David Moyes has agreed to return as Everton manager following Sean Dyche’s departure.
Dyche was sacked on Thursday – three hours before the Toffees’ FA Cup third-round tie with Peterborough – with Everton having won just one of their last 11 games and sitting just one point above the Premier League relegation zone.
Moyes, 61, is set to return as Everton manager for the second time, 11 and a half years after leaving West Ham at the end of last season and leaving for Manchester United.
Analysis: Moyes is Everton’s safest choice
Alan Myers of Sky Sports News:
“David Moyes is the safest choice. Changing a manager in this position is high risk. Having someone who knows the club inside out and can run it smoothly is a huge advantage.
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Last December, Moyes told Sky Sports News that he would not consider a move away from the bottom club in the Premier League.
“Everton needs it for the safety of the club and I think he can do that. The initial goal and objective is to ensure that Everton maintain their Premier League status before moving to the new stadium.”
“The landscape has changed since Moyes was last at Everton. He will now be working under what could be perceived from the outside as a ruthless owner. The stability we had when Bill Kenwright was chairman is not quite there.”
WATCH: Relive the best moments of Moyes’ first season at Everton
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In his first press conference as Everton manager in 2002, Moyes called Toffees the ‘people’s football club’.
Is bringing back Moyes the right move for Everton?
Ben Grounds on Sky Sports:
They say there is no room for emotions in football.
But Dyche has been on borrowed time for some time, and the club Moyes will return to is very different from the one he left in 2013.
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December 11, 2004 – Goodison Park returns as Moyes leads Everton to their first Merseyside derby against Liverpool in five years.
It may seem like an emotional return, but it cannot be a sentimental return. The sight of Seamus Coleman telling team-mate Leighton Baines to “clap” after his name was read out through Tannoy before kick-off against Peterborough during Moyes’ first spell was heart-warming.
After a chaotic day, it was a moment to savor for two Everton greats who will be important sounding boards for Moyes, especially in the early weeks back at Finch Farm.
Moyes will recognize many faces on the training ground and among the catering staff, but beyond his devoted fan base there is little resemblance to the fabric he carved out over a decade 11 years ago.
From Angry Birds to Bernard. From a break-up firm with eight full-time managers to 777 partners. From Ronald Koeman’s three No 10s in one summer to Farhad Moshiri’s wasting of millions, Everton fans have been through an ordeal since the man who created the ‘People’s Club’ left as the ‘Chosen One’ to replace Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United I went through it.
Compare the Everton team he inherited in March 2002 with the one he takes on now, and the 61-year-old will be convinced that his doubters are wrong once again. He may not be perceived as a ‘project manager’ easily identified with long-term arrangements, but Moyes deserves much more than rekindling a six-month romantic relationship.
‘He has gray hair, but we don’t care…’
Eight permanent managers have attempted to emulate Moyes’ feat at Everton, but ultimately failed. In an emotionally draining game, the men themselves deserve the opportunity to get them out of trouble.
Read the full feature here.
