AFTER months of keeping his cards close to his chest, David Moyes has given Everton supporters a brief but revealing glance at his hand.

Few would fancy their chances at poker with the taciturn Blues boss, but with each passing week bringing the lack of clarity on his future into sharper focus, Moyes finally decided to shed some light on his contract scenario yesterday.

Ultimately though - short of announcing his final decision - whatever he said was going to raise more questions than answers.

The admission that he will not make-up his mind until the summer when his contract is due to expire, will have done little to ease the growing concerns of Evertonians.

But ultimately some of the qualities they have lauded in their manager for so long; shrewdness, pragmatism, and a meticulous approach to decision-making, are the ones which could break their hearts.

Moyes was never going to be pressurised into a decision before he was ready. And in order to feel ready he wants to give himself the chance to assess his future in the cold light of post-season.

For Moyes that will include the factors he revealed yesterday - whether he has guided the club back into Europe, or if he finds himself riding high on a wave of trophy-winning euphoria.

Crucially he will also seek certainty from the board on the funds at his disposal to take Everton onto the next phase of his rebuilding programme. He will demand assurances he can finally begin to compete off the pitch with the top clubs he has equalled on it for so long.

But it would be naive to pretend the ambitious 49-year-old does not also want to see what is on offer elsewhere. Ten years is a long time in any job; exceptionally so in football management. Some believe he may simply be ready for a change of scenery. A fresh challenge.

Moyes will leave little personal room for error when deciding on his next step, but he may have been mistaken in one thing.

If he felt his explanation would completely end unsettling speculation until May, he is set to be disappointed. This situation has a momentum of its own.

His remarks simply add further intrigue to what was always going to be a hugely pivotal season in the history of the club he joined almost 11 years ago.