According to Neville Southall, Everton must exhibit “patience” with Sean Dyche or it will “cost” the club numerous additional managers and players if a change is made now.
The Toffees legend told the Liverpool Echo (22 September) that the manager is attempting to replace the group with players who have a “different mentality” and do not have the same “baggage” as some of those now at Goodison Park, but that it would not be a “quick fix.”
Dyche’s job has been called into question after one point from a possible 15 to begin the season, but with the risk of a new boss continuing the hiring and firing cycle, Southall is adamant that the ex-Burnley manager should be allowed to stay, despite complaints about the style of football.
“You can see what Sean Dyche wants to do, and I have no problem with that,” Big Nev remarked. He’s getting things done, but it’s important to understand that there will never be a quick fix.
“If we don’t show patience now, it could cost us another three managers and 18 players that no one else wants when the fourth manager comes in.” We’ve had some bad luck, but I believe we’ll finish in the middle of the league.
“OK, it’s not particularly attractive at the moment, but it’s like people running up a hill with large logs on their backs.” You lose all passion for it every day when you have to run up that slope with logs.
“It gets easier once you start bringing people in who can help you carry that log up the hill.” Dyche is attempting to bring in people with a different mindset in order to break the old mindset.
“Then we can change things from, ‘oh, we’ve let a goal in, we might as well pack up and go home,’ to, ‘okay, we’ve let a goal in, but let’s still go and win the game,'” says the coach.
Southall admits to financial difficulties, adding, “It’s tough when the money situation is up in the air.” Dyche, on the other hand, must concentrate on what he can control.”
“People say that’s just an excuse to play s*** football,” he continued. Everyone is aware of when things go against them and it’s incredibly difficult to fight your way back.” “These players, when they fall a goal down, while they don’t give up, it’s a lot for them mentally.” There have been two consecutive relegation battles with all the emotional and physical hardship on them, but then you expect them to be world-beaters in the third season – it’s not going to happen.”
Valid Southall is absolutely correct that Everton’s constant turnover of managers has done nothing to improve stability, and another change would risk even greater upheaval.
Even Dyche would struggle to argue that he is now delivering enough to be immune to inquiries regarding his employment.
He clearly has the ability to debate.
But, given that he is the third manager in the last two years at Goodison Park, and the challenges have remained regardless, it is evident that the issues go beyond him.
When Rafael Benitez’s team appeared to be heading only one way, Frank Lampard kept the club afloat, and Dyche did the same a year later, but the league table is already looking troubling this season.
At this point, it’s impossible to imagine any coach with greater credentials agreeing to take the position, and with the takeover going on in the background, it’s unclear whether a change in the dugout is even conceivable right now.
So Dyche appears likely to be given the opportunity to turn things around following a difficult start to the season, and he will need to do so swiftly.
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