Everton manager David Moyes calls for graft in FA Cup final rehearsal at Chelsea

22 April 2009 08:53
Despite operating on limited resources, Moyes has fashioned an excellent team through the virtues of prudence and hard graft, something he will be required to continue until chairman Bill Kenwright finds a backer. [LNB]Everton, still in the hunt for a top-six finish in the league, face Chelsea tonight at Stamford Bridge in a dress rehearsal of the Wembley showpiece with Moyes insisting the club's focus now is the Premier League. [LNB] Related ArticlesWebb to referee Cup finalWhen pitches go bad...FA Cup semi-final actionMancienne ready to mark MessiLampard in form of his lifeHiddink's Midas touch'We might just get on easyJet like the average man would do,' Moyes said of their trip to London. 'But in the same breath my job is to get up and feel that we can compete with the best. [LNB]'I think there is still a humility to our football club and the people at the club know we have had to work hard and we'll continue working hard. Our success won't be done on a chequebook, ours will be done by pretty hard graft.' [LNB]Everton will receive the backing of most neutrals at Wembley with Moyes insisting that they deserve the respect they are getting due to the tough nature of their journey to the final. [LNB]'If you're talking about this country being controlled by four football clubs, Everton have put two of them (Liverpool and Manchester United) out of the cup and then the one sitting fifth (Aston Villa), we've put them out as well.' [LNB]Moyes, however, had warning for his players, who still have a job to do in the league before they can think about Wembley again. [LNB]'If any of them thought it was natural to go slack then they would be going slack at Wembley as well because they wouldn't be there,' he said. [LNB]'If any of them think that's natural to them, it's completely unnatural to me. It can happen, but it won't be natural to me. I just won't allow it. [LNB]'We have an opportunity of finishing at least fifth and we have to try to do that.' [LNB]Moyes' mentality meant he did not allow his players to celebrate after beating Manchester United in the semi-final last weekend. [LNB]'I can't say we celebrated because we don't feel we've got anything to celebrate,' Moyes said. 'We had something to eat in the hotel when we got back, and everybody was in good spirits. [LNB]'I wanted the players to be humble in their victory. That wasn't our cup final. It's still to come. [LNB]'We had a glass of champagne at the end of the night, but no more. The rest is on ice for another day.'[LNB] 

Source: Telegraph