- Everton have won just one of their past 11 games across all competitions
- Sean Dyche’s position as manager has come under scrutiny amid their poor form
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Sean Dyche has said he doesn’t blame Everton‘s new owners if they are talking to other managers as part of a ‘succession plan’.
New Blues supremo Dan Friedkin is understood to be considering Dyche’s future after Saturday’s defeat at Bournemouth extended Everton’s winless run to five matches and left them only a point above the relegation zone.
With Graham Potter heading the bookmakers list of potential replacements, Dyche was surprisingly sanguine about his situation on Tuesday night.
‘If you own a business of this size, succession planning should surely be part of the diligence,’ said the under-fire manager. ‘I’ve got no problem with that at all. It should be ongoing at every club – what we’d regard as normal business life outside of football.
‘With this amount of money and turnover, that is an absolutely valid thing to be doing. Nothing makes me feel weird about that at all.
‘We’ve got to win games. We haven’t won enough this season and it comes down to me, without any shadow of a doubt.’
Sean Dyche said he doesn’t blame Everton’s new owners if they are talking to other managers
Dyche has come under pressure after his side have won just one of their past 11 games
New owners The Friedkin Group (pictured – Dan Friedkin (left) and Ryan Friedkin (right)) are understood to be considering Dyche’s future after Saturday’s defeat at Bournemouth
Dyche said he had been given no indication from The Friedkin Group they had spoken to other candidates but added: ‘If they have, it’s succession planning. People sometimes forget it’s a business as well.
‘If it was my business, I’d be operating like that. I’d be looking and going, what’s the next thing if certain things happen?
‘We certainly have to do it from a player trading point of view. So why would it be any different with managers and staff members?’
Dyche, who arrived at Goodison Park two years ago this month, was praised last season for helping Everton beat the drop despite being deducted eight points for club breaches of profit and sustainability rules.
The Friedkin Group’s buy-out of Farhad Moshiri last month raised optimism with Everton heading to a new stadium for next season but Dyche appreciates it’s his responsibility to maintain their Premier League status and has held open discussions with the owners.
‘They know some of the work that we’ve done. They want better outcomes from winning games, of course. They’ve been very straight with me and very upfront about it,’ he said.
‘I think we need to win more games. I know the industry that I’m in. Ten years in the Premier League teaches that.’
Dyche had only 16 first-team players training ahead of an FA Cup third round tie against Peterborough on Thursday with striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin added to a long injury list with a bad ankle.
Dyche went onto insist that if TFG were ‘succession planning’, then that is a natural thing to do
Dominic Calvert-Lewin is set to miss Everton’s clash with Peterborough due to an ankle issue
Everton will be favourites to see off League One Posh but can expect a fans’ backlash if they lose again after boos greeted the final whistle of their last home game against Nottingham Forest.
‘I’ve never questioned the fans here and I certainly won’t be doing.’ added Dyche.
‘If they choose to back me and the team, that would be obviously helpful. If they choose not to, they have freedom to make their choices.
‘There’s a huge demand on me, it’s a constant and that is part of every life. So far, I’ve handled it pretty bloody well I think.’
