David Moyes said his message to Everton supporters was that “their manager is an Evertonian” as the club braced for a turbulent end to the transfer window.
The travelling supporters responded with fury to pre-match news that Nottingham Forest were in talks over a deal for homegrown starlet Harrison Armstrong – an approach there was no immediate sign had been rejected out of hand. The away end started and ended the trip to Bournemouth by urging the board not to sell the England youth international.
Moyes confirms offer made
Moyes confirmed he was aware an offer had been made in the aftermath of his side earning a hard-fought 1-1 draw at the Vitality Stadium. The Blues boss said he did not want to lose players, believed additions to his squad were needed but was not aware any incomings were close.
Asked whether he had a message for supporters, or the board, against that backdrop, he simply responded: “I would say: Their manager is an Evertonian.”
Fans' fury and squad concerns
His words came on an emotional day on the south coast. Everton entered the final days of the window braced for a fight to keep hold of star player Iliman Ndiaye and without having signed a right-back – a priority for multiple seasons. The prospect of Armstrong being sold tipped the mood over the edge and led to the away supporters uniting through the game to chant that, if the 19-year-old were to be sold, “you're gonna have a riot on your hands”.
The club's CEO, Angus Kinnear, who said he believed the club should be challenging for Europe on the eve of the season, was in the opposite stand. Instead of focusing on additions, the coming days look set to be centred on the potential for the Blues to lose key players.
Moyes opted to finish the game with centre midfielder Tim Iroegbunam, who has not been in the squad for almost a month after being injured in pre-season, as a makeshift right-back. Jake O'Brien, who is fit and has played that role for much of Moyes' second stint, stayed on the bench. There have been reports the club would be willing to sell the centre-back.
Moyes on squad depth and supporter views
Asked what the loss of first-team players would mean for his job, Moyes said: “We have to try and... I mean, without losing anybody, which we obviously don't want to do, we still need to add players to what we've got. I've been saying it for quite a while. I've been alluding to it, that we need to add. I think we've got some young, promising players, and we've got some things which are looking quite good.
“But even today, Hayden [Hackney] having his ankle [injured], I just didn't want to risk him too soon. Jimmy [James Garner], we've had to bring back quicker than we want with a hernia. And I think it showed today in Jimmy a little bit. So we're not that strong at the moment, squad-wise.”
The match took place against the backdrop of supporters singing: “Don't sell Armstrong, Harrison Armstrong, I just don't think you understand. If you sell Armstrong, Harrison Armstrong, you're gonna have a riot on your hands.”
On whether their views should be considered in any decision, Moyes said: “I think you always have to consider supporters. Supporters aren't always wrong. But then there's also times where I've really fortunately had people at clubs who are really powerful and make difficult decisions. I'd bring into that Bryan Gray, who was at Preston North End, and Sir Philip Carter who was at Everton when I first came in. Not all decisions are popular and sometimes they have to do it for different reasons. It's like managers have to make decisions on players sometimes, and it feels like they are huge decisions, but there's sometimes bigger decisions to be made and the club will, I'm sure, make what they think is the right one.”
On the performance and the result – which saw James Tarkowski lash in a stoppage-time leveller to cancel out Alex Scott's first-half goal – Moyes said: “I would say I am pleased we got the point. I was disappointed with the second-half performance. I was pleased with the first half, and I don't think we deserved, really, to be 1-0 down at half-time, but I thought we had done well enough, but we missed big opportunities to make a better chance or score a chance when we had it in the first half and I was hugely frustrated.”
