DO OR DYCHE TIME!
New Toffees boss pledges to bring back some pride
SEAN DYCHE ended his first day as Everton manager by saying his task is to offer supporters something to believe in again.
The former Burnley manager was brutally honest as he conceded he has no right to simply walk in and be accepted by a disillusioned fanbase which has endured so much heartache in recent seasons.
Dyche becomes the eighth permanent manager in seven years at Goodison Park and inherits a side which has won just once in their last 12 Premier League games and are joint bottom.
The new boss will be given support to make the minimum of two signings he believes are vital to ensure the Blues’ 69-year continuous presence in the top flight continues – with Manchester United star Anthony Elanga the highest-profile target.
But the no-nonsense boss argued that giving the fans some reward for their passionate, unstinting support will be far more important in the serious scrap against relegation.
Cheer
“We need to give something back to the fans,”he said.“They are desperate for that, they are desperate to cheer the team again, they want to get behind [the players] but we have to give them something to grip hold of. That starts with sweat on the shirt.”
Dyche knows he needs more quality to lift a squad that was in serious relegation trouble last season, and soon descended back into the bottom three, after failing to win a league game since October.
He has identified the forward line as the area that needs strengthening and signing Danny Ings may scupper any chance of a move for the powerful frontman.
There have also been links with West Ham defender Ben
Johnson (right), but Dyche sees the forward line as a priority as hit the ground running on his first day at the training ground.
Elanga has had limited opportunities at Old Trafford under Erik ten Hag this season and a loan deal could suit both parties to give the youngster playing time in the Premier League on a loan until the end of the season.
The Blues have also been in discussions for young Ghana international forward Kamaldeen Sulemana, who is valued at €22m by his club Rennes, though they are rivalled by Southampton for his signature.
There have also been links with West Ham full-back Ben Johnson, but Dyche is keen to strengthen the forward line first.
Claims
Everton have also dismissed claims they bid €50m for Chelsea midfielder Connor Gallagher.
Dyche also made clear on the training ground he wants a different attitude from his players, and was immediately pictured putting them through their paces.
And he said: “I am under no illusions, I don’t come in and get a free start. I have to earn my right here as a manager. I have to show them what I am about, what I can deliver, and then actually have to deliver it.
“It means getting back to some of the basic principles of what Everton has stood for for a long time. We want to bring back a good feeling.
“So what I would say is we want to put out a team that works, that can fight and wear the badge with pride. The fans here want people who are going to work and run. So I have to put that in.” he gets down to business in starting his Goodison Park rebuild immediately.
Rules
While Everton raised €51m with the sale of Anthony Gordon to Newcastle, they still have issues in complying with the Premier
League’s profit and sustainability rules, so there will be limited funds available for transfers.
That makes loan deals more likely and the Blues have made it clear they have not submitted an offer for Chelsea’s Connor Gallagher, despite claims last night of a €50m bid.