of John Littlejohn of Chicago Blues fame.

Let's say you're a History professor and you set your students some homework. They go away, do all the research, write the dissertation and present it to you. You mark it.

Who had the 'lead', 'core', 'key' 'fundamental' role in producing that dissertation? You? No, you're just the guy that sets the task and has the final say.

Mike, same is true in your field of journalism, is the editor the core for setting the task and publishing it? Or is it the journalist who did all the work?

No, you're right. I'm just suggesting that the end part is the most important part. And now I just learned that it was unemployed twice-recently-sacked Thelwell who first spotted Barry. A clear. case, Eric, of a collapse in recruitment from first to last.

Re your journalism question, it's a combination of the two. Sometimes the editor will assign the reporter a story, and sometimes the reporter will find the story himself and then get the editor's approval. Not sure that really relates to the question, though, in that neither the editor nor the reporter is responsible for revenue generation or budgets.

Fair point, well made!

Another important factor in all of this is retention and selling on. Moyes is bad at this, we retain players that no one else would, the prime example of this is Coleman.

We don’t talk up players and strategically play them to keep their market value up, Moyes actually talks them down as per Beto. We should have sold Beto and Mykolenko in the summer when they had at least some value, released Coleman, and brought in some ‘ready to go’ footballers.

Jesus, is this all TW can come up with these days?

If you blame Moyes for our recruitment, you're not looking at the bigger picture. Everton are not (yet) particularly attractive. Give it time. This is a marathon not a sprint - we're in recovery. Baby steps.

Get real, if Moyes had said, I don t agree with the signings, he would be looking over his shoulder to see who next is coming in.

Just like Thomas Frank, Oliver Glasner and Tom Dick and Harry.

Its clear you don t like Moyes, but don t make a fool of yourself.

Personally I seriously question why people believe Moyes wouldn't be involved in every transaction. Particularly in light of his reluctance to work with a DOF at West Ham.

Just my opinion of course but I honestly believe Moyes is heavily involved in all our transfer dealings

If you have a vacancy, you ask your recruitment team to produce a longlist of candidates (30-40 candidates). If you are unimpressed with the longlist, you can ask them to extend the search.

Ultimately, they will produce a final list from which you will select your preferred candidates (10-12 candidates). Through an assessment process, those 10-12 candidates will be reduced down to the final 2-3 from whom 1 will be hired.

Who has the power? The recruiters who ran the process or the manager who had the decision rights at every stage of the process?

The person who has the decision rights always has the power.

Not forgetting that no-one is to blame.

Now that is really what TW has become.

Example, we need a right back and Antonee Robinson is rumoured?

But City do buy well - cherki £30m, Haaland £50m, etc.

You know that we are talking about the final word on transfers, not picking the team.

Isn't Robinson a left-back?

Sean Kearns 78: 'Isn't Robinson a left back?'

Erm, I think that was Eric's point.

Dear God's it's back. Our nutty conspiracy theorist.

Sean Kearns 76: 'Ajay Gopal #60: are you a club mole 🧐. I have brought up such topics before and been absolutely crucified for it by certain other posters'.

There is not a single sentence, word, syllable, letter in your post Ajay that would make anyone with an ounce of intelligence to even have the slighest little amoeba-like thought that this was the case.

Look out for the Russians: 'There will be 1-2 who are paid to scour ToffeeWeb and other fan sites and push propaganda'.

Imagine Brenda in Crosby made up with the pocket money she gets from the club for scouring ToffeeWeb et al to report subversive fan comment and with the help of next-door neighbour Agnes planting club 'propaganda' on ToffeeWeb et al

Thankfully ToffeeWeb have made her/their job much easier by greatly reducing the number of contributions with the new owners.

And, Sean, he lives not very far from Russia and there are key global communication networks on the top of Mount Rainer.