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Dyche can’t splash cash at Everton

By Joe Bernstein

NEW Everton manager Sean Dyche won’t be able to spend his way out of trouble in the final few days of the transfer window despite the club sitting in the relegation zone.

Dyche visited the club’s training ground for the first time yesterday with an official announcement to confirm his appointment on a two-and-ahalf-year contract expected at any time.

But the former Burnley boss will have to rely largely on the current squad even though Anthony Gordon is being sold to Newcastle for £45million.

Everton are looking for a centre-forward and wide player before Tuesday’s transfer deadline.

But owner Farhad Moshiri’s preference is to explore the loan market with the Goodison club in financial strife having recorded losses of more than £400m in the last four years and looking for investors to back the new £760m stadium at Bramley Moore Dock.

IT is more than a decade since Sean Dyche last breezed into a new dressing room. Judging by how he revolutionised Burnley’s fortunes, the Everton squad can expect clear, direct messaging — with the occasional surprise thrown in.

Burnley were 14th in the Championship when Dyche arrived to replace Eddie Howe in 2012.

Defender Michael Duff recalls the force of personality from day one. ‘He held a meeting that was very much “This is who I am”. And he also wanted to know how the players felt about themselves,’ he reveals.

‘We were given a piece of paper to write down our thoughts. It was different to what we’d been used to. He told us to express what we wanted — if all that came back was a doodle, he wouldn’t take offence.

‘He was a master psychologist. We had talented players but were too open. He made us reach that conclusion ourselves. He wanted to root out any energy-sappers in the group.’

Despite their lower status, Dyche inherited better attacking weapons at Burnley than he will at Everton.

Danny Ings and Charlie Austin were the strikers, Kieran Trippier delivered set-pieces and Ben Mee could get on the end of them.

In contrast, Everton’s top league scorers this season are Demarai

Gray and Newcastle-bound Anthony Gordon with three each. They received £45million for Anthony Gordon from Newcastle, but Dyche is likely to be able to spend only a fraction of it, with the club’s losses totalling £400m over the past four years and additional investors being sought to complete the £760m build of a new stadium.

Everton will first actively look at the loan market while Dyche, who visited Everton’s Finch Farm training complex for the first time yesterday ahead of his anticipated appointment, must inspire improved performances from the squad he inherits.

Another former Burnley player, Ross Wallace, says the players can expect instructions delivered with perfect clarity, which is needed at Goodison after a merry-go-round of managers.

‘Our instructions were clear and simple from the first game against Wolves which we won 2-0,’ says Wallace.

‘Defenders were told their first job was to defend, as a winger I was instructed to deliver a lot of crosses.

‘The manager knew his stats and the spaces on the pitch that would lead to goals. I had to put the ball into those areas for our forwards.

‘He reminded me of Martin O’Neill, who had given me a debut as a young player at Celtic. His messages were uncomplicated and focused the mind.’

Dyche kept Burnley up and then won promotion to the Premier League in his first full season. They ended up playing in Europe.

Wallace calls it a ‘good fit’ between him and Everton. Duff, himself a manager now at League One Barnsley, thinks it’s his biggest challenge yet.

‘When you look at the managers who have gone to Goodison and it hasn’t worked, guys who went on to Barcelona and Real Madrid, you think that there must be something else happening at the club,’ he says.

‘Sean deserves this chance. He rebuilt Burnley, the finances, the training ground and they’re still reaping the benefits under Vincent Kompany now.’

Three of Everton’s players Dwight McNeil, James Tarkowski and Michael Keane worked with Dyche at Burnley.

Wallace is interested in what formation he chooses for the relegation battle ahead, starting against leaders Arsenal next weekend.

‘He was known for going 4-4-2 at Burnley but it’s a myth that it’s the only system he knows,’ said Wallace. ‘I played against his Watford team before he joined us and they were a very well-structured 4-3-3.

‘Eddie Howe was on the training pitch, hands-on. Sean was different, his coaching staff took the sessions and he had an overview.

‘His biggest strength was manmanagement. He was very lively, bubbly. He would speak to players one-on-one. You weren’t left in any doubt about what was expected. Any player who doesn’t do what they’re asked won’t be in the team.’

The Ginger Mourinho will no doubt address the Merseyside media for the first time next week. It will be interesting to see if it mirrors his first public statement at Turf Moor 11 years ago. ‘I can’t promise great football but I can promise sweat on the shirt,’ he said.

If that guarantees Everton are in the Premier League next season, the fans will take it.

Fa Cup

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2023-01-29T08:00:00.0000000Z

2023-01-29T08:00:00.0000000Z

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