Jamie Carragher believes criticism of Everton manager David Moyes is on the harsh side, despite the club's disappointing end to last season. The former Liverpool defender-turned-pundit says he understands the disappointment among Everton supporters but thinks Moyes deserves credit for guiding the club away from relegation battles.
Context of the Criticism
The Blues were within touching distance of the Champions League places when they thrashed Chelsea in March, only to miss out on Europe altogether by going winless in the seven remaining games. Moyes is in the final year of his contract, and Carragher acknowledges that uncertainty around his future is an understandable source of concern for fans.
Speaking on the latest episode of The Overlap Fan Debate, with Sky Bet, Carragher said: "I have always been a David Moyes fan, even when I played against his teams. The first time around as Everton manager, he was doing a brilliant job, and he’s done a brilliant job since he’s come back too."
Progress Under Moyes
Carragher highlighted the progress Everton made under Moyes, noting that the club avoided any danger of a survival scrap for the first time in five years. He said: "The jump from where they’d been to - for you saying, with seven games to go, you had an outside chance of a top five Champions League position. For Everton, it feels like every season they’re trying to fight relegation - they normally change the manager in the middle of the season and end up safe."
He added: "I understand it finished badly, I understand there was disappointment there, and I get it. But I almost feel it’s a little bit harsh, some of the stick he gets."
Injuries and Decisions
The winless end to the campaign saw Everton suffer a series of bad decisions, with referee watchdog the Key Match Incidents Panel ruling they should have had penalties against West Ham United and Manchester City. Beto, Jarrad Branthwaite and Idrissa Gueye also suffered costly injuries in that run.
Carragher hinted the change in expectations among supporters represented progress, and that the club should aim for Europe this season. He said: "I feel for David Moyes a little bit, in that: at the start of last season, everyone would have said, we just want a season where we don’t have to worry about relegation. Now, I know what you’re saying about getting to the last game."
He concluded: "My point is, it felt like the first half of every season for a good few years, you’d change a manager to make sure you stayed up - going back to Sam Allardyce coming in, seven or eight years ago. Then Marco Silva, Frank Lampard, Sean Dyche. You were getting to a situation where you were going into a season - last season - saying, we just don’t want to ever worry about relegation. That was never there [before]. And then you had [a near miss on] European football. I get that disappointment. Everton supporters right - for so long – have had nothing to hang onto - there’s just that wanting so much… I’m not saying he should get a new contract, but the next thing this season is: can Everton get to a European position?"
