- 4 hours ago
Everton boss David Moyes on the signing of Tyrique George on loan from Chelsea and their hopes of reaching Europe ahead of their Premier League clash with Fulham
Finch Farm, Liverpool, UK
Finch Farm, Liverpool, UK
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00:00Good afternoon everyone, welcome to our pre-match press conference to preview our game against Fulham.
00:05We'll start off with Vinny Oskar.
00:07Practicing these slides in training?
00:10Well, I'll wait for the moment and hopefully it'll work well when I do so.
00:14Ultimately, David, we'll look back at the transfer window.
00:16How satisfied are you with what you were able to do on deadline day?
00:20I think if we were honest, we'd like to have done more if possible, but it wasn't for the one to try, that's for sure.
00:26How is Tyreek George settling in?
00:28I think he's settled in fine, he's had a few days training with us now.
00:32So, yeah, he's an exciting young player, which we hope we'll be able to show that in the coming weeks and months.
00:39He scored for Chelsea, I should say, down at Fulham last season.
00:43I just wonder how ready you feel he is for first-team football.
00:48I appreciate it, it is early days in his time.
00:50He's played a lot of first-team football with Chelsea, whether it's been the Conference League, etc.
00:55So, still a young player, obviously.
00:58It gives us some backup.
01:01We were injured to Jack Grealish, so because of that, it gives us an extra player as well and was required.
01:07You've obviously still got Dwight McNeil around as well.
01:10It was his assist that led to Michael Keane getting the second goal for you down at Fulham last season as well.
01:14How is he after the collapse of that move, though, to Crystal Palace?
01:18Well, Dwight's fine.
01:20He's in, he's training as well.
01:22No, Dwight's OK.
01:24He understands exactly where it went wrong and how it broke down.
01:29So, he knows everything about it.
01:32There's no problems there.
01:33What's your take on how the deal collapsed?
01:35What can you tell us?
01:37Well, I wouldn't talk too much, but I can tell you 100% it had nothing to do with Everton Football Club, that's for sure.
01:45And I take it then, the way you're talking, it's been relatively simple just to reintegrate someone.
01:49Because I wondered if it'd be a bit complicated when a club's agreed to allow a player to go and the player is looking to leave as well on that day.
01:56No, look, it does happen and players have to live with it.
02:00It sometimes can happen.
02:02Look, it wasn't that we didn't want it to happen.
02:05We'd given permission for Dwight to go for a medical and do all the things required for it.
02:10So, it was very hard to do much more than we'd done.
02:15And Harrison Armstrong hasn't gone back out on loan.
02:16What ultimately did you persuade him to keep him on?
02:20I think he's done well since he's been here.
02:23I think maybe we keep him.
02:24I honestly, because of my close links and connections with Preston North End, wanted him to stay there.
02:31Because I think Preston have got a great chance at the playoffs.
02:34And I think to be a young player and maybe playing those games and have the opportunity to do so is a big thing.
02:39But I think the injuries we had over January, I think, rocked us a wee bit.
02:43We were really, really low on players for long periods.
02:48And because of that, we had to bring him back.
02:51And I have to say, he's done fine.
02:54But there's much more competition now in the second half of the season.
02:57Hopefully, we don't have the level of injuries.
03:00And obviously, the AFCON around about the January time made it a difficult time.
03:04Since he's been back there, what's most impressed you about him?
03:07I think his ability to fit in.
03:09I always felt that he's got a lot of things going for him regarding his football.
03:16He's quite a clever footballer, can take information on as well.
03:20He's got a long way to go.
03:22He's at the start of a journey, which hopefully he'll be a Premier League player for the next, I don't know, 10, 15 years, whatever it may be.
03:28But, no, we're pleased.
03:31And I think we want to encourage our own young players.
03:33And we want Harrison's a good marker for all the young players in the academy here to say, look, this can be done.
03:39And hopefully, we can try and get a few more through.
03:42The group as a whole now, how do you assess the challenge of pushing back up towards those European spots now?
03:46Well, hanging in there when we can.
03:48You know, we're in difficult game territory.
03:50Every game is difficult in the Premier League, and it has proved to be this season.
03:53But, you know, hopefully we can try and keep it going.
03:57And, you know, I've always said I hope we could get one more go at that, where we could maybe jump into the top six or seven somewhere along in the run-in here.
04:05And I hope we can hang in and give ourselves that opportunity maybe in a month or so's time.
04:10This game's a good marker for that level on points.
04:12I make it there's six clubs who were separated by just three points, pushing up towards six, seventh place in the table.
04:18Yeah, I feel like we've done really well.
04:19They didn't start the season awfully well, but they've certainly picked up.
04:23Marco's done a great job as he's done it at all his clubs.
04:27And they're a good side for them, so it'll not be an easy game.
04:33Thanks, Vinny.
04:34We'll go to Simon at Premier League Purchase.
04:36Hello again.
04:37I seem to have visions of you having good memories against Fulham, whether it be at home or down there.
04:43Winning as a player, as a manager, and your first game in charge when you came back here as well.
04:50What are your memories of that?
04:52Well, it's a memory that will never go away with my first game back here.
04:56Or my first game here, I should say, not back here.
04:58My first game here, I had Fulham.
05:01David Unsworth scores after about 20 seconds or something.
05:04And it was amazing.
05:05Because we were in a difficult position there, a relegation position, and we went on to beat Fulham.
05:11And to be fair, over the years, even at Preston North End, we had big, big battles with Fulham.
05:15Fulham topped us.
05:16Tegana was the manager.
05:18And over the years, we did.
05:20I think one of the games, we beat them down there.
05:22So a long time ago that now, it seems.
05:26But no, look, it's always been...
05:29I think Fulham have continued to grow as a football club.
05:32And I think they're built and they're certainly a really well-established Premier League club now.
05:37Like this one, it feels like, I want to use that expression, like a proper old-school football club,
05:42even the ground when you go in now, as those sort of traditions, don't they?
05:45It's a terrific stadium.
05:47And I think everybody who goes there will tell you that.
05:51And they've done a lot of work to make it better as well, with the new stand I've got as well.
05:56But I think just the feeling of going to sort of West End of London, the cottage and all that,
06:01it's always a sort of iconic stadium, I think, for people who've been around the Premier League.
06:07Just a quick one, if I may, on injuries.
06:09How's Vitaly looking?
06:11Yeah, he's back training.
06:12So he's back and he's in the squad.
06:14Yeah, he's fit and available.
06:15I know Jared started up for the first time in a long time in the last match.
06:19How's he been this week?
06:21Did he have any reactions?
06:22He's been good, Jared, because obviously he got 45 minutes in one game, roughly.
06:26And last week, probably the best part of it, 85 minutes last week.
06:30So, no, we're pleased, Jared.
06:33I thought he played ever so well last week.
06:36Yeah, we have to keep an eye on him and keep looking after him a little bit at the moment,
06:40because he's only just back.
06:42But, no, great to get him back.
06:45Everybody else all good?
06:46Everybody else is all good, yes.
06:48And just finally, Big Sam says he's disappointed you don't wear a suit anymore.
06:51I don't know if you've seen that.
06:52Has he said that?
06:53Yeah.
06:54Where did he say that?
06:55He's got his own podcast.
06:57Yeah.
06:58I think I do wear a suit every week.
07:00Yeah, do you?
07:00Yeah, so, there we go.
07:02You've not worn a suit particularly often recently, have you, anyway?
07:06No, I have.
07:07Have you?
07:08Mm-hmm.
07:09So why are you not wearing a suit anymore?
07:10So, well, Big Sam will need to come and check me out then, I think.
07:13I'll let him know.
07:15Yeah.
07:17Thanks, Simon.
07:18We'll go to Julia at Radio Merseyside.
07:21Hiya, David.
07:22I thought we were getting fashion tips there.
07:23Yeah.
07:25When you've signed players recently, Tyreek being the latest one, Kiernan, Jack Grealish,
07:32they've all got trophies on their CV.
07:34Does that bring a winner's mentality and is that showing sort of the progress of Everton as well?
07:39Well, I think if you're a young player with a few medals in your locker, then I think that's very good.
07:44But I think Tyreek's a young player who, you know, is still developing and in that stage at the moment.
07:50But I think he's been fortunate enough to be around a side which has just won the Club World Championship
07:56and a couple other competitions, you have to say, as well.
08:00So, I hope he brings up winning mentality.
08:02I hope he brings goals, assists and things which we could really do with to add to what we've got at the moment.
08:10He can play in several positions as well.
08:12Where do you see him suiting Everton?
08:15I think he can play off the left.
08:16He can play off the right.
08:18He has played as a centre-forward as well, which also gives me some thoughts as well if I need it.
08:23But I think he's probably predominantly more off the left or the right, really.
08:28He's quite comfortable either side.
08:30When you have been signing players as well, I was looking through some of the newer ones in the last two windows.
08:35So, Tyler Dibling, Tiano Barry, Merlin.
08:38You're keeping Harrison as well.
08:40They're all young players as well and it's really bringing down that average age,
08:44which was a bit of a problem at Everton, an ageing squad for a while.
08:48Is that something key when you're looking at signings?
08:50I think I always have done, felt that, you know, bringing in young players.
08:53I want players here who are going to be here for periods.
08:56I know we've just brought Tyreek on loan, but, you know, in the early days we only brought Mikel Arteta on loan
09:02and we brought Stephen Piener on loan who went on to be, you know, players who we kept here for years.
09:08So, I think we would like to get a young, fit, athletic squad of players if we can.
09:16But I've got to say we're still certainly keen on keeping our level of senior players around it as well
09:23because I think to be a good Premier League team, I think you do need those Premier League experienced players more than anything.
09:30And, I mean, the players you've talked about at the moment, you know, maybe not getting as much minutes,
09:34but I hope that they're going to get ready and be ready for the future,
09:38that they are going to be more consistent players.
09:41This game then at the weekend, as we've been saying, it's ninth versus tenth, the same amount of points as well.
09:45It's in this close bracket of teams right now.
09:48As a manager, has it been harder, more simpler to plan this season,
09:53given everyone is fairly around about each other this time?
09:56It's been the closest league in a while.
09:57Yeah, no, I think it's been harder because I think the level of the teams have made it,
10:02you know, whether it be Fulham or Brighton or Brentford or, you know,
10:07I'm trying to think of the teams who are around that middle area at the moment.
10:11I think all the games are incredibly competitive.
10:15I think the way I looked at it a little bit, you know, at the weekend,
10:18you know, we got a point at Brighton and I've taken four points off Brighton this year.
10:22You know, I could look back at Leeds on a negative side and think that, you know,
10:26they've taken four points off us, we only get one.
10:30You know, we've taken three off Fulham.
10:32So, you know, if we can take some, then it's a bonus.
10:35I think that's the way the league is.
10:36I think you're trying to take more points if you can off the teams around you
10:41to give you that extra bit which might help you finish above them.
10:47Finally for me, obviously, at the weekend, you went with four centre-backs at the back.
10:51Obviously, Jarrod was on the left and Jake was on the right.
10:54Was that more out of necessity or is that something that you see could work for you?
10:57It could work for us.
10:58I always had it in my mind that we might do it.
11:01I think Jarrod, you know, can play left-back as well as left centre-back.
11:05It gave me the feeling that we had that cover there if I needed it.
11:09Obviously, we didn't have the cover because he's been injured since the start of the season.
11:13But, you know, we got an injury to Miko and it felt that we could use him there.
11:19His physicality and his speed helps us greatly.
11:23So, yeah, I've got no shame in doing it again if I need to do it, that's for sure.
11:28Thank you. Good luck.
11:29Thanks, Julian.
11:30Any further questions on the open section before we move on?
11:34No?
11:36Cheers, Diamond.
11:36Cheers. Thank you.
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