Moyes, tempering expectations, and the Everton elephants in the room

Moyes has always downplayed things, nothing ever happened in the past to suggest otherwise.

I'm not saying this is particularly anything he should be hated for, it's just who he is, he enjoys the underdog tag and I think it was ok when he first took the job way back in 2002, he said the right things then and he was largely untested and a unknown quantity at Premier League level plus after the malaise of the Walter Smith era we were happy to have a bouncy punchy younger man at the helm.

However we are now in 2026, a long way down the line and Moyes is now a 63 year old tried and tested long in the tooth veteran, exposed so we know his every flaw and strength and likewise.

Saying something like this in 2026 just after we have moved to a new stadium that we need try and emulate but not necessarily will achieve the likes of Bournemouth and Brentford is thoroughly depressing.

The silence from owners is no longer a surprise, I doubt these will even own the club in 12 months time so you could say, they aren't really even interested one way or another.

Moyes must know his job is pretty much safe here for another year anyway.

He should be called to a meeting in the states to explain his defeatist statements.
Imo he should be sacked for making the comments.

They should sack him while he's over there and handy to reach

Every club will be looking forward to the start of the season except us. If we get the players in we are expecting and some of our better ones get sold, Moyes will be gone before the first derby imo.

Jim,

That's an interesting perspective. You think Friedkin is just going to 'flip' us? Is that just a gut feel or do you see any evidence?

Leveraged buy out by the looks of it.
I'm losing confidence in TFG daily.

I get the criticism that Moyes gets, I've said much the same thing but the problem I have is whoever is our manager they get 'mullered' on here, the exception was Ancelotti but I dare say he would have got the same had he hung around long enough.

We have had 3 managers that are now managing nations at the WC plus one that was deemed good enough to manage England, but they were all supposedly not good enough for us.

The constant has been the ability of the players, changing the manager and keeping the same overall quality of the squad the same is never going to end well.

Playing Jake at right back is Moyes in a nutshell…. Patterson or Garner (who won the U21 world Cup for England at RB) is more modern, and maybe more of a risk. So shitbag Moyes plays Jake every week so we get more height at set plays (and we still conceded loads of goals from crosses around the 6 yard box, so what’s the point). Play Patterson or Garner FFS and put O’Brien in the middle. Michael Keane wasn’t good enough 10 fucking years ago!!! Jake was brilliant for the few games he played at center half and won everything in the air…

HI HO,
WE ALL KNOW,
SHITBAG MOYES HAS GOT TO GO!!

Has anyone given any thought to the fact that Moyes might be engineering his own departure.

If he resigns...no compo.

If he's removed...gets compo.

The more I think about it the more I cannot fathom why he would make such a statement that he's made, surely he must of known the vast majority of the fanbase would turn against him.

Dave #9

I don't think TFG would be overly critical of Moyes statement. Indeed they probably would echo what he has said. If Moyes was trying to engineer his own departure I think he would have openly criticised TFG.

Fair point, Brendan, but if the fans get very vocal or we start seeing lots of empty seats surely they will have to take notice.

There is long term planning and short-term planning and I was once told if the short term doesn't work there is no long term.

Now to hear it reported that we have been searching for a RB for over 12 months makes us a laughing stock and begs the question if you have done your scouting why have we still not looked like signing anyone and where is our plan and what is it.

At the moment, we look like losing Gueye, Grealish, Ndiaye, George, Patterson etc. With very little sign of progress on acquisitions to what is already a threadbare squad not fit for the purpose.

It’s very depressing even listening to Moyes speak, doom and gloom, hopefully he’ll stay in America.

"I doubt these will even own the club in 12 months time"

Hah. Jim, I'll bet you anything you want.

The Friedkin family has been acquiring and building assets for 60 years. Not just the automotive distributorships that made them rich, but aviation assets, movie companies, resort properties, conservation land in Africa, and now football clubs.

They have never sold anything.

Not a company, not a resort, not the rights to any of their movies, not an acre of land. A generation ago, Toyota Japan began trying to buy up all the privately held US Toyota distributorships. Only two private owners in the entire country have refused to sell. Guess who one of those is. That's right, the Friedkins.

Some billionaires get rich by buying and selling, and some by buying and holding. These people are the latter. They accumulate.

I doubt Everton will be sold while Dan Friedkin is alive and well -- and then only if his son Ryan, now the head honcho at Roma, loses interest.

"Some billionaires get rich by buying and selling, and some by buying and holding."

Thats my fear Mike.
They will hold on to some of the transfer money the rules and regs allow us to spend

TFG have sold stuff, Mike.

They have clearly sold you a pup... And they didn't even have to open their mouths.

Darren #17, nothing more analytical than that? Can't wait to read your sober, reasoned assessment of why they will go against 100% of their business history and sell the club.

John #16, of course they will. Do you walk into the grocery on Saturday and spend up to the last penny of your card limit?

You have just given me a tiny bit of hope, Mike, because to lose interest usually means you must have had interest to begin with.🤷

These Silent Friedkins bore me that much they are in danger of making thousands of Evertonians lose interest.

"John #16, of course they will. Do you walk into the grocery on Saturday and spend up to the last penny of your card"

You do if the larder is empty Mike.

Why would I do that Mike ? I didnt say they would sell. I said they had sold you a pup.

Billionaires do not have to buy or hold to become rich. They already are That's why they are called billionaires. A silver spoon always comes in handy of course

BTW; I am sober, but unlike TFG, I'm working on changing my situation.

Did you get papers with that pup ?

Tony, hard to imagine they'd spend six months buying the club and three more months closing the deal if they weren't really, really interested.

Personally I have no problem with silent boring owners after our last two. Say this about Bill and Mosh, they weren't boring. They kept us constantly interested. Do you miss that? Me neither.

Hey, I really liked what you wrote in the other thread about Everton never settling for competing with the 3 B's. You're right, we should be aspiring to rejoin the elite. Nothing less.

After the way Everton’s season petered out last season the club needs to wake up to the fact that it is a16 man game now. You need 16 first teamers available for every game. It’s no good having two goal keepers and a couple lads in school caps on the bench. Teams have done us by having quality subs to bring on.

This is exactly the same thread as the one from yesterday.

Moyes used the media at West ham to address the owners. He did the same on st least 2 occasions last year to try and force through transfers, getting kdh and grealish to keep him quiet. Maybe you are just naive to corporate politics. I think you would be better off asking why we are not making realistic cash offers but looking to buy on the cheap and pay on credit. and question the activity which sees us we even behind Ipswich in our approaches. The fact is tfg want structured payment plans and loans, At this stage of the window clubs want cash and will hold out for their asking price. So we will do any business in the last week and sort through the cast offs and alsan rans, touting whatever nonsense we do as an amazing deal. Meantime TFG will concentrate on maximising revenue from ticket sales, new stadium, property, retail. They were looking at player flips, but kinnear bought dross and Moyes wont play ball and showcase them.

I found Kenwright, very boring Mike, whereas I thought Moshiri, was simply very foolish for allowing Kenwright to stay involved.

Moshiri helped build us a fantastic new stadium, whereas I think the Friedkin’s, who I believe purchased the club, at a great price because of the sanctions on the Russian Oligarchs, (of course these billionaires were going to show real, real interest in making money) have already began to take the joy out of watching Everton, inside that fantastic new stadium.

We have been waiting years for this brand new stadium, which was supposedly going to help kickstart us into a much brighter future, but until we get owners that “show real interest” then it’s going to continue to be very boring and frustrating, being an Evertonian, especially with our current manager.

Imagine purchasing a once great English Institution, who had just moved into a new 53.000 state of the art, new stadium and persevering with a manager, who wants to emulate three clubs who haven’t got a tenth of our history between them? Would the combined capacity of those three clubs mentioned, fit more inside their stadiums than Bramley Moore?

Im sure the one thing neither of those three clubs have is a CEO, who says he his happily dissatisfied, and if these silent friedkin’s, began to show real interest, then I’m certain that the first thing they would do would be to get rid of both David Moyes and Angus Kinnear?

It’s the first thing I’d do, but what do I know? Other than I’m very fucking bored with Everton Football Club, right now.

Tony A, the three B's grounds together cram in 60,449 souls. Over 50% at Brighton.

First off, I've said it before, but Mike G your defense of TFG is getting ridiculous. Whenever anyone says anything remotely negative about them you pop up with some fanboy comment to champion them, but as an Everton fan I couldn't give a shit about TFG, I will judge them by their actions and to date all they have done is buy a great club on the cheap and install a has been, never was, loser of a manager to cement the Kenwright "don't get relegated at all costs" mentality - whilst treating us as second citizens to their favourite son in Italy.

But to anyone that thinks Moyes is playing TFG in his Talksport interview, seriously - they can't even show up to HDS, what makes you think they are listening to Jim Whyte? These comments will never get back to them, the only time they will be interested in us is if their investment in our stadium is under pressure. That's the cash cow, not the glorious history and fanbase.

Hope I'm proven wrong, but nothing has suggested otherwise.

Tony 26, spot on.

While we're on the subject of Moyes here's a Editorial from the local Brisbane paper.
Now Australia gets World Cup-itis once every 4 yrs, then everybody is, as ever an instant expert -it doesn't last very long and there has t been a really serious outbreak since the days of Tim Cahill.

Game 1; all the 'Experts' wondered at the Coaches selection when he dropped 3 or 4 established names, including the Keeper
They beat a decent Turkey side 2-0.

Game 2;
Up against the Hosts with full home advantage The Coach opted for Do not lose - and as we so often see with Moyes - they lost.

Game 3;
Enter the local paper...think Daily Post when it was decent.

And this piece by an Editor ( with his newly acquired expert knowledge brought on by a dose of 4 yr World Cup fever)

Notice any similarities if you change a few names??

"The Socceroos’ 2-0 loss to the United States in their second match of the FIFA 2026 World Cup must serve as a sharp wake-up call for the rest of the tournament.

In a disastrous first half, Australia was a shadow of the side that beat Turkey 2-0 in its opening outing. The Socceroos were timid, hesitant and second to every contest. They allowed the Americans to dictate the tempo, control possession and pin them deep in their own half. At no stage before the break did Australia look likely to score, or even to wrest back control.

To their credit, the response after halftime was far better. The Socceroos emerged with intent, energy and belief. They were stronger in the contest, braver with the ball and far more willing to take the game on. For long stretches of the second half they matched, and at times unsettled, their highly fancied opponents.

That fightback mattered. While the scoreline remained 2-0, the second-half display restored some pride and reminded supporters what this team is capable of when it plays with courage and conviction.

Australian sporting fans can accept defeat. (???)

What they won’t accept is a lack of effort, belief or ambition. Whether it’s State of Origin, the Australian Open or the World Cup, supporters want to see their teams have a genuine crack.

Now comes Paraguay. A draw may be enough, but playing for one would be a mistake. Australia must attack, back itself and chase momentum into the finals."

Take note TFG, Angus and get rid of this millstone round our necks.

TFG will only sell if the son Ryan loses interest? What interest have they shown in Everton since they took over?

It seems to me they have lost interest in Everton already. But they haven’t lost interest in any money they can make by owning Everton.

don't know what to think anymore but did watch a daily Everton show on you tube they were saying nothing will happen till June the 30th when most contracts end there 12 month cycle, not looking good but who knows. But if we sign George and Grealish there's about 40 mill of transfer kitty I guess.

Raymond Fox 7: 'I get the criticism that Moyes gets'.

I sincerely hope not Raymond.

Stu, you’re so full of it it’s coming out of your ears, but that’s been the case since you made your first inelegant, snotty contribution on this site, and your insults are just a puppy pissing on the rug. I can’t even be bothered to rub your nose in it.

To be fair MG, Stu might not be that subtle and respectful, but in his own way he does express concerns that many others have. He is not a lone wolf by any stretch of the imagination. You know this.

The number of sceptics on any relevant thread always outnumbers people like you who quite understandably urge patience. I think that's the case anyway.

Thanks Paul. I didn’t realise that Brighton’s ground could fit in over 30.000 people inside it mate and good luck to those Brighton fans, who stuck with their club, through some very, very dark days.

Brentford and Bournemouth, are also both very progressive clubs, who seem to be very well run and also organised to a high professional level,

You can’t underestimate how important this is and yet we have still got people behind the scenes at Everton, who don’t even seem to be aligned when it comes to recruiting players.

Moyes, on a short term contract, will be all about getting results, rather than building a competitive squad, and I think this showed towards the end of the season, when he kept picking the same team, much to the frustration of the fans, who could see that the team looked tired and badly needed freshening up?

Whilst some people talk about stability, other people think that standing still in football, is the equivalent of going backwards, so when you hear the manager, talking about emulating three clubs who have got one charity shield between them, then it becomes very patently fucking obvious that things aren’t getting done properly at Everton Football Club.

Apologies, Mike, if I offended you, but I have seen so much nonsense from owners of this club over the last 35 years that I have little patience for TFG's invisible plans.

My personal belief is that, just because they rescued us, it doesn't mean they have the right to ignore us. I believe their treatment of us is disrespectful, when realistically how difficult is it to say a few hellos?

I also find Moyes a completely incompetent fit for us at the moment... so, when he talks with such negativity, my blood will boil. What is the end goal with Moyes?

Reality check: we will never win the league again, the powers that be have made it impossible; Leicester were the exception that proved the rule.

So we should be targeting a manager who can actually win us a cup or two. Because winning something is what it's all about, isn't it? And winning something gives us a chance of Europe and perhaps winning something else.

That will never be Moyes.

Also, puppies pissing on a rug are cute, so I'm taking that as a compliment. Also, you mis-spelt 'intelligent'. Also, I joined ToffeeWeb long before you, but had to change my account as I got locked out and the email recovery never worked.

Finally, I do hate name-calling and singling out of individuals on this site for negative reasons, so I am genuinely sorry.

Nice post Stu mate.

MG@33

When The Moyesiah guides us to a respectable 13th place (his mindset, not mine) under the ownership of your dream boys, expect to get your nose rubbed in it.

Stu... loved the "intelligent" remark, British sarcasm at it best.

Mike G.

You seem to get angry every time TFG are mentioned in a negative manner.

You are taking it too personally.

I think TFG could cause big problems in the future when Everton really improve (Stop it, Dave, you're fuckin' jinxing us before we even start!) and we qualify for a good European competition at the same time as Roma, who will they choose?

They have just bought Everton and inherited a brand new stadium, they are planning to build a new stadium for Roma which makes me think Roma are TFG's main priority at the moment.

Maybe they will prove me wrong when they start moving in this summer's transfer market to a degree that will show they are here for the long haul.

Our reputation in the world has been restored, Paul.

Moyes probably arranged an end of season party only to spend it saying how great he is and how he's doing the club a favour and finishing 13th is success.

Fuck him off, please! It's absolutely depressing having him as manager.

A lot of Everton fans think Kieron McKenna will be the next Everton manager, how soon that will be they don’t state, Ipswich will be due compensation so I have my doubts.

Moyes cashing in with TalkShite sticks in my craw...

Not least because his TFG (Totally Fucking Gratified by mediocrity) bosses have sanctioned it.