Do we overemphasise the influence of Premier League managers?

David Moyes made three stoppage-time substitutions against Man City -- just seconds before their last-gasp equaliser

(Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)

Football is famously a results business, and the buck almost always stops with the manager. But with the dust settled on Monday’s draw with Manchester City, and the inevitable debate on these pages that followed, I found myself pondering whether we overemphasise the influence of the man in the dugout.

David Moyes made three stoppage-time substitutions on Monday night, each occurring just seconds before City’s last-gasp leveller.

Nathan Patterson’s introduction for Merlin Röhl drew ire, even if the German had run himself into the ground. The former slipped when attempting to close down Jeremy Doku before his equaliser, while another late substitute, Carlos Alcaraz, did not cover himself in glory either.

But how much of the blame lies with Moyes? A decision-maker and influencer, of course, but should he really shoulder the responsibility for basic defensive lapses? City’s second goal, dissecting the home defence just seconds after Everton had established a 3-1 lead, was even worse.

Substitutions are one route of managerial influence, in a role where there are a myriad of factors out of their control. The imbalance of quality between teams, vagaries of refereeing decisions and VAR influence, and pure fortune, on either side of the coin, to name a few.

That’s not to absolve Moyes of any blame. He has his culpability this season, and his flaws have been discussed with increasing repetition on these pages. But until the three pillars of success are strong: recruitment, investment, and coaching, Everton will always be up against it. There’s an argument that the importance is in that order.

Many of the Premier League’s recent overachievers, Brighton, Brentford, and Bournemouth, have lost highly-touted head coaches without as much as batting an eyelid. Each of those sides have excelled in unearthing talent, allowing for further investment through substantial sales, and coaches to succeed with the spoils.

Chelsea, in contrast, have had eye-watering investment, but without the talent ID or coaching to make it a success.

Managers were once the figureheads of football clubs, but those days appear in the distant past. This is an era in which sporting directors and transfer panels share the control, but rarely a portion of the blame.

Sir Alex Ferguson shaped Manchester United in his own image, and their decline since his exit has been well-documented, but that looks an increasing anomaly. Liverpool might hail Jurgen Klopp’s individual impact, but again, the German was one piece of the puzzle. It was no coincidence that the club started to slide once Michael Edwards exited and Klopp took on a greater control of transfers.

Everton, right now, need improvement in all areas. The seventh-highest net spend of last summer was a necessary start, with only Brighton, among teams that will play in the top tier next season, having invested less across the last five seasons.

The jury remains out on most of those signings, and the hope will be that Everton can target ceiling-raisers this summer, after a 2025 transfer window in which quantity was as much the focus as quality.

And so, back to Moyes. The 63-year-old can be uninspiring and pragmatic to a fault, but there’s logic to Everton’s interest in an extension. The proverbial "safe pair of hands" might just be what this board wants, a risk-averse leader to keep things steady until the other pillars of success are strong. The frustration from the fans will be if the timeline takes longer than expected.

Reader Comments (39)

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Net spending is material as a financial monitor, but less so as a measure of investment for team development.

Looking purely at building the team, particularly with having had loan players and players out of contract, gross spend is more indicative and Everton in this case were among the lowest.

For Top 6 sides, £120M gets you a striker or a midfielder. Everton spent this on 8 players. Net spend is merely one way of paying for your gross spend and bringing in talent.

Before blaming the manager, we need to look at the quality of the squad he inherited. Individually players are not at top Premier League level and not capable of playing the type of football that some of the more entitled fans expect and think they deserve.

Moyes deserves credit for getting the best from the squad he has, motivating them and moulding them into a team able to compete.

With substantial debt, recruitment has focused on younger players, in the hope of generating profit. Ultimately this is the strategy teams are increasingly focused on, but it is difficult to get riight.

Dibling is a prime example, with purchase based on the first half of last season, ignoring his decline in the second half which saw him drop from Southampton's starting line-up.

John Collins 2 Posted 09/05/2026 at 09:20:49

"capable of playing the type of football that some of the more entitled fans expect and think they deserve"

Its official. Expect entertaining football and your entitled

Liam Mogan 3 Posted 09/05/2026 at 09:34:40

What is this 'type of football' nonsense anyway.

There are so many ways to play football. My gripe with davey dull-ball is that it's so damn boring.

Just play with intensity and intent, no matter your tactics or style of play and the fans will back you and support you.

Monday's game showed that. The first half was truly abject, no intensity at all. The second half we had a go, put some pressure on, played with intent and should have won the game. There was no discernible shift in the 'style'. There was simply an upshift in energy and forcefulness for 20 minutes.

Unfortunately, David Moyes will always default to sucking the life out of games, decreasing risk and boring the life out of fans. Its how he's made a career.

Stu Gre 5 Posted 09/05/2026 at 11:55:48

Arisk-averse leader to keep things steady...

I think this sums up the conundrum and perhaps the divide of opinions amongst the fans. Moyes is very much to blame for us conceding 2 late goals, just as his tactics lead to us scoring 3.

It is where the buck stops, and Moyes has a history of bottling it against the big boys. Not sure what it is in him, but something prevents him from managing teams that can squeeze out the wins that would project him into genuine winner status.

Kevin Molloy said in another post: "Why do some people think getting rid of Moyes is not a huge risk?" It is. I don't think any fan doesn't recognise that we could do a Tottenham.

So, just like Moyes, some fans are risk averse whilst others are more accepting of the risks. Like Keyser Söze once said, "The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world that 8th place was winning."

Bill Kenwright was so scared of getting relegated, beingthat owner, that he built an entire empire around a man that couldn't win, so they both moved the goal posts. Moshiri went full postal the other way and built nothing, expecting instant success.

Tottenham hired Frank, a man who never won anything - but they bottled it without allowing him to build his team, his style of play.

The Friedkin Group have a fantastic choice: Stick with the Kenwright era because you won't win anything but you are protecting your asset. Or twist. Hire a manager for the future, with winning ambitions and stick with them through thick and thin. Don't blink because changing culture takes time and nerve.

Sticking with the Moyes culture isn't for me, but I appreciate that some fans are happy with that.

So bottom line we can blame the manager, but we can also blame the owners for enabling the manager.

This next move by The Friedkin Groupwill tell us exactly what they want.

Liam Mogan 6 Posted 09/05/2026 at 12:19:57

Like Keyser Söze once said, "The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world that 8th place was winning."

Absolutely brilliant 👏 👌 😀

Ajay Gopal 7 Posted 09/05/2026 at 12:21:03

Excellently articulated post, Stu, I couldn't have put it any better.

I appreciate what Moyes has done for the club (just as I appreciated Dyche and Lampard), but Everton just can't stay still, the competition is intense, and I would say all clubs other than the usual ‘Top 6' at some point in the season get nervous about staying up.

So, Moyes or no Moyes, the threat of relegation will always worry us. Moyes has experience in keeping clubs up, but he also has experienced relegation with Sunderland. Given that, shouldn't the club be bold and try to break through the glass ceiling?

After all, Everton are historically a much bigger club in terms of fan base and history than the likes of Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, Brentford, Fulham, etc without meaning disrespect to them. Moyes is unlikely to win us any trophies, so why not go bold?

Crystal Palace are rumoured to be talking to Iraola, and I am amazed. I thought that ‘bigger' clubs like Newcastle, Chelsea, Man Utd would be in for him.

I would love to have him as Everton manager, but I suppose for him to succeed here we need to have a top notch recruitment team and that, I am afraid, we don't have, unless the present incumbents are replaced -- lock, stock and barrel.

John Collins 9 Posted 09/05/2026 at 13:01:54

The easily pleased brigade are on parade.

Attention!

Liam Mogan 10 Posted 09/05/2026 at 13:12:54

The Moyes in, Moyes Out debate is splitting families.

My dad is all for the boring Scottish get, his sister can't stand him.

Calls herself 'Auntie Moyes'

Tony Hughes 11 Posted 09/05/2026 at 13:15:30

On a lighter note, on the back of the stats discussion, most nutmegged player in the league this season, Mykolenko with 16 meggings, shut your legs lad. Most nutmeggings performed, step forward Iliman Ndiaye.

Stats researched by my lad, I couldn't be arsed looking that shit up.

John Collins 12 Posted 09/05/2026 at 13:17:15

Hopeless Mykolenko. His mother should have kept her legs shut

Brendan McLaughlin 13 Posted 09/05/2026 at 14:00:53

John #12

Mykolenko obviously takes after his mother

John Collins 14 Posted 09/05/2026 at 14:06:42

Not really Brendan, her cross is delivered with pace.

Eric Myles 15 Posted 09/05/2026 at 14:12:59

Stu #5, isn't it a case of Tottenham are doing an Everton?

Eric Myles 16 Posted 09/05/2026 at 14:17:46

Ajay #7 "Crystal Palace are rumoured to be talking to Iraola, and I am amazed."

Was it you that laughed at me the other week when I said we should talk to Iraola?

Stu Gre 17 Posted 09/05/2026 at 15:45:08

Eric, yes mate. Tottenham have done a Moshiri Everton.

Bring in a guy who might be great, expect instant results then sack him when the fans get nervous.

He was at Brentford for years, it was a project that worked but wasn't instant. I'm suggesting we pick our guy and stick by him even when it initially goes wrong.

BTW I wouldn't have picked Frank for that, but having done it they should have backed him

Dale Self 18 Posted 09/05/2026 at 16:08:53

Everton needs a manager that inspires to even tread water in this league. I credit Moyes for bringing in Grealish but he has neglected other players. Maybe he was not fully engaged for that set of players but there was still the necessity to get proper action for them. A more inspirational manager could get more from this squad just like Moyes got more lifting the reins from Dyche.

The type of squad innovation the Moyes provides had a Dyche foundation in defence. The advance of more football than eleven in our box was to his credit. He clearly let Garner and KDH grow as field generals. He did some good stuff.

We now are at a point of asking will he be able to take us to the next level. And there may not be time to just settle in with Dave for a while. The league continues to attract the best talent on the pitch, including managers.

If we don't move when the market gives you a Glasner or maybe Iraola for some, we could struggle even with the Moyesiah. Hammers and Spurs were surprises, neither had crap squads. This league requires ambition for the next level not the get by.

Brendan McLaughlin 20 Posted 09/05/2026 at 16:53:18

You've got to think when you consider the number of managers who will be available at the end of the season that TFG will at least be considering their options.

If they decide to stick, it won't be a universally welcomed decision.

John Collins 21 Posted 09/05/2026 at 16:59:42

It certainly won't, Brendan.

More than you think amongst the Evertonians in the city in my recent experience.

Mike Gaynes 22 Posted 09/05/2026 at 18:42:45

A couple of weeks ago, I listed four managers I'd like us to pursue if TFG call time on Moyes. In order, they were Glasner, Terzic, Maresca and Iraola.

Two of the four appear off the table. Terzic signed with Atletic Bilbao, which had been Iraola's rumored destination, and now Iraola is rumored headed to Palace.

Maresca is a reported TFG target, but for Roma, not us. Supposedly Man City may be interested as well.

Glasner? Not a word, not a whisper. Spooky.

Si Cooper 23 Posted 09/05/2026 at 19:18:20

I'd say for a lot of us it is not about blaming the manager, being ungrateful for the job he has done, but much more to do with whether his modus operandi can ever progress us into being real trophy contenders.

His historically displayed limitations and the current playing style / in-game adjustments (or lack of) like use of substitutes are all fair game if the question is about how the club can most quickly (potentially) become a real force to be reckoned with on the pitch.

I think the use of Alcaraz is a case in point. He is a player who naturally wants to attack at every opportunity but at 23 is still relatively young. He needs more than 10 minutes every now and then to develop the maturity through experience to make the right decision most of the time if the right decision is just to get the ball out of play or hoik it to a distant corner.

I don't believe you can realistically reproduce the scenarios that will inspire acceptance of that sort of necessary compromise on the training field. His development is potentially being repressed by the manager's risk aversion and that is not for the best of either the player or the club who have invested in him.

Phillip Warrington 25 Posted 09/05/2026 at 19:54:30

With a couple of decent forwards, this team would improve out of sight. Looking back over the season, if you count all their misses, both of them should have been in the mid to high double figures.

We are supposed to be a negative team but, on the flip side, look at the game against Man City. Ndiaye could have easily had a hat-trick. Finishing has been a big issue this season.

And we have had a really bad run with VAR and referees -- how the fuck we didn't get a penalty in the last game is beyond me.

We need a really good midfield playmaker and right back. I would stick with Moyes, I don't see many managers that would be available to us.

And say they would take us to the next level, you only have to look at the high-end managers that have been sacked this season in the Premier League.

Oliver Molloy 26 Posted 09/05/2026 at 20:27:04

There should be no new contract offer to Moyes. I've been saying for a while on here, the owners should be at the very least looking to explore Iraola taking control; if they are not, it is neglecting their responsibility as custodians of the club.

A young coach who is learning all the time and goes out to win football matches -- who will encourage our younger talent and give them a decent chance. Iraola is available for nothing, right now!

TFG have to be looking down the line as Everton owners. There are other candidates, but I just think this guy would do wonders with Everton if properly backed and supported.

Like many others, I am grateful to Moyes for coming in and steadying us -- no doubt he was the right choice at the right time, but already we can all see Moyes's Everton unfolding to be the same as it ever was, he will never change.

I want a manager who desperately wants to win the derby as bad as we do, not talk up the opposition - no more years of " don't lose it" safety-first one-man tactics.

Moyes will forever encourage the signing of experienced players and, unless it is forced on him, our younger guys will never get the game time they need to improve and gain confidence.\

I mean, look at the Beto - Barry scenario this season -- why would he not just not drop them and try the likes of Alcaraz and Ndiaye at forward or false nine? Try anything and by doing so send these two a clear message.

If it doesn't work, then grand... but at least show us something! I don't care if we win 6-0 tomorrow -- for me... Moyes Out!

John Collins 27 Posted 09/05/2026 at 22:00:41

Phillip 25

The young ones are doing great.

Phillip Warrington 28 Posted 09/05/2026 at 22:37:02

John @27,

I don't disagree with you and would love to have a policy of no player over the age of 26. But having had the previous bunch of managers that were all supposed to be a step up from Moyes the last time, look where it got us!

In one hell of a mess... and look who bailed us out -- and still might get us into Europe!

The only two who I would replace Moyes with are Iraola and Oliver Glasner but I doubt if they would come to Everton. Anybody else, I believe, would be a 50/50 gamble... Do we really want to do that after just getting some sort of stability back?

Dale Self 29 Posted 09/05/2026 at 23:29:01

Stu 19 and 5, when I read yours I was a little excited and forgot to note yours. ;)

Derek Thomas 30 Posted 09/05/2026 at 23:51:00

Stu @ 5 ; Exellent Stuff.

Stick or Twist? This all depends of TFG, as it's their train set.

So we ask ourselves the question -- Whither TFG, what are they in the football club business for?

Glory ala Wrexham, with any profit a nice byproduct.

Or

Profit, with any glory a nice byproduct.

Both scenarios make a Club a nice prospect to sell on to 'the next fool' erm owner.

Send your answers on a postcard to...

If 'Stick' send it to Moyes and say 'steady as you go'

If 'Twist' send it to Iraola / Glaser and add the message - 'Come on Down'

Edit; my take is they'll activate Moyes's upcoming 12-month option, sit tight next season and wait and see.

Me? Well let's just say, even though I'm not Moyes's biggest fan, I can sympathise -- just a little -- with the Stickers... I can see the attraction, but only when we win and fall back on my original post back on the day he arrived in January 2025.

Moyes will be Moyes -- you always get exactly what it says on the tin.

Eric Myles 31 Posted 09/05/2026 at 00:58:16

Sorry Ajay, it wasn't Iraola, getting him mixed up with the bloke at Villa.

Eric Myles 32 Posted 09/05/2026 at 01:04:28

Harry, in Paul Quinn's recent analysis on the TFG takeover and their performance to date, three things stood out for me.

On Operating Expenses "This reduction was driven by the club's strategic decision to cycle out high-earning, veteran players in favour of a younger, more cost-efficient recruitment profile."

On multi-club ownership "While the clubs maintain individual identities, this model facilitates shared efficiencies in player recruitment, commercial strategy, and performance analytics."

On Stategic Vision "The strategic moneyball recruitment approach"

These things tell me that the manager won't be the influence in recruitment and he'll be in the position as the coach.

Eric Myles 33 Posted 10/05/2026 at 01:23:43

Stu #17, I think the reason why Tottenham went for Frank is 'cos he was the flavour of the month manager and they didn't realise that his football style is Moyesque.

Don Alexander 34 Posted 10/05/2026 at 02:55:45

Freidkin has undoubtedly one of our dyed-in-the-wool USA based fan's approval of his "mega-accomplishments" in selling Toyotas in the USA but, to the likes of me, that means sod all.

Freidkin this summer needs to exhibit his ambition in the transfer market -- period.

Unless he wants to entertain year-after-year mediocrity on the pitch, as Kenwright did.

Eric Myles 35 Posted 10/05/2026 at 06:27:50

Don #34, doesn't Friedkin hold the monopoly on importing Toyotas in the US?

So not really that hard to be successful.

Darren Hind 36 Posted 10/05/2026 at 06:49:08

Stu and Dale,r

Sounds like a little Bromance is brewing there guys. I hope you'll be very happy together.

Two really cracking posts -- 5 &18

Derek Thomas 37 Posted 10/05/2026 at 07:54:31

Eric @ 32; You say...On Operating Expenses "This reduction was driven by the club's strategic decision to cycle out high-earning, veteran players in favour of a younger, more cost-efficient recruitment profile.

If true, this has to rule out Grealish, Stones, maybe Soucek and possibly McGinn.

I hope you're right... though if I had to take a chance on one I'd go with McGinn.

Brendan McLaughlin 38 Posted 10/05/2026 at 09:28:46

Derek #30

I've never seen anything to suggest the final 12 months of Moyes contract is "optional".

Where did you get that from?

John Collins 39 Posted 10/05/2026 at 09:58:43

Only when they don't perform.