Everton have announced the signing of David Moyes as their new manager. The Scot is returning to Goodison Park 12 years after leaving for Manchester United. His last stint on Merseyside lasted 11 seasons, making him the Toffees’ longest-tenured manager in the Premier League era.
The club will sign the manager to a two-and-a-half-year deal. This will see Moyes on the sideline for the opening of the brand-new Bramley Moore Dock Stadium opening next season. The length of the contract suggests that he will receive backing from new owners, The Friedkin Group.
Hiring the former West Ham manager before the end of the January transfer window will allow the club to possibly reshape some of the squad to suit his style of play. A long-term plan for any incoming players is one of the main reasons behind the quick turnaround in managers after Sean Dyche was sacked earlier in the week.
His latest tenure at the Hammers saw the club consistently playing in the Europa Conference League, even winning the third-tier European Cup in 2023. Moyes was also in charge during Everton’s 2004/2005 season where they finished fourth, their highest finish in the Premier League.
Similar to the outgoing Dyche, Moyes is known for his pragmatic approach to managing and has garnered a reputation for his defensively astute teams. But the main knock on Dyche was his inability to get the team to create chances, something that Moyes has proven he can achieve with his previous clubs.
The team will be set up in a similar style with a 4-2-3-1 formation that focuses on defending turning the ball over to the counter and creating chances through fast and concise counterattacks. The reliance on long balls and holding up play is not as much of a feature under the Scottish manager. He instead opts for balls through the channels for players to run onto.
While the change won’t turn the Everton squad into world-beaters overnight it will create a new atmosphere at Goodison Park. The fans will be hoping to see a turnaround in front of the net. The have seen just nine goals in the league at the historic ground this season.
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2025-01-11T15:58:04Z