Everton boss Moyes: We can become regular European participants

He said: “I’m not envious (of foreign investment). But I’ve always said I want to compete, I want to manage in Europe regularly. That’s my personal ambition and I want to take Everton there, I really do.

“Most people are saying ‘it’s tough for Everton. How are they going to do it?’ Well I’m going to stand up and say I can do it and I want to have a go at making that happen.

“In my eyes I think Everton are (one of the big clubs). But if you look in the 14 previous seasons of the Premier League, there have only been three seasons when Everton have finished in the top 10 and twice of them have been under me.

“So if that’s right are Everton one of the big ones at this level? So what we’ve got to say is that’s a fact. Since the Premier League started, Everton have not been in the top 10 very often.

“What do we do if we don’t? (try and break into the top four). Are we all going to accept that there’s only a top four.

“I’m sure five or six years ago nobody thought Chelsea would get to that level. Things can happen. We’re doing it in a different route and trying to bring in a few players every year to improve things.

“We can’t improve it in one year or two years, we’ve been going five years. I would hope that people would say there’s been a big improvement at Everton.”

He continued: “History doesn’t always win you things, there are other great clubs with history, so I understand that.

“But the people who are in charge are really good people. They’ve got Everton at heart. They’re at every Everton game supporting and they give me every penny they’ve got. You can never ask for anymore than that off anybody.

“I hope people can see that Everton are a club who are making progress.

“We don’t have the financial clout to make a difference in one or two years. As you can see it’s taken us maybe five years to get some stability.

“There’s been continuity. If you look at some clubs, that stability or continuity may have helped them.

“I’ve never at any time felt under pressure at Everton because I go about the job the best way that I can and if that’s not enough then that’s it really.

“We tried to turnaround what we had five years ago. There was a plan put into place to do it.

“The board have been great with that. All managers want more money, I do, but in the end they’ve supported me great. My job is to get the best out of the players I’ve got available to me.”