Source: SKY_Sports
Moyes aiming for top four
David Moyes has set his sights on UEFA Champions League qualification to secure more money for Everton.
The Toffees have just finished fifth in the Premier League for a second successive season, while they have also knocked out the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United to advance to Saturday's FA Cup final.
Moyes recognises the financial significance of somebody breaking into the top four and believes his men are capable of challenging next term.
He understands the view of Sports Minister Andy Burnham - who is campaigning for a better distribution of money in the game - but doubts whether it would work in practice.
"I hear what is being said, I like the idea. But maybe in the modern game it is a bit unrealistic, but it is correct," he said.
"If we could break the monopoly the money would start to dry up for at least one of those clubs, so if someone could break into the top four it would in time stop the likes of Arsenal or Chelsea or Liverpool or Manchester United spending so much.
"It would affect their revenue, because every year they get money for Champions League qualification which helps them keep buying players.
"The money from Europe makes them much harder to catch. I felt that had we made the group stages a couple of years back, it would have changed our world. The money would have started coming Everton's way rather than someone else's."
Moyes is delighted that Everton have managed to stay in the spotlight with their achievements this season and is targeting FA Cup success against Chelsea.
"We are a side that is moving forward and growing. We are climbing a hill but we are not over the top of it yet. But I can see us doing that, hopefully, for years to come," he said.
"It is always hard to win the Premier League with the four clubs above us, but the cup is realistic.
"Now we are getting Everton noticed again. This is another step in the right direction. We are now ready to run the big race."
Looking ahead to the Wembley showpiece, Moyes added:
"We deserve to be there. We have beaten really good teams to get to Wembley and this is the end product of us doing well generally in recent seasons.
"We have a great group in the dressing room, and the characters we have as well. It is not all pally-pally all the time, I need them to dig each other out when things are not going well and to slap each other around a bit, metaphorically.
"We have honesty and a team ethic that cannot be matched anywhere else in the country. That comes from winning and the success we have had.
"We may not have won anything yet, but the players can see the
progress and they are all part of it."
