Football Daily | Dyche, Moyes and Everton looking to replace a fixer with a fixer

5 hours ago 2

STICKY TIMES

Sean Dyche strikes us as the kind of bloke who always has a bag packed, just in case. We can only hope the now-former Everton manager was logistically prepared for Thursday’s events as the club’s new owners, The Friedkin Group, finally made their presence felt by marching him unceremoniously through the door marked Do One at 4.32pm, the timing not ideal for football’s most teatimely email. It was also little more than three hours until kick-off in Everton’s next match, an FA Cup third-round tie at home to Peterborough. So, after just under two years in charge and two-and-a-half relegation escapes, achieved against a backdrop of near-total financial meltdown, that was it: so long and good luck? As their club statement may as well have said, TFG don’t recall saying good luck.

On Thursday night, fans were treated to the eerie sight of Dyche still appearing in the programme notes, calling for “positive momentum” as gruff ghostly whispers floated around Goodison. Everton won 2-0, under hastily assembled left-back-right-back caretaker duo Leighton Baines and Séamus Coleman, but speculation was already turning to Dyche’s replacement. José Mourinho, already bored of stirring up trouble in Turkey, has been publicly shilling for a Premier League job at “the bottom of the table” – and had delivered as both a coach and relentless agitator for TFG at Roma. For a brief, shining moment, Mourinho to Everton looked on, and we could look forward to around 18 months of this newsletter writing itself. Before the post-Dyche era had even kicked off, though, our hopes were dashed as it emerged that TFG wanted to bring David Moyes home, a trick they’ve employed at Roma this season by returning Claudio Ranieri to the hot seat, 13 years after his first stint.

It’s been close to 12 years since Moyes waved goodbye, in order to replace Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United. It’s a testament to Moyes’ later success – and United’s never-ending turmoil – that his hellish 10 months at Old Trafford have largely been forgotten. There is, perhaps, a sense of the time being right for Moyes – having finally shaken off his toxic on-off relationship with West Ham – to go back to where he was most successful. Moyes left Everton 4,261 days ago, having been in charge for 4,077 days. In that time, he led the team to nine top-eight Premier League finishes on a modest budget; a powerful CV for owners who categorically can’t afford relegation. And if Moyes does sign up for a mid-season return, it also feels like the least exciting gamble in football history.

Although there were signs that Dyche’s motivation had sunk to Costanzan levels in recent weeks, you would still have categorically backed him to ensure Everton came out on top in a survival battle with Wolves, Ipswich and Leicester. Instead, TFG are replacing a fixer with another fixer, albeit one with a deep emotional attachment to the club. There is inherent risk here: will Everton fans’ fond memories of Moyes prove more powerful than their desire to see some watchable football in Goodison Park’s final season? It’s hard to envisage either: a) Moyes being in charge when Everton open their new space-age stadium, like a Football Manager simulation gone rogue; or b) a true Toffees hero being shipped out in four months’ time once safety is secured, allowing Mourinho to slip on the club gilet. From where we’re sitting, the rewards on offer don’t appear to be worth the risks, for Everton or Moyes. Then again, wouldn’t we all turn the clock back to 2004 if we could?

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QUOTE OF THE DAY

“I’ve got to try and get something out of the game and do what is best for my team. One of their players had a pop at me, which was bang out of order. We are not a charity case” – Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson, one of football’s earliest nepo babies, argues why he left Tyler Young on the bench during their FA Cup defeat at Everton, for whom the teenager’s dad Ashley featured.

Who – whenever they see a high-profile manager has lost their job, any time from late-afternoon onwards – always has the first thought: ‘The Football Daily team will be cross about that’? Am I the only one?” – Alex Metcalfe.

Just read your latest edition. Yet again more stuff about Tottenham being ‘Spursy’. Even your praise of Spurs’ win against Liverpool had two negative points. I give you a challenge: I dare you to not mention Spurs for a whole month. There are 19 other Premier League clubs and 72 other Football League clubs: surely you can find amusing things to say about those for a month. Sure, there is lots to moan about Spurs – the corporate stuff, the price increases, the lack of trophies recently – but is this very different from most other Premier League clubs?” – Nigel Waterfield.

Re: the collapse of the documentary about Plymouth Argyle’s struggles under Wayne Rooney (yesterday’s Still Want More, full email edition). Wouldn’t it be great to have a fly-on-the-wall documentary about the trials and tribulations of a medium-sized television production company who’ve never quite made it to the top and are now in a bit of a sticky patch, as they commission shows but then have to cancel them as their entire premise falls flat on its face? Imagine the personalities! Imagine the scenarios! Do you have an email address for Netflix’s commissioning editors?” – James Blanchard.

Re: ‘doing a Leicester/Forest’ (yesterday’s Football Daily letters). Please forgive my pedantry when I point out that Leicester did actually ‘do a Leicester’. Leicester’s title-winning team did not contain the world’s best and most expensive keeper, nor was it managed by a title-winning manager. Nor did Leicester go on to break the world transfer fee not long after winning the league. I’d say Blackburn ‘doing a Forest’ would be more accurate. Both were big-spending disruptors managed by a previous title winner and already legendary national figures (Clough, Dalglish), with big-name, big-fee England internationals as signals of clout and ambition (Shilton, Shearer). Certainly neither side were widely tipped for relegation going into their title-winning seasons. Leicester were the first and will be the last to ‘do a Leicester’. If you want reminding, look at the Premier League table after 29 games this season. See who’s bottom and then imagine them as Premier League champions in 14 months. Or maybe this year, the team in 19th even!” – Danny Myers.

Send letters to [email protected]. Today’s winner of our prizeless letter o’ the day is … James Blanchard. Terms and conditions for our competitions – when we have them – can be viewed here.