Before David Moyes made a last-minute U-turn because of Napoli, Everton was only hours away from returning.
Everton had plans to re-appoint David Moyes as manager before they changed their mind and pursued Carlo Ancelotti, freeing the Scot up to sign for West Ham, where he’s enjoyed huge success
David Moyes was just hours away from returning to Everton when Napo made a last-minute U-turn.
David Moyes was ready to rejoin Everton when unexpected events forced him to move to West Ham.
After taking over as manager in 2002, the Scot managed the Toffees for more than ten years, transforming the Merseysiders into one of the Premier League’s most reliable teams. But in 2019, when Everton and the Hammers were both looking for managers, he found himself without a job.
When David Sullivan called Moyes about the possibility of moving to the London Stadium, Moyes was in Germany with Farhad Moshiri, the owner of the Toffees. Before Napoli fired Carlo Ancelotti, the 60-year-old was set to make a comeback to Goodison Park, and Everton wanted to demonstrate their ambition.
As a result, Moyes resumed his conversation with Sullivan, and the discussion about the West Ham job quickly led to his signing with the club.
In a prior interview with beinSPORT, Moyes revealed, “At the time when I was offered the West Ham job, I had been in Germany with Farhad Moshiri considering the Everton position.
“While I was in the middle of a meeting with Everton, my phone rang, and it was David Sullivan. I had to tell him, ‘I can’t talk right now.’ However, on that same night, Carlo Ancelotti was dismissed by Napoli, and their plans changed.
Even though I was set to sign with Everton the day before, I had informed David about it. But the next day, Everton didn’t make further contact, so I called David and said, ‘If the offer is still on the table.’ It couldn’t have worked out any better; it was the right decision.”
Under Moyes’ guidance, West Ham has performed admirably, achieving consecutive top-seven finishes and making a strong push for a top-four spot. In the previous season, despite a drop in their Premier League performance, they secured European success by winning the Europa Conference League.
Meanwhile, Everton has faced managerial instability since parting ways with Moyes and pursuing Ancelotti. The Italian achieved some promising results in his initial full season but departed for Real Madrid when they came calling.
Following Ancelotti’s departure, the club appointed Rafa Benitez, whose tenure lasted only a few months before Frank Lampard took the helm. Lampard initially steadied the Toffees but was relieved of his duties the following season, as the club found itself on the brink of relegation, ultimately saved by Sean Dyche’s rescue efforts.
In the current season, Moyes has guided West Ham to a positive start, while Everton is expected to struggle. The Toffees have been consistently associated with a potential takeover but now face the looming possibility of a points deduction.
