Moyes will divide opinion amongst the fan base because we wanted more than ultimately he could deliver. His tenure saw different phases under his stewardship.
We were sleepwalking once more to relegation under Smith and a fiasco at Board Level. We mortgaged the club to the hilt to give Smith funds that allowed Collins, Dacourt, Materazzi , Bakayoko, Simonsen to arrive. By the end after that dismal exit at Boro in the Cup we were bankrupt on and off the field.
Enter Moyes...punted the deadwood like Gascogne in week one of arrival and steered us to safety. He bought astutely - Martin, Kilbane - but I remember faced near mutiny at the end of one campaign unless he changed his approach. Humiliated at City, lost pretty much every game at the end of the 2004 season as the players downed tools.
We’d finished 17th, Rooney wanted out after the Euro’s and It wasn’t a happy camp. Despite limited funds, that second period 04/05 to 09!10 saw him at his best in the Everton dugout. We had some side, make no mistake about it. Craft, guile, skill and an identity about our play. But always came up short...,unlucky at El Madrigal and a few decent cup runs and a win on pens v a United Reserve side at Wembley took him to arguably his pinnacle. Should have been three if I remember that final, Lampard hit one that bounced back in play from the Premier Inn behind the goal and via the net.
After that, for me he believed his own hype. He was no longer an employee he was Everton and I blame the board for that. Would he have let a player run his contract down to see what offers came in? So how did Kenwright let him do that. I’ll never forgive him for his surrender at Anfield midweek because we had Sunderland in the Cup on the Saturday (we drew that game as well).
In the end, he was too scared of a loss - we were happy to draw and not lose - eleven men back for every corner showed no ambition when you are 1 up at home V Botyom of the league. His away record was astonishing. How could you fail to win so often? That under dog mentality went through the team that they didn’t think they deserved to win on occasion.
I wish him no ill, he did well for a period, but I was glad he went in the end. Regrets? They will be his, not ours. We’ve moved on.