LONDON, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- David Moyes was named new Everton head coach on Saturday, rejoining the side he left almost 12 years ago to join Manchester United.
The 61-year-old Scot has agreed a two-and-a-half-year contract to replace Sean Dyche, who was sacked on Thursday with Everton 16th in the Premier League and in danger of relegation.
It means Moyes goes back to a club that he had managed for 11 seasons before moving to Old Trafford.
"I enjoyed 11 wonderful and successful years at Everton and didn't hesitate when I was offered the opportunity to rejoin this great club," said Moyes on the Everton website.
He also made an appeal for unity as Everton looks to improve on its record of just three wins from 19 Premier League matches.
"We need Goodison [Park, Everton's home ground] and all Evertonians to play their part in getting behind the players in this important season so we can move into our fabulous new stadium as a Premier League team," he commented.
Moyes left Everton in the summer of 2013 with the difficult job of replacing Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, but was sacked in April the following year.
Moyes then spent a year in Spain with Real Sociedad, before a difficult spell at Sunderland, which saw the north-east outfit relegated.
He next spent six months at West Ham, helping turn around a difficult season that had threatened to end in relegation, before returning on a permanent basis in 2019, leading the club to the 2023 UEFA Conference League title, before leaving at the end of last season when his contract expired.
Moyes' first task at Everton is to guide the club to safety and then to ensure a positive start in the new 60,000-seat Everton Stadium, which will be inaugurated next season. ■
