(Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
If he had his time again, CEO Angus Kinnear would have perhaps gone a little softer on some of his more bullish statements in his programme notes ahead of Everton’s final home game of the season.
In fairness to Kinnear, he probably didn’t foresee it going quite as badly as it did, but the issue is, if you’re going to use buzzwords and then also be effusive in your praise of a manager whose flaws have come to the fore at a crucial time, then you run that risk.
Kinnear’s marketing background seems to rear its head with the phrase “happily dissatisfied”, and though you can see what he means by it, it’s invited plenty of criticism.
Kinnear’s point, it seems, was that Everton are content with their relative progress this season, but unhappy that they have missed a great opportunity.
Yet before Sunday’s match, that opportunity was still very much on. Everton were leading at half-time and early in the second half, before Sunderland equalised, they sat 8th, in a Conference League spot.
Why, then, did it seem like everyone at the club, from the owners, CEO, the manager and the players, had all but given up?
Kinnear did not help with this quote, either: “David Moyes marked his 750th Premier League game recently, consolidating his position as the manager with the third highest number of points in Premier League history. His passion for Everton, coupled with his vast Premier League experience, continues to drive standards at Finch Farm, and be the architect of the team spirit which has been at the heart of this season’s progress. Whilst the media and other fanbases clamour for frequent managerial change, we value the stability that David brings and the ability this gives the whole Club to plan for the long term.”
That’s all well and good, but how is a manager heading into the last 12 months of his deal providing long-term stability, especially when a look at the underlying numbers as of late are so poor.
There was, interestingly, mention of Jack Grealish and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall as success stories from the summer transfer window, and mention of Thierno Barry and Merlin Röhl as “potential Everton starters”. Yet there was no mention of Carlos Alcaraz, Adam Aznou or Tyler Dibling — young players all signed last summer, when Kinnear was happy to scream from the rooftops that have accrued just a combined 1,029 minutes between them in the Premier League this term.
Everton look knackered, and are going to miss out on Europe when there is the lowest bar to qualify for it in years.
Moyes takes all the brunt for that, and TFG and Kinnear must be scrutinising his decisions. As journalist Matt Jones posted on X on Monday, with data from Opta, Everton are bottom for players used (22) and substitutes made (123) in the Premier League this season. Eight Everton players have played 2,500+ minutes this season, which is more than any other team.
Moyes has done well overall — he is on 80 points from 56 games since he took over. Interestingly, Everton (bar Sunderland, who weren’t in the league) are probably going to be the only one of the teams around them that finish with a better points tally than they did last season, yet they could well finish in exactly the same place, or even a place lower. They could also still finish in the top half.
But there is a real worry here that the club are simply digging their heads in the sand and, frankly, the evidence is that TFG and Kinnear lack the impetus, gumption and opportunistic nature to have really made the most of this season, and also going forward.
The evidence was there in January. Moyes and the transfer committee, it seems, could not agree on full-back targets, while Everton’s replacement for the injured Grealish was Tyrique George on loan.
George has looked bright, he created a golden chance for Jake O’Brien against Sunderland, but he has been restricted to cameos, because he is a young player and Moyes craves experience. Instead, we got Dwight McNeil playing most of the back half of the season, and now a central midfielder shifted out of position (albeit, one who is playing well). Iliman Ndiaye, who is fatigued and out of form, is left to play every minute.
From the outside looking in, it seems clear that TFG and Kinnear were never targeting European qualification this season, but they failed to recognise an opportunity when it was there.
Then, from the start of April onwards, it’s all on Moyes and the players. Despite the failings in the January transfer window, and the muddled approach to last summer, Everton were in a fantastic position after beating Chelsea. They have thrown it away and the blame there has to be put squarely on the squad and manager.
The question now is whether Kinnear has the strength of character to challenge Moyes. Everton do need more first-team ready players this summer, who have the physical attributes for the Premier League and quality to boot, but that should not be related to their age or “Premier League experience”. One can’t help but fear Moyes will be valuing those above all else.
Kinnear — and TFG — need to be better. They need to be stronger and they need to be opportunistic.
By Kinnear’s own bizarre metric, which he explained to Toffee TV back in September, the vast majority of Everton’s signings this season have been a failure, as they have played under 50% of their available minutes. Only Grealish (pre-injury), Dewsbury-Hall and Barry will pass that test.
Kinnear stated it was important to develop youngsters. Well, Aznou and Dibling have hardly played, and cost £45m between them.
It is not all negative. Everton were never at any stage in danger, and while standards must be higher, that is a start. However, the excuses are running dry.
There can be no more “happily dissatisfied”. Cut the soundbites, and show you mean business.