Season › 2024-25 › News Moyes takes his boys on a warm weather training trip Michael Kenrick 27/02/2025 20comments | Jump to last David Moyes believes his players deserve the opportunity to bond away from the spotlight after turning Everton's season around over the last few weeks. They are now 15 points away from the drop zone after a seven-game unbeaten run that continued when Jake O'Brien's late header sealed a valuable 1-1 draw at Brentford, and now have a weekend off after being dumped out of this season's FA Cup by Bournemouth. The squad heads to the United Arab Emirates for a warm weather training camp. For Moyes, the trip will enable him to work with his players in a more informal setting and away from the pressure they have endured through a busy set of fixtures that, at first, were played against a backdrop of real fears over the potential loss of the club's Premier League status. For the players, it will be a welcome break and a rest. He said: "We're going to train away for a few days now. I think, not so much me, but I think the players at Everton have worked really hard and had a lot of rubbish to deal with. "So I'm going to go and try and train with them and have a few days in the sun if we can. “Team spirit is hugely important. Over the years, I’ve always encouraged team spirit. We need players who are going to look after each other, fight for each other. “I need them to get to understand me a little bit and how we work. We can be tough when the work’s getting done but obviously then there’s another side to us as well when we’re not. “Also, the players have had a tough year where we’re into the last third of the season now. “To be fair to all the players, probably they’ve found it really difficult not just maybe over the last six months but maybe over the last couple of years. “So it’s a little bit of a chance for them to have some leisure time as well which is good for them.” Reader Comments (20) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer () Dennis Stevens 1 Posted 27/02/2025 at 16:29:35 What's wrong with Skeggy?! Mark Andrews 2 Posted 27/02/2025 at 19:34:13 What's wrong with Skeggy?!..Do you want a list? Phil Roberts 3 Posted 27/02/2025 at 22:59:16 I remember just after Rooney burst into the 1st XI and there was an international break, Moyes suggested he and Colleen should go to Skeggy*.Monday, I was in the BA lounge in Manchester Airport looking at these couple of teenagers and thinking you can't fly to Skeggy.*He could have said Scarborough not Skeggy. Dennis Stevens 4 Posted 27/02/2025 at 23:52:26 Are you not familiar with the airfield? Derek Thomas 5 Posted 28/02/2025 at 07:25:36 So long as they all keep away from Chinese restaurants, bikes and plate glass windows, shouldn't be any problems Paul Ferry 6 Posted 28/02/2025 at 07:49:29 And Gazza, Derek, who last week was doing some erm 'exhibition' footy in the UAE. Brian Harrison 7 Posted 28/02/2025 at 09:44:00 I am sure the few days warm weather training will be of great benefit, and will also give Moyes and his staff a few days away to evaluate who they keep and who they let go at the end of the season. We have a few coming to the end of their contracts, and some coming to the end of their loan spell, I would imagine that they will definitely offer Gana Gueye an extension. I think Harrison and Lindstrom may be let go, and with Mangala picking up an ACL I think they probably will let him return to Lyon. But all this depends on what budget Moyes will get for replacements and obviously that will have an impact on which players he keeps or lets go.I think that Premier league football is pretty much guaranteed which will also help with recruitment, and what an incentive to take any new prospective player to BMD and say just imagine running out here in front of 52,000 Evertonians. Bit different to when a previous chairmen took prospective buys to his Park hamper office. Edward Rogers 8 Posted 28/02/2025 at 09:47:59 Would be interesting to know which players have gone. How many, if any, of the U21's for example, Alan J Thompson 9 Posted 28/02/2025 at 10:02:09 Given they haven't got a game this week why would they need to get out of some sort of spotlight? Couldn't they just have a BBQ or sausage sizzle with partners and kids at Finch Farm, possibly an indoor kick around or is this to thin the blood where alcohol isn't available? And we criticized James for flaunting his riches by jetting off to warmer climes. Or is this new owners with money to burn? Derek Knox 10 Posted 28/02/2025 at 11:40:43 Can't completely grasp the ' bonding aspect ' - Why ? Because a large majority of the current squad are out of contract shortly, with some but not all being given extensions to them.Had they been on a Dyche run of form I would have vehemently disputed the whole thing outright. In all fairness though to the squad and Moyes, they have done brilliantly, and beyond most expectations, so a warm break and training is probably deserved.Let's hope they come back even better for it, and continue that run, not only to make us mathematically safe but to accumulate as much position money in Table as possible. Eric Myles 11 Posted 28/02/2025 at 14:42:24 Alan #9 "or is this to thin the blood where alcohol isn't available?"Are you under the mistaken impression that alcohol is not available in Dubai? Or do you know it's Ramadan and all the bars will be shut? (Except Sharjah Wanderers) Danny O'Neill 12 Posted 28/02/2025 at 14:50:43 Minor point, but I do believe alcohol can be purchased. Hotels and restaurants and also in supermarkets, providing you can show a passport with a tourist stamp. I had the same in Tunisia years ago.I'm not sure about these warm weather camps. Especially in February. I'm sure there is probably sports science evidence to the benefits, but I just think of going from one extreme to another and back again. Can't be good for the body.Maybe Austria, southern Germany or northern Italy would have been a good option. Rob Halligan 13 Posted 28/02/2025 at 14:53:58 I've been in Dubai during Ramadam, and the hotel we were in did close some, but not all of its bars. There was a rooftop bar which remained open during Ramadam. There was also a club connected to the hotel right next door, which was open, and was used as a "Knocking Shop", so I'll say no more about that!! 😁😁😁 Steve Brown 14 Posted 28/02/2025 at 15:04:59 How do you know about the knocking shop Rob? :) Eric Myles 15 Posted 01/03/2025 at 03:29:56 Last time I was working there all bars were open but not allowed to sell alcohol, same as where I am now!!!Only places where alcohol was available were Sharjah Wanderers in Sharjah and The Club in Abu Dhabi, possibly The British Club in Dubai but I wasn't a member there.But it changes year on year, sometimes open, sometimes not.Supermarkets and restaurants are not allowed to sell alcohol Danny.Rob #13, you're describing just about every hotel in Dubai there!! Alan J Thompson 16 Posted 01/03/2025 at 09:38:08 Or perhaps it is to show these near millionaires the true meaning of Ramadan, that is to appreciate what those without are going through. Just seems more of a jolly away from wives and kids. Rob Halligan 17 Posted 01/03/2025 at 09:45:21 Steve, we were told by the staff on reception that the club next door was open to use, so we went in. We were just sitting at one end of the bar, people watching, me mainly scantily clad girls!! Suddenly their phone would ring, they would up and head towards the stairs, and within 30 minutes they were back! This happened a few times, and though no concrete evidence of what was going on, it did seem logical, to us anyway, what was going on! Danny O'Neill 18 Posted 01/03/2025 at 09:54:52 I was in Utah some years ago, 2016 I think.After a long drive and checking in to our hotel at the Zion National Park, we went straight to the bar for a beverage.We were told that we could only order alcohol if we were eating. We were staying for 3 days to do some hill walking and take in the mountain views. So what was it? Two drinks a day, or eat a lot? In the bigger towns and cities, it was different, but they had to pay for a special licence.In hindsight, it reminds me of the rule they brought in during one of the relaxing of lockdown restrictions during Covid!! Laurie Hartley 19 Posted 01/03/2025 at 11:01:23 I think this is a good thing. After watching this video I am starting to get rather optimistic about what lies ahead.Link Eric Myles 20 Posted 03/03/2025 at 06:33:41 Sounds like the Ramada Rob?But could easily be every hotel in Dubai!!The most infamous nightclub was in the York Hotel, and TGI Friday's was a good day / night bar at The Ambassador Hotel.So a friend told me. Add Your Comments In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site. » Log in now Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site. How to get rid of these ads and support TW © ToffeeWeb