Reports: Moyes and Short to stay beyond the season’s end

That’s right, according to The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards it would appear that David Moyes’ job is safe on Wearside, whether he keeps the club in the Premier League or not.

Despite finding ourselves bottom of the pile with ten games left to save our skins, the word on the street is that Ellis Short intends to back his manager come what may. In his article, Edwards notes that Short’s unwillingness to roll the dice and face more uncertainty at the club is the prime reason Moyes will be entrusted with reversing the club’s faltering fortunes.

Crucially, having sacked a manager every year since 2010, Short does not have the appetite for more upheaval. After so long resorting to short term firefighting, to cling on to top fight status, the American feels the only way forward is to stick with Moyes.

Some may call it a chance for stability while others may label it as defeatism, yet Short seems to be steadfast in his approach: David Moyes will be manager next season.

Edwards’ article went on to say that Ellis Short had met with Martin Bain and David Moyes in recent weeks, and accepted their vision for the club as the right course of action - even when faced with the very real threat of relegation.

The Scottish duo’s plan to bring in young players with the potential to flourish into valuable senior players who could then be sold at a profit clearly appeals to our owner who has seen little in the way of profit from player sales in recent years. This coupled with the fact that this upcoming summer will be a turbulent one should we exit the Premier League suggests that Short’s trust in Moyes indicates an anxiety about the whole situation at hand. Can the club really afford to add more turmoil and change to what will be a challenging summer by changing manager? Short clearly thinks not.

Edwards also commented on the future of our enigmatic owner, noting that:

Short is still trying to sell the club, but sources have indicated to Telegraph Sport that he accepts that is unlikely in their current situation and he will have to put more money in to help Moyes rebuild the team.

Despite reports this season suggesting Short was ready to cut his losses and offload the club, it would appear that the American billionaire will certainly be around for a while longer yet. And when you consider the fact that the American has sunk hundreds of millions of pounds into the club to no avail, you can certainly see why he wouldn’t be keen to sell on the cheap.

Photo by Nigel Roddis/Getty Images

One would imagine that a fair few of the current first team squad would be searching for a move away from the Stadium of Light this summer, especially considering the fact that Edwards seemed to confirm the fact that the club is “partially protected by the fact all have a clause in their contracts which force them to take a 50% pay cut after relegation.” Subsequently, our wage bill could drop from an eye-watering £70 million down to a more respectable £35 million - which could be further reduced with player departures.

The potential sales of key players such as Jordan Pickford and Lamine Kone coupled with Premier League TV money and parachute payments could potentially help to balance the club’s financial turmoil; and if sales and acquisitions are managed well, then perhaps the club may be able to remedy the financial plague which has haunted them for the last several years.

Martin Bain and David Moyes must manage this summer’s transition to perfection, for their ability to steer a safe course to stability will be paramount to the future of our club. Whatever their aims and goals, Ellis Short clearly trusts their judgement and has bought into their long-term vision for the club.

And there you have it, despite the very real prospect of relegation drawing closer and closer, one thing seems to be set in stone come season’s end: David Moyes is here to stay.