CONFIRMED: Everton appoint Sean Dyche as next manager

Everton today announced that Sean Dyche has taken over as the next manager of the football club. He is the fifth manager to take the reins in five years as the Blues have lurched from one crisis to another, though arguably the current situation is the worst one yet that the Toffees have found themselves in.

Stuck in 19th-place (on goal difference, it must be said) with 18 games left to play in the season, Dyche will have his work cut out to try and save this once-great club from relegation for the first time since the ‘50s. Reports indicate that his contract is for 30 months and will go through to the end of the 2024-25 season, when the Blues should already have moved to their new home at Bramley Moore dock.

The 51-year-old has been out of work since being sacked by Burnley in April 2022, months away from completing ten whole years at the Turf Moor. The Clarets were 18th in the league at the time, four points from safety, and ended up going down finishing the campaign in 18th, three points behind Leeds United and four off the Toffees.

He will be joined on the Everton bench by boyhood Toffee Ian Woan, who was born on the Wirral. and was his assistant manager from his Burnley tenure. Also said to be joining the Blues coaching staff is Steve Stone, who has nine England caps and was Dyche’s teammate at Nottingham Forest during their playing days. Stone was also the Under-23s coach at Turf Moor while Dyche was in charge.

Announcing the appointment, club chairman Bill Kenwright said -

“Kevin and I spent some valuable time with Sean over the past few days and he quickly convinced me that he has exactly the right attributes to make himself a great Everton manager – and a man who could inspire our fanbase. And Farhad felt the same when he met him, too.”

Stylistically, Dyche showed a preference for a 4-4-2 with two midfield pivots. While that might have been a result of the personnel he had on hand at Turf Moor, it’s also a formation that could work for the Blues with the squad he has at Finch Farm too. More to come this week as we will analyze the impact he can have on the Toffees’ Premier League survival prospects.

In his first comments, Dyche added -

“It’s an honour to become Everton manager. My staff and I are ready and eager to help get this great club back on track.

“I know about Everton’s passionate fanbase and how precious this club is to them. We’re ready to work and ready to give them what they want. That starts with sweat on the shirt, effort and getting back to some of the basic principles of what Everton Football Club has stood for for a long time.”

With just over 24 hours to go to the closing of the January transfer window, the first order of business looks to be getting in a couple of signings.