LONG READ
RIDING THE WAVE
By Mike Taylor
In an interview that first appeared in the Official Matchday Programme for the visit of Aston Villa, JAMES GARNER reflects on writing his name into Everton’s history books, while also discussing the values of David Moyes, a “mentality shift” in camp and why he’s never felt more optimistic as a Blue…
The breeze off the River Mersey may have carried the roar of Hill Dickinson Stadium back to the very spot James Garner is referring to.
On a landmark day in Everton’s storied history — the first competitive game at the Club’s stunning new waterfront home — the Wirral-born midfielder (and, nowadays, deputy full-back) found himself transported back to a moment of raw joy like he experienced playing football over the water as a youngster.
“It was one of those,” he smiles, reflecting on a 25-yard thunderbolt in front of the iconic and almost-impossibly steep South Stand, which houses 14,800 Evertonians on a matchday. “I said at the time and it’s true, I don’t think people talk about how good a feeling scoring a goal is at any level of football, but then you put the context into it – 50-odd thousand people, it wasn’t just a tap-in but a screamer… it’s literally the stuff you do when you’re on the playground or playing on the streets with your mates as a kid.
“You’d create a situation like that and scream your name out as you hit it like a commentator. To live out a moment like that was surreal, really. It’s special. I want more of those now.”
That Premier League Goal of the Month award contender in the 2-0 home win over Brighton & Hove Albion – one Garner admits continues to pop up on his Instagram feed having watched it back “a few times” – helped kick-start the Toffees’ season after a frustrating opener at Elland Road. A professional win by the same scoreline over Mansfield Town in the Carabao Cup followed, before a brilliant 3-2 triumph over Wolves at Molineux prior to the international break.
The run has sparked a rising wave of hopeful optimism amongst Evertonians.
It is, perhaps, easy to forget Everton hovered just one point above the relegation zone when David Moyes began his second tenure as manager on 11 January this year. A superb second half of the season saw the Blues finish closer in points to the top four than the bottom three of the Premier League table come the end of the campaign.
And while so much has changed over the summer, the message internally has remained consistent.
“He said to us on day one that he’s not come here to take over a team that’s fighting against relegation – he said it again on day one of pre-season,” reveals Garner. “He sets high standards and we know where we want to be. We’ve got a few more faces in over the summer and with the quality we have in the squad now, we all agree with the manager – if you want to achieve big things, then you’ve got to set your standards and your goals high.
“I think you can see it in us. There is a mentality shift. We’re playing with more confidence, going into games thinking how we are going to take all three points, it’s not just surviving. We’ve done that in these first few games. Obviously, the first game [against Leeds] felt like a blip, I don’t think we played well, but we’ve responded and now the aim is to keep building momentum.
“We want to keep winning and keep that winning mentality – that was the message in the changing room amongst all of us after the Wolves game.”
Moyes’ influence is obvious – but what is it that makes him a successful fit for Everton?
“I think when you think of Everton, you think of him – I do,” explains Garner. “He knows how things work here, he knows exactly what he wants and what the supporters expect. He instils that in us every day in meetings and his training sessions.
“I think the values he represents also represent this city. You’ve got to be hard-working, you’ve got to show honesty and humility, then the quality comes out on top of that on the pitch. I just think those beliefs resonate with the fans and us as players, too.
“I’ve found him really approachable. I feel like I can always talk to him when I want to, whether it’s something positive or negative.
“He and the coaching staff tap into every angle that you need as a team. There’s real quality and real knowledge from everyone that’s helping us.”
Garner has made 88 appearances for Everton since arriving from Manchester United in the summer of 2022 and he reflects on his journey with admirable honesty, acknowledging struggles on both individual and Club-wide levels during that period.
Now the 24-year-old finds himself in arguably the most positive moment of his Blues career to date, as he enters the final year of his current contract with the Club.
“Yeah, right now, I'm really happy,” says Garner. “I'm playing regularly and we’re going in a positive direction as a team and as a Club.
“My first three years here have been pretty tough, overall. I’ve had a couple injuries which were tough to come through at the time. Then the wider situation at the Club for a lot of the time has been quite negative and it’s always hard to thrive in that environment, so I’m happy to be where I am now – everything is looking positive with the Club, the new stadium, the fans.
“I’m hoping this is the start of a much more positive year with us all looking forward. I’m hoping I can thrive in what is a much more positive situation. I feel like the first few games have shown that. I'm playing with a little bit more confidence, a little bit more freedom and I want it to carry that on for the rest of the season.
“Of course, there will be tough moments but I want to keep feeling that positivity and I know I’ll do everything I can to help contribute to that.”
Garner is one of three outfield players – alongside James Tarkowski and Michael Keane – to have played every minute of the Blues opening four games this term.
The first two of those outings, he was deployed as a left-back, in the absence of the injured Vitalii Mykolenko and summer signing Adam Aznou, and, despite never having experienced the position before performed excellently in the unfamiliar role.
“I think it was the day before the Leeds game, the manager just pulled me aside and told me about the injuries and he said he might have to use me at full-back,” he explains. “As I walked away, I thought, ‘does that mean left or right-back?’, but then we went through shape and I was on the left side so it became clear quickly!
“I’d never played there before, not even as a kid. The first game was intense – the first time I’ve ever played at Elland Road as well, but I knew what I was up against in Dan James and I think I handled him quite well. Then, again, against [Yankuba] Minteh with Brighton, I was up against one of the fastest wingers in the league, so not only getting the goal on the day but getting a clean sheet as a full-back was a great feeling and it’s good to know I can defend against these elite-level wingers.”
Garner’s early-season performances have been described as “fabulous” by Moyes, who put forward Everton’s No.37 as a name to be in the conversation for the England squad, with further international breaks scheduled for October and November.
“I think Jimmy’s form at the moment is up there with some of the best I’ve seen around the country, so let’s hope that’s recognised,” said Moyes after the 3-2 win over Wolves.
“I think Jimmy’s form at the moment is up there with some of the best I’ve seen around the country, so let’s hope that’s recognised"
Garner is no stranger to the international stage, having represented England throughout the youth levels and becoming a regular for the Under-21s with 18 appearances for the Young Lions between 2021 and 2023.
He was part of the squad that lifted the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in 2023 and was named in the tournament’s Team of the Tournament after a series of stellar performances in defence – further demonstrating his impressive versatility.
“It’s been a good start to the season but I’m focused on keeping it going for a full season,” he explains. “As I say, the past few seasons have been up and down for me. I want to stay fit, first and foremost, and I want to play as much as I can, have a good season for the Club and hopefully get recognised by England at some point, too.
“I want to get into that England team – that’s my long-term goal. I know it’s not going to happen overnight but I definitely feel like I’ve got the quality, so it’s just about keeping consistent and improving with every game. I’m hopeful it’ll come.”
"The values [Moyes] represents also represent this city. You’ve got to be hard-working, you’ve got to show honesty and humility, then the quality comes out on top of that on the pitch."
James Garner
For that to happen, Garner’s focus remains solely on performances for the Blues and summer additions have not only boosted the quality in the squad, but competition for places as well.
“It’s been great having the new lads in because as a midfielder, having that quality ahead of me so I can make those passes, so I can risk the ball a little bit more, is massive,” he insists. “Maybe in the past two years we've been a little bit safer and more direct at times, but now we’ve got the quality to be a bit more thought out.
“I feel like we risk the ball a little bit more in the right areas. We trust each other, trust in the ability of each other.
“We’ve brought in four or five players who are really good technically and that’s really important for the team and also for me as an individual because it lifts the level and it helps me if I want to be adding more assists to my game.
“They’ve been class. The dynamic they’ve brought to the group has been great. It’s given us a lift and it means there is a real competition for the places come the weekend.
“I like that. For me, when there's competition for places, I feel like I rise to the challenge. It's not just now, it's been the case since I was a kid. I was at one of the best academies in the world [Manchester United], where they were bringing in players from all parts of Europe, South America, you name it. Since I've been young, I've always been in competition, and that's part of football. There's always somebody out there who wants to take your place.
“The only thing you can do is step up. You’ve got to be your best every day and not just hope but make sure it’s enough to be selected.”
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