Graham Potter to Everton verdict represents major risk for ex-Chelsea boss as Sean Dyche sack decision mooted
Sean Dyche is facing growing pressure at Everton amid a poor start to the season but the calls to replace him with Graham Potter are surely going to fall on deaf ears.
One point from a possible 15 so far this term, without an easily discernible style of play, has put the former Burnley boss in the firing line, and his own comments to Sky Sports ahead of the loss to Arsenal have suggested dissatisfaction at his situation from the man himself that may suggest he decides to go.
But with former Brighton and Chelsea manager Potter now being mooted by both pundits and fans [talkSPORT, 15 September] to come in and rescue the situation it seems inevitable for those hopes to end in another disappointment.
Ex-Toffees midfielder Don Hutchison named the 48-year-old as his choice as replacement after a Dyche removal via Twitter on Monday, following a flat 1-0 loss at home to Arsenal, claiming “at least there will be an identity and some good football to watch”.
But Potter frankly can’t risk another tough time in his next job when he had such a bruising eight months in charge at Stamford Bridge, sacked less than a year into a five-year contract last season.
The chaos at Chelsea since they were taken over by Todd Boehly and Clearlake may have protected his reputation from taking too much of a hit, after he had built his way into the England job conversation at the Amex.
But unfortunately Everton are one of the only clubs that are currently more chaotic than Chelsea, and with their own takeover in the offing as 777 Partners look to buy out Farhad Moshiri it has been suggested that nobody at the club has the power or the inclination to sack Dyche right now anyway.
If the Toffees are seen as under threat of going from the frying pan to the fire in terms of owners, Potter would be doing exactly that to follow up his near-impossible job at Chelsea with another one at Goodison Park.
If Everton were even moderately stable the club would appear to be the perfect sort of opportunity for the former Ostersund and Swansea manager to get back on track, but with financial uncertainty abound on Merseyside he is sure to not take the risk.
The two-time Swedish manager of the year winner is fairly likely to be able to get more out of the squad than Dyche is currently, but the possibility of a relegation on top of his damaging time at Chelsea would risk him falling out of favour more widely and properly stunt his career.
It is hard to argue the case that the current Toffees boss has the players functioning at their best, but he could just as easily make the point that nobody could in the circumstances.
In light of the cost that would be involved in removing him and sourcing a replacement it has to be doubtful that a move would be made at this point either way, despite the growing calls, but if he is to go the club will likely have to find someone else than Potter who is bound to give the job a wide berth.
In other Everton news, Moshiri’s judgement has been “severely compromised” amid his move to sell the club.