A look back at the Moyes era at Everton

The Foundation

Moyes has been instrumental in building Everton right from the ground up. Sensational talents like Wayne Rooney owe him a leg and an arm for being able to make their way to clubs like Manchester United. In 2012, he became only the fourth manager to record 150 wins in the Premier League after Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger and Harry Redknapp.

But Moyes never won anything with Everton, although he finished a close second in the 2009 FA Cup. Moyes was also never stingy, even though he might look like a spendthrift. He broke the club transfer record on four different occasions, bringing in James Beattie for £6 million in January 2005, Andy Johnson for £8.6 million in summer of 2006, Yakubu for £11.25 million in summer of 2007, and Marouane Fellaini for £15 million in September 2008. But he also proved to be a true businessman, getting United to shell out a club record fee of £27 million for Wayne Rooney.

He also sold Joleon Lescott to Manchester City for £22m, which was a very well thought out and steady deal. City desperately wanted Lescott, but Everton wouldn’t budge from their asking price before eventually wrapping up the deal just before end of the transfer window.

Setting an Example

Moyes was nothing short of an idol for Evertonians, and others too. The man was a planner, making decisions that worked in his benefit over time, ensuring that the team didn’t suffer in the following season because of a rash buy or an eager sale. He accumulated a lot of individual accolades during his time at Everton, winning the Premier League Manager of the Month ten times, three of them in same year. Moyes was also LMA Manager of the Year for three years (2002–03, 2004–05, and 2008–09).

He also won the Football League Second Division with Preston North End, but that doesn’t say much at the level he finds himself now. His win percentage at Everton is a commendable 42.08%. Once you realize that Everton’s club transfer record in 2005 was a measly £6 million, you begin to appreciate his worth. His work rate was incredible and so were his ethics.

Moyes: The best man for the United job?

Andy Burnham, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, once said, “Mr. David Moyes is probably a fine example to everybody in government of stability and making the right decisions for the long term.” How quickly he adapts to a club like United is still to be seen, but there is no better replacement in the league for Sir Alex Ferguson at the moment.