‘Moyes gave me a lot of confidence at Everton. He was strict and more direct, but I liked that. We could argue one day, then the next day everything was fine’: Ex-Toffees star reveals how Scottish manager operated during first spell at Goodison Park

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 15: David Moyes, manager of Everton, looks on prior to the Premier League match between Everton FC and Aston Villa FC at Goodison Park on January 15, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images).

Everton have welcomed the return of David Moyes to Goodison Park, and while the Scottish manager didn't get off to a winning start - losing 1-0 at home to Aston Villa - there's plenty of promise considering the job he managed to achieve during his first time around.

Kevin Mirallas signed for Moyes during his final season at Everton in 2012/13, with the Belgian forward arriving from Olympiakos for £6m. He reveals that Moyes proved the deciding factor in wanting to join Everton, with their consistent top-half finishes convincing him to move to Merseyside.

Playing just one season under Moyes, who departed at the end of the season for Manchester United, didn't prove long enough for Mirallas, though, who wishes he could've had more time to learn under the manager.

David Moyes and Kevin Mirallas enjoyed strong relationship at Everton

Moyes and Mirallas together at Everton (Image credit: Getty Images)

"I had many offers after a fantastic second season in Athens, but Everton was the best choice," Mirallas exclusively tells FourFourTwo. "I knew a couple of players there, and when I met David Moyes, I felt the club’s ambition and mentality were a perfect fit. It’s a family club and I felt part of that from day one.

"It was fantastic [playing for Moyes], and I regret that he left after my first season. He gave me a lot of confidence. Although I played as a striker in Greece, he put me on the wing, which I initially found strange but it worked well.

Mirallas had a better second season under Roberto Martinez

"He was stricter and more direct than Roberto Martinez, but I liked that. We could argue one day and then, by the next, everything was fine."

Despite wanting to play under Moyes for longer, Everton finished fifth in Roberto Martinez's first season at Goodison Park in 2013/14. They also achieved their highest points tally in the Premier League era, with Mirallas himself scoring eight goals in the league, too.

"We combined what David Moyes had built with Roberto Martinez’s new style, and added a few key players," Mirallas says. "Although pre-season wasn’t great in terms of results, we worked on what Roberto wanted.

"After a few draws, we beat Chelsea at home and that gave us the momentum. We had a great team, and it felt like a family."