Happy Birthday, David Moyes!

, 25 April, 56comments  |  Jump to most recent
Everton Manager is 50 today
David Moyes celebrates his 50th birthday today, with his perfect present no doubt three points against Fulham on Saturday to sustain their Europa League bid.

By popular consensus, the Scot has performed miracles at Goodison Park since his arrival in March 2002, delivering consistent top half finishes on a limited budget.

The club reached the Champions League in 2005 following a fourth placed finish, and the final of the FA Cup in 2009. Everton are once again challenging for European football this year and such consistency is testament to the Moyes approach.

Behind Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United and Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, he's the third longest-serving manager in the entire English League.

Quotes or other material sourced from Daily Mail



Reader Comments (56)

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Patrick Murphy
1 Posted 25/04/2013 at 15:08:27
Happy Birthday Mr Moyes, will you be here for your next one?
Brian Harrison
2 Posted 25/04/2013 at 15:19:34
David Moyes celebrates his 50th birthday today, let's hope he rounds this week with a win against Fulham. Well only 2 home games left and with no settlement on Moyes contract, I for one would be disappointed if he leaves.

Also, with no decision till the season ends, we won't have the chance to say thanks if he decides to move on. I think that would be a shame considering what he has done for the club. I know he has some critics but even they can't deny that he has taken the club from relegation fodder to a team competing at the top end of the table.

Ross Edwards
3 Posted 25/04/2013 at 15:25:20
Happy 50th Davey! Hope that 51 will be celebrated next year with lots of beer, lederhosens and bratworsts when you win the league with Schalke next year..
Barry Rathbone
4 Posted 25/04/2013 at 15:21:58
Feels like he's been here the entire 50yrs.
John Gee
5 Posted 25/04/2013 at 15:30:55
Happy Birthday Mr Moyes. I hope Bill gets you something nice for your birthday. Maybe something war-chest shaped and stuffed with cash.
Ross Edwards
6 Posted 25/04/2013 at 16:00:19
Or John, his P45....
Brian Hill
7 Posted 25/04/2013 at 16:05:21
I turned 50 a few months ago. I'm skint, unemployed and have this very day donated half of my worldly goods to Hospice. And yet, I consider myself eminently qualified to advise David Moyes on how better to manage Everton Football Club. It's a funny old game........
Ernie Baywood
8 Posted 25/04/2013 at 16:10:18
Brian Harrison. That's a good point. I think he's earned a send off. With probably little riding on our last few games maybe will get some news soon.
John Gee
9 Posted 25/04/2013 at 16:24:48
Ross, is there something wrong with your keyboard? You typed 'P' instead of '£'!
Ross Edwards
10 Posted 25/04/2013 at 16:27:35
I just want him to put us all out of our misery by opening the door, getting into his car, drive to John Lennon Airport and fly to Germany in June.

Or, pile more misery on us by signing a new deal.

Paul Andrews
11 Posted 25/04/2013 at 17:11:20
I`d like to give him the bumps
Andy Meighan
12 Posted 25/04/2013 at 17:22:01
So, Ross (#706) — if he does fly off to Germany in June, who do you suggest would come in and replace him? And please don't start coming out with all your flavour of the month fancy foreign coaches because believe me it just won't happen. I wouldn't trust Kenwright as far as I could throw the cunt and knowing him it'll be another Moyes clone, ie, Lambert, Mackay, Adkins et al. It sure as hell won't be some saucy little foreign number wiggling his tight little Mediterranean touché down Goodison Road — oh god, no it won't

So come on, Ross, enlighten me please: Who would we get who could get us playing more expansive football that could take us to the next level? Because I'll tell you: No manager worth his salt would want to graft for that shower of shysters who run our club.

Neil Corkill
13 Posted 25/04/2013 at 17:34:00
Although I find some of Moyes decisions baffling and the negativity frustrating, I still think we are in a far better place than before he joined. I would rather have the perceived negative football and finish in the top 8 than the yearly relegation battle before he joined.

Through Moyes, our expectations of success and European football have grown but please remember we are still in the same financial position and it is only through mainly wise investments and getting the best out of what we have that we are even challenging for Europe.
Steven Telford
14 Posted 25/04/2013 at 18:09:14
Stick around DM, the rational majority do appreciate you!
Paul Ferry
15 Posted 25/04/2013 at 18:54:01
Brian - 698 - hope you strike it lucky and get a job soon mate.

Of secondary importance, happy birthday gaffer,a half-century is a great time to sit down and so some serious reflection and self-inspection. Never doubted your decency and dignity for a single second, it's your tactical decisions that sometimes leave me shaking my head with my arms up in the air.

Have many happy hours playing and replaying your REO Speedwagon and Styx box-sets.

Ross Edwards
16 Posted 25/04/2013 at 18:53:55
Steven,

Yes, the same "rational majority" who are comfortable with 7th/8th every year and think that failing repeatedly in quarter finals or even earlier than that against lower league teams every year playing tedious football, playing aimless hoofballs to Vic every week.

The fans, BK and Moyes always lower expectations and it is this lack of ambition that is holding us back all the time. He always plays his favourites despite playing awfully every week. You know who you are Jela, Pienaar, Osman, Heitinga, Naismith. The youngsters should be given a chance but they won't as Moyes hasn't got the bottle to part form his favourites.

The fact that he keeps Vellios and McAleny out of the squad and includes Naismith every week sums up his tactical ineptitude and stupidity. He sits back whenever we go 1-0 up, and against Norwich, Fulham, Reading and Oldham this cost us.

His record at the big 4 is abysmal and shows no sign of changing this season, we lost an opportunity to get to the Cup final by being hammered 0-3 at Wigan, lost to Leeds and missed a good chance of possibly winning the League Cup. The points we have dropped would have comfortably put us in the Top 4.

He moans constantly that we have an ageing, small squad, why doesn't use youngsters like Oviedo, Vellios, Stones and McAleny?

If you like average, and constant failure Steven, he's your man. And, just because the MOB want Moyes out, does that mean we're deluded? No, it's people like Doddy and Entwistle who think that Moyes can do no wrong and the apocalypse will come the minute he will leave.

Moyes has had numerous chances, each time he has bottled it and cocked up. 11 years is long enough, he's had the opportunities, he's failed and now it is time to give a new man a chance.

Poyet or Rijkaard in.

Mark Frere
17 Posted 25/04/2013 at 19:27:03
Ross Edwards
All we hear from you is how bad a manager Moyes is. Why don't you make the same time and effort slagging off kenwright and his cronies, who are the main reason our clubs stagnation.
Instead of saying- Moyes out, Poyet or Rijkaard in. How about kenwright out Abramovich in?
Colin Glassar
18 Posted 25/04/2013 at 19:40:38
Happy birthday Moyes or should I say, frohes geburstag?
Ross Edwards
19 Posted 25/04/2013 at 19:44:37
OK Mark,

Kenwright is a lying, unambitious, poverty stricken, Kopite idiot who I will happily pay for a taxi to send him to Siberia. He is holding the club back by not putting in any money to improve the squad further, and that brings me on to Cockney Green who actually has the dosh but can't be bothered investing.

He completely cocked up Kings Dock and Kirkby and that BU interview showed him to be a clueless moron who didn't even know what was happening at the club.

And, most criminally, he has kept Moyes in a job for 11 years.

Let's drive BK, Elstone, the rest of the board out of this club and get a rich Arab or Abramovich in!

Steven Telford
20 Posted 25/04/2013 at 19:57:25
Ross #757, I mean the same rational majority who know that to judge management fairly and accurately, you must look at outputs relative to inputs.

As for your suggestion of Rijkaard, really a manager who has had no managerial success with any club other than Barcalona, and whose "footballing ambition" took to coach the Saudi national side.

Aye, should have seen it before, there’s our man:
Let’s check his Win %s, just to make sue he is the “over-achiever” we need for the job:
36% Holland
15% Rotterdam
59%barcalona (a club just like everton)
55% Galatseray
25% Saudi Arabia

And he was so intelligent he left Barcelona at the perfect time, right?
Hummmm, perhaps you don’t care for numbers, I do wonder if the other guys advocating Moyes departure are care as much for numbers as you do.
Truth is you called his name out because he is a big glamours name, and did not give much thought to his performance or if he suited the club. Can you see now why I emphasised the word “rational” in my post.

Poyet has a 44% win % with Brighton, maybe just a bit early yet, don’t you think?

Ross, just by communicating your ideas you actually do more for the “Pro Moyes position” than any true advocate, such as I, could ever do. Thank you.

Mark Frere
21 Posted 25/04/2013 at 19:54:17
Well said Ross! You make so much more sense when venting your frustration at the ones responsible.
Ross Edwards
22 Posted 25/04/2013 at 20:01:26
This is precisely what is wrong with this club. No ambition whatsoever. You dismiss a glamour name and say you would rather have Moyes. Rijkaard is about 100x better than Moyes and has acheived more in the game than he will ever manage in his career.
You have simply taken his win % from Wikipedia and dismissed him.
What is Moyes' average winning percentage, and compare that with Rijkaard. You will see that Rijkaard is better by far.
You stick with your 7th and cup failure every year.
Irony that you dismiss Poyet, and the fact that our current manager came from a Championship side. Poyet plays attacking football and at least we would watch some great stuff next season rather than boring tedium and average under DM.
Brian Waring
23 Posted 25/04/2013 at 20:09:52
That word again 'majority' I would love to know some of you come to that conclusion when you use it.Do you hold a poll at the game, or do you do it another way?
Steven Telford
24 Posted 25/04/2013 at 20:25:38
No Brian, but ToffeeWeb did hold poll, and he did get the majority vote – albeit just. Those against him polled around 30-ish %. Plus, if you wanted to add to that you would struggle to find a “knowledgeable neutral” who think Moyes is not a great manager, well it’s worth something I think.
Ross Edwards
25 Posted 25/04/2013 at 20:31:06
Steven,

At one stage it was 55% wanting him out, but then we get a win against Reading and City and then he is flavour of the month again.

Moyes is not a great manager, his away record at the big 4 proves that, and the fact that he has won zilch in 11 years also discredits your point.

If we didn't have that moron Bill in charge he would have been booted out years ago.

If Moyes was a great manager, he wouldn't be here would he?

You lectured me on rational points; looking at great manager criteria, your point has been discredited.

Steven Telford
26 Posted 25/04/2013 at 20:39:08
Ross, you honestly think that “no ambition” is greater fetter on EFC than what is “No money””
When Cash is the scarce, taking a decision to part with a proven manager (the best manager we have had since Howard Kendall (1st time)) is not one to take lightly and throw random names at. If you want a new guy, you have to be able to make a very strong case to replace Moyes. Even those who don’t like him can surely see that.
Steven Telford
27 Posted 25/04/2013 at 20:39:50
True Moyes may never have the same achievements as Rijkaard, but Moyes will probably never manage Barcelona, let alone manage Barcelona in a golden age. If you strip out Barcelona from Rijkaard's managerial record it comes back down to earth with a heavy bump.

The question you should ask yourself is, does Rijkaard have a proven ability to work on a low budget in a league competition in which the top 5-6 teams are some of the richest in the world.

Can't you see the case for selecting an "an appropriate manager"
There are much better names you could have pulled out of the hat than Rijkaard.

Much of the football has not been boring this season, there has been some great passing movement, and if KM had been fit all season, and we had just a bit better luck with ref decisions, we be in the top 4 now.

Joseph Plant
28 Posted 25/04/2013 at 20:28:27
Wow 100x better! You see Steven - Ross can deploy statistics elegantly to support his argument too. In fact I'm now convinced that I'm just not ambitious enough in football or in life.

My girlfriend's pretty sweet and puts out 2 days in 3 but I've decided to put her on a plane to Germany and propose to Frank Rijkaard.
Ross Edwards
29 Posted 25/04/2013 at 20:40:53
Who then Steven?
If we had a more attack minded manager with more tactical nous, we would be in the top 4.
Steven Telford
30 Posted 25/04/2013 at 20:40:32
Ross,
You said "At one stage it was 55% wanting him out" in reference to the toffee web poll.

Well, if you cant underatnd that the poll "at the end" is what counts rather "at one point"

Well........... I'll leave than one for you to think about.

Andy Crooks
32 Posted 25/04/2013 at 20:57:26
Eugene Ruane, this is a little off topic but is sort of birthday related. Jenny Hanley was on Masterchef. Don't check it out on iplayer, she has changed from the Magpie days and I am depressed and demoralised.
Al Reddish
33 Posted 25/04/2013 at 21:02:01
His away record at the big four no longer reflects his shortcomings as we have beaten Man City and Spurs away in his tenure more than once. They are the 'new top 4' and he has done reasonably well against them.
Brian Denton
34 Posted 25/04/2013 at 21:23:58
Al, if Man City and Spurs are two of the Top 4, and presumably a third is Man U, which team is the fourth? Who drops out between Chelsea and Arsenal? Give reasons for your choice........
Tony Hanlon
35 Posted 25/04/2013 at 22:16:01
Moyes is a failure, simple.

25ish cup competitions – 1 final.
11 seasons in league – Europe 3 times.
7th best paid manager in Europe – Why?

The biggest criticism though is the football he plays – dull, cautious, predictable. He still instructs 11 players inside our box when defending a corner - even when 3-0 down to Wigan. Other ToffeeWebers may believe the media hype but, for me, Moyes is just a very average manager.

Paul Ferry
37 Posted 25/04/2013 at 22:26:27
With you on that one Andy - 801 - Jenny Hanley was absolutely essential to me in my coming-of-age balls-dropping phase, along with Janet Ellis, Sally James, the two girls from Man About tbe House, the girl from Bless this House, the lovely Barbey from Love thy Neighbour, and Emma Forbes, God bless them one-and-all and all who sail in them.
Brendan McLaughlin
38 Posted 25/04/2013 at 22:32:59
Bit arrogant Tony #817
No chance perhaps that "other toffee webers" might just see things differently rather than, as you suggest, simply buying the media hype?
Steve Pugh
39 Posted 25/04/2013 at 23:15:10
Ross, and everyone else who agrees with him. What exactly do you expect from Everton? Not what do you wish for, but what do you expect? What do you expect from the club that has lost more games in the top flight than any other and has conceded more goals than any other? What do you expect from a club that has fewer FA cup wins than Aston Villa, Newcastle and Blackburn?

David Moyes hasn't dragged Everton down, and with a little bit more luck he could have won a trophy by now, and at the end of the day every single club that has won a trophy, apart from the monied clubs has had a huge slice of luck along the way.

Kevin Tully
40 Posted 25/04/2013 at 23:34:33
I am not the biggest fan of Moyes, but who do posters think we will appoint?

We won't break the bank, that's for sure, we may be paying £4m now, but this Board won't pay more will they? They will be looking to pay half the current managers salary if they can get away with it.

I am only guessing here, but we will appoint a British manager, Everton don't do Continental. They will want a safe pair of hands, someone who will toe the party line of Kim Jong Bill & friends. There will be no big names on their way to Goodison, expect someone like Malky Mackay, Mark Hughes, or David Jones. We will witness exactly the same brand of football, and safety first mentality - 40 points is your first & only priority,forget about trophies. We will appoint anyone who will nod to the press, take all the lies & bullshit of the Board, and as long as we are in the top 12, all is good in the world of blue Bill.

We all hope for the next big thing, but we will be lucky to keep the status quo, that's all we have to look forward to with Bill & Co.

Patrick Murphy
41 Posted 26/04/2013 at 00:01:18
If enough customers accept the quality of the goods they pay for why would the vendor invest in improving their product, especially when the customer base is a captive one?

Tom Bowers
42 Posted 26/04/2013 at 00:55:31
I hope Moyes does get a win on Saturday as that will make us all happy.

When we analyze the last 11 years, we find not much has been achieved by Moyes unless we want to accept the excuse that he has not had the funding of the bigger clubs. My argument is that there were other managers who could have done exactly the same job.

Moyes is not a Messiah as he has proved time and again by the goofs he has made. That is the nature of the beast and he will not change.

Kenwright needs to act now to replace Moyes if he has any new ambition for this club apart from getting a top-half finish which is what he seems content with having kept with Moyes for so long.

Karl Masters
43 Posted 26/04/2013 at 00:39:53
Some people think we have a God given right to be winning things but we don't. You only have to look across the Park at a Club that have spent a fortune and whose only decent signing in the last few years goes round getting himself banned all the time and is loathed by one and all.

Money guarantees nothing, but in our position until this useless Board are replaced a Manager that can get us above teams like Liverpool spending virtually nothing as a net spend is worth his weight in gold.

These dreamers who come up with Rikjaard are as bad as Peter Johnson thinking Juergen Klinsmann was a viable option and Poyet is just Moyes with 15 years less experience and so prone to making silly mistakes. Another Brenda quite possibly, just no silver shovel.

Whilst we have no transfer spend in comparison to the big spenders, Moyes is the right man. If we ever get out of this situation, then we should judge who should be the Manager at that point IMHO.

Living darn scarf I know fans of so many Clubs and they all, whether they support Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea, West Ham, Manure, Liverpool, Gillingham, Man City or Millwall respect Everton and Moyes in particular for what he has managed to achieve. They would all, bar the Liverpool fans for obvious reasons, have him as their Manager, even the Man City fans and United fans. That tells me one hell of a lot. Some of the myopic comments on here are from people who have had it too good for too long again IMHO.

Adam Fenlon
44 Posted 26/04/2013 at 02:01:12
Happy birthday Davey.
James Flynn
45 Posted 26/04/2013 at 02:43:43
Happy 50th Davy! Many more. Thanks for all the years.

Best of luck in your next club. Except when they're playing Everton. Then you can fuck off like all the rest.

That aside, you're as good as they come. Sorry ownership couldn't match your ambition.

Anto Byrne
46 Posted 26/04/2013 at 05:00:51
The number of drawn games this term is up around 14 and therefore 14pts. Of course staying unbeaten looks good but I would have easily accepted 6 wins and 8 losses for an extra 4 pts. Hindsight is a wonderful thing!
Eugene Ruane
47 Posted 26/04/2013 at 09:37:42
Patrick (832) - Nail on the head.
Richard Tarleton
48 Posted 26/04/2013 at 10:14:29
Shrewdly put , Patrick Murphy. Another youngster who should be being developed is Duffy who could be the replacement for Distin. he seems afraid to give any youngster a chance and that was at least a part of the reason we lost Rooney a year too early.
Jim Potter
49 Posted 26/04/2013 at 09:59:18
Ross - Jordan is a 'glamour name' with excellent statistics (although I can't say that she's never gone down) - do you want her as manager?

I'm with you Steven Telford.

Forget everything else (just for now) - just compare Moyes to Rodgers - a class act v a moaning clown. (God forgive me - but even Blue Bill has more class than Ayres and his bleating' victim' mentality).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOYESIAH! (Although I thought it was on 25th December)?

Jim Potter
50 Posted 26/04/2013 at 10:35:44
Forgot to say - Michael K - I never thought I'd see the day when you were so generous to D.M!

(Unless someone got into your computer when you'd gone to stick another pin in your ginger doll)?

I almost choked - respect!

Phil Walling
52 Posted 26/04/2013 at 15:18:13
I think we are stuck with him. He's put himself in the marketplace and only Stoke have showed any interest. I can't see that being very appealing!

Today's speech about Fellaini and all the young kids he's developed seems to back up my theory that he'll sign a one-year rolling contract so that he can bore us all to death for at least another 12 months.

I shall not be renewing my STs!

Phil Walling
53 Posted 26/04/2013 at 15:23:17
Re his giving youngsters a chance, I can`t believe he`s claiming credit for Rooney and Hibbert who were both seen as star material under Smith. Granted he brought Ossie back from loan and has been in love with him ever since.

As for Anichebe,he will never be good enough to claim a regular place in the side and if his other love child, Naismith, is really better than what we`ve got in the U21s, the cupboard really is bare.

Brian Griffin
56 Posted 26/04/2013 at 20:46:42
Happy birthday, DM, and I hope you stay in charge at Goodison as well. You've done a fantastic job on limited resources - here's hoping for a bit of silverware in the near future.
Ross Edwards
58 Posted 26/04/2013 at 21:03:33
Andy Meighan,

Have a look at this list: bit difficult to exclude foreigners as the country is overrun with them but:

Steve Clarke
Glenn Hoddle
Gus Poyet
Roberto Martinez
Gianfranco Zola

Max Murphy
59 Posted 26/04/2013 at 22:27:12
Ross #757 Absolutely spot on!
Jon Beck
60 Posted 27/04/2013 at 10:32:36
Happy Birthday Mr Moyes and may you have many more as you seem a thoroughly decent man from a distance. I turned fifty in September so we share the same school year.

On the subject of school, why the need to turn a simple birthday tribute thread into the usual polarised playground debate? Whether you are admirers or detractors, you will never change each others opinions. I just hope everyone uses cut and paste to save time having the same argument in every thread.

Andy Meighan
61 Posted 27/04/2013 at 12:11:29
Ross, I take your point, pal. But could you honestly see Kenwright appointing any of them, apart from maybe Martinez? And there's no saying he'd come given the restraints he'd have to work under. Because, after all, we're led to believe he knocked back one of the so-called bigger jobs in the game (them across the park). I'd take Poyet in a heartbeat; he'd be raw but given time would have us playing good attacking football.

As for the other three... forget it. Hoddle — Disappeared off the face of the earth. Zola — Didn't cut it at West Ham. And Clarke — He's more fucking miserable than Moyes. No, I'm afraid it'll be someone like the three I mentioned with maybe Mark Hughes (god help us) and possibly McClaren being mentioned. Frightening thought isn't it...

The likes of Rijkard wouldn't touch us. And it pains me to say this... but we're just not big enough any more.

Thomas Windsor
62 Posted 27/04/2013 at 13:17:49
It must have felt like his birthday every day on £4 million a year and staying for 11 years winning sod all.

This bloke should have been moved on a long time ago, playing Neville in midfield at 36 is not the tactics of a good manager.


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