Dyche is out of work but won't say yes until a club knows their plans while Thelwell is tasked with implementing one at Rangers'
13:42, 15 May 2025Updated 14:01, 15 May 2025
Sean Dyche with Kevin Thelwell
Sean Dyche insists now is not the right time for him to take another management job.
But that doesn't mean the former Everton boss is ruling himself out of the Rangers job - he's just waiting until clubs know what they're doing once this season is done and dusted. And there's going to have to be some waiting done in Govan.
Dyche is one of a number of names linked to the Ibrox vacancy. It's a job that Kevin Thelwell, current Everton sporting director who will be taking up the same post at Rangers this summer, is tasked with filling.
It therefore makes sense to suggest a reunion with Dyche after working together closely at Goodison Park, although Real Madrid No. 2 Davide Ancelotti - another man with Toffees links after working on dad Carlo's backroom team - is the reported frontrunner.
The Ibrox club are in the final stages of a takeover, with Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises expected to assume control in mid-June.
But the prospect of a new regime doesn't faze Dyche, who admits he isn't one of those managers who will sit tight waiting on the perfect opportunity to present itself.
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He is also very much aware that his style of management may not be on trend or what fans are clamouring for, but isn't scared of taking on the seemingly lost causes.
Sean Dyche
“The timing is wrong at the moment to try and get back in just because it’s the end of the season - not my timing - just that clubs will be trying to fathom out what they’re doing," he told the Stick to Football podcast.
“I got offered a couple of things straight away but said no. But you never say never. I see other managers say it has to be the right club and I think: ‘All the best with that’.
“How are you going to find a job with the right owners, the right fans, everything? I would imagine people think I’m a fire fighter now and I just get a big hose out because that’s your job.
“I’m fine with that. I knew why I was brought into Everton. Business and CEO’s around the world bring people in to do different jobs and take them forward.
“At Everton it was my job to manage a semi-crisis type of situation. My job was to keep them in the Premier League and bring money in.
“If you want that, I can’t guarantee it but I’ll probably have a right good go at it. I’m not scared of that if someone needs that - I’m the clean-up guy then they can get one of the fashionistas after that.”
Sean Dyche and Kevin Thelwell
There are some similarities between the job Dyche took on at Everton and the challenges that will face the new Rangers boss.
Despite new ownership coming in, there's unlikely to be a spending spree and Gers need to start realising the value of their more sellable players, as books still need to be balanced.
It's something Thelwell and Dyche are used to, although the expectation to get results regardless is always there in Glasgow. The manager could sense change coming but insists he left Everton in a better state than when he arrived.
“I spoke to Kev Thelwell and told him, I’ve been here a long time now, it’s changing - I can smell it," he added. “My contract was up in the summer so you don’t know how that’s going to go.
“When I got there it was in really poor shape, the whole business. We navigated it, myself, Kev, the players - everyone played their part.
“But you just feel it dwindling. I thought, I’m not going to leave when it keeps going down like that. I wanted to leave it where someone had a chance.
“It was in good shape. I got hammered for saying that but I’ve been proved right and Moysey said that, the players had just lost that bit of edge.
“I couldn’t be more proud of what we did there. But the points deduction made it more challenging."
Scott Arfield celebrates scoring for Burnley
One of Dyche's biggest success stories was the signing of Scott Arfield. He plucked the Falkirk product and Record Sport columnist from Huddersfield Town, just as he was set to drop down the leagues.
The midfield helped the Clarets to promotion and the rest is history, eventually going on to lift a Premiership title and Scottish Cup with Rangers.
“Scott Arfield was going to go to MK Dons or Southend when we signed him, Dyche revealed. We got promoted to the Premier League on about £1,800 a week.
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“He ends up leaving years later after playing in the Premier League, scoring goals, then does amazing in Scotland. Let’s say he’s comfortably off now. That’s a brilliant story for a kid who was going to Southend. I love stuff like that and I so many like that at Burnley."
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