Fans Comment
Phil Owens

Get Rid of Moyes?
16/09/2005

The dire display in the second half must be put down to a bad decision by DM to play deeper. The first half we were attacking their players on the ball into the third quarter, closing them down and not giving them any time. In the second we let them come at us into our first quarter before trying to close them down. To be honest I didn’t think that they were ever a threat until they got into the final quarter. After their third goal we simply went to pieces, not being able to put one decent pass together.

A disastrous result then, but I’m sure both the players, and more importantly DM, learned many lessons last night. How many teams & managers upon entering Europe have a success at their first outing, and the opposition was far from European virgins.

Having waded through the mailbag this morning (actually only the first dozen before I worked myself up into a frenzy), it appears there seems to be a consensus of opinion that DM has to go. Whilst I totally disagree, I can understand why some are calling for it. But can any of the supposed true blue blood brethren tell me who they would expect to take his place? I don’t believe that there is anyone else who could do a better job than DM is doing with the given resources. And talking of resources, let’s look at what an impact DM has had on that. Every player that he has brought in is better than the one who has gone.

Having lived through good times (admittedly not too many) and bad times as an Evertonian, I honestly believe that DM will do a great job given the time. Yes we’ve had some disastrous results and performances, but then name me a season prior to DM that we haven’t. But we have also had some fantastic results; can anyone count the number of hoodoos that we’ve broken in the last three seasons? I for one was happier beating Man ure and the RedShite last season, than I am depressed following our recent results. In other words, more ups than downs. The Walter Smith era? I think I was on a permanent downer those days.

Let’s look at the history of the Everton managers: Mike Walker: Well the less said the better I suppose, the only good thing to say was that he was sacked quickly.

Joe Royal: Joe moved us up from relegation material in 94/95 and won the cup, then spent the next season trying to re-build eventually finishing a respectable 6th. 96/97 not a very good year, finally finishing 15th. Joe ended his reign with the fans calling for his head. Mmmm any of this sounding familiar? Joe then went on to bring Man City out of the 2nd division to the premiership in consecutive seasons. I for one, will always wonder how our history would have looked if HE HAD BEEN GIVEN MORE TIME!

Dave Watson: I for one won’t hear a bad word said against this man who despite his early history would bleed blue blood, along with ensuring our safety in the 97 season. Howard Kendal (GOD): In this his third tenure as manager, he had one season and no money, and we escaped relegation by the barest of margins (goal difference to Bolton). I can still remember the screams for his head from the terraces. The fans finally got their wish, and who replaced Howard?

Walter Smith: The Walter reign epitomises the Fans running the Club. It was mainly fan pressure that scared him into trying not to lose a match as appose to trying to win one. It was fan pressure that made him buy OAP’s in a hope to appease. And it was fan pressure that finally lost him his job, not that I would ever argue that he deserved any more chances.

The Moysiah: Yes, I’m one who believes that DM WILL eventually bring riches and rewards back to Everton and lead to the promised land. His first season he saved us from relegation, his second was a season of consolidation, that admittedly backfired and almost had us relegated, but then he seemed to be learning lessons and we got the glorious last season. This is the one reason that DM should be given time, is that he WILL learn and adapt, he has got a long term plan, and that isn’t just trying to please the fans short termism.

I honestly believe that when DM has his full team to chose from, we will start to see some good football at Goodison, along with some results that will be better than 1-0.

Yes I’m going to say it IMWT!!! And I’ll keep on saying it until he shows that he’s given up, and stops trying.

Phil  Owens

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