Everton boss David Moyes is heading for a fall with his tough guy approach over Lescott
By David McDonnell
Last modified 11:12 17/08/09
Everton boss David Moyes issues instructions to defender Joleon Lescott
David Moyes has unwittingly staked his managerial reputation on his hard-line stance over Manchester City's pursuit of Joleon Lescott.
By publicly insisting he alone has the final say on such decisions at Everton, Moyes has effectively challenged the club's hierarchy to back him over Lescott.
So far they have, but if - as seems likely - City come back with an improved final offer for Lescott, one Everton's money men are unable to resist, where does that leave Moyes?
His bullish public stance is commendable but, if Lescott is ultimately sold, Moyes will be perceived as a manager with no control over the transfer policy at Goodison Park.
Becoming embroiled in a bitter war of words with City boss Mark Hughes, over his failure to pick up the phone and call him about Lescott, was a foolish move by Moyes.
Moyes may be part of the managerial clique, which includes Sir Alex Ferguson and Sam Allardyce, who phone each other regularly, but Hughes is not part of such a cartel.
Nor, it should be said, does the increasingly impressive Hughes appear to have any desire to join such a coterie, which speaks volumes about his standing and integrity.
When Moyes griped that Hughes had not had the decency to phone him, the City boss pointed out he would have only been told Lescott was not for sale, so what was the point?
Far more logical, Hughes claimed, to leave the matter to City chief executive Garry Cook and football adminstrator Brian Marwood to speak with their counterparts at Everton.
And, unless you're an Everton fan or a friend or relative of Moyes, common sense says you'd have to agree with Hughes on that one.
Old-school dialogue between managers, when it comes to transfers, is no longer prevalent, with chief executives and directors of football now conducting the business.
Do you think Real Madrid boss Manuel Pellegrini called Sir Alex Ferguson to ask his permission to buy Cristiano Ronaldo this summer? No.
Did Rafa Benitez pick up the phone and have a word with Portsmouth boss Paul Hart to smooth over Glen Johnson's switch to Liverpool? No.
It just doesn't happen that way. And, moreover, why should it?
Moyes would have been better served by saying nothing on the Lescott saga, instead of being drawn into a petty squabble over the perceived protocol of how deals should be done.
The Everton boss is a straight-talking guy who deserves the utmost respect and praise for what he has achieved at the club with meagre resources.
But the Lescott saga has not been his finest hour. When a player clearly wants out, as Lescott does, is there really any point in keeping him against his will?
Aston Villa did that with Gareth Barry last season, blocking his proposed £18m move to Liverpool, only to sell him a year later to City for a third of that price.
The principled stance Moyes has taken over Lescott is admirable but ultimately futile.
And his problem is that, having taken such a hard-line position, it would be seen as a sign of weakness were Moyes to now perform a U-turn.
So instead, why not admit there is no point in holding on to a disaffected player?
Why not take City's £22m, buy a player like Matthew Upson or Brede Hangeland - both of whom are available and Lescott's equal - for half that price and bag a tidy profit?
They say pride comes before a fall, and all the signs are that Moyes is heading for an almighty tumble over his mishandling of the Lescott saga.
