Returning Everton manager David Moyes has detailed the roles of backroom staff Alan Irvine, Leighton Baines and Billy McKinlay
Returning Everton manager David Moyes has explained the roles of his backroom staff as he prepares for the first game of his second spell as Blues boss against Aston Villa at Goodison Park tonight. Moyes will be reunited with former Everton player Alan Irvine, who was his original assistant manager with the Blues in 2002, continuing in the role before he left to become Preston North End manager in 2007, later returning the head the club’s academy.
Irvine again served as Moyes’ assistant in his first spell in charge of West Ham United but switched to a technical advisory role – scouting opposition teams – during his second spell at the London Stadium.
The 66-year-old is set to take up his new Everton position after the weekend and Moyes detailed how Irvine will operate alongside Leighton Baines, who has been promoted from Under-18s to first team coach. The Blues boss said: “At the moment, I want Alan to be alongside me with Billy (McKinlay, the assistant manager).
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“I had an exceptionally good coach in Johnny Heitinga, who’s now at Liverpool. I’ll probably look to do things differently, it’s not an easy thing just to go and take different people from different clubs.
“I’m not alluding that to Johnny, by the way, in case you think that, not at all. So I just think trustworthy people at the moment when we are in a little bit of a stoop, I need to find a way of keeping people around me who can work.
“But it’s good, Bainesy is going to get a chance to step up with us. People tell me he’s a good coach, so he’ll get plenty of opportunities to coach and help out. Let’s see how he does.”
While Evertonians need no introduction to either Irvine or Baines – along with the manager himself – McKinlay is a new face at Finch Farm. Asked what his assistant brings, Moyes said: “I can tell you that he’s been very good with me. He is a good coach.
“He’s a good communicator around with the players. He’s also very good with the staff in the building as well.
“I’ve always seen Everton as somewhere we need to make sure that everybody around the place is good as well and we give them a bit of time. It’s hard now because there are about 100 people around here, I can hardly remember two names, never mind 100 names at the moment.
“But Billy is very talented. I’ve got to say, he’s just really closely missed out on a big job in the Championship to take the job as a manager, so he knows what he’s doing.”
