- 4 hours ago
Everton boss David Moyes on their Merseyside Derby clash with Liverpool and hopes for qualifying Europe
Finch Farm, Liverpool, UK
Finch Farm, Liverpool, UK
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00Good afternoon everyone, welcome to our pre-match press conference to preview our game against Liverpool this weekend.
00:05We'll start off with Vinny from Sky.
00:06David, last season you had to deal with the significance of the last ever Goodison derby.
00:11We probably saw what it meant when James Tarkovsky's equalised and celebrations we saw there as well.
00:16But this time it's the first derby at Hill Dickinson.
00:20In terms of significance again, how do you compare the two?
00:24That was amazing, the last game at Goodison I have to say.
00:28And it's a privilege that I was in that position to take the team.
00:33A bit sad to leave Goodison because it was so important to me, my family, everybody.
00:39Over many years, over 11 years, 10 years before that.
00:43So leaving it in a good way was pleasing.
00:46The team was in a better position and obviously we won my last game as well.
00:50So really pleased with that.
00:52And look, we're now in the Hill Dicky now and we're enjoying it.
00:55But it's the chance for three consecutive wins at home as well for the first time.
00:59How significant do you feel steps like that are when you're settling in?
01:03Well, I think when you move to a new stadium, I think it's always difficult.
01:07You look through the records of nearly all the teams who've built new stadiums and moved to them.
01:11I think it's never been particularly easy.
01:14We've had more ups and downs in it.
01:15We had a great start, maybe a bit in the middle.
01:17Not so good.
01:18We're finding a little bit better form now.
01:20So I hope we can maintain that.
01:22We've got three big games at the Hill Dickinson to play before the end of the season.
01:26So I'm looking forward to it and hopefully we can get some good results.
01:31Ahead of this derby as well, how much does catching Liverpool come into the thinking,
01:34particularly with potential for a fifth place finish still up for grabs?
01:38Well, all we can do is try and catch whoever's above us.
01:40And I think Brentford are the ones who are above us at the moment.
01:43They're first in it.
01:45So we've got to attempt to try and get whoever we can.
01:48But probably more importantly is to make sure that we don't let them to catch us.
01:52Because if we stay in a strong position, then we'll give ourselves every chance of maybe getting something regarding Europe.
01:59Maybe not.
02:01But we've got to try and make sure we fend off all the other teams as well.
02:04Yeah, this kind of follows on.
02:05I mean, what's it like getting to this stage of the season, given what the club's been through,
02:08with no real massive dramas to contend with, but still plenty to play for in essence as well?
02:13I think that's the biggest thing for me, is that with six games to go, we've got something to play
02:17for here.
02:19Over the recent years, it's been the wrong thing we've been playing for.
02:23But this year, you know, we're getting a bit closer to the stuff you would hope we would be involved
02:27in.
02:27So I'm hoping we can keep it going and we keep that sort of dream alive and let's see what
02:32happens.
02:33Just away from the game, the positive noises seem to be coming from the owners about your own situation here
02:38at the football club
02:39and potentially extending your contract.
02:41I just wonder, is it a case of talks having started yet and how much do you want to stay
02:45beyond next season?
02:46There's no need to start any talks now because I've got too much in my mind.
02:50As I said, these six games will be crucial for how things go.
02:54I want Everton to be in this position every year, having a chance of the top places.
03:01So it's not that important to me at the moment while we're in this situation.
03:05Thanks, David. Good luck. Cheers.
03:06Thanks, Vinny. We'll go to Nars at Family League Productions.
03:09Hi there.
03:10Hi, David.
03:11How important is it for your team, A, to start well in the derby game, but also to have that
03:19calmness and composure
03:20in the midst of all the hustle and bustle and the hype of the game?
03:24Well, I think everybody likes that part. That's what the derbies do quite often.
03:29No, I think that you always want to start games well if you can.
03:34But I suppose maybe finishing them well might be the best thing, you know, really, you know,
03:38which to finish them, I would include being winning.
03:41So, look, we need to do that.
03:43We need to play well and we'll need to start the game well as well.
03:47Beto's recent run has come at a timely point.
03:51How pleased are you for him because he's had his struggles in terms of goal scoring,
03:55but we're seeing now some really good signs, aren't we?
03:57Yeah, we are.
04:00I'm fortunate I get to see him all year and I've seen lots of good signs all year,
04:03but, you know, maybe when it came down to the actions on the pitch,
04:06he just couldn't reproduce what we'd seen.
04:08I think the biggest thing I keep saying to people is, you know,
04:11his effort to work is as big as Emre and his attitude to try and improve is so good.
04:18So, sometimes, you know, I keep saying it, you know,
04:21the harder you work, you know, the luckier you get.
04:24And I hope he stays that way for the coming games.
04:28And finally, for me, in terms of Liverpool's recent run,
04:32is it a good time to be playing them?
04:34Four losses in the last five?
04:35Yeah, well, I don't watch Liverpool's results, really,
04:37and I don't really take an awful lot to do, but I look after Everton.
04:41So, my job is to see that we try and do as well as we can.
04:45We had a good point at Brentford,
04:47considering where they are and know them in a similar position as us.
04:51We had a good home win before that.
04:53So, I can only focus on us and hopefully that we can keep it going.
04:57As I said, we've got six games in the Premier League to go,
04:59and we're in with a shout.
05:00So, hopefully, we'll be able to keep that going,
05:03certainly up to the last few games.
05:06Thanks, Niles.
05:06We'll go to Julia at Radio Merseyside.
05:08Hi, Julia.
05:09Hi, David.
05:10Six games to go.
05:11How are your players rising to this European challenge?
05:16Well, if they don't rise to it, then I'd be wondering what they would rise to,
05:20because over the years, if it's having a last game of the season
05:23and avoiding relegation, well, that's nothing to celebrate, really.
05:27I don't think you can celebrate being a team in the relegation position than just surviving.
05:33So, I think you can celebrate if you're winning trophies or you're challenging for Europe.
05:40So, I hope they're going to enjoy this side of it rather than the side of maybe seen before.
05:45Two players that know about Merseyside derbies, Leighton Baines and Seamus Coleman,
05:50and I was reading in the week about how they visited you when you were looking to come back
05:55and the conversations you had, and they convinced you that that was what you should do.
06:00You seem to have a really close relationship with the two of them.
06:03You've known them a long time.
06:04How much do you rely on them since you've come back?
06:07Well, first of all, there were two brilliant players for me at the time,
06:10and let's be fair, there were two great signings, Seamus and Bainsey.
06:15Bainsey went on to be probably as good a left-back as England had
06:19in the level of players in English football at that time as well.
06:24And if you look at Seamus, what he's done.
06:28So, I trust both of them.
06:30And the conversation I had was great.
06:32They were the ones that pushed me over the edge as well.
06:35They said, no, why would you not? You'll be able to fix it.
06:38They thought that things weren't in a great place, and they needed it fixed.
06:42Seamus was obviously champion to get things fixed
06:46because he'd been carrying a lot of the can for a lot of people here.
06:50When you have two players like that, that you clearly respect,
06:54and they respect you, and they say that to you,
06:57what does that mean to you?
06:58Because that's still quite an unusual relationship to have, I think.
07:01Yeah, but you'd be amazed, Julie, how many of the boys who I keep in touch with
07:05and come to see us recently from Tim Cahill or Tim Howard or Nigel Martin
07:12or whoever you want to call, there's a lot of the players around
07:15and a lot of the younger boys as well who were here at the time
07:17who've gone on in careers and other clubs,
07:21they're all still in contact and keep coming back and saying hello.
07:25So, I think being a manager, the big part is that when it's all over
07:30and it's done, you'll always have a chance to go and have a beer with them
07:33and enjoy it, and they can tell you a few stories
07:36which you didn't know about or maybe you should have known about.
07:39But, look, I've got to say, the group of players we had at the time before
07:44was great, and I have to say there's a lot about the group we've got here
07:47at the moment are matching it, I've got to say.
07:50Yeah, someone I'm sure who is matching it is Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
07:53He's had a great season.
07:54I know he came in, and there was probably quite a lot of expectation.
07:57I think Jack Grealish probably took the headlines from him a little bit
08:00when he joined.
08:01How close are we seeing where he should be now?
08:05Do you think there's a little bit more to him,
08:06and is he looking forward to the derby?
08:08Yeah, I think Kiernan will improve as he goes on.
08:11I think that to come into your side and have such a good first season
08:14is never that easy, and you're right.
08:16I think Jack probably took a lot of the limelight off Kiernan,
08:19and maybe in a good way as well.
08:21Maybe he wasn't put under quite so much pressure in the opening weeks
08:24of the season, but I have to say he's...
08:27helped us greatly.
08:30He's a really good boy, trains well, great professional
08:33to go along with his football abilities.
08:36So, no, we're pleased that it's been a good signing.
08:39And just team news, everyone looking OK, apart from Jack, obviously.
08:43Yeah, everybody at the moment, Charlie Alcaraz is back training now,
08:48so I think we're as much close to full as we possibly can be.
08:55Thanks, Julia.
08:56Any further questions in the open section before we move on?
09:00I'll just ask, actually, then.
09:01We've spoken about them before.
09:02The 1878s are doing a display.
09:04It's often been for the wrong reasons,
09:06because of the wrong end of the table.
09:08To be doing this and celebrating the club's history,
09:11again, what does it mean to you and the players?
09:13It's brilliant, and it really is,
09:15because we need to rebuild a lot of relationships at the club.
09:21Mainly with a lot of the supporters,
09:23and any great support which people are putting up
09:27in doing it for themselves and whatnot is fabulous.
09:30And that's what great football clubs do,
09:32where the supporters get behind their team.
09:35Good luck.
09:36Nick?
09:38Hi, David.
09:39Nick said from Reuters.
09:40Just if you look back on your second spell here now,
09:43and you look at what the team when you arrived,
09:45and what it is now,
09:47how has it matured, perhaps, on and off the pitch?
09:50What kind of has pleased you the most?
09:52I actually think the team I took over was a good team.
09:54I think there's a lot of good players.
09:56I think, obviously, the hardship with Everton we're going through,
10:00and some of it looks as if it might be unjust
10:02when you look at some of the,
10:06I won't say fines, but some of the,
10:08what's the word I don't know,
10:10would be not as bad as what Everton seemed to have had,
10:14or it seems to be that way.
10:15So I think there was a lot of good things,
10:18but maybe hard to get out of that hole at the time.
10:21I think our results last season,
10:22I think if you look at our results probably from January onwards,
10:25we've done really, really well.
10:27We get out of trouble.
10:28New stadium, leaving the old one,
10:30all those things came into play.
10:33I think we've added,
10:35we'd like to continue going on,
10:38adding where we go along,
10:39to keep building the club if we can.
10:42So I think we've made quite a big step,
10:44but even the next part becomes quite difficult,
10:46because the step this year has been quite big.
10:49It might not be come the end of the season,
10:51we may find that we're 14th or 15th,
10:54but I think you'd have to say for most of the season,
10:56we've not been in really any difficulty,
10:58which is probably a really good thing to say.
Comments