Are Moyes and Everton's owners on the same page?
· Yahoo Sports
Everton's owners the Friedkin Group are rarely seen and barely heard – so when they announced via chief executive Angus Kinnear that they regarded missing out on European football last season as "failure" it came as a surprise.
Not least to manager David Moyes.
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Everton were in one of the nine European places on offer to English clubs when Merlin Rohl gave them the lead against Sunderland in their penultimate game of last season.
Instead, in keeping with a collapse that saw them fail to win any of their last seven league games, Everton lost 3-1 at home to the Europe-bound Black Cats, before a final-day defeat at Tottenham Hotspur left them in 13th place.
In an interview with BBC Radio Merseyside, Kinnear said: "They viewed it as a failure because it was a failure.
"The Friedkins are winners. They want to win and we didn't win anything."
Moyes' response when this was put him was intriguing – and begs the question whether the 63-year-old Scot is on the same page as Everton's American powerbrokers - who also own Italian club Roma - when it comes to ambition.
He said: "I'm surprised they were disappointed because there was never, ever any time anyone said to me 'David, you have to make Europe or you have to be in and around the top end'.
"I think everybody wanted to make sure we moved into the new stadium safe and with not having too difficult a season and we certainly did that last year."
The Friedkin Group - led by chairman Dan Friedkin - completed its takeover of Everton in December 2024 [Getty Images]Kinnear also said: "We have definitely had discussions with the ownership and David about how we use the Carabao Cup and FA Cup to give the fans something to really cheer and get behind."
Former Everton and England midfield man Leon Osman told BBC Sport: "I was a bit surprised at the statement and at the timing because, as Moyes said, I don't think anyone was saying for much of last season that not getting into Europe was a failure.
"I do think when you get on the cusp of something and it slips away, it can feel like you've failed, but I would call it a disappointment rather than a failure because so often in the last five years, before David Moyes took over, Everton have been trying to keep their heads above water by staying in the Premier League."
He added: "Of course everyone associated with Everton was disappointed because excitement was building but take a step back and look at clubs who did get into Europe, like Brighton and Bournemouth. They have been building steadily over years to put themselves in the position to make that last stride.
"I think Everton have done good business this summer and maybe if they can do more before the close of the window they might be in a better position to make that step."
Moyes bristled, questioning whether journalists were "dead stupid" when asked about the importance of cup competitions, and spirits will have been lifted by the convincing second-round Carabao Cup win at Preston North End.
Kinnear said in the same interview that Everton's squad was "in a good place" – although added there was work to do.
Moyes sounded a markedly more cautious note, warning fans not to get carried away with an opening Premier League win against Crystal Palace and victory at Deepdale.
It is clear Moyes wants TFG to deliver more backing before the transfer window closes to improve, and bolster, a squad which ran out of steam so badly last season.
He said: "For us to be a side which is competitive, I still think we have got a lot of work to do. Hopefully we are able to try and do some of it.
"We need more players. Our squad is not big enough and we need to get more quality in some areas if we can do.
"I'm not sure we will, but it's not for me and the want of trying, that's for sure."
The messages were certainly mixed, adding to a summer of mixed fortunes in the transfer market, that even led to Prime Minister and fanatical Evertonian Andy Burnham to comment on one of the hot topics when he said: "There is one thing I would just ask, sign a right-back."
This is what makes the final few days of the transfer window so vital for Moyes, who is in the final year of his contract, and Everton.
And it will not simply be about incomings. Moyes will be desperate to hang on to Iliman Ndiaye, the inspirational forward who has been central to his plans.
Everton have signed the PFA Championship player of the year Hayden Hackney from Middlesbrough. Christian Norgaard will provide experience from Arsenal as a replacement for departed veteran Idrissa Gueye, while deals for young German Merlin Rohl and England under-21 winger Tyrique George, on loan last season, were confirmed. Brennan Johnson arrived from Crystal Palace in a straight swap with Dwight McNeil.
Moyes, however, makes it plain he does not think this is enough.
So now Everton's fans must wait to see if owners, chief executive and manager can reach a meeting of minds to give Moyes what he wants and demonstrate exactly what TFG's ambitions are.
Dan Friedkin, the club's billionaire chairman, has not attended any Everton games and while absences are not uncommon among American owners, there still lurks a suspicion among Toffees' fans that TFG's interest is more piqued by their Serie A giants Roma, who are in the Champions League.
And despite such a promising start, questions still remain, especially that vexed matter of a right-back that has become such a bone of contention among Everton fans.
New signing Hayden Hackney started Everton's opening-day win over Crystal Palace [Getty Images]Moyes is believed to favour Strasbourg's Guela Doue, but this appears to have fallen down on financial grounds.
A move for Celtic's Canada right-back Alistair Johnston stalled when he got injured. Crystal Palace's Daniel Munoz was considered but as yet not pursued. Fulham would not entertain interest in Timothy Castagne. Aaron Wan-Bissaka was another considered but he joined Aston Villa on loan from West Ham United.
Eventually - surely - all parties will have to agree on a target and finally address this obvious flaw.
The £7m move for 32-year-old Norgaard looks smart work at a decent price, although Everton were hopeful of signing fellow Danish midfielder Morten Hjulmand from Sporting in Lisbon until Atletico Madrid stepped in.
Hackney is a classic Moyes signing, an outstanding Championship performer in the mould of those who arrived at Everton during his first spell such as Tim Cahill, Phil Jagielka and Joleon Lescott, as well as at West Ham United, when he signed Jarrod Bowen from Hull City.
Moyes clearly believes he needs more, especially as he will be well aware that he took the brunt of heavy fan criticism when Europe slipped away last season, and will look to TFG to bring him what he feels he needs.
TFG has delivered financial stability after the mayhem of the Farhad Moshiri years and has spent about £170m on players, so for this it deserves credit.
Osman added: "There will be constant noise until the right-back is signed and plenty would probably like a new number nine as well, but looking at the rest of the squad I think the club and David have done brilliant business.
"It takes five or six transfer windows minimum to get there depending on your starting point, so there is a few to go yet on that basis, so of course these last days of the window are important and you can absolutely see why David would like more players and quality in."
Moyes has made his views clear. Now can his wish align with Everton's owners to deliver?