Former Everton boss Sean Dyche is being backed for a return to football, nine months after leaving the Toffees.
The Friedkin Group completed their Everton takeover in December of last year, and it was no surprise to see swift changes.
Sean Dyche was axed as Everton boss early in January, just about three weeks after the Friedkin takeover.
David Moyes arrived for a second spell as Everton manager, but Dyche has remained out of the game up to this point.
Everton manager Sean Dyche looks on.
Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty Images
Former Everton boss Sean Dyche backed for Rangers
Dyche has been seen in the media since his Everton exit, but a new managerial job has proven elusive.
The 54-year-old spent just shy of two years in charge of Everton and left with a record of 26 wins, 26 draws and 32 defeats in 84 Everton games.
Dyche is waiting for his next opportunity, and it may well come with a familiar face.
Rangers sacked boss Russell Martin on Sunday night after a brief yet torrid period in charge at Ibrox.
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Sporting director Kevin Thelwell worked with Dyche at Everton, and an Ibrox reunion has now been branded the ‘obvious’ solution after Martin’s exit.
Former Rangers striker Kris Boyd has told Sky Sports that Dyche could be the man to build Rangers up after a terrible start to the season.
Boyd believes that Rangers need a ‘strong character’ in the dugout, and if Dyche’s relationship with Thelwell is still strong from their time at Everton, then he could be the man ahead of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard.
“Steven Gerrard’s a name that’s never gone away,” said Boyd.
“Frank Lampard’s name was another one that was mentioned. I know he’s doing some wonderful things at Coventry City, but is that out of the equation now?
“The obvious one for me would be Sean Dyche. Kevin Thelwell worked with him in the past, and he seems to have a lot of say in the players that are coming in.
“So if that relationship with Dyche is still there, he would be someone that I would maybe look to because he’s shown that he can build football clubs up.
“Rangers need a strong character that’s going to build it not only on the pitch, but off the pitch at the training centre. It just seems to be so broken, disjointed, and they’re going to have to find a way to fix it,” he added.
Thelwell has made a habit of bringing former Everton men to Ibrox.
Rangers signed Everton striker Youssef Chermiti over the summer, just two years after Thelwell brought him to Merseyside.
Behind the scenes, Thelwell brought in Dan Purdy as technical director, while Rangers are set to snatch scout Nathan Fisher from Everton.
Speaking to BBC Sport in 2024, Thelwell admitted that he worked very closely with Dyche at Everton in an attempt to turn the club around.
Thelwell claimed to be leaving ‘no stone unturned’ alongside Dyche, working around the clock to try and change Everton’s fortunes.
“Sean is obviously working under very difficult circumstances,” said Thelwell. “We have still got an ownership issue to resolve, financial issues to resolve so that makes it very difficult for a manager to make that next step. And also very difficult for the fanbase because they have been ever-so patient, and they all know what Everton should be, can be and hopefully will be in the future. It is difficult to come every week and not see the Everton they want to see.
“Sean and I work very closely with each other. We are talking regularly in the mornings, afternoons and evenings, about what we can do and how we can use the resources we have to turn things round. I can assure everyone that there is no stone unturned in trying to rectify our current situation,” he added.
That would suggest a strong working relationship, and after Martin found life at Ibrox incredibly difficult, Thelwell could call in a trusted option in Dyche.