- 14 hours ago
Everton boss David Moyes on the fitness of Seamus Coleman and Michael Keane and Nottingham Forest’s progress under the former Everton boss Sean Dyche
Finch Farm, Liverpool, UK
Finch Farm, Liverpool, UK
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00:00Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to our pre-match press conference. We'll start off with Vinny from Sky.
00:18David, first of all, can we check team news? Did Michael Keane train? Is he OK for the weekend?
00:23I'm not sure yet if he's going to be right.
00:26He's got a little bit of an injury. He played against Newcastle with injury.
00:32Look, he just couldn't quite make it, so I'm not sure yet if he's going to make it or not.
00:38What about Seamus? How far away is he?
00:40Seamus pulled his hamstring, so Seamus is going to be out for a little while.
00:44I don't know exactly the timescale on it, but obviously he's just nicking his hamstring, which is going to keep him out.
00:51Obviously, not great news for you then, given that Tim's suspended this weekend as well.
00:56No, we're short. We're really short. We were very short going to Bournemouth, and we certainly were the same going into this game as well.
01:05But it happens to all the teams. It's not just us.
01:07Just on Tim, it seemed to be at least a good response in terms of his personal performance against Bournemouth.
01:14Is the next step for him really just to start delivering that consistency more and more?
01:18Yeah, I think so. I'm pleased for Tim because he played really well for us and he got better as the game went on as well.
01:24It was really important. He's been up and down a little bit in and out of the team, but as someone who we like, we really do.
01:31We think there's a player in there somewhere.
01:33Maybe the more games he gets, the more he'll keep adapting and getting used to it.
01:38Disappointed that we lost him. I was annoyed, actually, him getting booked early in the game.
01:43I was more concerned about how he would see himself through the Bournemouth game.
01:46But he managed himself very well through the game and helped us get a good victory.
01:50Someone who probably is showing the levels of consistency is Kiernan Dewsbury Hall.
01:54I just wonder what your thoughts are on the fact that he has been nominated as one of the players of the month.
01:59Yeah. Well, it's very difficult to get nominated in the Premier League as a Player of the Month
02:03because of the quality of the players and you're seeing the levels some of the teams are playing at.
02:07So, all credit to Kiernan. He's getting us a couple of goals. He's been playing well for us.
02:12He had to play slightly deeper for us in midweek than what he's been able to do.
02:16So, we're pleased. He's been good and he's good in the dressing room and he's good with the players.
02:21So, we're really happy to have him.
02:23Obviously, this weekend, you welcomed your predecessor to Hill Dickinson in Sean Dyche.
02:27As well as the job that he's doing at Nottingham Forest, I just wonder as well what your thoughts are on the job that he did here
02:32through difficult times and obviously left you something to be able to build on.
02:36Well, there will be lots of people able to tell me more about Everton over the last four or five years than myself.
02:43But from afar, it looked as if he steered the ship which was in big trouble, was sinking.
02:49And he done a great job in making sure that they were still in the Premier League.
02:53I think there was a couple of seasons he probably had to avoid it just about on the last day of the season.
02:58But I think he done a brilliant job in what the situation was.
03:02And when you look back, I hope that we never have to go back to where Sean had the team and had the situation around the club.
03:09But I thought he done a brilliant job in keeping them going.
03:13And at that time, there's always a lot of negativity, a lot from the media.
03:18You know, the supporters are feeling it. Everybody's feeling it.
03:20So when you're the manager, you sort of carry that through.
03:23I thought he done a really good job.
03:25I think you probably expected him to go in and make a difference in Nottingham Forest as well when he got the job.
03:29Well, I knew that he would certainly go back in. I didn't know where he would go back in.
03:32Nottingham Forest are a good team. They're a team in Europe as well.
03:37So he's got good players.
03:39He's got good players.
03:40How have you built on what Sean left behind now?
03:43I know you're at home this weekend, but looking at the away form,
03:46I know only Arsenal have taken more points on the road since your first away game back in charge here.
03:51Well, look, I have to give credit to the players for how they've done it.
03:55You know, because when I came in, you know, the home form wasn't that good, to be honest.
03:58I think prior to that, we were pretty poor.
04:01So the players have knuckled down and done a great job in getting the results recently.
04:06So, you know, we're pleased with the away form.
04:10You know, we want to keep that up.
04:12And, you know, a lot of people were saying when I came in, you know,
04:14the away supporters have not had much to shout about.
04:16You know, I think we were winning at Palace last year,
04:19and we were winning at Brighton, and, you know, we won at Newcastle.
04:22So there's a lot of games which we did win away from home last year,
04:25which hopefully helped the away supporters enjoy the trip a bit better.
04:30Tenth, three points off the top four.
04:32Can you put yourselves in the bracket of European contenders,
04:35or is it tempered slightly?
04:36Because, as you say, you're short of plays at the moment.
04:38You're going to lose Idrissa and Ileman and Di to AFCON.
04:42And do you have to kind of wait as well almost to see what you can do in January?
04:45Well, like, I don't want to turn around here and say,
04:48no, we don't think you do that.
04:49And my plan is to try and do that.
04:51I know that if we, you know, if we can get another win against Nottingham Forest,
04:54then we'll push ourselves right in amongst it again.
04:57I think you have to take your chances in the Premier League when you get it at the moment,
05:01because I think that, you know, if you miss out on it,
05:04then, you know, you might have to wait again.
05:06We've had a pretty good, you know, three or four games recently,
05:09and I hope we can keep it going.
05:12But, as I said, the Premier League, the way it is,
05:14you just don't know where the results are coming from.
05:16But, no, the ideal situation was I would be coming on here and saying,
05:20you know, we want to be a team challenging for Europe.
05:23But in the same breath, we're all looking over our shoulder
05:26because, you know, we've still got to get a bit more distance
05:28between the bottom of the league and, you know,
05:31the ones at the bottom at the moment.
05:33Thanks, David.
05:34Thanks, Vinny. We'll go to Simon at Premier League Productions.
05:36I know you touched upon it there, but what have you made of the job
05:39that Sean's done at Nottingham Forest and how they're now doing this season?
05:43I think Sean's done a great job since he's come in, but not surprisingly.
05:48And let's be fair, I think Nottingham Forest have got a good team.
05:51They've got good players, good squad.
05:53So, you know, they've got a lot.
05:56And, you know, Sean will be enjoying Europe as well in some ways.
06:00In other ways, he'll be seeing, you know, the extra games
06:02and all the extra work which comes from it.
06:04But, you know, he's doing very well.
06:07And it looks as if he's settling in
06:08and the crowd have taken to him as well, which is good.
06:10I know you've talked about the table there.
06:12Not all managers will do that.
06:14They'll say, I'll only look at it later on.
06:16Are you someone who is constantly looking at where you can get the points
06:20and where you need them?
06:21I'm not constantly looking at it.
06:23But I think obviously we're always saying,
06:25make sure that we're away from the bottom end of the table.
06:27Here at Everton, we've been in that situation too often.
06:30So we want to talk about the top end of the league as much as we can.
06:34And that's why every win at the moment is really important.
06:39I think we've probably won more points than we've had at any other stage.
06:43I think the points we've got at the moment is more than we've ever had
06:46for the last four or five years.
06:48So it shows that we've started the season relatively well.
06:51So I think there's still room for improvement.
06:54We've talked a wee bit about we've got injuries,
06:56we're still adding, we're still growing.
06:58So I think we've got off to a pretty good start really.
07:01And just finally for me, apologies if it's slightly left field,
07:04but just reading there on the BBC's website about England starting to use AI
07:09for things like penalty shootouts.
07:11Obviously that would include Jordan as well.
07:13So they're getting extra information,
07:15whereas previously it might have taken four or five days
07:18for the goalkeeping staff to get all this information.
07:20Now you can get it at your fingertips almost.
07:23Is that something that you either do use
07:26or you're contemplating using or your staff use?
07:29Well, we certainly don't use it at the moment, that's for sure.
07:32But it's something which now you're mentioning
07:33then I'm going to have to look into after I leave here today.
07:36It might be able to tell me what players are fit for me
07:41and what I've got to use.
07:43But overall, look, I think if there's another tool that can come in
07:48that can help improve the team in the way football is going at the moment,
07:51I don't think people are going to hide behind it.
07:53I think people will use what is available to them.
07:55So we'll wait and see, but it's interesting, isn't it?
07:59Well, you've always been a forward thinker since you've become a manager.
08:02You've always been interested in things like that, I think.
08:04Yeah, it is.
08:06I mean, I'm worried that where it's going, how far it's going to go.
08:09You know, I'm one of the longer serving ones now
08:12and seeing quite a few different eras coming through.
08:14But if this is where we're going to now, it will make it even harder.
08:17But obviously, I don't know what the AI is going to tell me about penalties.
08:21They're going to tell me that somebody puts it to the right-hand side
08:23or they put it to the left-hand side.
08:25So on the day, you could change your mind, you could do that.
08:29So I don't know what AI can really tell me more than probably me watching
08:35somebody taking 20 or 30 penalties, what they're going to do.
08:38So I don't know if it completely works, but maybe someone knows more than I do.
08:43I'm sure they do.
08:45Thanks, Simon. I'll go to Julia at Radio Moses.
08:48Hi, Julia.
08:49Jack Grealish was very complimentary of you after the game midweek,
08:53and he said the conversations he has with you have really helped him.
08:57So I just wondered, what is it you have spoken about with him
09:00that has made him feel definitely comfortable here and also raise his game?
09:05I don't think I've really done an awful lot with Jack, to be honest.
09:09But I think the most important thing is we've tried to give him a bit of love
09:13and made him feel really welcome.
09:15I think the crowd here have done a brilliant job with him.
09:18They've taken to him.
09:19And quite often when you come from another Premier League team,
09:22it's not that easy to settle in, but he's been taken right away.
09:26And I think he's played well to add to that as well.
09:32He scored a few goals and a few assists.
09:34He can pick it up a bit more, no doubt about that.
09:38So I've got no problem telling Jack straight and telling him correctly.
09:43I don't need to tell him any lies or tell him any bullshit.
09:47I can always just sort of tell him it and he's big enough
09:51and he's man enough to accept it, whether it's good or bad.
09:55Do you think he appreciates that honesty then?
09:58And do all players appreciate that honesty?
10:00Or is it sort of individual basis?
10:01You have to take each player as a different person
10:04and a different way of managing them?
10:06I think you do have to manage players all differently.
10:09I don't think there's one way.
10:10I think all players and most players would always want to be spoken to
10:14straightforward.
10:15But, you know, always being straightforward to means that, you know, you could become disliked
10:20because, you know, sometimes the truth is something which not everybody wants to hear.
10:24But Jack's not. Jack wants the truth. Jack wants to be sort of pushed and told.
10:33And look, he's responding to it. The biggest thing for me is getting through the games.
10:38He's playing 90 minutes in the games and, you know, he's not played that many.
10:42And, you know, we've never really at any time had a thought of saying,
10:45no, we're going to leave him out or we're going to take him out because he needs a rest.
10:48And we've not got as many games as other sides have got.
10:52For example, Forest, who have got European games.
10:55So we've not really had that need.
10:57We've only had the Premier League midweek fixtures.
10:59But in the main, Jack's been really good and made himself available, fit, you know, healthy,
11:06not missing training.
11:07So we've played with him.
11:09I wanted to ask you as well, Jake O'Brien, I thought he had a really good game at Bournemouth.
11:13He's been patient waiting for his chance at centre-back.
11:16He's played at right-back, as we know.
11:18Sometimes he's come off the bench to play.
11:20But I know that's where he sees himself.
11:22So has he done a little bit more now to show that he's going in that right direction
11:27to be the centre-back here at Everton?
11:30Well, he played really well, I think, at Fulham and Newcastle at the end of last season.
11:34We won both games.
11:35He was centre-back in those games when Jared and Tarki were both out.
11:39He had a couple of games at centre-back during the summer in pre-season.
11:43We thought he'd done a really good job as a right-back last year.
11:47Maybe not as much as we'd like this year, that's for sure.
11:50But, yeah, he has a centre-back.
11:54He's playing out of position.
11:55But, you know, he can play right-backer then.
11:58He's got to try and move the likes of Jake, Tarki and Jared and Kino out.
12:04And, you know, they've done really well for us, so he's got a bit to do.
12:07But he played really well the other night.
12:09He's obviously a centre-half and he's not a right-back.
12:11We're well aware of that.
12:12But while we're very short of right-backs, he might be the best choice we've got in the building.
12:18While you are light in numbers and AFCON is round the corner as well,
12:23the under-21s, I just wondered, do you get any time to sort of keep tabs as what's going on there?
12:29And are there any pushing to be further in and around?
12:33I know Braden Graham is her name that keeps being mooted among the fan base.
12:38I've not seen as much as what I would have seen in the past.
12:41Partly because the job here is, you know, first of all,
12:44was to make sure we weren't relegated and we're bringing in lots of new players
12:48and lots of things which had to be done during the summer, so I've not had as much time.
12:53But also, I think, during the difficult times, I think we sold a lot of the main players here,
12:59the young players, which I'm guessing the supporters all know.
13:02They'll know that that was the situation, what happened,
13:04and a lot of the better young boys were sold on.
13:08So, from what I'm hearing and the feedback I'm getting is they're doing OK.
13:13Maybe need to do a bit more before they're ready for the first team.
13:16Is it sort of disappointing for you, I guess, because when you were here the first time,
13:20the academy here was well-known across football, wasn't it?
13:23It's producing this talent and it was such a shame what has had to happen.
13:26Absolutely. I was amazed when I came back to find what had to be done, actually.
13:32But it was, it had to be done for the club, you know,
13:35and so it's going to take quite a while for us to get it back to where we really would like it to be.
13:41Our priority, if I'm being honest, wasn't the academy when we came in.
13:46Our priority was, you know, the team and keeping the club in the Premier League.
13:49But now we're beginning to start a bit of work behind the scenes
13:53and hopefully going to start to rebuild.
13:55But to build an academy, you're really talking about where you're starting.
13:58You're bringing in the kids at six, seven years old, really, you know,
14:01and there's other ways you can buy them, maybe 16, 17 years old.
14:04But I don't think we'll be in that position where we're ready to do that.
14:08But I'll always encourage, if there's any boys who I think are good enough
14:12and are doing well enough, then I'll bring them up.
14:15But also, there's a big step to being a Premier League player.
14:19Thank you, good luck.
14:21Thanks, Julian. Any further questions in the open section before we move on?
14:25No? Okay, thank you.
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