You Know What Happens in These Situations, There's Only One Person Who Tends to Get Called Out at the End [The Manager].

David Moyes has revealed he has not spoken to Everton owner and chair Dan Friedkin in the 20 months since returning to the club as manager, exposing an astonishing disconnect at the club. Moyes issued a defiant response on Friday to Everton's calamitous end to the transfer window, claiming it could galvanise players and fans to achieve "something special" this season. Moyes, who replaced Sean Dyche as manager in January 2025, confirmed he has had no contact with Friedkin, founder and chief executive of The Friedkin Group.

TFG president Marc Watts is Everton's executive chair, while Rishi Majithia, Friedkin's son-in-law, is the owner's day-to-day representative at the club. With TFG's ambition under scrutiny after the transfer window and amid claims they are looking for fresh investment or even to sell the club, Moyes's revelation raises further questions over the company's commitment. The Everton manager admitted any successful club "needs to be aligned" at the top and added: "We've got new owners in who are still feeling their way in the club.

I think if we get to know each other more it will get better. Moyes, whose main point of contact is chief executive Angus Kinnear, was later asked whether he had ever had a conversation with Friedkin. "Er, no, he replied.

Asked if he had ever met him, Moyes said: "No. It was TFG's decision to sell Harrison Armstrong to Nottingham Forest last weekend that started Everton's dreadful end to the transfer window. They U-turned after a backlash from Evertonians over the deal, but Moyes was ultimately left with a weaker squad after the sales of Iliman Ndiaye, Beto, Tim Iroegbunam and Nathan Patterson." "We don't have a huge squad but sometimes you need to do something special in football and we will attempt to do something special, Moyes said. "It's not going to be easy.

You know what happens in these situations, there's only one person who tends to get called out at the end [the manager]. But Everton's different. I wouldn't have come back for anybody but Everton.

People saw the face of Evertonians last week and it can be really powerful. I would expect them to be really powerful now. Powerful for the team, powerful for the players.

We're going to need extra from them because we're short. We need them. If they're not with us, then it's terrible.

But they are with us. I believe they are with us. I love Everton and always have done.

It's reinvigorated me being back and now there's a little bump in the road. I need to get over the bump quickly and start looking at how I can make it go smoothly.