Despite Everton’s uninspiring results under Sean Dyche, new owners Friedkin Group’s near-instant decision to sack the former Watford and Burnley boss came as a surprise.
Less than three weeks after completing the takeover of the club – and 20 days after Dyche described executive chairman Marc Watts as “fully supportive” of him – the Toffees are looking for a new manager to lead them to their new 52,888-capacity stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock next season
Jose Mourinho is the most prominent potential target, while the likes of David Moyes and Lee Carsley have strong histories at the club.
101GreatGoals.com takes a look at some of the candidates to succeed Dyche after his two-year stint ends.
2 – In Sean Dyche’s last 10 games in charge of Everton, the only player to score more than once for them was Craig Dawson, who scored two own goals while playing for Wolves in December. Nonsense. pic.twitter.com/SXOlR6k9Gi
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 9, 2025
Jose Mourinho
While Mourinho’s chances are as short as his temperament occasionally shows, the three-time Premier League manager of the season and two-time Champions League-winning coach it seems unlikely that he will leave Turkish giants Fenerbahce.
As well as his stated lack of appetite for a relegation battle, Mourinho’s relationship with the Friedkin Group was in tatters after he was sacked as manager of their Italian club, Roma, in January 2023.
The 61-year-old responded in typically barbed fashion by claiming that the organization’s owner, Dan Friedkin, “doesn’t understand football.”
Mourinho is one of the most successful managers in English football history, winning every major domestic trophy at least once at Chelsea, as well as the EFL Cup and Europa League with Manchester United. Would his ego allow him to reconcile with the Friedkins and settle for survival?
David Moyes
Moyes made a name for himself during 11 years at Everton, leading them to eight top-seven finishes – including fourth in 2004/05 – along with four European campaigns and an FA Cup final in 2008/09.
Such was the Scot’s stock that he briefly succeeded Sir Alex Ferguson in Manchester United’s ill-fated 2013/14 tenure, eventually rebuilding his reputation during two spells with West Ham between 2017 and 2024.
The 61-year-old won the Hammers’ first European trophy since 1965 in the 2023/24 Conference League, and his departure at the end of last season had more to do with his side’s perceived style of play than their ninth-place finish.
After being awarded an OBE in the New Year Honors last week, Moyes said he is open to a return to football but he would not “want to be at the bottom fighting relegation”. He has reportedly already discussed replacing Dyche.
David Moyes held talks with The Friedkin Group and could return to Everton as early as this weekend 🔵 pic.twitter.com/YIw6YGGYRO
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) January 9, 2025
Russell Martin
If Everton want a contrast to Mourinho and Moyes’ reputation for caution, Martin’s expansive passing style – which Pep Guardiola has been incredibly lauded this season – could appeal.
The 39-year-old honed his style at MK Dons and Swansea City, with his best achievement at Southampton last season, when his first campaign ended with promotion through the play-offs.
Gambling on Martin would require Everton to ignore Southampton’s dreadful start to the season, when his shrewd defense of his tactics looked naïve, rigid and lacking the pragmatism needed to survive in the resource-constrained Premier League.
He was fired on December 15 after 5-0 home defeat to Tottenham that left the Saints nine points from safety.
“I will live and die by the sword for what I believe in” 🗣️
Russell Martin talks about Southampton’s style of play 🔴⚪ pic.twitter.com/K3qInjRtsF
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) October 27, 2024
Steve Cooper
Welshman Cooper remains a hero at Nottingham Forest, where he led the club to the Premier League after less than one season in charge in 2021/22. and retained it the following year, only for a one-fight winning streak in 13 matches that announced the title at the end of his reign in December 2023.
Cooper has established himself as a specialist in coaching young players, leading England Under-17s to world and European titles and the Championship play-offs in back-to-back seasons with Swansea City, culminating in defeat in the 2020/21 final.
The 45-year-old was interviewed for the vacant position at Brighton & Hove Albion before embarking on a forgotten five-month spell at Leicester City this season, where a widespread distrust of his methods among fans is said to have rubbed off on his players.
The Foxes were 16th after 12 games when they sacked Cooper, who has been out of work since then and may not have emerged with enough merit to land a Premier League job next time around.
Lee Carsley
Originally signed by predecessor Walter Smith in 2002, Carsley became an integral part of Moyes’ midfield at Everton between 2002 and 2008 and remains highly regarded at the club.
As a coach, his biggest achievement was winning the Under-21 Euros with England in 2023, and he took charge of the senior team on an interim basis following the resignation of Gareth Southgate last July.
Carsley was the favorite to become the permanent England manager after winning his first two games in charge, but a surprise home defeat to Greece and comments in which he appeared to distance himself from the job meant he ruled himself out of the running.
The 50-year-old has guided England to promotion from the Nations League in his subsequent games and will always be discussed when Everton need a manager, but the Friedkin Group may want to name a name they are more familiar with.
“I hope to return to the U21”
Lee Carsley gives an update on his future 💭 pic.twitter.com/XhOjx20VQY
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) October 10, 2024
Andoni Iraola
Perhaps the longest-serving on this list, Iraola first caught the eye on the big stage with Spain’s Rayo Vallecano before joining Bournemouth in 2023, where his squad became increasingly impressive.
The Cherries play attractive football and only once last season got higher than the 12th position they finished in, although only West Ham conceded more goals among the non-relegation teams.
They have been much more resilient this time around as they have won nine and lost just five of their opening 20 games, putting them three points behind fourth-placed Chelsea under the 42-year-old Spaniard.
Whether the astute Iraola will see the approach as a step forward is anyone’s guess. While Bournemouth’s history in the top flight doesn’t compare to Everton’s, it would be a bold call to abandon any ambitions his current club have for a high-pressure rebuilding job.
Paulo Fonseca
An intriguing option, Fonseca’s split with the Friedkins appeared amicable when he left Roma out of contract in 2021, having been in charge when the Americans took over the club a year earlier.
The 51-year-old Portuguese is adept at creating a comfortable – occasionally cavalier – style of play and nurturing young talent, and has arguably faced unfortunate circumstances during his time in Rome, including navigating the Covid pandemic and injuries to a number of key players.
Fonseca has a flair for overachieving with underdogs, including taking Pacos Ferreira to the Champions League for the second time in their history and reaching the last 16 with Shakhtar Donetsk as part of a campaign in which they beat Manchester City.
His sacking by Milan in December was partly seen as a sign of instability behind the scenes, although the Rossoneri never looked like trying to win the title that Fonseca promised when he arrived in June.
Thomas Frank
Brentford’s poor form away from home this season has dented their chances of challenging for European qualification, and there is a sense that Frank may have achieved the most he could with the Bees after more than six years in his tenure.
Similar to Iraola, Everton would have to make a convincing case to lure the 51-year-old from one of the most stable jobs in the division to a far riskier role. A run like the one in which Brentford lost 14 of their 18 league games between last November and March would certainly not breed patience.
Frank was linked with Manchester United earlier this season and reports even suggested he was auditioning to take over from Erik ten Hag before the doomed former boss secured a 2-1 comeback win against Brentford at Old Trafford.
There is also the question of whether the Friedkins are looking for a bigger name or would see Frank as a risk, given that his current position is his only job in England. It seems that the invitation to become the head of Denmark at some point is also inevitable.
Edin Terzic
Terzić’s last game as a coach was last season’s Champions League final, ending a partnership with Borussia Dortmund that lasted more than a decade after defeat by Real Madrid at Wembley.
The 42-year-old has experience in the Premier League from two years as Slaven Bilic’s assistant at West Ham, and his Dortmund side would win the German title in the 2022/23 season. if they didn’t draw at home against Mainz in the last game of the season. .
Dortmund won the 2020/21 German Cup under Terzic, but their final fifth position last season was their lowest since 2014/15 and they dropped out of the title race at an early stage.
The German’s pedigree and availability could tempt Everton, and in that case Terzić would have to decide whether he wants a challenge in the lower tiers of the league for the first time in his managerial career.
Leighton Baines
Born in nearby Kirkby, Baines played for Everton between 2007 and 2020 and could be just as reliable an option as he was during his days at left-back for the club.
The 40-year-old became an academy coach at the club two months after retiring from playing in 2020 and has long been touted as having strong managerial potential.
Whether that move happens now may depend on whether Everton can secure their first-choice targets to replace Dyche. Under-18s manager Baines and club captain Seamus Coleman came on as substitutes in the 2-0 home win against Peterborough United in the third round of the FA Cup.
“A new manager will come in – and that brings opportunity,” Baines said afterwards. For now, it is almost certain that the former England international will return to his youth team.
