Everton coach outlines major David Moyes change as honest verdict shared on new £27m transfer
EXCLUSIVE: ECHO Everton reporter Chris Beesley speaks to Blues assistant manager Billy McKinlay as he reflects on their USA tour
Billy McKinlay insists everything he was told about what makes Everton special is true as he outlined how David Moyes has evolved, the gains from the USA trip, how Thierno Barry is settling in and transfer ambitions for the rest of the window. Unlike Moyes, who had a previous 11-year-tenure in charge at Goodison Park between 2002-13, McKinlay is getting used to his new surroundings.
As a player, the 56-year-old started at Dundee United before heading south of the border to turn out for Blackburn Rovers, Bradford City, Preston North End (where he first worked with the current Everton manager), Leicester City and Fulham, with a spell back in Scotland at Clydebank in between.
McKinlay though explains how Everton have lived up to the great expectations he was told about before joining the club. Sitting down at the team’s hotel in Atlanta for an exclusive interview, he told the ECHO: “Coming into Everton has been really good for me. I’d heard lots of stories with the gaffer being there first time and Alan as well. There are other people I know like Jimmy Lumsden and plenty of connections through people I work with, and they’ve all spoken in glowing terms about the club.
“Having to come to Goodison as an opponent, was never a place I liked going to, for obvious reasons, especially as a coach. I probably didn’t have too great a record, especially with Fulham.
“There was always an admiration for the club from afar, but when I came in it was actually even more than I thought it was in terms of the aspects of it being a passionate club and the fanbase is terrific. Goodison is sensational and hopefully we can bring that to the new stadium and the team can give the supporters something to write home about, and we’re doing our best to try and do
