Everton FC boss David Moyes insists detractors don't bother him as long as his side keeps winning

03 November 2012 00:00
xxxxxxxxx TEAM NEWS THE FAMILIAR Gwladys Street refrain insists they don’t care what their local rivals say – and David Moyes insists that sentiment applies to all. His upwardly mobile team have had a mix of high-profile dissenters as well as admirers so far this term – and the Blues boss is taking it all in his stride. In the week that Steven Gerrard joined his own manager and Alex Ferguson in claiming Everton are reliant on a direct approach, Moyes was quick to remind everyone that he will always be a tactical pragmatist at heart – even if he is proud of the cultured football they have played lately. “I really don’t care what people are saying about us,” he says when asked about the post-Merseyside derby sniping which put his side’s style under the spotlight. “We have to keep doing what we are going, which is getting results. “I think people who have watched us will say we’re playing really well, but more importantly if you ask our fans they’ll tell you they’re happy with the way we’re playing, and ask managers – they’ll say they are impressed by what we’ve achieved. “I genuinely don’t bother. The facts prove it’s not the case. I don’t care – really. I don’t actually care how we win so long as we win, but we have been doing it in style, and I think our football has been outstanding at times, it really has.” While some profess that passing the ball endlessly and trying to emulate Barcelona is the purest way to success, Moyes believes that is not always the case. “I watched Chelsea play Bayern Munich in the Champions’ League final and they didn’t come out at all, they hit it long, but they are European champions,” he says. “That means they played the right way on the night. There are different ways of playing, and the most important thing is to win.” Indeed the Everton manager accepts that dissent from influential figures like Alex Ferguson is a back-handed compliment. “I know, absolutely, that when Fergie has a dig at you, it means it’s a compliment in a way. Maybe we have been competing better against United in recent seasons, and we are beginning to compete better against most of the top clubs now, so that’s perhaps why this things are being said. “I’d sooner get that, them having a dig, than people being nice about us because we’ve lost. When you’re easy beat then it’s easy to be nice, but the thing is, we are definitely not easy beat these days. “You know what, I don’t think too many teams play better football than Everton. I would pay to watch us and there are certainly a lot of teams I wouldn’t pay to watch because I get a bit bored with them. “We are competitive, sure, that’s what we do, but we are exciting to watch. We have quality going forward, and at times we have played some incredible football.” Everton’s willingness to play to Marouane Fellaini’s considerable physical strengths is part of their detractors’ case, but Moyes insists that is unfair on the talented Belgian. “I thing people look at Felli and his height and make assumptions, but the thing is, that’s not his biggest asset by any means,” he says. “I’d say his best quality is his feet and his touch on the ball. He has some wonderful skills. “He has the touch to take it soft on the chest and control from there, and the ability to use the ball. His aerial ability is certainly not his best quality. “But I don’t think people in the game are thinking he’s one-dimensional. They know he’s a top, top player who has a real balance to his game, and there are a lot of top clubs who recognise that because there are a lot of top clubs who want to sign him.” Moyes is happy for the focus to shift back to today’s visit to Fulham, and the chance to get a much-needed three points as they bid to keep pace with the pack chasing European qualification. That, he admits, has been tough given his side’s recent fixtures. “It’s been four games, three away and the one at home being a derby makes it difficult period. The away games have been tough. “Wigan are a good team as people will find out, QPR are forgetting better and Fulham are a decent side. There are no gimmes and this is a difficult period for us. “Most people, me included, would say it has been a far better start than we’ve had in the past and if we win at Fulham it will be a really good start. “But if we are going to hang onto the coat-tails of the teams above us we are going to have to keep winning games and playing well. “When you are challenging at the top people try to get to you and make sure you don’t do as well but we’ve enjoyed it. “We will just keep doing what we have been doing in recent weeks. I am pleased with the way the players are playing. “We’ve got a tough game at Fulham, who I can see being one of the sides pushing to be in Europe. “We’ve always found games against them tough and going to Craven Cottage is a hard place to go. “But if we keep playing as well as we have been we’ll win games.” Related stories From around the web Related Tags

Source: liverpool_echo