Jamie Carragher makes David Moyes feelings clear after Everton criticism

Jamie Carragher discussed Everton manager David Moyes on the latest edition of The Overlap Fan Debate

Jamie Carragher says he understands the disappointment among Everton supporters over how last season ended but believes criticism directed at David Moyes is “a little bit harsh”.

The Blues were within touching distance of the Champions League places when they thrashed Chelsea in March, only to miss out on Europe altogether by going winless in the seven remaining games.

For Carragher, the uncertainty around Moyes’ future - he is in the final year of his contract - is an understandable source of concern. But he thinks credit is due for getting Everton to a place where Europe felt possible after years of relegation fights.

On fan sentiment towards Moyes, he said he had the feeling “that supporters are almost in between with him at the moment, waiting to see how it goes”.

The former Liverpool defender-turned-pundit added that some of the frustration around the Blues boss felt unfair after the club avoided any danger of a survival scrap for the first time in five years.

Carragher told the latest episode of The Overlap Fan Debate, with Sky Bet: “I have always been a David Moyes fan, even when I played against his teams. The first time around as Everton manager, he was doing a brilliant job, and he’s done a brilliant job since he’s come back too.

“The jump from where they’d been to - for you saying, with seven games to go, you had an outside chance of a top five Champions League position. For Everton, it feels like every season they’re trying to fight relegation - they normally change the manager in the middle of the season and end up safe. Then his first full season, which was last season, with seven or eight games to go, you’re talking about having a chance for the Champions League.

“I understand it finished badly, I understand there was disappointment there, and I get it. But I almost feel it’s a little bit harsh, some of the stick he gets.”

The Blues' winless end to the campaign saw the club suffer a series of bad decisions - with referee watchdog the Key Match Incidents Panel ruling they should have had penalties against West Ham United and Manchester City. Beto, Jarrad Branthwaite and Idrissa Gueye also suffered costly injuries in that run.

Carragher hinted the change in expectations among supporters represented progress, and that the club should aim for Europe this season.

He said: “I feel for David Moyes a little bit, in that: at the start of last season, everyone would have said, we just want a season where we don’t have to worry about relegation. Now, I know what you’re saying about getting to the last game.

“My point is, it felt like the first half of every season for a good few years, you’d change a manager to make sure you stayed up - going back to Sam Allardyce coming in, seven or eight years ago. Then Marco Silva, Frank Lampard, Sean Dyche. You were getting to a situation where you were going into a season - last season - saying, we just don’t want to ever worry about relegation. That was never there [before]. And then you had [a near miss on] European football.

“I get that disappointment. Everton supporters right - for so long – have had nothing to hang onto - there’s just that wanting so much… I’m not saying he should get a new contract, but the next thing this season is: can Everton get to a European position?”

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