David Moyes, recently appointed as the manager of Everton Football Club, shared his thoughts on returning to the club and the challenges that lie ahead. Moyes, who previously managed Everton from 2002 to 2013, expressed his determination to steer the club away from the bottom of the league standings and emphasized the importance of player performance and fan support at Goodison Park.
David Moyes said: “I always had a hope and inkling that someone would get me back. Three or four, he thinks. The closest? I had agreed with Farhad [Moshiri] and Bill [Kenwright] that I was going to be the manager and then Carlo got sacked that night [at Napoli]. They changed their mind the next morning. I had a lot of close calls, but that was the closest.”
Moyes acknowledged the club’s recent struggles and outlined his vision for the team’s future. He emphasized the need for the players to step up and deliver performances that match the expectations of the Everton faithful.
Moyes continued: “The football club now needs steering in the right direction, putting in a place where you’re not fighting at the bottom of the league all the time. I’ve told the players today. Part of it is – you players had better turn up. I’ve got no doubt the crowd, the people, Goodison, will all play a part. The players have to play their part now and they have to show they can handle it. Goodison can be a very fierce arena and they have to go on stage and put on a big act. They have to perform.”
Reflecting on the transition of management, Moyes shared insights from his conversation with his predecessor, Sean Dyche. He expressed respect for Dyche’s efforts under challenging circumstances and the importance of understanding the current squad’s dynamics.
Moyes also said: “I spoke to Dychey on Saturday. I wanted to be clear that I wasn’t sitting here taking his job because Dychey is a friend as well. I think Dychey, to be fair as well, I think he said that he was expecting people to be maybe having a look around. But it was all so tight, the period of the changeover, so Dychey told me, he spoke about the players to me and gave me an indication of – we didn’t go through every single player, but we went through quite a lot of them – and talked about how much he had enjoyed it, but obviously a lot of the restrictions had made it really difficult for Dychey in the last few years. And I have to admire him for keeping the team going because there were a few really difficult points – the points deductions etc, and he got them back.”
Finally, Moyes expressed his excitement about managing at Goodison Park once again and the responsibility he feels to ensure a positive transition to the club’s new stadium.
Moyes concluded: “Now I’ve got the chance to manage here again. I’ve just got to make sure that when we walk out of Goodison and lock the door for the final time, we can all walk down to the new stadium in the right position.”
With Moyes at the helm, Everton fans will be hopeful for a turnaround in fortunes as the club embarks on a new chapter under his leadership.
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