Honesty, resilience, passion and determination are all words I’ve used in the past to describe David Moyes. All of those are still applicable, but you can add proficiency and experience to those as well now.
It’s almost normality now for football fans to react game by game, managers are only as good as their last 90 minutes. Modern football’s throw away culture often sees messiah worship one week and shouts of “sack him” the next.
We’ve seen it at Everton on a few occasions this season. I find it quite incredible really, at times unbelievable too, but to those whose backing for Moyes breaks as quickly as politicians’ promises, I ask you to do just one thing.
That one thing is to take one step back, look back at how things were just over a year ago. Desperate, repetitive despair, the prospect of another bleak April and May, another relegation fight – which may possibly have been one too many. Step back for a minute, don’t look too far forward, just look at where the club is right now in comparison to January 2025.
Give us your gut feeling… will Everton make it into Europe? 🌍
Everton manager David Moyes on Europe.
David Moyes has set new ‘standards’ since his return to Everton
To steal the line from Gladys Knight’s hit song ‘the way we were’ this January ‘the winters are warmer’, ‘the grass is greener’ and ‘the smiles are brighter’. David Moyes deserves huge credit for that and I’ve no doubt the man himself would say the players and the owners and, of course, the fans are equally deserving of credit but what the 62 year old has achieved in 12 months is quite incredible.
It’s easy to forget the feelings of a year ago, and to some extent the nature of football fans is that we forget quickly and want more and more when positivity flows.
I get it when fans criticise some team selections, and even sometimes when they question when the manager plays things down, but that is part of David Moyes’ make-up. He’s been in and around the club for too long to get too excited too quickly, but whatever you do, do not mistake that for a lack of drive or ambition or wanting the best because he has all that in abundance – he just knows that over zealous celebration can bite you.
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I have seen a complete sea change in the culture at Everton both at the training ground and on match days, something I knew would come with his arrival: higher standards.
He demands much of himself, but also of the people who play for him and work alongside him, nobody gets to take Everton Football Club lightly.
That’s been evident with a number of players this season already – Thierno Barry and Tyler Dibling are just two that have felt that. Even when you start scoring or come with a big price on your head, the demands are still there, sometimes it may not be palatable but to turn Everton back into a force which can challenge for European places, never mind trophies, it’s what’s needed.
Everton have been a soft touch for too many for too long, it’s at times been a resting place for those who don’t give 100% week in, week out, that’s ended – whether you’re a £35m signing or in charge of the sprinklers at the Hill Dickinson.
Alan Myers hails Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall as potential ‘future Everton captain’
So a little respect for a good job well done so far wouldn’t go amiss, and Moyes doesn’t need me to tell him that if this current trend of progression wanes in any way then criticism will follow, he knows that. I also think he won’t bother himself with it either, he has a goal, a challenge which he is grasping with both hands at the moment and long may it continue, I for one would be willing to tolerate that dance once again if it means celebrating a European spot.
What are you thoughts on Alan Myers hailing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall as a future Everton captain? 🤔
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall celebrates for Everton and Alan Myers quote.
Photo by James Fearn/Getty Images
I must also mention this week how great it is to see the return of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from injury. He’s already made a great impact in a few games he’s played and he’s reminding us just what a quality player he is
I think out of all the players that have been injured in the last few months he was the biggest miss. He makes so many things happen and his experience within a game is a real asset for David Moyes.
I see a future Everton captain in Dewsbury-Hall and at just 27 years of age that’s a great prospect as the club look to build a squad with younger exciting players. That re-build is in its infancy but KDH will play a major part in it I’m sure.
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