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Moyes's Red Dining Partners

David Moyes speaks highly of failed Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson, the new England manager. Moyes recalls a week in Italy when he was learning his coaching badges, and the friendship continued with 'slap-up' private dinners during Hodgson's brief spell in the Anfield hotseat, a throwback to Gerard Houllier's spell there.

David Moyes is a proud Scot — but he will forever be grateful to an Englishman for helping him become the manager he is today.

Glaswegian Moyes was a young boss just a year away from beginning his Everton dynasty when he first met England supremo Roy Hodgson.

That was in Italy where Hodgson was manager of Udinese — and he took Moyes under his wing during a week-long study for his coaching badges.

Moyes watched Hodgson's methods every day on the training ground, making mental notes of his techniques and ideas.

Then at night, Hodgson revealed even more footballing secrets to the fast-learning Moyes.

Now, 11 years on, the Everton boss still reflects on the importance of spending those seven days in Hodgson's company, picking up all the tricks of the trade.

He said: ?I remember that I had my pro-licence and Roy was the manager of Udinese. I had to do a week at a foreign club and I had my week with him.

?He was really good. He took me in and took me out for dinner, him and his wife, on a couple of nights.

?I was in training at Udinese with the gear on every day. I went to the game with Roy, too. He made me feel really at home.

?I watched him coaching and watched the way he worked with the team. It was a really successful study visit to Italy.?

The friendship continued after Moyes returned and 12 months later he became manager of Everton — and has just passed a decade as Goodison Park chief.

And Moyes has revealed that he was able to repay his mentor with slap-up meals while Hodgson was boss of Liverpool — all hush-hush, of course.

Moyes added: ?Yes, when he became the Liverpool manager we went out for dinner. It was something Gerard Houllier had done when I came to Everton.

?There was a quiet meeting put together, the Liverpool manager and the Everton manager. I met Gerard in private which was great because I was new.

?I thought it was a bit of a tradition here. But one or two haven't been quite as accepting. Roy, though, was one of the ones who, when I phoned him, agreed to go out for dinner. I had the chance to get to know him even more. He's a very good coach.?

Quotes or other material sourced from Daily Star

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