Dyche sets record straight on Everton stint and Moyes handover | OneFootball

“No Resentment”: Sean Dyche on Everton, Moyes, and Moving Forward

When Sean Dyche sat down with Johnny Owen on talkSPORT, the tone was reflective but unflinching. His time at Everton, though marred by external chaos and internal struggles, remains something he looks back on with pride. Dyche didn’t sugar-coat the challenges. But he also didn’t hide from them.

Dyche’s Take on Everton: “It was miles away from where I thought it was”

Sean Dyche pulled no punches in describing the state of Everton when he arrived. “I went in there with an idea of thinking it was this and it wasn’t—it was miles away from where I thought it was.” He stressed this wasn’t just about performances on the pitch, but about deeper structural issues within the club.

“There was a lot needed doing,” he explained. “Not just me, by the way… my staff, Kev Thell, worked very hard with the powers that be at the club as well.” Dyche was clear in defending Frank Lampard, his predecessor, emphasising that “Frank was trying to do everything he could to get that team to win,” but much of what needed fixing wasn’t visible to fans.

Moyes, the Successor: “He gave me a shout out about it”

When the subject turned to David Moyes taking over, Dyche was unequivocal in his support. “I left it in good shape… Moyes has taken over and he knows it and he gave me a shout out about it.”

There was zero bitterness in Dyche’s voice. In fact, he sounded genuinely pleased about Everton’s recent form. “I’m delighted they’re going well… there’s not a single bone in my body of any resentment, any anger.” And as for Moyes himself, Dyche was full of praise: “I admire him a lot, I think he’s a fantastic manager and a good bloke as well.”

Photo IMAGO

The Weight of the Shirt: “For the players, it got too much”

Dyche acknowledged the psychological toll managing Everton had on some. “The weight of a club sometimes gets too much and I think for the players, it got too much.” He admitted he was “okay with it” personally, but recognised when it was time to step away.

He explained his decision to have a conversation with Everton Director of Football Kevin Thelwell: “I said, ‘listen, this is what I’m seeing, this is what I’m thinking,’ because I insisted that it was in a better shape when I left it.”

It wasn’t a quiet or easy exit. “I got battered for that as well,” he said. But in classic Dyche fashion, he stood by his view and the work he and his staff had done.

Photo IMAGO

Dyche’s Highlight: “Duke scoring in the last game of the season”

Interestingly, Dyche didn’t choose the famous 2-0 Merseyside derby win over Liverpool as his best moment. That, he said, “was for the fans.” Instead, he picked a tenser, less glamorous day: the final match of the season, where Abdoulaye Doucouré scored the goal that ensured Everton’s Premier League survival.

“That week was a horrible, horrible situation,” Dyche recalled. “We had injuries, had to change the system, the coaches were fantastic, the fans were great, the calmness in the stadium… it was just so, so difficult.” When Doucouré “smashed it through the back of the net nearly,” Dyche remembered the moment vividly. “I’ve never heard a noise like it.”

Conclusion

Sean Dyche’s talkSPORT appearance was a raw, honest, and at times even humorous look back at his time at Everton. He spoke candidly about what went wrong, what he tried to fix, and why he believes he left the club in better condition. He praised Moyes’ appointment and brushed aside any suggestion of ill feeling.

As for his legacy? “If they knew the depth of what we did—not just me—the players included, and all the challenges we went through… I’d be surprised if there’s many [who] went, ‘we didn’t do at least a half-decent job.’ I think we did a very good job.”

In the ever-messy, emotionally charged world of football, Dyche remains unshakeably grounded.