Former Premier League striker Kevin Phillips has said Everton owners The Friedkin Group (TFG) would be “daft” not to hand manager David Moyes a new contract, as the club is put up for sale.
TFG announced on October 9 that they were looking to offload their controlling stake in Everton, less than 22 months after completing their takeover of Farhad Moshiri’s 99.5% controlling stake. The announcement came after a difficult transfer window in which the club sold Iliman Ndiaye, Beto, Tim Iroegbunam and Nathan Patterson, and loaned out Adam Aznou, leaving Moyes with a first-team squad of just 18 outfield players, including a single striker, left-back and right-back.
Moyes's achievements at Everton
Moyes, whose current two-and-a-half-year deal expires at the end of this season, has guided Everton to sixth place in the Premier League this term. He has also equalled Harry Catterick’s record for the most games as Blues boss in the club’s history.
Speaking to the ECHO via BestBettingSites.co.uk, Phillips praised Moyes's management and leadership skills, noting his communication and the transformation since his return to Everton. Phillips said: “I think David Moyes reaching that landmark shows his love for football, his management skills, his leadership skills, his skill set, everything you need to be successful as a manager.”
Contract decision called a 'no-brainer'
Phillips, 53, who scored 92 Premier League goals and won the Golden Boot in his debut season with Sunderland in 1999/2000, added: “Well, you’d be daft not to, wouldn’t you? He clearly still has the appetite for football. He lives and breathes it. He gives it everything, and he gets results.”
His comments echo those of Henry Winter and Christian Purslow, who said on The Football Boardroom podcast last month that Moyes should be tied down, with Purslow remarking that you need to make him an asset in a sale process and “that’s the first and most obvious thing to do.”
Phillips concluded: “The fans, I think, would be in an uproar if they didn’t. So yeah, for me, it’s a no-brainer to give him a new deal.”
