Toffees go for broke
By Andy Schooler, Sportinglife.com

Put simply, Everton's appointment of David Moyes is a big gamble.

And it is one, like it or not, which will be judged over the next nine games.

The Everton board believe their decision will be welcomed with open arms by the club's large fan base.

I'm not so sure.

Under any other circumstances, I'm sure it would have been.

I mean, how many times have we heard various footballing figures bemoaning the fact that clubs have been reluctant to gamble on the up-and-coming managers, instead of going for an established, possibly over-the-hill, name?

That was certainly the case when Southampton sacked Stuart Gray after just eight league games.

Given what he has done so far in revitalising fallen giants Preston, Moyes looks to have a big future in the game.

This is a manager who has worked wonders at Preston, turning them from Division Two also-rans into serious contenders for Premiership promotion.

Remarkable considering he is only 38. At that age he could conceiveably still be playing in the Everton side given their current record at selecting not-so-golden oldies such as Ginola and Gascoigne.

But his entire career could rest on what he achieves over the next few weeks.

Everton need a quick-fix. They simply don't have time for someone who is undoubtedly a manager with huge potential to gradually build a side.

Anyone who saw Everton's display at Middlesbrough on Sunday will know that.

Personally it was the worst performance I have seen from any league side this season, and that includes football from some of the lower divisions.

In sacking Walter Smith, who looked a broken man as he tried to shepherd his troops at the Riverside, the Goodison Park directors are obviously hoping for that immediate result - a few wins in the 'honeymoon' period.

We've seen it plenty of times before.

John Gregory has injected something - although it may not be enough - into Derby, while I remember Stuart Pearce immediately inspiring Nottingham Forest to victory over high-flying Arsenal a few years ago.

At Goodison, Joe Royle was another who had an immediate impact - he even went on to win the FA Cup - but that appointment came much earlier in the season.

In fact, looking back it is hard to remember managers who have come in late in the day and saved their club.

Attilo Lombardo is one high-profile case who proved a big flop, while Dave Bassett is another with Forest.

Immediate results in a dogfight are what are required and you just wonder whether a manager who has been involved in those circumstances before would have been better equipped than Moyes.

However, I'm not convinced the manager holds the key to Everton's survival hopes.

Instead the most important figure for them could be a man be the name of Rob Ryles.

If you're unfamiliar with it, he is the club's physio.

Everton showed earlier in the season that at full strength they are quite capable of surviving in the top flight.

A good start saw them up in the top half early on and even at Christmas they were well settled in mid-table.

And while much has been made of the injury lists at the likes of Leeds and Arsenal, Everton's has probably been worst of all.

Duncan Ferguson may not the striker some people make him out to be, but when he is fit and in the side, defences are genuinely worried about him.

Likewise, Thomas Gravesen, Steve Watson, Gary Naysmith and Tomaz Radzinski aren't world beaters, but they have showed they can lift what is otherwise a poor side.

Injuries have played a big part in Everton's season and could play an even bigger role in the next eight weeks.

Mr Moyes will be unable to do much about those, but if he does manage to raise confidence or add that little spark then Everton can survive.

And if they do, they have been brave enough to appoint a manager who could take them on in the long term.

Whether he will be able to at a cash-strapped club such as Everton has to be in doubt.

But that is another question.

© 2002 Sporting Life