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David Moyes and Angus Kinnear have both been discussing Everton’s ambitions in recent days, although the messages from the manager and chief executive have not always matched. There is no suggestion of a rift between the pair. But supporters have noticed a difference in tone, particularly over last season’s failure to qualify for Europe and the work Everton still need to do in the transfer market. A post from The Obstructed View Podcast this week questioned why Moyes has appeared less positive about Everton’s prospects than Kinnear. It is an observation rather than evidence of any problem behind the scenes, but there have been differences in what the two men have said. Moyes and Kinnear differ over Everton expectations Kinnear said last week that The Friedkin Group regarded Everton’s failure to qualify for Europe last season as a failure. Moyes was subsequently asked about those comments and said they had come as a “surprise”. The manager pointed out that European qualification had not been set as his target before the season. That does not necessarily mean the pair disagree about Everton’s long-term ambitions. It does, however, suggest a difference over how last season should be judged. There has been a similar contrast over recruitment. Kinnear has spoken positively about Everton’s transfer strategy and the need to wait for the right players. Moyes has been more cautious about the squad available to him. He has repeatedly said further additions are required, including his recent assessment that Everton still needed “quite a few” players before the window closes. Everton have spent heavily this summer, but right-back remains an obvious area to address and Moyes has made little attempt to disguise his desire for further reinforcements. Moyes cuts a more cautious figure Moyes was also unusually sharp when discussing the Carabao Cup before Wednesday’s second-round tie at Preston. Asked how important the cup competitions were to Everton this season, he questioned whether journalists were “dead stupid” for asking managers if they wanted to win trophies. Moyes went on to make clear that the cups were hugely important, while also raising the question of whether winning one should be considered more important than Premier League survival. The exchange attracted attention, although Moyes has never been a manager particularly inclined to hide his irritation during press conferences. It would therefore be a stretch to use one answer as evidence that anything is wrong. The wider context is more interesting. Kinnear’s job includes setting out the ambitions of Everton’s owners. Moyes has to judge what can realistically be achieved with the players available to him. Those positions will not always produce the same message. Moyes is also in the final year of his contract, and there are currently no plans for talks over an extension, according to Reuters. That places additional focus on both Everton’s results and the expectations being set by the club. For now, the evidence points to a difference in emphasis rather than a disagreement behind the scenes. Kinnear has spoken about where Everton want to be. Moyes has tended to concentrate on what still needs to be done to get there. Whether that gap narrows may become clearer once the transfer window closes and Moyes knows exactly what he has to work with.