Is now the opportunity? Should Everton go for Iraola?

TL;DR

Everton is considering whether to pursue Iraola as a potential managerial candidate. The discussion centers around seizing the opportunity for improvement rather than reacting to current struggles.

Key points

Everton is considering a managerial change.
Iraola is a potential candidate for the position.
The focus is on seizing opportunities for improvement.
Current team performance is a key factor in the decision.

Mentioned in this story

Iraola

Everton

Is now the opportunity? Should Everton go for Iraola?

(Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)

Sometimes, you don’t change because things are going badly. You make a change because there’s an opportunity to be better.

From the outside, few would think David Moyes should be facing any scrutiny or questions over his position as Everton manager.

Since Moyes took charge for his second stint at Everton in January of last year, the Toffees have accrued 80 points from 55 games — the ninth-most in the Premier League in that time.

Moyes has had to oversee leaving Goodison Park, the start of a rebuild (which will need longer than one summer transfer window), and the move to a new stadium.

All the while, he has made Everton competitive again. They have now surpassed their points tally from last season, and could yet add seven onto that total, should they win their last two matches.

But that does not tell the whole story.

While I do not think there can be any reason to move on from Moyes due to points tallies, or the results in general, there are other factors to consider.

Moyes is heading into the final year of his contract. That does not have to be an issue, as such, but it does begin to raise questions over the club’s longer term plans.

At 63, is Moyes really the manager that Everton’s ownership — and the CEO they have put in place, Angus Kinnear — see taking the Toffees forward?

Then, there is Moyes’s use of the squad, and in particular, the new signings from last summer. Jack Grealish and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall were instant hits, but of the other recruits, discounting the two back-up goalkeepers, all of whom were signed when they were aged 23 or under, only has seen significant game time.