🚨Talks held: Everton nearly hired a “genius” in 2023, they got Dyche instead

Everton’s 2024/25 campaign only started five weeks ago, but Sean Dyche has already been thrust into the spotlight thanks to his side’s dreadful start.

   This latest iteration of Dyche’s Toffees looks set to fall flat, having lost each of their first four Premier League games and squandered two-goal leads in their last games against Bournemouth and Aston Villa.

   In addition, the Merseysiders were knocked out of the Carabao Cup on penalties against second-tier Southampton.

   The board have since expressed their full support for the 53-year-old, but fan unrest is swirling and rising in troubled waters and a poor result against Leicester City at the King Power Stadium this weekend could capsize the boat.

   Why Everton appointed Sean Dyche

   Everton had fallen into a rut under Frank Lampard and changes were needed.    The Blues have fallen and fallen over the years and are now in real danger of crashing down to the second division and losing their coveted status as a team that has never been relegated from the Premier League.

   Lampard initially showed promise with the outfit, but after being sacked in January 2023, he has not tasted league success since October 2022 when he finished 19th in the Premier League.

   Dyche, when he was brought in, was Everton’s seventh permanent manager in as many years under Farhad Moshiri’s majority ownership, adding to the turmoil around Goodison Park.

   Unless there is a dramatic uptick in results and performances, the ax will likely have to be given up again, but it could all be different if Marcelo Bielsa was appointed instead.

   Everton missed the trick with Marcelo Bielsa

   Talks took place.    Everton’s hierarchy have handled a host of famous managers on the English scene and Bielsa, formerly of Leeds United, was one of them.

   An Argentine with little command of the English language, Bielsa showed his quality as one of football’s best tacticians at Elland Road, flanked by a close-knit team of translators and assistants who propelled Leeds back into the Premier League after a long spell.  .    and the lifeless time has passed.

   “He’s a genius,” said Mauricio Pochettino, professing his love for the man he signed as a youngster from Newell’s Old Boys.    Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, arguably the best coach in the world, looks at the 69-year-old with eyes as wide as discs.

   Leeds have been on fire in their second season in the top flight, but Bielsa’s ball has already taken the country by storm in 2020/21, finishing ninth and scoring 62 goals – more than Arsenal (55) and fourth-placed Chelsea (58).

   Imagine the success he could achieve at Goodison.    Dyche inspired cohesion and led the team to safety by bringing his solid football to the table.    Everton knew they had hired an unfashionable brand, but solidity and durability are the gruff-voiced bastard’s bread and butter.

   Everton were solid and unspectacular last season, using their skills diligently.    But Dyche got the job done, guiding them to a comfortable Premier League place despite being eight points behind.

   But now they sent them.    Everton look porous and lack power.    It’s still early days, but it’s a dark sign that it could be a tough season to navigate.

   If Bielsa had been appointed, everything could have been different.    It’s amazing what the right leadership can do…