Moyes targets extended run in the cups

Sep 7 2007 by Nick Smith, Liverpool Daily Post

Everton FC Manager, David Moyes _158

DAVID MOYES has outlined his determination to add a prolonged cup run to his Everton CV.

The Goodison club hasn’t been to the quarter-finals of any cup competition since just before Moyes took over in 2002, when they lost 3-0 to Middlesbrough in the FA Cup.

That game signalled the end of Walter Smith’s reign as manager and while his successor has transformed Everton’s Premier League fortunes, he is yet to oversee a run to the last eight in either domestic competition.

But with both those trophies up for grabs alongside a potential extended UEFA Cup campaign if they get past Ukrainians Metalist Kharkiv in the first round, Moyes is hoping one of those three outlets will enable him to end his drought.

And he’s banking on the extra squad strength he has after a robust summer of transfer activity to help fulfil his desire for more success outside the regular league campaign.

“Our ambitions are to do better in the cups if we can,” said Moyes. “We’d like a run in the cup competitions, which we’ve never really done well in.

“So we are planning to try and make that happen and that’s why the extra players have been required.

“I’ve been hoping to have a stronger squad but I have to also reiterate that it’s worked very well for us with a smaller squad.”

Moyes used the summer window to break the club record transfer fee for Yakubu, as well as shelling out for Phil Jagielka and Leighton Baines.

With loan players Steve Pienaar and Thomas Gravesen also added to the squad, the manager is confident that they can not only boost their chances of landing a trophy but improve the levels of performance of the entire playing staff.

“The extra competition will hopefully bring out more in the players we’ve got,” Moyes added.

“What we’ve seen at this present time we’ve been pleased with. The new boys are settling in well and hopefully that little bit more time will make that better as well.”