DAVID MOYES: I'M IN CHARGE

Everton boss takes a swipe at Liverpool rival Rafa Benitez

DAVID MOYES - total control
DAVID MOYES - total control

DAVID MOYES has taken a cheeky swipe at Mersey rival Rafa Benitez by claiming: I have the one thing you crave - total control of my club!

Kop boss Benitez has yet to sign a new four-year deal because he wants control of all the club's affairs - including the transfer policy.

But Everton chief Moyes, who is preparing for today's derby clash at Anfield, revealed he already has that control at Goodison.

Moyes, who has to struggle to get the maximum out of his limited budget, said: "I have control of the football club, with the chairman and me making the decisions.

"The chairman would never do anything without my agreement. It's important for managers to have control. It is something you earn by how you work within the club and how you deal with people.

"I have that, and our chairman Bill Kenwright gives me every penny he can so I can sign players, and I tell people that. But I will also come out and say I will force him to do that because I will do everything I can to make Everton better."

BILL KENWRIGHT - support
BILL KENWRIGHT - support

Everton have hit a tight spot when it comes to finances and Moyes accepts the best he can do in the transfer window is hope to land a loan signing to reinforce a striking department decimated by injuries.

Rafa Benitez on Liverpool v Everton

Yakubu and James Vaughan are not expected back until the final weeks of the season, while Louis Saha is still weeks away from fitness - although Tim Cahill and Marouane Fellaini have done well as stop-gap strikers.

Cahill scored the equaliser in the League game against Liverpool last Monday and is expected to play up front again today.

Moyes said: "We've been struggling for strikers for four or five weeks now and we could have gone under. But they haven't half mucked in. Everyone has played their part.

"If we could maybe add one or two players it will give the likes of Cahill, Fellaini and Victor Anichibe some extra help."

Moyes refuses point blank to consider cashing in on star players Mikel Arteta and Cahill to keep the club out of the red.

MAROUANE FELLAINI - stop-gap
MAROUANE FELLAINI - stop-gap

He added: "We are not having it for any of them. I won't have it - the chairman knows that and I have made it clear.

"We are not a selling football club - unless it is someone I want to let go. That is why we have signed people like Cahill in the first place.

"That is why we have brought them on. The players we have brought in have in the main come from lower-placed clubs.

"We have worked hard and helped the players progress and we want them to help make Everton better. That is the reason I bought them in the first place. That is the plan."

Moyes can already feel one-up on his Spanish rival but he is hoping for another boost by beating Liverpool today to open up a run at the FA Cup.

He watched last season as Portsmouth gatecrashed the big guns to win the competition - and admitted to being a little jealous.

Moyes added: "I was pleased that Portsmouth won it because it broke the monopoly on the FA Cup. I was pleased for Harry Redknapp because he's had 26 years in coaching without winning a trophy.

"But I am peeved myself that I have not done better in terms of winning things.

"I have been in coaching and management for 14 years or something like that and I'm irritated because I have not done better."

Your comments

This article has 2 comments

David Moyes - No of trophies won - 0. End of!

By Steve .. Posted January 25 2009 at 9:12 AM.

as long as we win today ..

By lexies DAD.. Posted January 25 2009 at 7:22 AM.

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