David Moyes has been explaining his plans for tweaking his backroom staff plus a new injury blow ahead of Everton's final game of the season at Newcastle United
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David Moyes is still looking to tweak his backroom staff this summer but after promoting Leighton Baines from Everton’s Under-18s to the senior side, the former Blues left-back will be staying on.
Baines, now 40, who was signed by Moyes from Wigan Athletic for £6million in 2007 and is widely regarded as being Everton’s best player in his position of the Premier League era, had been in charge of their U18 team for two-and-a-half seasons before being promoted by the man who brought him to the club.
Moyes who is also assisted by fellow Scottish trio Billy McKinlay, Alan Irvine and Charlie Adam, was asked whether there has been a decision yet on his coaches and said: “There’s a few bits and pieces I may change, I just need to see if we can make that happen. We are having a look at one or two things.”
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However, when it came to whether the 62-year-old will retain Baines, he said: “100%, absolutely.”
Everton go to Newcastle United for their final Premier League fixture confirmed in 13th place.
Since their previous game, a 2-0 win over Southampton in their farewell to Goodison Park, Abdoulaye Doucoure has confirmed his summer exit after rejecting a new contract on reduced terms.
Moyes refused to say whether the departing player would start at St James’ Park but revealed that someone who won’t be taking his place is Tim Iroegbunam, who has joined Seamus Coleman and Jarrad Branthwaite, who both went off against the Saints, on the treatment table.
He said: “I’m not going to tell you whether he’s going to start or not, but we’ve got other people who need some game-time as well, or who are looking for some game-time.
"We’ve also picked up an injury to Tim in training, an adductor injury, that will probably keep him out for a few weeks.”
Having confirmed that Branthwaite is facing over a month out with a hamstring injury, Moyes is set to turn to Michael Keane, who scored in Fulham's previous away game at Fulham, against Newcastle United with an update expected after the match on the 32-year-old who has been with the Blues for eight years.
Moyes said: “Yes, I'm telling you I would like Jarrad to go on and play (for England U21) I really do. I think it's a big, big moment when you're a young player.
“You want to be involved in all the correct things and the tournament would have been great for him. But I think I think it's just going to come too quick for him.
“That's what I'm getting told. It will probably be the start of pre-season before we really get him back.”
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When it comes to Keane, he added: “We have a lot of discussions around that. A lot of discussions about what we have and what back up we've got central defender-wise.
“It comes into the bit of you know there are so many pieces to put in. Let's be fair with the amount of people coming out of contract etc, there's lots and lots of bits to try and piece together.
“So it'll not all come together immediately but we've got an idea exactly how we're going to probably do it if we start to get the people in that we want.
"Michael Keane will come into it and he's yet another one of who we will probably release it on Monday.”
Meanwhile, ahead of a summer that promises significant changes in personnel, Moyes remains concerned about the number of players that could be coming and going. He said: “I don’t think it’s something you’d have ideally as any manager, such a big changeover. I knew we had this situation when I came into the job.
“There is a chance for big change but it’s easier said than done. You want to build layer after layer. I am surprised at how well the players have done, so well, which has made the decisions a bit easier because if we don’t get anybody we are happy with what we’ve got.
“We have five loan players, on its own that is a lot. Most clubs have one or at worst two, we have five.
“That alone gives you an idea. We don’t hold the value of those players.”