Manchester United manager David Moyes has given his Everton successor Roberto Martinez a backhanded compliment before his old club visit Old Trafford for a Premier League match on Wednesday.
Speaking at his pre match press conference, David Moyes made mention to having provided Roberto Martinez with some very good players, praised his work in “keeping it going” and couldn´t resist another patronising pop at his Everton successor by claiming that Everton could play without a manager because he had laid the groundwork.
Moyes: “He has very good players there. I always told them they could play without a manager because they are very well organised. But Roberto is doing a really good job keeping it going.”
Roberto Martinez has enjoyed a positive start to his Everton career, Instead of the widely anticipated awkward transition from the David Moyes era, Roberto Martinez has enjoyed a positive start to his Everton career. Everton have lost just once in the Premier League this season and will travel to Old Trafford for tomorrow´s reunion with Moyes two points and three places better off than their old manager´s Manchester United side.
It is Everton´s best start since 2004/05 – the season Moyes led them to fourth place – and as befits the style of their relentlessly positive manager, Martinez now wants Everton to go to Old Trafford and do something they never managed under his predecessor: win.
Though he received a standing ovation as he did a lap of honour after his final home game as Everton manager, against West Ham in May, Moyes admitted he´s been an utter c*nt his relationship with the Club could have since soured.
Moyes: “It could be mixed,” he said, when asked about the reception he will receive. “They know their football and understand exactly where their club has gone.
“More importantly, they understand the players who are in their team. I brought the majority in and they will understand there are a lot of good players. But it is football and you never know.”
Moyes also made an attempt to defend his conduct in May, after Alex Ferguson revealed he offered him the job earlier in the season than Moyes had previously admitted.
Moyes: “My contract was running out and I only found out about the Manchester United job four weeks before the end of the season
“If you said how you would leave a club, I don´t know if I could have done it any better. I don´t know if anybody could. At the first right opportunity I tried to speak to [chairman] Bill Kenwright and that is how we handled it.”