Sport

Sean Dyche could be more than just a quick fix for Everton team in need of an identity

Everton’s vision was a grand one. Emboldened by the billions of owner Farhad Moshiri, they wanted to add a layer of gloss to the club and hired Carlo Ancelotti (and signed the likes of James Rodriguez) to help them achieve this. This, however, always felt like an awkward fit for a club long billed as The Peoples’ Club.

Now, they have Sean Dyche in charge and there’s a sense the 51-year-old aligns better with the values of his new employers. “Our aim is to put out a team that works, that fights and wears the badge with pride,” he said. “The connection with the fans can then grow very quickly because they’re so passionate. There is quality in this squad. But we have to make them shine. That’s the job of me and my staff.”

While some club’s fans demand modern, expansive football, Everton supporters simply want to see a team that works hard for them, and Dyche already seems to understand that. He might have a better grasp on the identity of the Merseyside club than any of the managers that came before him since David Moyes.

What’s more, the squad Dyche has inherited from Frank Lampard could be a good fit for his playing style and managerial approach. At Burnley, Dyche liked to use the wide areas to get forward and provide service to an attacking focal point. The midfield was pushed up to win second balls and suffocate opponents.

By accident, Everton have built a team capable of playing in this manner. They have two dangerous wingers (Demarai Gray and Dwight McNeil) who can get forward and whip crosses into the box for one of the most dangerous headers of the ball in the Premier League (Dominic Calvert-Lewin).

Then there’s the midfield which has energy and drive through Idrissa Gana Gueye, Alex Iwobi and Andre Onana. Everton might be lacking in the way of creativity in the centre of the pitch, but Dyche wasn’t too reliant on that during his time as Everton manager. There is enough for him to work with in this respect.

Dyche has already worked with McNeil and James Tarkowski at his last club with the latter good enough to become a leader for Everton in defence alongside Conor Coady. Jordan Pickford is also England’s first-choice goalkeeper while Vitalii Mykolenko and Nathan Patterson have potential. Everton’s squad isn’t as weak as it has looked for much of this season.

There’s no guarantee that Dyche’s appointment will guide Everton away from trouble at the foot of the Premier League table not least because many of the teams around the Toffees are improving. However, if Dyche can turn around the Toffees’ fortunes he could be more than just an emergency solution for his new club.

Burnley overachieved for a number of seasons with Dyche at the helm and that should offer Everton with a template to follow. The Goodison Park club has struggled to settle on a coherent strategy in the transfer market since Moshiri’s takeover seven years ago, but Dyche now gives them someone to build around.

It’s true that Everton’s financial issues are currently hindering them with the £750m construction of the club’s new stadium at Bramley-Moor Dock a particular drain on resources. This is another area where Dyche could be a smart appointment with the 51-year-old renowned for his ability to get the best out of talent.

Moshiri might have wanted to change the identity of Everton, but he is now learning that leaning into the club’s historical identity may be the best route forward. Dyche doesn’t fit the image most associate with ‘project managers,’ yet his appointment could mark the start of a new era for the Toffees.