Moyes Interview In The Guardian

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David Moyes has revealed his fear over the fading influence of managers in the Premier League and admitted he signed a lucrative new contract with Everton only after being assured his authority would not diminish in the event of a foreign takeover at Goodison Park.

 

The Everton manager finally banished uncertainty over his future on Tuesday when he committed to a five-year deal that has transformed his pay from £30,000-a-week to £65,000-a-week. Negotiations had dragged on for almost a year as Moyes waited on the release of his summer transfer budget and then, having broken Everton's transfer record for a fourth time to sign Marouane Fellaini for £15m, by several contractual issues.

 

A principal reason for the delay, however, was Moyes' insistence that his contract should guarantee a continuation of the autonomous reign he has been granted by Bill Kenwright. The Everton chairman, whose close relationship with Moyes ensured the delay did not dissolve into acrimony, is actively looking to sell the club through Keith Harris of Seymour Pierce, the man also charged with finding a buyer for Newcastle United.

 

Unlike Kevin Keegan at St James' Park, Moyes has enjoyed complete control of football matters, with his remit including all player purchases and sales and even extending to the design of the new £14m training facility at Finch Farm. With a possible takeover on the horizon therefore, the 45-year-old wanted assurances his role would be unaffected by a director of football, for example, before finally signing.

 

"That was one of the reasons things took a little bit longer. It [a change of ownership] made me have to question things," Moyes said. "I look around football just now and I see situations at football clubs that I'd rather not be involved in. I have a lot of trust and faith in the board here and the club. I want Everton to be run correctly and properly, and I hope that in the six years we've tried to do that. We're trying to improve all the time and behind that is the chairman. We're fortunate in that myself and Bill have a working relationship. It's sad that not many managers and chairman can work together."

 

Moyes believes the influx of new wealth into the Premier League has distorted owners' views on how to achieve success and away from the proven structures that have reaped such rewards for Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsenal, who Everton face at the Emirates today, under Arsène Wenger.

 

The Everton manager added: "You look at other clubs with directors of football and head of recruitment and you wonder 'Is this the future? Is this the way that clubs are going?' That's not the way this club has been run. I'm a football manager, I've always had the sole responsibility on how we run the club and the direction the club goes in, and for me that's important. Sir Alex Ferguson has a great saying - 'the manager has to control the football club'. You look at lots of other clubs where the managers aren't in control and other people are. It was never a case of Bill wanting to change how things are run, it was more about me asking what the scenario would be if and when someone buys the club."

 

Moyes also revealed that Kenwright hopes to remain involved at Everton even if he does sell his majority shareholding. "Bill hopes it's the case that he would stay on, but he doesn't know that exactly."

 

Despite the current financial limitations and ownership uncertainty, Moyes feels he can fulfil his ambitions at Everton and still hopes to emulate Ferguson and Wenger. Albeit on a fraction of their spending. "When the time comes for them to leave their clubs they will leave a massive impression on football, a massive impression on how their teams play. I would like to think that by the time I leave Everton I will leave some kind of impression," said Moyes. "You see what's happened at Manchester City and Aston Villa. Maybe in the future they will become the biggest clubs in England. I hope we can become like that over the next five or six years. Look at the squad Everton have got, look at the fan base Everton have got and look at the history Everton have got. I think there would be only three or four managers in the country who would not want the Everton job."