I have been critical of David Moyes but I am not blind to his many qualities. During his tenure there has been some truly dreadful football at times, However I have been in Goodison Park and witnessed some scintillating stuff. Inconsistency has been a problem but the reasons for it are for another debate.
He has improved average players and has brought in players from lower clubs and made them better.Jagielka, Cahill, Baines and perhaps Beckford are examples. He has for most of the time been a good motivator and has mostly aquited himself with dignity. He has turned out sides capable of matching and beating the best and in the eyes of many he is the best we can hope for.
There are faults; in my view he has underachieved during the last two years. He is stubborn to a fault. His loyalty to some players was once admirable but now ,seems to me, to be misguided. Whatever one thinks of him there can be little doubt that lack of money makes judgement of him difficult.
How would he be rated with money to spend? What if by some miracle this summer he suddenly had unlimited funds? Would we play consistent beautiful football? Would we be in the Champions League in two years? I'm not sure.
Loads of money brings a different set of problems. He has signed players with something to prove. Players who are grateful to move to a bigger club. Players with a sense of owing him something. Big money buys, at least a lot of the time, players with a sense of entitlement. Often, they have proven themselves and are there for the pay day. They need a different style of management. Alex Ferguson is probably the last of the old school. A manager who inspires loyalty and fear. The day of the sergeant major is nearly over.
Moyes's handling of Rooney was fraught with problems. It seems likely that there were problems with Yakubu. How would he handle the real superstars? Those who have been winners and feel that he is not their equal?
At present, he has the admiration of his chairman (he'll never be sacked) The respect of the media , his peers and many, many Evertonians. He has one of the least pressurised jobs in the premier league. With money this could be gone. It takes a certain type. Mark Hughes, widely regarded, was not the type for City. I believe Moyes may well be similar. He's a good manager but, to me, will never be a great one. If we had big money this summer would you trust it to Moyes?
