David Moyes and the Unfortunate Reality of Managing Everton FC

While planning to write a conventional piece for why Everton manager David Moyes would be an ideal candidate to eventually replace Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, I had a sudden epiphany. As is the case with most thoughts spawning from "aha" moments (and in addition to reading Simon Kuper's cynical yet truly brilliant new book Soccer Men), this idea was so contagious that it immediately became my Mourinho-esque obsession.

Teams don't win championships by signing top players but by holding onto their own.

I cannot help but to think this idea is especially applicable to the disheartened Toffees' boss.

Everton and general English Premier League (EPL) fans alike regularly praise the Scot for his fine work with a limited budget.  They argue that repeatedly leading the Toffees to mid-table finishes and the occasional European competition is a massive achievement.  If only he had a £25 million transfer kitty at his disposal every summer, he could build quite a fine team, right?

Wrong.

David Moyes doesn't need a war chest.  Rather, he needs a way to prevent his top players from leaving the club.

Let's for a moment imagine that Moyes had the luxury of fielding Joleon Lescott alongside Phil Jagielka in the heart of the Everton defense, Landon Donovan and Steven Pienaar flanking Tim Cahill and Wayne Rooney as a lone striker.  With Royston Drenthe serving as the team's super sub, Leon Osman a reliable utility midfield player and Mikel Arteta and Ross Barkley rotating into the starting 11 when healthy, Everton would not only contend for a top four finish, they would possibly fight for the EPL Title.

Unfortunately, Moyes will never be afforded this luxury while managing at Goodison Park.  In fact, he'll probably also lose top midfielders Marouane Fellaini and Jack Rodwell this summer if he can hang onto the pair through the January transfer window. 

Footballers see themselves as professionals with a limited number of top-flight playing years.  Aspiring to maximize their earnings and playing success in their relatively short careers, top players surely don't want to waste precious years waiting for Everton to gradually assemble a talented squad when they could double their wages and win silverware playing elsewhere.

Surely the wise Scot must wonder what magic he could have inspired if given the chance to run a wealthy club such as Manchester City, Chelsea or even his club's derby rival Liverpool.  Surely he would spend less and win more than current profligate City boss Roberto Mancini, and he would have undoubtedly managed at least one EPL Championship if given several years to manage Liverpool.

Despite the apparent injustice of his situation, David Moyes is quickly approaching his 10-year anniversary with the club.  In an era where managers bounce around clubs faster than estranged players, Moyes' lengthy tenure is a testament to his incredible quality and consistency as a manager.

When he is eventually rewarded with the opportunity to lead the Red Devils, I suspect he would be most happy just to finally have the means to keep his top players.