Everton’s dire start to the campaign was always bound to be met with some frustration, but the scrutiny surrounding Sean Dyche’s future does come as a surprise.
After all, the 53-year-old tactician has worked wonders at Goodison Park in impossibly uncomfortable circumstances, navigating the club to safety twice with no owner and amidst ongoing takeover turmoil and financial unrest.
Some reports indicate that his future remains uncertain, whilst others argue he retains the backing of the board for now.
However, should such poor form continue, the scrutiny might prove too much for the decision-makers to bear.
One pundit has argued that, were it not for one outstanding reason, he would already have been sacked.
Alan Stubbs comments on Sean Dyche sack rumours
Chatting on A View from the Bullens, former Everton defender Alan Stubbs was enlisted to comment on rumours over Sean Dyche’s potential sacking after such a tough start to the season.
Quite cutthroat in his analysis, the 52-year-old actually suggested that the former Burnley man would be gone by now if not for one thing.
He noted: ‘If the situation was completely different off the pitch, and we were still in the same predicament then, with the way our owner has done in the past, then I don’t think Sean Dyche would be in a job.
‘If I was to say any other answer I think I’d look stupid, because Moshiri has pulled the plug on a number of managers in his tenure. The reason why Sean, we think, has been in the job for this long, is just because of the off-field situation.
‘We have an owner who is nowhere to be seen. We’ve not heard from him.’
What’s the latest on Everton’s takeover?
With Stubbs having referenced Farhad Moshiri‘s absence, it’s worth offering an update on how Everton’s takeover is currently going.
After all, before last night, all signs still pointed towards John Textor.
The American had come out and openly stated that he and the Iranian were in discussions over ironing out an agreement, with Textor even stating his Everton takeover deadline.
However, that has all since been thrown out of the window, forcing him to fast-track the sale of his Crystal Palace stake given what emerged last night.
Dan Friedkin was back in the Everton takeover battle.
Now seemingly a two-horse race to see which American can prove themselves as the more suitable owner, hopefully we can rely on a swifter outcome as they push one another to speed up the process.
Receive a digest of our best Everton content each week direct to your mailbox
