Moyes-Doctrine: Manchester City declared war on Everton - attempting to divide and conquer
Manchester City, emboldened by a large oil derived transfer kitty this summer began trying to throw it's (fly) weight around in the transfer market. Using a biased media, particularly those in the Murdoch empire - the usual "big club" slogans then began to be applied on a club who was in the third tier of English football in the last decade, not due to the numbers of supporters it has but by the numbers of zeros it may put on the end of a cheque.
That doesn't make a big club. Its the supporters and the quality of the managers that make big clubs. Mistake number 1 for the Arabs at Manchester City's new regime.
Everton FC, attempted to go about its business quietly - missing out on Kyle Naughton due to shady dealings then going underground as a consequence to stop Everton's competitors immediately jumping on any potential transfer David Moyes was linked to.
Manchester City, failing to land John Terry from Chelsea then put Everton FC in the cross hairs, and began a salvo of increasing fire through the media. Like a rolling advance, the Murdoch tanks began rolling with headlines of how Manchester City were going to double Joleon Lescott's wages. Wages that were apparently public knowledge. Who released the information? Lescott's agents? Who was in contact with who and when? As it seems that any player now in the England national team, is just ripe for "tapping up", its now the "in crowd" the national team. Players only keen on how many more zeros they can put on their pay cheque, thanks to national exposure.
Gareth Barry (That other Manchester City mercenary - mistakes in the England shirt highlighted this more than ever. Poor Bobby Robson would be ashamed).
Manchester City's assault continued, with daily tabloid back pages insisting Lescott would be an Manchester City player as they attempted to intimidate through the media the Mersey Blues.
Whilst Moyes was away in the USA with his team on preseason, Manchester City pressed home their assault. Hourly headlines on Sky Sports News were insisting that Lescott would be theirs and that that was inevitable. Throughout Lescott remained silent, some thought Everton's rearguard at Goodison were the cause - keeping quite and ones own council is often the wisest path.
On returning to find the carnage at home, Moyes in true Scottish style levelled his own barrage at Manchester City's now morally defunct manager - for being disrespectful and lacking class. The sentiment and its timing could not have been more emotive given the death of the unforgettable Bobby Robson, who epitomised those qualities in abundance.
Moyes continued his barrage back, despite the underlying bias in the Murdoch empire for anyone with a big pay cheque. This halted Manchester City's advance for a time. In all this the FA and Premier League, meant to keep the peace did nothing and did not intervene.
Manchester City pressed home again, with more statements and media headlines, admitting that they were going around Moyes if they could, waving their token weapon to mask their weaknesses - money can't buy them class.
On August 10th, Joleon Lescott turned his back on the supporters in a fashion that Brutus in the Ides of March would have been proud of. He submitted a written transfer request. The club and supporters who had taken him from the Championship with a serious knee injury then had dirt kicked in their face.
Moyes immediately rejected it out of hand. The Everton FC line held.
Manchester City continues to probe. Attempting to undermine David Moyes publicly.
The quotes of Mark Hughes the puppet at Manchester City today say it all.
"We have made offers and shown interest, obviously that is seen by virtue of the bids we have put in.
"But they have been rejected and Everton are fully in their rights to do that, we respect that.
"We are still trying to speak to the people who will ultimately make the decision over whether or not the deal continues.
"Those conversations are still to take place but how long they will still be active is open to debate."
Manchester City have attempted to contact the Everton FC board, to go around David Moyes, to split the club and to divide and conquer Everton FC.
Everton FC have a strong manager. David Moyes in charge for 7 years and worked miracles - is firmly in charge. Most of the board would be out already if Moyes were not pre-eminent in his performance, competence, intelligence, class and dignity.
Manchester City continue to try and split Evertonians. To turn Toffee against Toffee. Blue against blue. Board member against the manager - who in the words of Bill Kenwright - "is in charge of team affairs". They forget. Toffees stick together.
The Everton Board know, Moyes has performed. His track record speaks for itself. To interfere in the judgement of the man would be their biggest, and certainly fatal mistake.
If Moyes says - Lescott's going for ã30million not a penny less. Then that is Everton policy. It cannot be bent or moved unless Moyes says so. To sell Lescott out from under Moyes would cause complete uproar from Shareholders to ordinary supporters. We pay Moyes over ã4 million a year - and he's worth every penny. To interfere is to waste that money.
When Moyes decides to show Lescott the door - WHEN MOYES DECIDES - he'll be out. Disloyalty is never rewarded.
Manchester City's attacks have been repulsed. Their attempts at division repelled. When Everton face Manchester City this season is when things will be decided.
The question is: Why haven't the FA or The Premier League done anything about what has gone on? They've sat on their hands whilst Manchester City have done as they've pleased. All in all a disgraceful set of affairs - and a stain on English football. Moyes says: NOT FOR SALE. And still it continues, because some parties are more equal than others.
We'll see if money can buy class or dignity. Because Everton under Moyes have it in abundance, and with our kids like Rodwell and Gosling coming through - its only going to get stronger. When Manchester City is a distant forgotten memory, Everton under Moyes will be fighting as always. Everywhere.
Older/Newer
« Latest Everton FC news from the Liverpool ECHO | Manchester City planning final bid for Everton's Joleon Lescott »
49 Comments
Latest Premier League video
please see http://www.mancityblues.com/newsblog/
You are barking up the wrong tree, Mr Reid.
Really? So we put bids in and you rejected them? What exactly took place to make you call hughes morally defunct?
'll think you'll find that the only person to put this into the public domain is Moyes/Kenwrights constant bleeting (exactly the same as Ancelotti/Kenyon did when we made the offer for John Terry) - what is wrong with Hughes comment - we put a failed bid in and we are talking to the people that may be able to accept a bid - whats wrong with that ??? I'm pretty sure the same thing happens with every single transfer....funny how all the other transfers we've done this season is without the opposing team crying foul or running to the media
For me Lescott would be a great addition to the City defence but if Everton turn their nose up at the money then so be it, if Moyes thinks keeping Lescott for ã20M+ is good business then that's his choice - I ain't going to loose any sleep - there will be other targets that we can go after - I don't feel any laws have been broken here it's just we've made two offers for Lescott which have been rejected so far....Big deal !!
Personally I think Moyes has backed you into a corner no deal can be done as Kenwright will be seen as not backing his manager (who is priceless for you) - yet I'm sure many of you Scouse blues will have a pop at Kenwright at not providing any investment come the end of the transfer window - which strikes me as being a little bit of double standards
Genuinely hope you have a good season - I think the strength of City, Everton, Villa and Spurs will really crack open the top 4 - none of us might not break the cartel but we sure will take points of them all this year !!
So we do things properly and quietly someone at Everton leaks it too the press and we are the bad guys dont make me laugh if the press is biased towards anyone its your lot and Moyes being an old fashioned no nonsense manager who wont sell at any cost.
"Why haven't the FA or The Premier League done anything about what has gone on? They've sat on their hands whilst Manchester City have done as they've pleased." Because Manchester City have done nothing wrong or illegal.
I wonder if Moyes will be as loyal & "respectful" to Everton when Bacon face retires and scum come calling offering to double his 4 million a year? Don't think so.
Neither do I remember all this fuss when "once a blue always a blue" shrek turned red.
Difference is we are not one of the entrenched top 4 we're just ickle citeh and nobody likes it now we've barged our way to the top table uninvited. The Spanish waiter across town from you guys said City were distorting the market with highh transfer fees just around the same time he paid 18 million for a B list full back. Bacon face telling all who would listen that Tevez wasn't worth the money a couple of weeks after stating on their own website that they had agreed to pay the same fee and to make him "one of the highest paid players at the club" Couldn't make it up could you.
The Blue Moon is rising boys & girls. Deal with it and stop wining like little girls
Barking up the wrong tree?
"We are still trying to speak to the people who will ultimately make the decision over whether or not the deal continues.
"Those conversations are still to take place but how long they will still be active is open to debate."
You're not fooling anyone Clevblue (Manc). Why sowing confusion amongst your enemies - and by the public campaign you've mounted in the media, don't expect Evertonians to just roll over.
The cynical attempts by Mr Hughes to manipulate the media are obvious. As are his attempts to subvert David Moyes.
And you are morally defunct. You've taken foreign billions and suddenly you think you're something your not and have rights where you don't.
You've picked on the wrong ones this time.
Haha you are absolutely crackers!! I hope, for your own sake, that nothing you ever encounter in life requires objective analysis...I fear that it wouldn't go well!
I'm a City fan. Sorry Joleon but I think your club and fans have a higher esteem of you than I do, perhaps it's just the 'robbin Everton way' to inflate prices... Everyone knows they're hard up but they should be ashamed
This article lacks class and dignity. Bobby Robson would turn in his grave.
there is being partisan, and there is being completely crackers. this is completely crackers. there's no point in highlighting the many inconsistencies, or criticising the many dubious lines of argument... I just hope you're ready for the sting when reality bites!
best wishes (sincerely),
a city fan.
"Why haven't the FA or the EPL said anything?"
Because, just like you, the papers sensationalize everything, making up stories that don't exist. If you listened to MH about 3 weeks ago he said "we quietly bid for Lescott and it was Everton who let that information out of the bag, not us. Why they did that, who knows, you should ask them.
Stop putting all the blame for your inadequecies onto someone else !
Mark - why so bitter ???
City are offering exceptional money for a good defender - but by no means an exceptional one - from what I can tell most Evertonians think is not your best defender - when Chelsea offered ã23M for SWP yes I was gutted (especially as I'd seen him rise from the youth team into the first team) but ã23M was what we needed at that time to push on (we in fact spent it on dross but hey we had a clueless manager at the time)
As for taking foreign billions don't make me laugh - any club would accept investment now or are you trying to tell us you'd wave your hands in disgust if some unseen benefactors came to Everton - I thought not - football as a "game" died the day Murdoch and Sky got their grubby hands on the football rights not when the billionaire investors came sniffing
The only thing City fans have going for them is that they seem to have more fans in cyberspace than at Eastlands.
I know, I've been there when we won... twice in two years.
And your lot know more about "robbin" than anyone. Been to Manchester recently?
What a silly argument. Everton or Lescotts' agent were the ones who put the issue in the public domain. Man City are so unscrupulous that we let you have Jo for a year. Why did we not link it to Lescott's signing. Think about it. Because we do things properly.
The only reason that this is out is because Everton are trying to drive the price up. Moyes knows he can stand his ground as much as he wants and look the hard man. he is just the manager. Kenwright, if the deal is right, will say, shut up ginge, we're selling.
And while we are at it, Please please please don't mention the words CLASS, EVERTON and MOYES in the same sentence.
When Bacon face retires, do you think the ginger nut will give your club a second thought. Of course he will, he will tell United to F off because he is so loyal and he does not want a few mil a year pay rise. It is about time you Toffees stopped being so wet. Everton will sell, like they did with Rooney and others. You should be grateful that Lickle Citeh are prepared to pay so much for just a useful defender.
You have very short memories. Did not Moyes leave PNE in the lurch. Why. For more money, better prospects. Why the hell should he deny Lescott the same. Why should they deny him a double your money contract. This is football. Contracts have always been worth absolutely jack. If the money is right, youn sell, if not, no.
Nothing against Everton, but you are not the peoples club. Your supporters are on a par with the geordies. Things going well, people go to see you. Things going bad. People stay away. Remember the days of 6,000 bums on seat eh, and that was when you were in the 1st Divison.
Sad really, Bitter Blues, all wearing Everton shirts. The reality is Lescott no longer wants to stay in Liverpool and it doesn't take much to work out why? All the bile in the world won't change the simple facts - City will 'buy' the quality they need to change the balance of power in English football and Everton simply cannot compete.
By all means keep a player that wants away and turn down a sum that could make a difference to a depleted squad - you know what they say about pride and a fall!! Moyes talks about 'honour' and 'tradition' - desperate stuff and thoroughly unconvincing.
The FA and the Premier League do nothing for the same reason they did nothing when Everton took a manager under contract at City mid-season against Citys wishes destroying our season.
To state City are acting without class (and surely the comment displays a distinct lack of it on your clubs part) to have the arrogant hypocrisy to pass judgement on others with your clubs past record!
You all pray for the same good fortune as us and then act precious for being offered well over the odds for a defender.
Whether he signs for City or not I don't care as there are better in Europe for the money.
Lescott remaining at Everton now will prob cause more damage to Everton than leaving and Everton getting an over the top fee. So I hope you keep him as he clearly doesn't want to play for your club anymore and would rather play for us.
Not many clubs would keep a player in those circumstances and let's face it he won't be the first black player booed at your ground. Sorry, is that part of the Everton history you'd rather gloss over with your pathetic and hypocritical attempt at claiming the moral highground, whilst looking down your nose at parvenu City?
Sandy, honour and tradition and respect are meaningless to those that don't have them....
Abit like Bitter Man City cyber-fans.
Enough said.
Dry your eyes blue bin dippers, Joleon is a City player as of 13:00 Friday
Mark you are a plank.
Your team were being lined up to be sold to the arab world ask Mr Bill Kenwright he could not get a deal.
City are just trying to shake things up in the EPL just like everton & Villa did last year but failed.
Most fans wanted you to do it!
Moyes will be sacked or headhunted within three years mark my words.
Could someone tell me who said this about Wayne Rooney:
"I have always stated that he is not for sale."
Answers on a postcard... But I guess City should take Moyes at his word. After all, Rooney will be partnering Jo in attack against Arsenal this weekend. Oh wait...
You Citeh fans don't seem to understand the concept of dignity so take a leaf out of the Moyes's and the late Bobby Robson's book.
The Moyesiah runs Everton, no one else. EVERY decision is by him, Hughes dirty tricks won't work, we'll sell him next season to someone else just to wind you up and show you lot that you can't have everything! Your dirty arabs won't get their way with Lescott!
Nil Satis Nisi Optimum
In Moyes We Trust
Look JL will be a city player. And these plonker neverton fans going on about constatnt top 6 finishes. I remeber 4-5 years ago there were fighting relegation for 2 seasons running? neverton past 2 seasons have been punching way way past your weight. When baconface retires from the rags and they come calling for ginger top he will be gone in a heartbeat.
Kibby - which Hughes dirty tricks are these...can you elaborate ?? I thought not.....
As for your "Dirty Arabs" statement... yep that's a true class that mate, such rapier racist wit.. I think Citygirls point is well and truly made there
Neverton? Where were you only a few years ago in the era just after Kinkladzi?
Oh yes. Relegated. Twice on the bounce.
When did you last win anything? ....
Ok don't embarass yourself further
blue carlos,how can you say there was none of this fuss with rooney? why do you think Evertonians absolutely despise the gobshite...because he truned his back on us, the club who made him what he was, the club who without us he'd be nobody, and its exactly whats happening with lescott, he's even been tapped up on England duty, just like rooney did!!!
the difference with rooney and lescott is, rooney didnt leave primarily because of money.. Lescotts is all about the wallet.... All the money in the world couldnt get you etoo or kaka....
ony rees said:
the difference with rooney and lescott is, rooney didnt leave primarily because of money.. Lescotts is all about the wallet.... All the money in the world couldnt get you etoo or kaka....
deluded sad chap they both left everton to further their careers,i know its hard to take but thats the simple truth
At the end of the day no matter how much moaning we all do. If he goes he goes if he doesnt, so be it. But You show me one everton fan that would not love the ultra billions we have? If you choose to ignore it we have better chance of getting in the top 4 and the CL abd even winning the Prem maybe 5yrs away, as with evertons chances its more of light years away! JL knows this, If we get in the CL then we can attract kaka and JT etc etc. But for toffee fans to think you will finis higher than us every season is just laughable, you have no financial power what so ever. You might finish above us this season and next. But the long run is we will be the next big boys of world football, so what we buy it? what world club hasnt?????? real madrid havent spent much have they? Utd and chelseas have spent over the years so have liverpool, we have to spend and buy so we can get into the top 4. C.T.I.D
I'd honestly enjoy it if you lot got taken over...just to see you all walk away, following Mark 'Cyberspace' Reid in disgust and your manager quit rather than spend 'dirty arab' (see Kibby above, a right charmer) money. Moyes is the definitive baby deer in the burning forest, fluttering his eyelashes at anyone who he thinks will give him some sympathy, its embarrasing.
I don't think Hughes will last the season. Think of all that money he will have squandered for the Arabs.
Jesus, I thought Chelsea fans would take some beating in the misplaced arrogance stakes but City fans are eclipsing them in record time. I actually thought you'd carry your good fortune with a bit more grace than this but you really are making Man Utd look rather classy these days. Any goodwill other clubs' supporters may have had for you is rapidly fading and that is a terrible shame. Perhaps all the decent City fans walked away when old amnesty Shinawatra took over.
@john
The City fans haven't changed pal. The opposition fans have. You only have to look at this train wreck of an article to see that and if you don't then your just deluding yourself. That is unless arrogance is defending your club for making two private bids without going to the press. Or is arrogance leaking an incoming bid to the press then crying foul about it when it comes back on you?
Wow.
Genuinely hilarious article and comments.
I understand your frustration at being pushed a bit further down the pecking order but this 'banter' really does make you sound like a bitter bunch. Jeez.
Brilliant. Absolutely no connection with reality at all. Mark Reid, I salute you. You, sir, are utterly delusional.
Oh and pompous too - loved all the Bobby Robson sanctimony.
Please write more guff, la.
Oh and Mark, mate, if you're going to publish something - even if it's only online - you might want to have someone else have a read of it first. This is one of the worst-written pieces I have EVER seen.
Take the first par - it literally makes no sense. Did City really get relegated to Div 2 because of the number of zeros on their cheques?
And it should be "its" in the first par not "it's". And a hundred other things I can't be bothered with now. Did you snooze through GCSE English?
Toodle-pip!
We used to be each others second team in a lot of cases or at least one we didnt mind doing ok in the league, both the underdogs in our own city. So this bit of back biting and name calling (Robbers / racists) is another example of how money is ruining football. I dont want an Arab (or any other) billionaire and would prefer any investor to be a born and bred Everton fan who was taken to the match by his father at the age of 5 like myself and everyone I go to the match with. This is nostalgic and unrealistic as football is a business but football is a hobby nothing else (albeit one that can become a big part of you life) for everyone who doesnt make a living out of it and we should treat it as that. This eagerness to sell our clubs is part of a British disease in general (it doesnt happen in the rest of Europe - fans in other countries actually protest) and is prevalent in the rest of the economy. We are happy to sell our heritage and utilities to the highest bidder which is why many of our businesses (Including most energy utilities) are foreign owned and is partly why our economy will take longer to recover than many in Europe and why factories are being closed and work shifted to Europe. We need to wake up and have a bit of pride in our country and clubs not get embroiled in stupid arguments about who is using the media. I want a more level playing field in football for all, not just for Everton to break the top 4 cartel by getting more cash from a billionaire or the sale of Joleon Lescott to a club with a foreign billionaire who has bought his latest play thing. Until UEFA and FA set some rules re wage restrictions we will never see an even system were the best manager and motivated teams can win. If Lescott goes it should be done without the media games. Moyes will have a price (and I do believe he will have a major say in any decision more so than most other clubs) so meet it or shut up. All the fans who danced around outside city's ground when they were taken over need to take a look at what they are celebrating. This is not bitterness but a depressing reflection on Britain as a nation losing its identity and hoaring ourselves to the highest bidder.
Laugh at these fools
Mark Hughes wasted arab money, you are havin a laugh.
Tevez,RSC,Toure,Barry,Robinho,bellamy.De Yong,Bridge,Given...etc
Moyes would love any of these, you get Jo because we let you have the scraps.
If you need any other scraps nip around the back after dinner, the trademen entrance look in the bins maybe just maybe somethin in em for you!
City fans calling scousers bin-dippers etc? LMFAO at the pot calling the kettle black. And your campaign to unsettle Lescott started before Xmas si i can't really see that originating with Everton can you? Sadly for you lot, throwing a few million around to buy such team players as Adebayor and Barry won't guarantee you any points, just a shed-load of hype and expectation. Good Luck Sparky, you're gonna need it.
You don't declare war on someone,THEN lend them some ammunition,you plonker!
You lot cannot afford to buy Jo,or even pay his wages.BUT,not one of you Toffees have even mentioned him!Jealous hypocrits of the highest degree.
Jo was totally unwanted at your circus of a "football club". He was vilified. Then came to us, scored two against Bolton and all your forums were alive to the fact you wanted him back!
We pay his wages. We also pay a fee to take him on the season long loan. And he's delighted to be away from you lot. Are you surprised?
And as Paolocee: typos, not surprising since it was uploaded from a Blackberry. It will be suitably edited later. Pompus? No.
Just a better football club, manager and fans than your cyber-fans who rarely turn up at Eastlands! Or were all those empty seats our imaginations.
Jo loves Everton. Because we are a proper football club. How do you like that Mancs?
Well put Everton Russ. One of the only decent comments on here.
As an outsider, I don't see what the big deal is here. Lescott is not the great player he is made out to be, he is good at best.
I'd take the money and run because Moyes could reinvest ã20M odd better than Hughes would.
As for Reid's comments about 'empty seats' as we know Everton NEVER fill their own ground I did a little investigation and came up with this for 08/09 av attendances...
Everton 35,667/ capacity 40,170
City 42,900/ capacity 47,726
So Everton had 88.8% capacity
City had 89.9% capacity.
I'd say both where pretty good for Small Clubs but City with 'less empty seats'.
So I don't know where Reid gets his 'cyber space' rant from because all I know is he is the one living on another planet!
It must be great to be a City scout, just sitting around watching Sky Sports News and see who is bidding on who and put in a higher bid or get the season review DVD for all of the teams in the previous season and see who played well, then try to buy them. I suspect the Citeh fans here in cyberspace are the same glory hunters that have only seen COMS on that same Sky Sports and previously spewed venom about other teams (City included) whilst following their 'beloved United.'
To Rafas fat Goatee :
Check and see which team had a. The most tv covered games and b. the most changed kickoffs and Sunday games.
Everton.
Plus we don't yet have a brand spanking stadium, unlike City who still can't fill that.
Anyway you should get back to Norwegian Cyberspace, where you'll be complaining like Rafa about City's spending (forgetting your own burning through money since 2005 like its out of fashion!).
Manchester City have behaved disgracefully. And the usual "Manc Mob" who comment on any article or post contrary to their self-image are well known. SR, Manchester et al.
The Truth hurts does it City? You're amongst the Ficklest fans around!
You'll actually find, if you didn't just spout rubbish and looked at the facts, that City did in fact have more Tv covered games, changed kick offs and Sunday games last season. That seams to be your style though... talking rubbish with no basis in fact.
As for the Everton don't have a new stadium comment - if you did you'd have even more empty seats. Or does having a new ground suddenly inspire an extra 10,000 bums on seats?
I have nothing against Everton or their fans by the way. Just people lik
Check your facts because you certainly did not.
And your lot have been told again by Moyes.
Kindly disappear before we throw you all in the Mersey!
You're a digusting club with disgusting cyber-fans.
And Everton had more Sunday and changed kickoffs than anyone in the league. We had single figures Saturday 3pm KO.
Fact. Now clear off. Like Moyes told you today.
You have empty seats because you get beat 6-1 at home.
In Moyes all Liverpool Fans trust!
Superbly illuminating data here, tkahns!
A few years ago I'd have to pay someone for this ionfmration.