David Moyes is a top manager. Once again he has guided Everton to be the nearest challenger to the ‘big four’. He has masterminded a remarkable season for the Toffees in difficult circumstances.
It is difficult to see where David Moyes will go after he has completed his time at Everton. To go to a bigger club in England would mean going to one of the top four. It doesn’t seem likely that will happen although Sir Alex Ferguson has made no secret of his admiration for his fellow countryman.
European
It is also difficult to see Moyes taking over at one of the top European clubs. Despite the great job we know he has done at Goodison Park, his persona is not one that might attract the very best clubs.
Moyes has instilled a great team spirit at Everton and he manages to get the very best out of limited resources at his disposal. This season’s Everton player of the year, Phil Jagielka, told the BBC that the team have great character and spoke openly of his admiration for his boss. Jagielka, who misses the FA Cup final through injury, said,
“With the size of the squad, having no strikers and not starting the season with many fit pros we’ve not had an ideal season. But it just proves what characters we’ve got around the team. We’re desperate to do well for this club and it just seems to suit us. It’s been a fantastic 12 months and it would’ve been nice to finish it off in style. It’s remarkable the gaffer has been able to do it again. But hopefully the boys can do it for me. We’ve put a fantastic run together and we’ve guaranteed sixth and there is a chance of us finishing fifth. That is top of the next league so to speak if you take the big four away. The character that’s in the squad and the club as a whole has shone through.”
Of course, Everton have a chance to add the FA Cup to fifth or sixth place this season and that would be a well deserved reward for the fantastic job Moyes has done. Despite the reputation he has forged for himself, he still only has a second division championship with Preston to show for his efforts.
Award
On a personal level he has won the League Managers Association manager of the year award twice, the manager of the month award four times and the North West manager of the year once. Let’s not forget that Sir Alex Ferguson and Rafa Benitez are both in the North West as well.
Would Everton have had the relative success they have had if they hadn’t made the very wise decision in 2002 to give the then thirty-nine year old Scotsman the manager’s job? I think the answer is that they probably wouldn’t have done.
Best
He has kept Everton ahead of all of the ‘best of the rest’ despite having arguably less resources than many of the others. As Jagielka said, he has achieved his success this season with a seriously depleted team. For much of the season they have played without any fit strikers. To finish where they have has been a testament to the fighting spirit Moyes has produced within the side.
The poll on this site at the moment asks who should be named as the manager of the year. The voting has been close between Sir Alex Ferguson and Pep Guardiola and there has been a smattering of votes for other managers. One of the categories is ‘other’. I really hope that some of the votes registered under that heading have been for Moyes.
Weight in gold
Having completed seven years as Everton’s manager and still having another four years of a five year contract to go, Moyes doesn’t look like he is thinking of going anywhere soon. He is one of the longest serving managers around and he is worth his weight in gold to the club.
Government minister Andy Burnham, who is an Everton fan, recently said, “Mr. David Moyes is probably a fine example to everybody in government of stability and making the right decisions for the long term.”
Do Everton fans feel the same way as I do? Do you hope he stays at the club for ever or do you think you could do better with someone else?
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