A look back at the Moyes era at Everton
Manager David Moyes of Everton thanks the home fans after the Barclays Premier League match between Everton and West Ham United at Goodison Park on May 12, 2013 in Liverpool, England.
Mr. David Moyes has now moved on to what seem like greener pastures from the club that was everyone’s second favourite. Modern-day Everton was built around Moyes, and he was a cornerstone at the institution. He gave his blood and sweat to the club, and Everton responded in equal measure. His time with the Toffees is an incredible example of longevity without the expected return on investment.
He was always behind a barrage of clubs in the league, but Everton didn’t seem to ever give up. Goodison Park rallied behind their man in charge every time a display of raw emotion was unleashed, and the ideology the supporters thrive on is based on “Nil Satis Nisi Optimum”, meaning “Nothing but the best is good enough”. Moyes was nothing if not the best manager Everton could afford. He was closer to the cut-price talent that Wenger would finance. Let’s quickly take a look at what Moyes gave to Everton.
Consistency
Plain and simple, consistency is what Everton have revelled in till date, and should continue on that path unless they are hit by extreme contingencies. David Moyes took over at Everton in the 2002 after leaving Preston North End, a club he managed from 1998 to 2002.
Everton was never a team that was flamboyant or a certain bet. On the other hand, they were and are an extremely tight-knit squad. Their closeness may not filter down to their personal lives; but on the pitch, they are one team clearly proving how the sum of individuals is greater than eleven individual stars. Let’s quickly take a look at how Everton fared under David Moyes from 2002 till 2013.
|
Season |
Position |
|
2001-2002 |
15 |
|
2002-2003 |
7 |
|
2003-2004 |
17 |
|
2004-2005 |
4 |
|
2005-2006 |
11 |
|
2006-2007 |
6 |
|
2007-2008 |
5 |
|
2008-2009 |
5 |
|
2009-2010 |
8 |
|
2010-2011 |
7 |
|
2011-2012 |
7 |
|
2012-2013 |
6 |
David Moyes took over in March 2002, so he couldn’t realistically right any wrong that season. Everton spring-boarded to 7th position in the following season before plunging to finish 17th, just outside the relegation zone, with 39 points the season after that.
Leicester City, with 33 points, was in 18th position that year, trailing Everton by 6 points, who were clear of danger a couple of games before the end. Since that relative nadir, Everton have managed to stay in the top quarter of the table three times, qualifying for the Champions League play-off spot once.