TOFFEES BOSS STILL WARY OF THE ‘EVER-MOVING GOALPOSTS’
EVERTON manager Sean Dyche admits he is having to remain flexible in terms of his planning for next season while the club’s ongoing takeover saga drags on.
Current owner Farhad Moshiri has had an agreement in place to sell the club since September but there are increasing signs the deal may be close to collapse as US investment firm 777 Partners has hit a series of problems over unpaid debts with some of its other concerns.
It is understood Moshiri has held faceto-face talks with 777 this week as he considers whether to pull the plug, while a report by Bloomberg suggests MSP Capital, another American investment group, is weighing up whether to re-enter the bidding having been overlooked before.
The uncertainty is not helping Dyche to get back to, in his words, ‘a level playing field’, as he is stopped from ‘cracking on’ with plans for next season.
He said ahead of tomorrow’s home game with Sheffield United, he said: ‘Ever since I got here I’ve been trying to manage the situation with the goalposts moving significantly at any given time, so I don’t think I’m in new waters for that side of things.
‘And that is the challenge at the moment, it is the current shifting sands of this club.
‘I’ve said many times you want to put a base into the club to build from but it’s not quite there yet so we are all open-minded on the recruitment and player contract side, the staff, on what comes next.’
■ NOTTINGHAM Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo insisted he had ‘already moved on' after the club's failed appeal against their points deduction.
Forest were docked four points in March for breaching the Premier League's financial rules and an appeal board upheld an independent commission's decision on Tuesday.
Nuno's side sit three points above the drop zone with two games left and will bid to secure their safety at the City Ground tomorrow against Chelsea.
When asked for his reaction, Nuno said: ‘Disappointed. There's no point in continuing to speak on this issue. We have already moved on.'