LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Everton hired David Moyes for a second stint as manager at the Premier League club on Saturday.
Moyes replaces Sean Dyche, who was fired Thursday with the team just one point above the relegation zone.
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Everton's Orel Mangala, right, and Peterborough United's George Nevett in action during the English FA Cup third round soccer match between Everton and Peterborough United at Goodison Park, Liverpool, England, Thursday Jan. 9, 2025. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)
Everton caretaker managers Leighton Baines, left, and Seamus Coleman consult on the touchline during the English FA Cup third round soccer match between Everton and Peterborough United at Goodison Park, Liverpool, England, Thursday Jan. 9, 2025. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)
Everton's Beto, center, celebrates scoring during the English FA Cup third round soccer match between Everton and Peterborough United at Goodison Park, Liverpool, England, Thursday Jan. 9, 2025. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)
FILE - West Ham's manager David Moyes attends the start of the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and West Ham United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson, File)
The 61-year-old Moyes managed Everton from 2002-13, during which he led the Merseyside club to the 2009 FA Cup final and four European campaigns.
“It’s great to be back,” Moyes said. “I enjoyed 11 wonderful and successful years at Everton and didn’t hesitate when I was offered the opportunity to rejoin this great club.”
The storied club — a nine-time English champion which has been without a major trophy since 1995 — was bought last month by the Texas-based Friedkin Group in a deal reportedly worth in excess of 400 million pounds ($495 million).
Everton's next game is Wednesday at home against Aston Villa in the Premier League.
“We are pleased that David is joining us at this pivotal time in Everton’s history,” club executive chairman Marc Watts said in the team's statement. "With over a decade of experience at the club, he is the right leader to propel us through our final season at Goodison Park and into our new stadium. We look forward to working with David to build the foundation of a new era for Everton.”
The team did not specify the length of Moyes' contract but British media reported it to be 2 1/2 years.
Dyche was fired hours before Everton hosted and beat third-division Peterborough 2-0 in an FA Cup third-round match.
Moyes' first task will be finding goals. The Toffees have scored just 15 goals in its 19 Premier League games — second-lowest in the division.
Moyes most recently managed West Ham, leaving at the end of last season. He led the team to the Europa Conference League title in 2023. He has also coached at Manchester United, Real Sociedad and Sunderland.
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Everton's Orel Mangala, right, and Peterborough United's George Nevett in action during the English FA Cup third round soccer match between Everton and Peterborough United at Goodison Park, Liverpool, England, Thursday Jan. 9, 2025. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)
Everton caretaker managers Leighton Baines, left, and Seamus Coleman consult on the touchline during the English FA Cup third round soccer match between Everton and Peterborough United at Goodison Park, Liverpool, England, Thursday Jan. 9, 2025. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)
Everton's Beto, center, celebrates scoring during the English FA Cup third round soccer match between Everton and Peterborough United at Goodison Park, Liverpool, England, Thursday Jan. 9, 2025. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)
FILE - West Ham's manager David Moyes attends the start of the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and West Ham United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson, File)
PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — Voters in Kosovo cast ballots on Sunday in an early parliamentary election in hopes of breaking a political deadlock that has gripped the small Balkan nation for much of this year.
The snap vote was scheduled after Prime Minister Albin Kurti's governing Vetevendosje, or Self-Determination, party failed to form a government despite winning the most votes in a Feb. 9 election.
The deadlock marked the first time Kosovo could not form a government since it declared independence from Serbia in 2008 following a 1998-99 war that ended in a NATO intervention.
The prime minister's party is again the favorite in the race, but it is unclear whether it will manage to muster a majority this time in the 120-member parliament, after other mainstream parties refused an alliance.
According to Kosovo’s election laws, 20 parliamentary seats are automatically assigned to ethnic Serb representatives and other minority parties.
Another inconclusive vote would further deepen the crisis. Kosovo has not approved a budget for next year, sparking fears of possible negative effects on the already poor economy in the country of 2 million people.
Lawmakers also are set to elect a new president in March as current President Vjosa Osmani’s mandate expires in early April. If this fails too, another snap election must be held.
The main opposition parties are the Democratic League of Kosovo and the Democratic Party of Kosovo. They have accused Kurti of authoritarianism and of alienating Kosovo’s U.S. and European Union allies since he came to power in 2021.
A former political prisoner during Serbia’s rule in Kosovo, the 50-year-old Kurti has taken a tough stand in talks mediated by the European Union on normalizing relations with Belgrade. In response, the EU and the United States imposed punitive measures.
Kurti has promised to buy military equipment to boost security.
No reliable pre-election polls have been published. Kurti's party at the previous election won around 42% of the votes while the two main rival parties had together around 40%.
Analysts say that even the slightest changes in numbers on Sunday could prove decisive for the future distribution of power but that nothing is certain.
Ilmi Deliu, a 71-year-old pensioner from the capital, Pristina, said he hoped the election will bring a change or “we will end up in an abyss.”
"Young people no longer want to live here,” he said.
Tensions with restive ethnic Serbs in the north exploded in clashes in 2023 when scores of NATO-led peacekeepers were injured. In a positive step, ethnic Serb mayors this month took power peacefully there after a municipal vote.
Kurti has also agreed to accept third-country migrants deported from the United States as part of tough anti-immigration measures by the administration of President Donald Trump. One migrant has arrived so far, authorities have told The Associated Press.
Kosovo has one of the poorest economies in Europe. It is one of the six Western Balkan countries striving to eventually join the EU, but both Kosovo and Serbia have been told they must first normalize relations.
Supporters of Belgrade-backed Srpska Lista prepare to go at a polling station and cast their ballots in an early parliamentary election in the northern Serb-dominated part of ethnically divided town of Mitrovica, Kosovo, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Bojan Slavkovic)
A voter arrives at a polling station in an early parliamentary election in the northern Serb-dominated part of ethnically divided town of Mitrovica, Kosovo, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Bojan Slavkovic)
A voter prepares her ballot at a polling station in an early parliamentary election in the northern Serb-dominated part of ethnically divided town of Mitrovica, Kosovo, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Bojan Slavkovic)
People walk past a giant banner of the leader of VV (Selfdetermination) political party Albin Kurti, in the capital Pristina on Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)
People waiting in the iluminated bus station with banners of LDK (Democratic League of Kosovo) leader Lumir Abdixhiku in capital Pristina on Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)
