Sean Dyche unconcerned by Everton fan reception: ‘Deep down they know the work we did’ – The Athletic
Sean Dyche said he is “very proud” of the job he did at Everton but is more concerned about inspiring a positive performance from Nottingham Forest than he is about the kind of reception he might get from his former club’s fans on Saturday.
Dyche spent two years at Everton between January 2023 and January of this year, helping them avoid relegation twice, including during the 2023-2024 campaign, when they were hit with an eight-point deduction for breaching profitability and sustainability rules (PSR).
He departed Everton on January 9, with Everton again battling against relegation — at a time when Dyche himself admitted a change of face in the dugout might aid their cause.
“It was a very hard situation to manage and I was very proud of what we all did. There were so many people involved in making sure that club came through a really messy period,” said Dyche in his pre-match press conference, ahead of his return to his old club on Saturday.
“We navigated a way through it. By the end the players were dwindling a little, the heat was coming on and I thought a change of face would work — and it has.
“I am very happy with the work I did there. I left on good terms. We move forward — and we have done. My time there is done, now it is about Forest and that is all I am interested in.”
Dyche is unconcerned about the kind of reception he will get at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
“Deep down they know the work we did,” he said. “What reception I get is not important. It is about how the team (Forest) perform.”
Dyche remains on good terms with the man who replaced him at Everton, David Moyes.
“Moyesy is doing a good job — as I thought he would do. They have spent some money. They knew they needed to invest and they have done that,” he said. “David knows I am a big fan of his.
“I called him the odd time in my younger days, to ask about the things he has learned; the things he can offer. I always try to see him after games.”
Forest will head to Merseyside hoping Murillo recovers from a virus, with the defender having not trained again on Thursday.
