EXCLUSIVE: David Moyes' achievements at Everton are phenomenal and all the players respect him, says Kevin Kilbane
David Moyes applauds the fans after the match between Everton and Coventry City at Hill Dickinson Stadium on November 6, 2026
David Moyes applauds the fans after the match between Everton and Coventry City at Hill Dickinson Stadium on November 6, 2026(Image: Mark Cosgrove/News Images/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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David Moyes was dealt an unfair hand by The Friedkin Group (TFG) at the end of this summer’s transfer window but he’s the best man for Everton in such circumstances - believes one of his former players.
Although TFG performed a dramatic U-turn on plans to cash in on home-grown teenager Harrison Armstrong, who was set to be sold to Nottingham Forest for £40million before fans threatened to riot, they still pocketed over £100million on deadline day with their most creative talent Iliman Ndiaye, last season’s top scorer Beto, Tim Iroegbunam and Nathan Patterson all sold, plus Adam Aznou loaned out.
This ensured that following the late collapse of the purchase of USA World Cup star Folarin Balogun from Monaco, Everton were left with a first-team squad of 18 outfield players that contains just one striker, one left-back and one right-back.
Then, on October 9, the Blues’ Houston-based owners announced that the club was up for sale, less than 22 months after they had completed their takeover to obtain Farhad Moshiri’s 99.5% controlling stake.
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Despite this chaotic backdrop, Moyes steered his side to an eight-match unbeaten run in all competitions from the start of the season. Although this was followed up with consecutive defeats to Chelsea and Arsenal, Everton have now gone into the second international break this term on the back of three straight wins, the last of which, 3-1 over Coventry City, moved them up to fifth in the Premier League table on Friday night.
Speaking courtesy of BetBrain, Kevin Kilbane, who made 121 appearances for Everton, scoring five goals, after being snapped up by Moyes in 2003, told the ECHO: “He was dealt an unfair hand by The Friedkin Group at the end of the summer transfer window, absolutely. He won’t say it and that’s the thing, he knows it but he won’t say it.
“He’s the sort of manager and sort of person that can just get on with it. He recognises that I’ve been dealt this hand and I’ve got to deal with this group of players and I’ve got to get the best out of them.
“He did it with us with a smaller squad. The game has changed with the physicality, so he knows he needs a broader squad but, he’s dealt with it.
“He knows what to do with the smaller group of players and he knows how to get the best out of individuals. In my opinion, given the hand he’s been dealt, his experience of getting results and making a team competitive, there’s no better man and no better manager.”
Having already overhauled the number of games taken charge by Everton’s most successful manager Howard Kendall across his three spells at the helm (542), Moyes has now drawn level with another two-time League Champion and FA Cup-winning boss, Harry Catterick (592) and is set to break the record and hold it in his own right when the Blues go to Brentford for their next fixture on November 23.
David Moyes is set to take charge of more matches than any other manager in Everton's history when his side go to Brentford
David Moyes is set to take charge of more matches than any other manager in Everton's history when his side go to Brentford
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Kilbane said: “For him to be mentioned in the same breath as those two is incredible. I had the pleasure of meeting Howard Kendall a few times and sat down with him and knowing what he means to Evertonians.
“Obviously, Harry Catterick was way before my time, but I grew up under watching Howard Kendall’s side when I was a kid. So, for him to do that is phenomenal.
“Given how he came into the club just before I arrived at Everton and the pressure that he was under and the success that he had probably immediately, then his second season that didn’t quite go too well. Obviously, I was around then, so it was a unique time.
“David played a huge part in my whole career from when I was a kid, so I’m delighted for him. I think he’ll say I’m just looking to try to win a game and get on with things. He’ll think about it maybe when he does finish his career and when he’s maybe sat having a drink somewhere, chilling out somewhere or going to a game.
“He’ll reflect and realise what he has achieved at Everton because he’s had so much of an influence over so many players’ careers. I still speak to people like Leon Osman regularly, to Tim Cahill, Lee Carsley, Steve Watson and David Weir, all these sorts of lads that I would have been around and we all know what he did for us, and we all know the respect that we’ve all got for him.”