BBC Sport’s Chief Football Writer Phil McNulty:
When David Moyes left Everton to make an ill-fated move to Manchester United in 2013, he left behind a club that was the model of stability.
Moyes had spent 11 years at Goodison Park, taking Everton from Premier League strugglers to European regulars, even reaching the Champions League qualifying stage in 2005.
The Scot effectively had full control of football affairs, supported by a chairman Bill Kenwright who was grateful to have Moyes achieving what he did as manager with limited funds.
To say Moyes is returning to a different Everton, should he secure a deal to succeed sacked Sean Dyche, is a masterpiece of under-statement.
Since Moyes left for Old Trafford, Everton have had eight permanent managers with seven sackings. The stability and continuity he knew is a thing of the past, football’s managerial landscape changing in that period.
Everton are still struggling near the foot of the table, as they were when he took over from Walter Smith in 2002, but he will be working with new American owners in The Friedkin Group who have already shown themselves to be ruthless by dismissing Dyche after only three weeks in control.
There is unlikely to be any of the patience shown by Kenwright during the occasional tough times in Moyes’ first spell, while he will be working under a director of football in Kevin Thelwell, not a situation he encountered when he ruled Everton before, taking decisions on buying and selling himself, the decision maker on all football strategy.
Everton’s league position may not have changed, but the Everton Moyes knew before has. How he adapts to those changing circumstances will shape his and the club’s immediate future.
