Everton manager David Moyes on the prospect of the club making transfers in the January window and the challenge of facing Aston Villa Finch Farm, Liverpool, UK
00:00David, just to check on availability, are you getting anyone back this weekend
00:10other than Jack Brealish from suspension?
00:12Probably not, no. There's one or two back in the grass but I don't think they're available for this weekend.
00:19Can you give us any idea of a time frame, thinking of Tim Iraboon and Keenan Dewsbury Hall and Carlos Alcaraz?
00:25No, they're getting closer but they're not training yet.
00:28How much of a positive though, kind of alluded to it, the fact that Jarrod Branthwaite is stepping up his training
00:33and Seamus Coleman we've seen out on the grass this week.
00:35Yeah, both Jarrod and Seamus have been back on the grass, they've been getting involved with training
00:40so good to get Jarrod back, good to get Seamus back as well. So yeah, they're back in amongst it.
00:46I know we keep asking you about transfers but it seems over the past week or so that you've been linked with more and more players
00:51which outside of these four walls kind of raises hopes that you might be able to do something.
00:56What's the reality though?
00:58The reality hasn't changed. We've said all along, we're looking, we're trying.
01:03It's not as if we're not shut ourselves off from the transfer window.
01:08We need players more than ever and we probably need them as soon as possible if we could make that happen.
01:15But more than likely this month is never done particularly quickly so we're still looking.
01:21I'm not sure we will get anything but we're trying.
01:25How do you assess where you're at? Because you're still, what, just four points off fifth place at the moment?
01:30Yeah, look, the league stuff has been okay. We've been doing okay in that.
01:35We're disappointed that we've gone out of the cups early. But no, we want to now finish in a strong position.
01:42We're going to try and work hard to get that. But obviously we need to get all our better players back.
01:48January was always going to be difficult just because, first and foremost, the two boys going to AFCON
01:55and we're thrilled that they've reached the final with Senegal.
01:58But that was two down before we even start, before you talk about suspensions and injuries
02:04and we've had a sort of batch of them in this month which hasn't helped.
02:08So, it's been a difficult period for us just to get things the way we want to.
02:12What have you made of what Villa have done since that goalless draw at home earlier this season?
02:16Because it was a game that you were actually pretty close to winning.
02:19Aston Villa have done remarkable in recent seasons.
02:24I think they've showed great investment.
02:28They've got Aston Villa back where they want to be in around the Champions League
02:31over the last few years in European football.
02:34So, I think Villa are now beginning to challenge all the top teams now.
02:38Obviously, their league position has shown how good they are
02:40and how far up the league they are.
02:43They're an excellent manager.
02:45So, there's a lot of good things Villa are doing.
02:47Thanks, David.
02:48Thanks for the name.
02:49Colton Niles at Premier League Productions.
02:51Hi there.
02:52Hi, David.
02:53Obviously, keeping on the Villa theme,
02:56how difficult is a trip to Villa Park with the way they're playing
03:00and how do you combat their threats?
03:02Well, we'll get threats from every Premier League team.
03:08We have to combat every Premier League team we come up against.
03:12It's always the same thing.
03:14Villa is a great stadium we go and play at Aston Villa.
03:17I think everybody enjoys going and playing there.
03:19We will as well.
03:20But they're certainly in good form.
03:23And Vinny alluded to it.
03:25The fact that you are still, I think three points it is,
03:28off the top six European positions with everything that's happened.
03:32The two boys at AFCON, the suspensions, the injuries.
03:35You're still in a great position, aren't you?
03:37No, we started the season really well and we're still in a really good position.
03:42But we want to be higher.
03:45Maybe two points more makes you feel a bit better because you're further up
03:49and maybe sitting in eighth or ninth if you do that possibly.
03:52So we've got to try and get back on it again.
03:55But it's difficult.
03:57We've not got the strongest squad.
03:59We've had quite a few injuries.
04:00We've had the boys away.
04:01So that's made it difficult for us.
04:04And just finally, on the two lads at Senegal,
04:07obviously everyone from Ineviton Persuasion is a Senegal fan this weekend.
04:11Yeah, no, we're thrilled for the boys.
04:13We're talking about it there.
04:15Just hope if they win they don't celebrate too long
04:17because I need them back.
04:19Thanks, Niles.
04:21We'll go to Julia at Radio Merserside.
04:23Hiya, David.
04:24Have you spoken to them both while they're out there?
04:26Or anyone here?
04:27No, I've not.
04:28No, I've left them alone.
04:30But they'll know that we're watching
04:32and they'll be watching us as well.
04:34I just wanted to ask, around the transfers,
04:37I know you've said to me before that you don't envisage anybody leaving.
04:40There have been some claims that you've knocked back a bid for Illiman NDI.
04:44Is there any truth in that?
04:45Evidently from the look on your face, no?
04:47No.
04:48Absolutely zero.
04:49Truth in that.
04:50So, if there is, I don't know anything about it.
04:53That's for sure.
04:54But as far as I'm concerned, that's...
04:56I've never even heard of it, to be honest.
04:58It's the first I heard.
04:59It sounds like somebody's made that up somewhere.
05:01You know what I mean?
05:02And I would imagine as well, he's somebody that although he's playing in AFCON,
05:06he's now in the final and he's put in some really good performances for Everson already this season,
05:12has been praised.
05:13He's someone, I suppose effectively, he's in the shop window,
05:15but he's a player that's really key to your plans here.
05:17Yeah, we have no intention of letting Illy go, none whatsoever.
05:21By the way, I'm sure there's a price for every player on the planet if you look around.
05:26But, you know, if you're asking me, we've got no intention of selling Illy.
05:29We need him back.
05:30We need him back to give us some creativity and help us score and make goals.
05:34So, we're missing him for all those good reasons.
05:37You are looking, as you say, but it's a difficult window to operate in.
05:41How does the leadership structure work in the transfer window here in Everson?
05:45Who has the final say and how's it operating?
05:48Well, I've got the final say if we want to buy a player or if we don't want to buy a player.
05:53But, obviously, I get told by my superiors how much we've got to spend and what we've got available.
05:59And I have to sort of work off those thoughts.
06:03So, I think Angus came out in the programme a few weeks ago and probably gave us all a pretty good answer coming from the CEO.
06:10So, I think we're in there trying.
06:14But, it doesn't mean that we're just going to take any players just for the sake of it.
06:19You've been using some of the under-21s with you in matches.
06:22I just wanted to ask about Braden Graham.
06:24He's someone that has been quite exciting.
06:27He's only a teenager, but what could he do?
06:29I appreciate it's a huge step up for him.
06:32Is there anything he can do that could maybe force his way into your thoughts at the moment?
06:37Well, I think Braden is doing well.
06:40It's probably at the moment we're needing him to build up his physicality, his all-round speed, etc.
06:46All those things that come from stepping up to the Premier League.
06:49But, no, we're pleased we're getting some of the young boys getting chances to be around it.
06:54And we'll see how they continue.
06:56But, obviously, it's not the young players which we're needing at the moment.
07:00It's the players we've got here who've been in, who are out of the team who we need at the moment.
07:03And they're the ones we really need back.
07:06I think it's because sometimes people think, well, just use the kids.
07:10Is it completely different to what they're used to going on in a Premier League game?
07:14Can you even sort of explain how different that is?
07:17Well, I think I've given as many 16-year-olds a debut as probably any manager in the Premier League over the years.
07:26So, I've got an idea of what it's got to look like to get into the team.
07:30The Premier League's got tougher, got harder.
07:32The level of players which are coming in know players from all overseas.
07:36Maybe when it was last year, 11, 12 years ago, when we were able to bloodquit a few youngsters,
07:41I think it has changed a lot since then.
07:44There's not so many young teenagers playing in the Premier League as there has been in the past.
07:49There is some you could easily reel off.
07:52But I think it is such a big step for a lot of the young ones to step up.
07:56And it's easy to say, why don't you just play some of the young ones?
08:00It's only when you're sitting in this seat, you're always trying to pick the team that gives you the best chance of winning.
08:05I don't know any manager who doesn't do that.
08:08Thank you. Good luck.
08:10Thanks, Julia. We'll go to Carl at the Press Association.
08:12Hi, David.
08:13Just a couple of quick ones.
08:15On the two Senegal lads, a bit tongue-in-cheek, have you had divided loyalties with wanting them to do well,
08:22but the better they do, the longer they're away?
08:25Yeah, well, actually, I thought maybe they'd get knocked out in the semi-final.
08:29I was thinking, oh, maybe I could get them back.
08:31Then I forgot there was a third and fourth playoff game.
08:34You're a fan of third and fourth playoff, say it.
08:36I think probably there's very few people are fans of third and fourth playoff games.
08:40Whether it be, I'm not even sure players would be fans of third or fourth playoff games, to be honest.
08:45No, so when I heard that last week, I thought, you know, before the game of Wednesday, I thought if they'd get knocked out, we might have got them back.
08:54But not to be.
08:55And just on the general transfer thing, you said you get given a number in terms of what the expectations are.
09:02I don't expect you to tell what that number was, but was it in line with what you thought you would be able to work with?
09:10I mean, I know every manager always wants more.
09:13All managers were always hoping to get bigger numbers, but I think it's been the sort of the club has outlined.
09:20You know, we spent in the summer, that was the main part.
09:23You know, it's not me who's saying it.
09:24You can see the CEO saying it as well, that we don't expect to be doing too much business.
09:28So that's where we are with it, really.
09:32I think we had a lot of players in with about 12 or 13 players out of contract in the summer,
09:36so it's been quite a big turnaround already.
09:39But I'm genuine, if I can get a couple of new players in, the club will certainly back me.
09:44I've got no doubt about that.
09:45Absolutely they will.
09:46They've been really good.
09:48Maybe they can't back me on a £60 or £70 million signing,
09:52but they'll back me on what they think would be the right numbers if we can come up with the players required.
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