Sean Dyche wants to change Everton ‘narrative’ as FFP decision looms
Sean Dyche urged his Everton side to “change the narrative” and focus only on the things they can control on the pitch.
Reports suggest the Premier League will look to impose a 12-point deduction on the Toffees if an independent commission finds they have violated Financial Fair Play rules.
Leeds United, Leicester City and Burnley have all written to Everton’s prospective new owners 777 Partners to say they will sue the club if they are found guilty.
But for Dyche, it is not about creating a siege mentality from the uncertainty, as he wants that from his players anyway.
“I don’t think it (siege mentality) needs much fostering. It’s kind of an ongoing thing. The players know there have been some noises around the club for various reasons,” he said in quotes reported in the print edition of Mirror Football (28 October, page 5).
“We want to change the narrative, change the feel, and it often starts on the pitch. We’re the ones who can control that bit and change that bit. There have been some signs of it but I think the league table doesn’t show what the signs are and that’s the important one at the end of the day.”
Control the controllable
This is a very sensible approach from Dyche at a time when a cool head is required.
There are plenty of things to be concerned about at Goodison Park off the pitch. The outcome of the commission’s investigation, whether the 777 takeover does go through, and if it does how will that ownership look?
But for Dyche, he has to keep players focused and motivated to add more points to their tally in the Premier League having taken only seven from nine games thus far, losing six times.
This weekend, Everton face a tricky trip to West Ham but the Hammers themselves have hit a bit of a blip and will be reeling from back-to-back defeats to Aston Villa and Olympiacos.
Let the external factors take care of themselves, focus on what happens on the pitch, and control the controllables. That is all Dyche can do in the current climate at Goodison Park.
In other Everton news, Chris Sutton has issued a relegation prediction involving the Toffees after a latest twist.