DYCHE’S BOILING POINTS I’ve never had a job this tough
SEAN DYCHE has called for clubs caught up in the Premier League’s financial maelstrom to be handed any points deductions in the summer, not during the season.
The Everton manager, who has seen his club lose eight points already due to profit and sustainability irregularities, has been battered from pillar to post with the punishments.
Nottingham Forest have also lost points which, along with Everton’s plight, could affect the final relegation places. Dyche said: “I don’t imagine it’s easy for one minute but whatever is to happen to any club, if it’s possible, put any situations into a summer period and let teams know.
“Why not wait until the summer and it then goes into next season.
“You learn from your mistakes, you move forward and it gives you a chance of planning for the next phase.
“I speak on behalf of myself but I also meet so many fans, not just Evertonians, fans across the board, all saying, ‘Why have they done it now?’. Instead it’s been bang, hang on a minute, what’s happened there?
“There’s got to be a better format on the timelines.
“We know the Premier League isn’t a level playing field, for goodness sake.
“But everyone wants it as level and competitive as we can.”
Again, plans for tonight’s trip to Chelsea have been disrupted by the news of the latest twopoint deduction for Everton.
“I have had 54 press conferences and 53 haven’t been about football,” Dyche said.
“I wasn’t expecting to have as big a challenge as it’s been. When they talk to you about the job, nothing like this would be mentioned.
“The job comes in many forms and this is a reality. I don’t remember making any excuses in my career.
“I try not to do fault and blame – it’s not going to help. The challenge here is, ‘Gaffer, play your part in winning games’.
“I don’t think I’ve had it any tougher but you never know in the future. It would be a fair shift to imagine a tougher situation.”
Everton earned a draw at Stamford Bridge last season and, after halting a run of 13 winless league games against Burnley last weekend, Dyche believes the latest points setback will once again help galvanise his players.
“There always seems that grittiness – kick one of us and you kick us all,” he added.
“We’ve had a few kicks lately and it’s about time we went, ‘Let’s park everything else and let’s all play a part in protecting the badge, protecting what the club stands for’.”
CHELSEA (probable): Petrovic; Gusto, Silva, Badiashile, Chilwell; Caicedo, Gallagher; Madueke,
Palmer, Mudryk; Jackson.