Isn’t it funny what a few new faces can do to lift morale?
Landon Donovan, Darron Gibson, Nikica Jelavic and Steven Pienaar were all drafted in and we all know what happened from there.
The second half of the campaign was a joy to behold and it was essential that Moyes, Kenwright and the board built on this during the summer in order for the club to compete for a full season.
Any potential plans could easily have been ruined however, when the announcement was made that Harry Redknapp had been sacked as manager of Tottenham.
Within minutes of the news breaking several bookies suspended betting on Moyes taking over at White Hart Lane and all was very quiet from within the club.
Luckily for Everton, Daniel Levy was stupid enough not to consider Moyes for the post but the reality is that if he had been offered the job the Scot would have had a difficult decision to make.
Everton are a bigger club than Spurs, but the London outfit have a far superior transfer budget and could have offered Moyes a return to European football.
Perhaps the rumours weren’t such a bad thing. They may have scared the board into realising that they weren’t that far off losing their long serving manager.
Last summer Kenwright and the board were complacent. They sold too many players without reinvesting at all and performances suffered as a result.
This summer they have been proactive. They have sold promising midfielder Rodwell to big spending Manchester City to raise funds for new players.
Within a week of that departure they have brought in Mirallas and Moyes has since hinted that there could be a few more additions before the window slams shut.
Player trading is a phrase often used by Everton officials and although it is not an ideal situation to be in it is common knowledge that the club are without a rich owner and therefore must sell to buy.
Rodwell is a player that the current squad will be able to cope without. Marouane Fellaini, Darron Gibson, Leon Osman, Ross Barkley and Francisco Junior can all play in his position so selling the Southport-born star made sense if new additions were to be made.
Barring Rodwell’s departure, the side that ended last season so brightly is still largely intact and there have been some promising additions to an already talented squad.
A victory over Manchester United on Monday night would turn the current sense of optimism into pure excitement and could prove the catalyst to a long-awaited good start to a season.
Follow Gary Maiden on Twitter @GaryMaidenEFC
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i am greatful that fellainin stayed at the club as i thought he would have been sold, he was brilliant last night and united had no clue how to defend against him,in my opinion he is one of the few players who as put playing for everton above a big wage increase that he would have earned elsewhere, the whole team played for each other and that’s the kind of team spirit other clubs don’t have, clubs like man city have fantastic players but each and everyone of them are there for one thing and that’s the money, it sickens me when i see players kissing the club badge one week and the week after put in a transfer request becuase they want more money, how sad to know that the £50,000 they earn a week is not enough