Sean Dyche sack: Leighton Baines mooted for Everton job as Friedkin called out
Everton must consider appointing Leighton Baines as their interim manager if they sack Sean Dyche, according to The Esk.
Paul Quinn, who goes by The Esk, has criticised The Friedkin Group’s lack of communication and transparency amid Dyche’s uncertain future at Goodison Park.
He believes the owners should publicly express their support towards the Englishman if that is what they intend to do or else name Baines as a caretaker manager alongside Seamus Coleman.
“If we want to be critical of the Friedkins at this particular moment in time, and I don’t really want for a fan base to turn against somebody whose organisation has just come in and solved our financial problems, and is that they need to communicate more”, The Esk said on the Talking the Blues podcast, as quoted Quinn’s website. (5 January).
“They need to tell us what’s going on, what their thought process is.
“If they are prepared to back Dyche, then tell us, tell us that they see Dyche as somebody who can see the club through the season without getting relegated. If that’s what they believe, then tell us.
“If they believe that Dyche is not the solution, then perhaps the solution is to fire him, bring in the interim team, which may be the current people.
“As you say, Seamus Coleman, you know, we talked previously about Seamus Coleman being a player-coach, and somebody like Leighton Baines who, you know, qualified and everything else, then maybe that’s what they need to do.”
Leighton Baines ready to take charge at Everton
Baines is perhaps not ready to take charge of a first-team squad as things stand, but he may be able to offer the Toffees the lift they need right now.
The former left-back remained at Finch Farm as a coach after hanging up his boots in 2020 and was subsequently named as the Under-18s manager in 2022.
He, therefore, has a significant amount of coaching experience under his belt, albeit at a youth level.
Regardless of his experience as a manager, Baines’ relationship with Everton makes him the right man to take the reins on a temporary basis if Dyche is relieved of his duties.
The Merseyside-based club are placed 16th in the Premier League after 19 matches, sitting just a point above 18th-placed Ipswich Town, although they have a game in hand.
Everton risk suffering relegation if they cling on to Dyche and, therefore, it is high time that they parted ways with the former Burnley boss.
The Toffees faithful would, no doubt, be excited to see Baines and Coleman lead the team from the dugout if it came to it.
In other Everton news, Alan Myers has dropped the latest update on Beto’s future at Goodison Park.
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