David Moyes’s post-match comments after his Everton’s side 2-0 defeat to Manchester City on Saturday were remarkable. And not in a good way.
After sending his team out to once again play their own unique brand of thuggish anti-football, he had the temerity to accuse City’s captain, Vincent Kompany, of “doing” Tim Cahill after the Everton man had attempted yet another two-footed scissor lunge on the City player.
What was Kompany supposed to do?
Allow himself to be cut in half by Cahill’s reckless tackle? Or perhaps he should have tried to levitate above the tattooed Australian’s flailing boots until Cahill had ploughed beyond his legs. No, Kompany tried to hurdle Cahill but only succeeded in landing on his opponent’s shin. There could have been no malice aforethought as Kompany, sensing Cahill’s intent, began his jump way before Cahill arrived. It was an unfortunate accident.
But, Moyes, never the most gracious of losers, wasn’t having it. Kompany had “done” Cahill.
What is so galling about Moyes’s rant is that he sent his team out to systematically brutalise City’s creative players, most notably David Silva, who was the recipient of some revolting thuggery. Fortunately for football-lovers, the little Spaniard proved resilient in the face of such provocation and helped City win the game.
Even the BBC’s Phil McNulty expressed concern at Everton’s tactics at the time, although the honorary chairman of the Scottish Football Brotherhood, Alan Hansen, supported his craven comrade later on Match Of The Day.
David Moyes needs to take a long, good hard look at himself. And the FA should too – and bring this hypocrite up on charges of bringing the game into disrepute.
