David Moyes absent from Finch Farm as Everton contract twist emerges
Vinnie O’Connor revealed that David Moyes will not be at Finch Farm on Saturday after Everton announced his return to the club.
The Blues confirmed Moyes’ return via their official website [11 January], after an agreement was reached for his Goodison Park return to replace the recently dismissed Sean Dyche.
However, O’Connor reported live from Finch Farm on Sky Sports News [11 January, 9:34am] that the plan was never for Moyes to begin his duties on Saturday, with the final terms of the contract only being finalised overnight.
He said: “What I understand is that the final details had to be finalises overnight.
“It means that David Moyes won’t be here today at Finch Farm, but apparently that wasn’t going to be the plan anyway.”
David Moyes will not take Everton training after announcement
The past 72 hours have been a whirlwind for Everton fans.
Only hours before the 2-0 win against Peterborough United in the FA Cup, news emerged that Dyche had been sacked at Goodison Park, with his side lingering one point clear of the relegation zone.
While Leighton Baines and Seamus Coleman stepped in for the third-round tie and secured passage to the next round, the atmosphere around the blue half of Merseyside was anxious.
Dyche may not have played the most exciting brand of football, but his nous in helping the Toffees escape the drop on two separate occasions meant his dismissal at such a crucial period in the campaign split opinion.
However, Moyes’ return will certainly lift the atmosphere at Goodison Park – while his appointment has also led to split opinion among the supporters, he is undoubtedly the most successful Everton manager of the Premier League era.
It had been believed that he would take charge of first-team training on Saturday, but that is not to be the case – the Blues supporters should not read too much into the decision, however, with Baines and Coleman resuming interim duties.
Moyes will be in the Goodison Park dugout for the first time of his second spell on Wednesday (15 January) for the Premier League clash against Aston Villa, and the real work can begin on ensuring Everton complete the move to Bramley-Moore Dock with their top-flight status secure.
In other Everton news, David Moyes mooted to bring in three new faces for the Toffees.
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