SOCCER NEWS ROUND-UPEVERTON HAVE confirmed contract talks with manager David Moyes will begin soon. Moyes, who celebrates six years at the Goodison Park helm next week, indicated after Sunday's 3-1 defeat of Portsmouth he expected discussions to take place in the near future.
The 44-year-old's current deal is due to expire at the end of next season and chairman Bill Kenwright is keen for him to agree an extension.
Kenwright insists there have been no problems in negotiations - other than they are yet to begin.
"The situation is exactly as David has indicated," said Kenwright. "He and I simply have not had time to sit down and finalise his contract, although we have both acknowledged to each other on several occasions that we must - and we will."
Moyes's side are enjoying an impressive season, sitting fourth in the Premier League and in the last 16 of the Uefa Cup. They also reached the semi-finals of the English League Cup earlier in the campaign. Beating Portsmouth kept Everton ahead of arch rivals Liverpool in the race for the fourth Champions League spot.
Moyes said: "We've not spoken about a new contract, although we are due to in the future.I get on well with my chairman and the board and I think we will talk at the end of the season."
Everton have defended Tim Cahill after his controversial goal celebration against Portsmouth.
The Australian midfielder crossed his wrists as though he had been handcuffed and later revealed he was dedicating the goal to his older brother Sean, who was jailed for six years in January for partially blinding a man.
An Everton spokesman defended Cahill saying: "Goal celebrations are a personal matter and up to the player to decide - no one dictates what the player can do as long as he stays within the laws of the game, as long as it doesn't result in a caution."
Meanwhile, Feyenoord coach Bert van Marwijk has agreed a two-year contract from July 1st to succeed Marco van Basten as coach of the Netherlands, according to the Dutch federation.
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) voted to defy the government at their general assembly yesterday, by rejecting demands for a presidential election to be held before the end of March. Fifa have threatened to bar Spain from Euro 2008 - which would pave the way for Northern Ireland to qualify if the government interferes in the RFEF's election process.
