Everton after Moyes - The challenges ahead
After David Moyes’s departure, Roberto Martinez’s Everton has been given a cold shoulder
Manchester United usually dominate the sports page given that they have immeasurable support globally. That being said, Everton, everyone’s second favorite team, has been given the cold shoulder.
From what Sir Alex Ferguson left behind to what can the new manager do in the transfer window, Everton hasn’t been given a second thought. David Moyes, or former Mr. Everton, is now thick in the middle of scouting reports, even trying to dip into his ex-employer’s roster with a bid for Marouane Fellaini.
After Sir Alex Ferguson retired, David Moyes became the second longest serving manager in the Premier League, lagging only behind Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. That is a considerable feat, taking into account how quickly managers are left high and dry after a couple of disappointments.
Everton, in the process, have been left out of the limelight, and are still playing second fiddle to the top four, even in the humdrum period of transfer speculation. What Moyes did with Everton is certainly unparalleled: almost no star names to speak of, a solid squad at best and consistency over an amazing stretch of time. But in this ‘After Moyes’ period, can Everton survive the ordeal?
New Manager
First things first. New man Roberto Martinez is not so new to the English Premier League. His time at Swansea and Wigan have proven how cut-throat a manager he can prove to be, and how best he can manage a club with a small treasure chest.
He finished last season on an unprecedented and unexpected high, taking his former employer, Wigan Athletic, to the final of the FA Cup, where they beat big spending Manchester City. At par with the other silverware up for grabs, winning the FA Cup was tremendous for Wigan, but they couldn’t avoid relegation from the Premier League at the hands of the Arsenal.
A point of interest here is that Wigan had not seen relegation since their promotion in 2005, which is a feat in itself for a small club.
Martinez can’t be blamed for jumping ship when he did; any straight thinking football professional knows when it’s best to make the move.
Wigan did well to win silverware, but they weren’t the best in the league. They suffered eight straight defeats at one point in 2011-12; they managed to pull themselves up, before eventually accepting fate a year later. Martinez showed perseverance, and the ability to stick his neck out in times of need; something Moyes did for the Toffees time and again.
Martinez should be able to pull the squad together and make a season out of it, but he will need money, which Everton don’t seem to have, at least at the moment.