Hackney and George signings show young players still want to play for Moyes

(Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

David Moyes’ use of his squad last season came under plenty of scrutiny, and for good reason.

He wasn’t trusting enough of enough players, and in the end, Everton suffered because of it, as fatigue and the general wear and tear after the rigours of a long Premier League season came back to bite key performers such as Iliman Ndiaye and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in that dismal run-in.

There’s two ways to look at it: Either it was all on Moyes, or some (or even most) of the players brought in last summer simply weren’t ready to make an impact. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle, but at the end of the day, it’s a manager’s job to get them ready over the course of a campaign.

Big pre-seasons are needed from the likes of Tyler Dibling, Merlin Röhl and Harrison Armstrong, while Adam Aznou needs to be sent out on loan as soon as possible to get regular minutes, but Everton’s two new additions suggest that for all the frustrations with Moyes’ squad management, promising young players are still open to working under the Scot.

Tyrique George was only given just over 200 minutes of gametime during his loan stint across the back half of the season, yet impressed enough for Everton to purchase him earlier this week. George did not score or assist, but he created some gilt-edged chances and showed plenty of positivity in attack.

Everton have done well to negotiate down the initial payment for the 20-year-old, who — according to The Athletic — has not asked for assurances over his gametime. However, the powers that be at the club ought to be making it abundantly clear to Moyes that this is a player that needs minutes to keep on improving. Thankfully, George does provide a point of difference to the other wingers currently in Everton’s fold, and that should result in opportunities.

George had experience of what it can be like to bide your time under Moyes, but the same cannot be said of Hayden Hackney.

However, the Championship’s Player of the Season only ever wanted to join Everton, which helped the club’s hand during their lengthy negotiations with Middlesbrough.

While the size and stature of the club were no doubt an attraction for Hackney, there will have been some element of working under Moyes that the 24-year-old valued.

With almost 200 senior games under his belt, Hackney has the experience of English football that Moyes craves, and it seems the midfielder has valued the 63-year-old’s track record of developing players from the Championship. Notable examples include Tim Cahill, Joleon Lescott, Phil Jagielka and, more recently, Jarrod Bowen.

Whatever their respective reasons, both George and Hackney were keen to come to the club, pledge their long-term futures to Everton and, at least in the short-term, work under Moyes.

While Evertonians have every right to be concerned and frustrated with how stubborn Moyes can be at times, especially with younger players, the fact both of the club’s latest signings are of that profile, and they were so willing to come and play for him, should be seen as a positive.

Now, Moyes has to repay the faith those players, and the likes of Dibling, have had in him, and give a bit back.

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So there's two scenarios here.

Either Moyes liked George (he said so, didn't he) and thinks he can work with him, curb his enthusiasm, and teach him the defending side of the game, so he can become a good all-round player.

Or...

The recruitment team are ignoring Moyes and buying more players they know he won't put out on the pitch, knowing he'll be gone in a year and hoping Moyes can keep us in the Premier League until then.

Andrew Ellams 2 Posted 08/07/2026 at 08:56:12

Scenario 3, Eric:

Young players' agents are being told Moyes's contract expires in a year and the club plans to bring in a young progressive replacement for next season.

Eric Myles 3 Posted 08/07/2026 at 08:59:21

My 2 or your 3, Andrew, they know they'll be getting splinters.

But haven't they said they want to play for Moyes?

Andrew Ellams 4 Posted 08/07/2026 at 09:01:54

Mine gives them a promise of something new going forward.

I have no issues with these players being on the bench, they probably would be at most Premier League clubs. The issue is the lack of minutes they get off the bench.

Ajay Gopal 5 Posted 08/07/2026 at 09:19:27

You can hardly expect the young players to say: "I know Moyes is an old-fashioned manager who expects me to run myself to the ground in every training session. I am signing because he has only 1 year on his contract and I am getting a cushy 3-year contract. I don't mind jogging around in training practice and getting a few minutes here and there until he is gone".

I think the reality is like Eric's scenario 2 or Andrew's scenario 3. Most young players will get their head down and do whatever the present manager wants from them, and they will do the same when the new manager comes in.

Lewis Barclay 6 Posted 08/07/2026 at 09:24:23

Loan young players. See if they fit, and buy.

Smart business. Expect to see a few loans incoming.

Mal van Schaick 7 Posted 08/07/2026 at 10:33:45

At the end of last season, Moyes summarised the loss of so many games as being a lack of depth in the squad. George was already on the books and Hackney is one signing. Hardly a strengthening exercise.

I don't want to see another season of O'Brien playing right-back, he is a central defender.

So, where is the strengthening of the squad depth and when is that taking place?

Paul Hewitt 8 Posted 08/07/2026 at 10:54:01

They're signing for a bigger pay packet. Plain and simple.

Nothing wrong with that.

Tom Bowers 9 Posted 08/07/2026 at 11:46:16

Moyes has all the experience you need in a manager but the problem is that you cannot teach an old dog new tricks.

He will keep the squad ticking over but doesn't have the ability to change tactics for the better.

I doubt that, even if Everton had the riches of say Man City or Liverpool, that Moyes could build a successful squad.

There is a lot of talent at his disposal but getting the best out of them is not what he is good at.

Playing a conservative game on the side of caution is all to prevalent under Moyes. He develops his players to do a lot of fetching and carrying but they lose possession far too easily especially when it reaches the vital area.

We hope to see more striking power next season and if not we will end up the same as last season.

Alan J Thompson 10 Posted 08/07/2026 at 16:30:24

Is it possible that, "I want to play for Moyes" might just mean,"I don't want to sit on the bench for Moyes"?

Whichever, no point getting off on the wrong foot with him which is perhaps best left for your Agent to bring up while discussing terms.

Tony Abrahams 11 Posted 08/07/2026 at 16:58:53

When the squad was down to the bare bones a few times last season, the team got a few good results.

But when a few of those stand-in players, were left sitting on the bench towards the end of the season, it suddenly became a lack of depth.

Christy Ring 12 Posted 08/07/2026 at 17:31:30

George had no future at Chelsea, we were his only option, and Hackney was wanted by Ipswich and Hull, we were his best option also.

Everton were their best choice, and hopefully Moyes will let them show their potential. Good signings... now a right-back and striker please.

Eric Myles 13 Posted 08/07/2026 at 19:45:14

Here's a scenario 4 for you:

players really do rate Moyes as a step up from where they are now and are only signing 'cos they've been assured by TFG that his contract is going to be renewed.

David West 14 Posted 08/07/2026 at 20:07:22

What about this scenario:

TFG are refusing to buy older higher-earning players, not bringing back Grealish or extended Gana's deal. They are telling Moyes these are the types and profiles of emerging players they are going to sanction.

They don't mind not getting top 4, 5 or 6 this season, but we want to see these players progressing, integrated into the first team, improving a side with potential, a tactical identity that these young players can grow with and thrive.

That's the job, Davie!

Not getting 30-year-old players to get short-term gains at the expense of a younger players' development.

Eric Myles 15 Posted 08/07/2026 at 20:15:53

We don't mind not getting top 4, 5 or 6 this season.

Imagine the uproar if TFG actually came out and said that!

Tony Abrahams 16 Posted 08/07/2026 at 20:24:33

Actions always speak louder than words, Eric.

Brendan McLaughlin 17 Posted 08/07/2026 at 20:32:40

Here's a scenario... there's no disconnect.

Moyes, the recruitment committee, TFG are all perfectly aligned.

We just can't see it cos we're on the outside trying to look in!

Dale Self 18 Posted 08/07/2026 at 22:20:26

Regarding young players expressing they would like to play for Moyes, as Mandy Rice-Davies once said, "He would say that, wouldn't he?"

John Collins 19 Posted 08/07/2026 at 22:38:23

Eric,

This board appear deluded enough to do just that

Stu Gre 20 Posted 08/07/2026 at 00:01:56

My view is that unless it is someone in the ilk of Pep or Ancelotti, it's pretty unlikely that young players choose a club because of the manager. Rather they are told to say that by their agents, it's all good PR.

That said, whilst Moyes might not be someone I think is good enough for our great club, I get the impression that he creates a decent team spirit which can mask some of his shortcomings.

But ultimately, I think TFG are doing a mini Chelsea and investing with a view to making a profit rather than the young signings being a true push for a better team. Of course, if the players do well the value goes up. My guess is the players agents see Everton as a shop window, an opportunity to make more money.

Kinda sad. But if football was about football, Rooney and Gordon would never have left

Lester Yip 21 Posted 08/07/2026 at 00:28:49

No need to overthink this. It's people management. If everytime a new player join (Grealish is different as he's a class above), especially young ones who only show promising signs, can be given time straight away without going through a period of time to gain trusts/recognition from the others, the dressing room will be lost very quickly.

McNeil will be given a chance first to play because he's helped the team to avoid relegation for seasons. Though his form dropped and some of you do not like him, I'm sure he's respected by his teammates and the coaches for his work rate and attitude. Unless he has a fallout with the manager or injured, why an un-tested newbie can walk-in the team ahead of him? What's the point of training hard in pre-season?

Eric Myles 22 Posted 08/07/2026 at 00:48:27

Sensible thoughts Lester, unless one of them's another Wayne Rooney.

Paul Griffiths 23 Posted 09/07/2026 at 05:04:36

No they don't.

Raymond Fox 24 Posted 09/07/2026 at 09:10:11

David @ 14, it sounds good but to my mind it's also a formula for getting us relegated.

It doesn't take much to lose games in the Prem. there's very little difference quality wise in the middle of the table teams, lose a few more extra and we will find ourselves battling relegation. It's all very well asking for inexperienced players to start but that can go both ways.

I think ultimately you have to trust the manager to know if they are our best player for that position at that time, after all he's the one who should know he's watching them practically every day.

We all know the criticism of Moyes that he is too safety first and that's fair enough, but I think when he looks at our present squad he can see we are weak in too many positions.

John Collins 25 Posted 09/07/2026 at 10:13:11

Hackney and George signings show young players still want to play for Moyes

Whether he gives them a chance to play is a different story