Everton really turned a corner when Sean Dyche left the club in January.
The Toffees were hurtling towards the relegation zone under the previous manager, with the scoring of goals a major issue.
While Everton were good defensively, it just wasn’t sustainable.
Dyche ended up telling The Friedkin Group he’d taken Everton as far as he could, giving the owners little choice but to facilitate his exit.
David Moyes was named his successor days later – and the appointment has certainly been a fruitful one.
Everton are now 17 points clear of the relegation zone, and in all honesty things could not have gone much better under the Scot.
And he’s not really changed an awful lot, and has been largely working with the same players Sean Dyche was.
It doesn’t really reflect too well on Dyche, but the previous incumbent has been left baffled by one suggestion about him amid Moyes’ success.
MORE EVERTON STORIES
Sean Dyche hails his Everton successor David Moyes as he reveals what he directly told him
Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images
Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images
Dyche praised Moyes last week for the job he’s done at Everton.
And on Sunday, he appeared on talkSPORT again – this time hosting – and spoke about his time at Goodison Park.
Dyche suggested the Everton players struggled with the weight of the club, before going on to discuss his successor.
Revealing what he has directly told Moyes, he said: “I think he’s a fantastic manager and a good bloke as well.
“Spoke to him as well by the way, very open about that. Told him they’re in good shape. Told him there’s a lot of good there.
“I’m delighted for him, I’m delighted they’re going well.
“Do you know what I can’t get my head around? People go ‘Oh you must be disappointed they’re doing well’, I went ‘What after two years of grafting out?’
“Why would I want them to struggle? Why would I want failure. After we fought to keep it right, I wouldn’t want it to do anything else than be successful. There’s not a single bone in my body of any resentment, any anger, nothing like being gutted they’re doing well. I just wish them well.”
Dyche’s feelings about Everton not in doubt
It was the right time for Dyche to leave Everton when he did.
His surprise over people saying he must be disappointed about the club’s success since he left is justified though.
Dyche knew his time was up and stepped aside to make way for Moyes. It’s not like TFG just sacked him.
He doesn’t feel resentment towards the club and just accepts that he ultimately came up short.
In the grand scheme of things he did a good job keeping Everton in the Premier League. But he was never going to be a long-term appointment, especially once the new owners came in.
Thankfully, a change was made that suited all parties.