David Moyes : The man of the past and not the future

Following Everton’s poor recent form, there has been much speculation surrounding the future of Manager Marco Silva. As such, everyone has thrown a different name into the hat of who they would like to replace the Portuguese. One of the names mentioned and current bookmakers favourite is David Moyes.

Since Moyes’ departure from Everton in May 2013, the Scot has managed Manchester United, Real Sociedad, Sunderland and most recently West Ham where he kept them in the Premier League. In all of the jobs since he left Merseyside he has been sacked after failure which each club and at Sunderland Moyes finished bottom of the Premier League a year after Sam Allardyce took the same squad to safety. The problems he had at Sunderland were obvious. Whilst the there were inherent problems at Sunderland dating back to Paulo Di Canio’s stint with the club, Moyes built at team full of players of who he had success with in bygone eras. A man who fell behind the times you would say. Everton need a manager with a positive forward thinking outlook like they hope they have with Marco Silva not a man who had success in the past. Though it was not always like this for Moyes…

David Moyes, by all accounts, did a commendable job at Everton. When Moyes took over the squad was unfit, disorganised and heading to the Championship. Taking over in March 2002, Moyes kept Everton in the Premier League. Not only that but Moyes stayed a further eleven years at the club, finishing in the Premier League Top 4, reaching the FA Cup final and securing numerous top six finishes on a show strong budget, whilst producing talent such as Mikel Arteta, Tim Cahill, Steven Pienaar and Tim Howard.

But modern day Moyes and modern day Everton are not a good combination. David Moyes is a man who has fell behind the times. Whilst preparing for a home game against Champions elect Manchester City last April, Moyes, and only Moyes, thought it was a good idea to deliver training without a ball, because as he declared, ‘we won’t be seeing it much anyway.’ It is that attitude that caused a rift with Everton fans and Sam Allardyce. Moyes is another chip off the old-school, British Manager block. Fans from opposing sides who have managed Moyes has lamented his management. The forward thinking, young, hungry Scotsman has gone. Everton in some respect need the next Moyes.

Moyes is not alone, the prospective list of managers linked to replace Moyes are not appealing and or attainable. It is this for this reason Everton need to ‘hold their nerve’ with Marco Silva. A young hungry manager, Silva could replicate Moyes’ successes given time and patience. Rome was not built in a day is perhaps an over used cliché but in this instance it is wholly applicable. With Moyes on the decline and the rest of the prospective candidates unappealing it is important that the club give Silva time to replicate Moyes’ successful period on Merseyside.

Owen Parkes