Sean Dyche hailed as Everton boss bucks reputation with ‘unusual’ Dominic Calvert-Lewin work amid insider claim
Sean Dyche has played an “absolute blinder” at Everton in getting Dominic Calvert-Lewin to a level of fitness he has previously been unable to reach, an “insider” told i News.
The England striker has been struck down repeatedly over the past two seasons of struggle at Goodison Park, with one injury set-back following another, and the team’s attack suffered in his absence.
But when the situation arose once more soon after Dyche’s arrival the former Burnley boss spoke of making a concerted effort to get him fully fit before bringing him back, taking the pressure off the 26-year-old and using an “unusual approach” that included holding off bringing him back to full training that has worked wonders.
The i report states: “Everton have stuck to a painstaking and meticulous 11-week fitness plan for Calvert-Lewin that has incorporated – at various points – psychology, plyometrics, neural training, resistance work, a one-man warm weather camp and individual sprint training that seems to have paid off spectacularly in the last two games.”
Dyche’s reputation for being “old school” has been disproven by the way he has overseen the Everton star’s return, and four-straight starts and counting is the result.
An “insider” source reportedly told i News: “The manager has played an absolute blinder. It’s the fittest Dom has been in years.”
Touch wood
Nobody will want to get ahead of themselves given how things have taken a negative turn so frequently, but after looking like his old self for part of the 2-2 against Leicester (1 May) Calvert-Lewin was excellent as the Toffees blew Brighton away 5-1 a week later (8 May).
If he really has turned a corner and finally recovered past the point where he seemed ready but so often wasn’t then Dyche and his staff deserve immense credit.
There is no telling where Everton would have been across back-to-back relegation battles if they had him at full strength the whole way through, but it is probably fair to assume it would have been in a significant amount less danger, even if he does require back up.
The 5-1 hammering of Brighton has lifted spirits immensely by helping the club climb out of the bottom three, and the sight of Calvert-Lewin starting to reach his potential again surely is having an effect on his teammates.
Where relegation appeared to be closing in until recently there are suddenly signs that a second escape in succession is on the cards.
If Dyche keeps the Toffees up he will have done his job, and if he has found the secret of restoring arguably the club’s best player back to his former powers he will have surpassed expectations, but with three games left the team has to complete the task yet.