Sean Dyche's chance of success at Everton will depend on how deep the rot has already sunk in at Goodison Park - something that is risking his good reputation.
That's the view of journalist and Burnley fan Andrew Greaves, who covered the former Clarets manager's eventful tenure at Turf Moor, where he achieved promotion to the Premier League in 2016 and was subsequently sacked before relegation for the Lancashire club was confirmed last season.
Dyche has been out of football ever since but made radio appearances in the interim expressing his desire to return to management. Now that wish looks set to be fulfilled, albeit he could hardly have landed a more difficult task than trying to follow in the doomed footsteps of Frank Lampard and Rafa Benitez. It is an opportunity, however, that Greaves - who has covered the Clarets for the past 20 years - feels is an earned one.
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Speaking to the ECHO about Dyche, he said: "I think for Sean it's probably the kind of chance that he's deserved given the work he did with Burnley. It would have probably been more attractive in less difficult circumstances, but I think the fact that he's been keen on taking the job shows that he thinks he can make a difference and ultimately save Everton from the drop. I always got the impression that there was always intent to what Sean did so he wouldn't have accepted the job if he didn't think he could succeed."
After reports emerged this week detailing discussions between The Blues' majority owner Farhad Moshiri and former Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa, it is clear that Dyche wasn't Everton's first choice to replace Lampard, not that Greaves feels that being a second option is too much of a problem.
"There are probably other jobs out there that wouldn't pose as big a risk to his long-term reputation," he said. "And I also don't think he'll be too bothered that he wasn't the number one choice. If Everton do appoint him then they'll be entrusting their top-flight safety to him and that will be what he'll focus on."
His Goodison Park predecessor, Lampard, left Merseyside with 12 wins in 43 matches - a win percentage of just 27.91%. Mike Walker is the only previous Everton manager to return grimmer figures, with a miserable win percentage of 17.14%. Despite this, Lampard's ability to build a harmonious relationship with supporters coupled with on-going chaos in the board room, appeared to buy him a lot of credit with supporters, who never called on mass for his removal and wished him well when he eventually and inevitably departed.
Greaves believes that a good rapport with supporters and a decent historical relationship with the press can stand Dyche in good stead in his new job as he tries to get to grips with an increasing desperate situation.
He said: "I think everyone's seen the way he (Dyche) deals with the press - he can be quite jokey at times, he tries to be engaging and can help take the awkwardness out of situations. He'll always looks to protect the players post-match but he's been very honest about the results he had at Burnley before he got the axe and I think that's a good quality.
"I'd say, judging by the reaction from Burnley fans to the Everton news, that he still enjoys a really good relationship with the Clarets fans - he came back to visit the pub named after him - The Royal Dyche - to say thanks to supporters. If Everton fans back him, he'll get on well with them.
"I think the biggest task he has is to try and get the players firing again. He demands sweat on the shirt and no less than 100% from his players. Those who are willing to do that will have no problem. But those who he doesn't think are meeting those standards will find themselves with a watching brief."
One key area of note appears to be how equipped the incoming Everton manager would be to recruit the right players in the extremely limited time he will be afforded before the transfer window closes on Tuesday evening. It is something he has not always got right but can ill-afford to get wrong at such a critical moment in the season for Everton.
"I think that's the biggest area of concern," said Greaves. "He's never had money to spend in the way that clubs like Everton have spent money and his success rate with signings from outside of the English leagues isn't fantastic. But that said, he's no mug. He's always maintained that his style of play/signings at Burnley were aligned with that particular job. He needs to be a bit braver perhaps in the transfer market because Everton fans won't have got very excited by some of the more experienced players he brought in to Burnley."
The jury is out on whether Dyche can truly turn the tide for Everton and move them away from the Premier League trap door. Circumstances around the club suggest that not everything can be fixed in the next five months, but if the worst was to happen, he is a man with the relevant experience to quickly bounce back.
Greaves added: "He'll want to avoid becoming one of 'those' managers. His star is still quite bright despite the sacking at Burnley and I think he'll have started already looking beyond the end of this season. This is the great unknown to an extent. Everton are clearly a club in crisis and I'm not sure how deep the rot is. If it's a case of needing someone to come in and motivate the players and lift their levels of performance then he's got a good fighting chance. If the rot is much deeper it becomes more difficult. If the worst was to happen for Everton then I think Dyche - having done it before - would be well-placed for a promotion push at the first time of asking."
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