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We’re delighted to welcome former Everton striker Kevin Campbell as our exclusive columnist. Each week the former Toffees captain will be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Goodison Park…
The “decks are cleared” at Everton now that there has been a change at manager and all players have a role to play going forward, says Kevin Campbell.
The Daily Mail reported on 23 January it was “inevitable” that Abdoulaye Doucoure would leave the club in the summer, after being banished to the reserves due to a “dressing room exchange” with Frank Lampard following the 2-1 loss to Southampton on 14 January.
But frequent Sky Sports pundit Campbell expects that to all be water under the bridge from now on and the midfielder definitely has a role to play in keeping the club up under Sean Dyche.
The former Toffees captain exclusively told Goodison News: “That was the previous manager. Now, when a new manager comes in all the decks are cleared.
“It’s back to square one now. Everybody’s got to play a part in keeping the club up.
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“He’s a good player.”
Dyche’s first midfield saw Doucoure start for the first time since the opening day, and it paid off with a much-needed 1-0 win over league-leaders Arsenal on Saturday (4 February).
His contract may still be due to expire at the end of the season, but having come in from the cold now that Lampard is gone he surely is in with a chance of a new deal if he becomes a key member of the new manager’s line up.
Even before the bust up with the former boss his future at Everton looked in plenty of doubt, but Dyche’s arrival may have just changed that.
If he can help keep the Toffees in the Premier League and features extensively along the way then he might have played himself into a late extension, although overpaying to keep him around as a squad player would recycle some of the same old issues.