After opting to relieve Frank Lampard of his managerial duties, Sean Dyche has taken over the reins at Goodison Park in a bid to keep the Blues in the Premier League.
The Toffee’s currently sit 19th with a game against league leaders Arsenal on Saturday (February 4).
The former Burnley boss has a reputation for grinding out results and pulling off miracles, something Everton are in desperate need of.
Alex James, Burnley FC writer for Lancs Live, has watched Dyche at close quarters and can provide solid insight to what Everton fans can expect from him.
James said: “He will certainly bring with him an identity and a culture that has been proven to be a success in this division.”
Dyche has a good record in the Premier League working with significantly less resources than other clubs have at their disposal. He led Burnley to their highest ever position in the top division with a seventh placed finish, whilst also keeping them up for six consecutive seasons. With a record 78 wins, 68 draws and 118 losses in 258 games, Dyche averages 1.10 points-per-game.
As well as his strong Premier League experience, the ex-Clarets coach has spent a few seasons in the Championship. Dyche was relegated with Burnley after their first season in the top division but responded by winning the 2015/16 Championship, granting them automatic promotion. His understanding of the second tier may be useful should the Blues ultimately go down.
James said: “Dyche’s pedigree suggests he can fashion a successful Championship side given his last two campaigns have resulted in promotions. He won’t be thinking about that though. His priority will be instilling a mentality and a culture that can help bring results.”
James pinpointed exactly what is demanded by Dyche: “Organisation and sweat on the shirt are two mantras that Dyche instils as a base level and he likes to then build on it.
“He always said he could implement different styles should circumstances be different and being at Everton would be his chance to show that. Coming in mid-season will be a challenge, but he has a couple of former Burnley players already in the building who will know what to expect.”
Dyche’s teams are notorious for being compact and difficult to beat. They are primarily set-up in a 4-4-2 formation with deep lying midfielders in order to protect the defence. Their attacking threats come through set-plays and long balls into the box – something Everton could take advantage of with the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Connor Coady and James Tarkowski all an aerial threat.
Burnley consistently punched above their weight for years due to his management and leadership. James said: “Dyche and Burnley often secured vital home wins over sides higher up the division, as well as beating those around them. It’s a blueprint that worked in the main at Turf Moor.”
In Sean Dyche Everton have a coach with experience in relegation battles and a successful Championship manager. He will bring structure and desire to the squad which could move them away from the bottom three and higher up the table.
