Imagine the conversation. You’re in the pub with someone you don’t see very often.

He’s always going on about his football team. It’s a long time since they’ve won anything. They’ve been through six managers in six years, apparently all of them have promised front-foot football and ended up playing slow, turgid stuff while slowly dropping down the table. There’s no passion in the team and suspicion that there’s a lack of will to turn things around, as the ‘average’ players keep seeing off managers.

He tells you that all the fans want is tough, energetic football with a bit of skill on top. They’ve spent lots of money on players who don’t fight or deliver, with contracts that make them hard to sell. Now they’re in a relegation scrap with a very limited budget.

You calmly suggest Sean Dyche as manager. He’s known for getting the best out of ‘average’ players, instils a good work ethic in his teams, kept a financially weak club in the Premier League for years. Even when they were relegated, he stood by them and got them back up. And he buys cheap and often sells at a profit.

“What about him?”

“No, he’s a dinosaur.”

“What do you mean?”

“He is. He just is. His teams play awful football.”

“But you’ve been telling me you’ve been watching rubbish football for years. And he’ll give you the work ethic you say you want.”

“He’s like Allardyce.”

“How? Is he corrupt, arrogant and dishonest? Would he spend £50M on Walcott and Tosun?”

“He just is.”

“Isn’t he the manager most likely to keep you up?”

“Yeah, but. No, but… Well, maybe. But I just don’t like him…”

Dyche is the obvious choice. He’s got a strong record at the end of the league we’re at. He’ll demand the level of energy I like, the energy I keep getting told we like. And I suspect he’ll do the one thing no manager has done under Farhad Moshiri, which is get the best out of these players.

There are two points separating the bottom seven sides in the Premier League. We desperately need someone to do the simple thing of organising the players, drilling them, motivating them – be that a bollocking or quiet word. Someone who sees the job as a step up, rather than a last payday from the gullible owner.

Someone whose ‘terrible’ football got him wins at Anfield, Old Trafford and The Emirates. Someone who other teams don’t like playing against. And he’s unexposed with a higher budget and bigger club.

I’ve experienced snobbery in my life, from people who think they’re ‘better’ than me and people who didn’t like the idea of me being ‘better’. I didn’t like it, don’t like it and I’ve overcome it.

I think, and hope, Dyche will do the same with us. Open your minds and let him.

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Reader Comments (20)

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Barry Hesketh
1 Posted 30/01/2023 at 16:09:13
Football snobbery has been rife around the confines of Goodison for many a year, however, the most important thing right now, is for Dyche to convince a squad, who individually believe they are better than they are, to produce, where it really matters out on the pitch.

I don't care if they are the fastest sprinters, or score wonderful goals in training, if they can't do it in front of the fans, they are of no use to us.

Dyche is supposed to use a lot of psychology in his methods, he'll have to work overtime with some of our squad. We have seen glimpses of togetherness, in both those matches in Manchester, that needs to be replicated in every match twixt now and the end of the season, if Dyche can get them to do that, we'll be in with a fighting chance.

Mike Gaynes
2 Posted 30/01/2023 at 17:14:07
Well stated, my friend, and I thoroughly agree. Dyche is absolutely the right man for this job at this moment. As someone who likes racing might put it, "Horses for Courses".

I'm convinced Dyche will keep us up. Nothing else matters.

Sean Roe
3 Posted 30/01/2023 at 17:19:35
Brilliant, Paul,

I'm far more positive now than I was at any point under Lampard.

Paul Tran
4 Posted 30/01/2023 at 17:27:50
Yes Barry, plenty of references to this on various YouTube interviews, particularly in his interview on The High Performance Podcast, which was very illuminating.

Doesn't make him unique, but quells the lazy myth that he just bollocks players and is a 'hoofball' merchant.

Jerome Shields
5 Posted 30/01/2023 at 17:30:41
"Former Burnley midfielder Ross Wallace insists it's a 'myth' Sean Dyche can only use the 4-4-2 system he utilised so well at Turf Moor. Wallace, who spent five years with the Clarets, highlighted how he played against Dyche's Watford side that played with a 'well-structured 4-3-3' system."

Frank had no set formation, his formation was dictated by the opposition. The back five was the result of the wingbacks getting pushed back. Everton should benefit from a formation.

Three Everton players have played for Dyche before: Keane, Tarkowski and McNeil. They should all benefit from this. Coady is on loan, so Keane could provide competition to the comfortable sit deep Coady.

Tarkowski did not seem to know where he was often when he was playing. Dyche should enlighten him. The stats showed that Burnley played the ball forward, trying to not pass side ways, but they did give up possession to do so (from another poster's research).

McNeil, a lightweight player, needs the momentum of a early ball to gain advantage. I also think that Onano will benefit from this. Let's face it, sideways passing is Everton's Achilles Heel, slowing down play and inviting pressure and the Everton trademark error.

Going forward, Maupay should benefit from Dyche forward momentum at every opportunity. I expect Calvert Lewin will come under pressure from Simms. Calvert Lewin has failed to deliver and technically falls short, even when coached.Simms is more likely to listen properly.

Ross Wallace also said that if a players doesn't do what he has been told to do he will not be in the team.

Paul you have always had a open view, so I am not surprised that you had such a discussion.I agee with you.

Darren Hind
6 Posted 30/01/2023 at 17:33:55
Fighting talk PT. Like it.

Met him a couple of times - only as part of a group. I don't know him, but as a Northamptonshire boy. He'll have no Delusions of Grandeur.

I was particularly interested in what Tony A had to say about him. Tony knew/knows him well. He's giving him the thumbs up and you are clearly rubber stamping him.

I usually have a strong opinion on a managerial appointment, but this is different. This guy has one mission. If he can pull this out the fire. He earns the right to different mission.

I hope Tony's judgment of players and character and you skills at backing winners come into play here...Because you've both been shite so far when it comes to managers.

Be right boys.... Please be right

Paul Tran
7 Posted 30/01/2023 at 19:00:47
Darren, if it's any help I had a nice bet at 10/1 on Bielsa getting the sack at the start of last season. I had a feeling he'd end up tiring/breaking the players. They replaced him and stayed up.

I've always liked Dyche on lots of levels and thought he'd be a good fit for us.

I'd love to hear what Keane, Tarkowski and McNeill are thinking.

Paul Tran
8 Posted 30/01/2023 at 19:22:40
Jerome, go back to the Utd cup game. Tarkowski was arguing with Lampard on the touchline. That's what made me wonder whether Lampard had lost them.

The whole team will benefit from a proper structure.

Tony Abrahams
9 Posted 30/01/2023 at 19:34:32
It’s not the managers Darren, it’s been the director’s of football, that have been shite, (said in my best Benidorm - The Oracle voice!)

Paul Tran
10 Posted 30/01/2023 at 19:43:50
Definitely agree with you on Brands, Tony. Don't think he knew the difference between a talented player and an effective one. I can't work out whether Walsh was crap or undermined. And my jury's out on Thelwell. And Dembele would be worth a pop at £3m.
Paul Tran
11 Posted 30/01/2023 at 19:47:34
Hey Mike #2, I did sneak a racing term in there.
Paul Tran
12 Posted 30/01/2023 at 19:54:06
This is the link to the High Performance Podcast with Dyche. Hope it works!

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jakehumphreyofficial_mindset-highperformance-activity-7025897437798006784-FobE?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android

Jerome Shields
13 Posted 30/01/2023 at 20:10:14
Tarkowski was not happy playing under Frank. You could even see that during games. Like someone that was hating what he was being put through and I don't McNeil was either.

It is concerning when you bring in players that feel like that. As for the old hand squad, they would get lost at the drop of a hat.

As with Thelwell, I have my doubts.

Derek Thomas
14 Posted 30/01/2023 at 21:01:55
Dyche is 'The New Boss' will he do something, anything? Or will he be just like 'The Old Boss'...cue in the end of that Who record and wind up the volume...you know how it ends..."We won't get fooled again !"
Hopefully not this time.
Stu Darlington
15 Posted 30/01/2023 at 23:21:01
Yes,but where are the goals going to come from?
With the sale of Gordon,we're weaker now than when Lampard was sacked.24 hours left,no signings.
Bunch of tossers!
Bill Gienapp
16 Posted 31/01/2023 at 00:27:56
Well-articulated Paul. You can't claim you want a hard-working team that'll fight for the shirt and then turn your nose up at this appointment - you just can't. Sure there are questions about Dyche's managerial ceiling and how far he can take us, but those are questions that are so far off the table right now, they're not even worth discussing. He's a sensible appointment for the situation we find ourselves in at the moment - period.
Andrew James
17 Posted 31/01/2023 at 00:31:33
Personally I like Dyche. I think it takes a lot of spirit and talent to get promoted then relegated then promoted back again like he did 2014-2016. That must have been a really good learning curve for him.

He also has a nice way about him. He has often spoken about not getting too up or too down.

If we go down then fine but Dyche is the man to bring us back up. If we don't, then Dyche is the man to bring stability to this club and stop the horrible cycle of changing coaches every 18 months!

Pete Clarke
18 Posted 31/01/2023 at 01:17:06
We don’t know how things are going to be with Dyche but we can only hope in the short term he gets the new managerial bounce and some of his work ethic into some of the shit players we have.
Long term is another issue because not only will Dyche be battling with a squad that’s full of half hearted players but he will have the weight of club on him due to the parasitic board messing everything up.
I think we will all love him if we survive but if we carry on the way we were playing and go down then the mood will change and I don’t think many will be wanting him to be bringing us back up.
Good luck Sean Dyche

F—k Off Parasite Board
John Crawley
19 Posted 31/01/2023 at 21:15:10
Wish I shared people's optimism about Dyche! His Burnley team always struggled to score goals, they should have been relegated the season before they went down and the season they finished 7th, they should have finished 14th.
Joe Hurst
20 Posted 18/02/2023 at 10:09:54
My wife made an interesting comment about Dyche;

Picture the scene: Sean Dyche meets Ted the dog from “Gone Fishing”.
Imagine the deep growls of conversation, (Ted is voiced by Paul Whitehouse in the program).
Would be hilarious, as it would descend into a baritone growl of discussion, as Dyche has always amusingly barked in television appearances.

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