- 7 months ago
Everton manager David Moyes previews their Premier League game with Manchester City
Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool, UK
Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool, UK
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00:00Good afternoon everyone, welcome to our pre-match press conference to preview our game against Manchester City.
00:06We'll start off with Jimmy from Sky.
00:08David, just training here today, is that a regular thing?
00:10No, just came down for a look around.
00:13Part of the settling in process still?
00:15Yeah, I think we are, I think we're still partly settling into the new stadium, yeah.
00:20Beto, how is he? Is he available for selection this weekend?
00:23Yeah, he's had to go through the protocol for concussion, which is correct,
00:28so he's gone through that period and he's been training, yeah.
00:31Anything back from the PGMO regarding the non-penalty last week?
00:35Yeah, but it's always rubbish you get back. You never get anything good back.
00:39So Jonathan, the secretary, spoke about it and spoke with him.
00:43I didn't do so, but it's never what you want to hear.
00:48When you say rubbish, are you able to give us any further context?
00:51No, not really, no. No, you should ask them yourself. I would hope you would do.
00:56Well, they're generally not allowed to speak to us, that's the thing.
00:59Oh, well. Well, they don't speak particularly well to us when we speak here from them.
01:04Whatever happens between now and the end of the season,
01:07what platform do you feel that you've given yourselves to move forward?
01:11Well, we've had a stable season at the moment.
01:13We still believe there can be something out there for us and we'll keep pushing.
01:19So, not much drama in the season. We're pretty settled.
01:24The new stadiums played a big part.
01:26You know, building Everton back up again, I think, is a process which is going to take quite a bit
01:33of time.
01:34But I think the first year or so here, we've certainly put decent foundations down
01:39and hopefully we can continue to build on it.
01:41It's still quite a big jump from fighting relegation to fighting up at the higher ends of the table,
01:46challenging for Europe and being in the mix for that.
01:49So, I just wonder, when you make that kind of jump, what impact it can have on recruitment in the
01:54summer?
01:55Well, probably the truth and the facts is that it isn't a big difference
01:58because there's very little points between teams who are probably fighting relegation
02:01just outside relegation to teams who are challenging for Europe.
02:04There's very little in it.
02:06But that also tells you if you're not cautious and you're not wary,
02:09then you could find that you could be caught out next year.
02:11It wouldn't take much for you, you know, maybe to get a few points less if that was the case.
02:15So, we need to make sure that we continue sort of growing and adding to what we've got and what
02:20we're doing.
02:21In some ways then, as well, as part of that growth, is it dealing with the expectation?
02:25Because when you're challenging for the European positions, it does impact expectation on the players
02:29and it's a very different pressure to what they've been used to in the past.
02:33Yeah, the players here have not been used to it.
02:35There's not many of them here.
02:37One or two have maybe been involved in it.
02:38So, a lot of them here have not been used to the different feeling.
02:42But it's certainly a better feeling than it is trying to avoid relegation, that's for sure.
02:47But, look, hopefully we'll keep improving, keep getting better at it,
02:53keep trying to challenge the best teams in the league and go better ourselves.
02:57And it's four points separated, seven clubs in the race for those European positions as well.
03:01So, still very much all to play for, isn't it?
03:03Well, look, it's much harder for us, you know.
03:07We're running out of games, so we can't afford many mistakes, that's for sure.
03:13In terms of the challenge you face on Monday night, since losing to Madrid,
03:16six straight wins for City in all competitions,
03:18two defeats in the last 20 games all competitions,
03:2115 wins in that time as well.
03:23It's not for the first time we've seen them putting a run like this together
03:27at this stage of the season as well.
03:29Do you find that they're maybe the toughest side to face at this point in the season?
03:32Well, it's not unexpected that Man City are capable of doing that.
03:37I think that they've had a little bit of change round in the last 12 months or so
03:41and they're beginning to sort of get things in place.
03:45Hey, it's always good to play them.
03:47They're a really good side, tough to play against.
03:51Great record they've had over recent years.
03:53Terrific manager, so in some ways we're quite looking forward to it.
03:58I'm quite looking forward to the challenge.
04:00Quite looking forward to saying, well, OK,
04:03Arsenal and them have been the best all season.
04:06And look, we gave Arsenal good games in the two games we've played them this year,
04:10so we want to be able to say that after we play Man City on Monday night.
04:14As you mentioned, I don't suppose Mikel has been on the phone to you, has he?
04:17No, not at all.
04:18No, no.
04:20Thanks, David.
04:21Cheers.
04:21Thanks, Vinny.
04:22We'll go to Fraser at Premier League Productions.
04:25Just moving on from that previous...
04:27When Manchester City do manage to put those runs together like they do
04:31often at the end of the season,
04:33can you put your finger on where that comes from
04:35or just how hard it is to be able to do that?
04:37Well, I don't work for Man City TV and I can answer your questions,
04:40so you need to ask somebody from Man City that question probably.
04:45But as an opposition manager to the manager at Man City,
04:49I'd have to say that they've got themselves on a great run,
04:52they've got good players.
04:55They find ways of getting through the difficult times
04:57and coming out the other side.
04:59And I think they've done that.
05:01They've got themselves in a lofty position.
05:03They've already won one trophy.
05:06Yeah, they have.
05:07And they're in a shout for a couple more, really.
05:10So it's a great position to be with, what,
05:13three, four weeks of the season to go
05:15and you're in shouting for everything.
05:17So, no, they're doing really well.
05:19So it's tough for us, but we've got...
05:20In our own mind, we know if we can do something special
05:24that could help us greatly.
05:27And just moving from obviously being here today
05:29and having this been the penultimate home game of the season,
05:34having feeling like you've settled in here
05:35and we've seen what can be achieved
05:37and what sort of an atmosphere it is,
05:38is that another step that you feel is another attraction
05:42for looking at players in the summer?
05:44People will want to come here to play in a place like this.
05:46Well, I've always said players want to come and play in Europe.
05:48We've got to try and make sure that gives us a possibility.
05:53Players want to play in the Premier League,
05:54but they also want to...
05:55Good players want to be involved in European football.
05:58So that'll be a challenge for us to try and do that.
06:01I found it difficult last summer
06:02trying to attract a lot of players because of that.
06:05The difference now is, you know,
06:06I think we've ever been close this year,
06:08much closer to, you know, the top end of the league.
06:12Most people have the chance to see the new stadium
06:14and full houses in all the games.
06:17So from that point of view,
06:19there's a lot of things to be positive about.
06:21Thanks, Fraser.
06:22We'll go to Julia at Radio Merseyside.
06:24Hi, David.
06:25Hi there.
06:26Just wanted to say that you've said about,
06:27you know, it's been a much stable season
06:28and free of drama,
06:29which I think a couple of years ago
06:31everyone would have been absolutely delighted with
06:33around Everton.
06:34With that, though,
06:35do you feel the aspirations have been rising quicker
06:39than you can all keep up with?
06:41And is that just football culture?
06:43Everyone expects a win?
06:44No, that's what I want to do.
06:46I think it shows that...
06:47I think it's manager's job is to raise expectations,
06:49to make everybody feel as if there's a chance
06:51of better things on the horizon.
06:55I've tried to do that this year
06:56and so have the players
06:57and I think in the main we have.
06:59I think the players have done a brilliant job.
07:01They really have.
07:02We're in a good position.
07:06But, yeah, we'd always like to...
07:07Everybody wants to take the next step, don't you?
07:09You know, if you finish second in the league
07:10you don't think it's good enough,
07:11which we're weighing a lot about Arsenal, you know,
07:14and finish second in the league, I think, a few years
07:15and, you know, people are thinking it's not good enough.
07:18So, it's no different to Everton.
07:19Wherever we finish, people always want it to be better.
07:22And nobody more so than me.
07:24I want us to be better
07:25and finish as high up as we can.
07:26It is another Monday night game
07:29and we've asked you this several times
07:31because Everton have had more Monday night games.
07:33Does it change your preparation?
07:35And also, do you feel that you've had
07:37an excessive amount of the Monday night slot?
07:41Well, we're all getting used to different sort of things
07:46from our culture.
07:48We wouldn't have had Monday night football
07:50in years gone by.
07:52Or I don't think we would have.
07:53But, look, we need the television companies
07:57to help pay our funding
07:59and all the things that go with it.
08:00So, Monday night's a football night.
08:02If you're good enough and you get in Europe,
08:05then you don't find you have too many Monday night games.
08:08So, all those things are better.
08:11But the people who I feel most for are for the supporters.
08:14I think for the younger generation of supporters,
08:17Monday night football's not a good thing
08:19because your kids can't get to the game
08:20because most of them are going to school.
08:22And it's late nights
08:24and all the things which come from that.
08:27So, I do think it's a...
08:30I think midweek's been accepted in football
08:32and it's done.
08:33But I think that, you know,
08:34most people, I think with kids and that,
08:37find it quite difficult, you know,
08:38to get their kids to a game on a Monday night.
08:40So, we've got to make sure
08:41that we don't discourage
08:43that generation of supporters
08:46by not giving them the opportunity
08:48to get to games.
08:49You mentioned as well before
08:50about, you know,
08:51the players have done really well
08:52and this season,
08:54considering it's still a very small squad
08:56and you've had injuries to deal with,
08:57when you are attracting players in the summer
09:00and looking for recruitment,
09:03how much do you credit your players with that?
09:05Because you say,
09:05some people didn't want to come anywhere near Everton.
09:09No, I mean,
09:09but it shows you that we've got a lot of good players
09:12in the building, first and foremost,
09:14and I thought they proved that
09:15in the run into the end of last season.
09:17I mean, our results were as good
09:19as most teams in the league,
09:21certainly from sort of January onwards.
09:23So, it showed that they could do it
09:25and they were given another opportunity
09:27and to be fair,
09:28a lot of them have done that.
09:30So, we want to,
09:31it's building,
09:32for me at Everton,
09:33it's always been building,
09:35trying to do a little bit every year.
09:37Sometimes it works,
09:38sometimes it doesn't
09:39and adding on.
09:40I still don't think we're quite a cob
09:42which is going to go out
09:43and spend two or three hundred million
09:44and change the whole landscape.
09:46I don't think that's going to happen.
09:48And you mentioned there,
09:49Beto is back.
09:49He's very popular with the fans
09:51and he often speaks about,
09:53you know,
09:53asking what more he can do
09:54to improve his own game.
09:57Can you tell us a bit more,
09:58does he come and speak to you
09:59and what is he doing?
10:00Because we hear that he does extra.
10:02So, I just wondered what he's doing.
10:03Even today,
10:04he's always asking
10:05and trying to find out
10:06if he thought he could do better
10:08and other staff members
10:10work with him individually as well
10:11because that's what he actually wants
10:13and he wants extra work
10:15and he wants to try and get better.
10:17And it's great
10:19when you work with people
10:20who are always trying to improve
10:21and trying to step themselves up.
10:24So, no,
10:26he started to score a few goals
10:27and I hope he can continue that.
10:30And just team news,
10:31is everything as is
10:32before no Jarrod and no Jack?
10:33At the moment,
10:34everything's as we are
10:35and like anything else,
10:37we've got a few knocks and niggles
10:38so we'll just need to see
10:39how things are come Monday night.
10:42Good luck.
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