Transfer deadline day may be “exciting for everyone”, as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall puts it, but his experience of that transfer deadline day at Everton hauled him through the same gamut of emotions as every Evertonian. Excitement turned to bewilderment before the conclusion of the window left the midfielder exasperated, but for entirely different reasons to a fanbase left questioning the club’s direction under The Friedkin Group. How, now, is the mood in the squad?
It is the obvious place to start after a deadline day that left David Moyes with fewer players than he had at the beginning, one striker and no cover for either full-back position. It also featured the US international striker Folarin Balogun walking out on a £40m transfer minutes after submitting a deal sheet. There’s a good mentality this year of: ‘We’ll show everyone.’” Everton’s performances so far this season support that view.
But there are still 19 lads in this building who are going to hopefully take this club to good things this year. That was getting disregarded. But let’s all be positive – right, it’s done, bang, let’s go – and that’s what we’ve been trying to say in the dressing room.
Of course we would have wanted to sign a couple more, but we’re happy with what we’ve got and it’s given us more impetus now to move on.” Moyes has expressed concern over the signals Everton’s transfer business could send to the dressing room at a time when he is trying to push the team on. So has it had a detrimental impact? Our starting XI is top, a European starting XI.
I don’t think a couple of years ago it was at that level. Actually I know it wasn’t. Things can be out of your hands in football and that’s what happened for us.
But we quickly realised: ‘Hang on a minute, look around the dressing room – top player, top player, top player.’ If we’re doing the right things we can still be successful.” Dewsbury-Hall will be crucial to those prospects. The midfielder has flourished since his £28m arrival from Chelsea last summer, his game-time and growing influence vindicating the decision to leave Stamford Bridge behind. This summer, following Séamus Coleman’s departure, he was nominated for a new leadership group that was established to compensate for the loss of the long-serving Everton captain.
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