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As we approach the FA Cup final, the best achievement of Moyes’ 7 year reign so far, I felt a look at how this once rookie manager has brought a bit of, in his words, ‘class and dignity’ back to the top end of the table.
Still only 38 years old and having only been in management for a few years in the lower divisions with Preston, Moyes could have been forgiven for being dazzled by the big time at Everton and the Premierleague, however instead he set his targets clear, he wanted to build a young side for the future, based on hard work and fitness, and gave a press conference which instantly left him loved by the fans, as he christened Everton the ‘People’s Club’.
After an initial success, finishing 7th in his first full season, he found himself for the first time locking horns with the national media and England fans, as his handling of Rooney and his refusal to start him and give him the limelight saw him criticised, however despite this he guided Everton to our best finish since 1996.
The following season saw his first on field crisis as Everton plummeted to 17th, but that was to be put into the shadows by the summer of 2004. Rooney demanded a transfer late in the summer, Moyes had just £2.5million to spend, Gregg created a boardroom battle as he fought for control of the club and even Phil Scolari claimed someone at Everton had approached him about the Everton hot seat. However Moyes made no excuses, focussed his team on the on field matters and Everton fired our way up the table to 4th. The highlight in the season of how he really was a breath of fresh air compared to the usual suspects at the top of the league came in a match against Chelsea. James Beattie was sent off for a head butt which wasn’t obvious to all in the ground, and post match Moyes condemned the referee for his decision, however after watching the replay later on, the next day, in a move seemingly unheard of in the Premierleague era, Moyes came out and issued a full apology to the officials for his initial mistake. No excuses, no complaining, just honesty, simple management and focus with what he had, some class and dignity.
In the years since he’s carried on with his no nonsense approach to managing the club. Whilst Benitez and Ferguson lock horns in a pointless mind game and complaints about the tens of millions they have spent, whilst Wenger does his Stevie Wonder impersonations and fails to spot anything that could go against him, whilst Redknapp publicly talks up other team’s players and complains when the same is done against him and whilst O’Neil complains about Europe and all the games he has to play before he even gets into it, Moyes, with very little money, a small squad and a major injury crisis which at one point saw the club with no fit strikers, has guided Everton to 5th place and an FA Cup Final. So here’s to Moyes and the Everton era of Class & Dignity!
As we approach the FA Cup final, the best achievement of Moyes’ 7 year reign so far, I felt a look at how this once rookie manager has brought a bit of, in his words, ‘class and dignity’ back to the top end of the table.
Still only 38 years old and having only been in management for a few years in the lower divisions with Preston, Moyes could have been forgiven for being dazzled by the big time at Everton and the Premierleague, however instead he set his targets clear, he wanted to build a young side for the future, based on hard work and fitness, and gave a press conference which instantly left him loved by the fans, as he christened Everton the ‘People’s Club’.
After an initial success, finishing 7th in his first full season, he found himself for the first time locking horns with the national media and England fans, as his handling of Rooney and his refusal to start him and give him the limelight saw him criticised, however despite this he guided Everton to our best finish since 1996.
The following season saw his first on field crisis as Everton plummeted to 17th, but that was to be put into the shadows by the summer of 2004. Rooney demanded a transfer late in the summer, Moyes had just £2.5million to spend, Gregg created a boardroom battle as he fought for control of the club and even Phil Scolari claimed someone at Everton had approached him about the Everton hot seat. However Moyes made no excuses, focussed his team on the on field matters and Everton fired our way up the table to 4th. The highlight in the season of how he really was a breath of fresh air compared to the usual suspects at the top of the league came in a match against Chelsea. James Beattie was sent off for a head butt which wasn’t obvious to all in the ground, and post match Moyes condemned the referee for his decision, however after watching the replay later on, the next day, in a move seemingly unheard of in the Premierleague era, Moyes came out and issued a full apology to the officials for his initial mistake. No excuses, no complaining, just honesty, simple management and focus with what he had, some class and dignity.
In the years since he’s carried on with his no nonsense approach to managing the club. Whilst Benitez and Ferguson lock horns in a pointless mind game and complaints about the tens of millions they have spent, whilst Wenger does his Stevie Wonder impersonations and fails to spot anything that could go against him, whilst Redknapp publicly talks up other team’s players and complains when the same is done against him and whilst O’Neil complains about Europe and all the games he has to play before he even gets into it, Moyes, with very little money, a small squad and a major injury crisis which at one point saw the club with no fit strikers, has guided Everton to 5th place and an FA Cup Final. So here’s to Moyes and the Everton era of Class & Dignity!
