The angry response by Southampton fans to their club announcing that tickets for next month’s away game at Old Trafford are for sale suggests that Everton have got it right with their appointment of Sean Dyche when trying to salvage their Premier League status.
Southampton’s official account sent out a tweet at 9:32am today stating: “Tickets for March’s trip to #MUFC are now on sale to eligible #SaintsFC Season Ticket holders.”
Replies to the post were dominated by a #JonesOUT graphic, which was repeated by numerous Southampton fans. Welshman Jones, from the small mining village of Blaenrhondda in the Rhondda Valley, only replaced Ralph Hasenhuttl on November 10 when he ended his second stint in charge of Luton Town (he had a 10-month spell at Stoke City during 2019 in between) to come to St Mary’s.
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So far, the 2-1 comeback win at Goodison Park on January 14 remains Jones’ only Premier League victory (he has defeated Lincoln City and Manchester City in the Carabao Cup plus Crystal Palace and Blackpool in the FA Cup) and his side are bottom of the table with 15 points from 21 matches. Following a 3-0 thrashing at Brentford on Saturday, the 49-year-old’s sixth defeat in seven Premier League matches in charge, he launched into a press conference monologue, appearing to suggest that he was one of the continent’s top coaches during his time at the helm at Kenilworth Road.
Jones said: “I’ve compromised because of fans, and so on, a few little things but – no more. I’ve been very successful playing a fluent style, Luton were a real aggressive front-footed side. Statistically, there weren’t many better than me around Europe in terms of aggression, clean sheets, defending the box, balls in the box, xG, all those sort of things.
“We were pound-for-pound the best because we were spending next to nothing and producing so much. I’ve gone away from that because it's the Premier League and due to certain players and internationals.”
Many Evertonians understandably felt let down and furious over their club’s inability to bring in any new signings during the January transfer window despite Dyche insisting: “We worked really hard I can assure you, I was physically there all the hours, joining in all the phone calls.”So the news of Southampton, who had already snapped up three new faces that month, splashing out an additional £40m on deadline day for Genk’s Ebere Onuachu and Rennes’ Kamaldeen Sulemana – the latter of which the Blues are also understood to have had a £22m bid accepted for – appeared particularly galling, especially when Anthony Gordon had been sold to Newcastle United for £45m.
However, while it might have been a decision that came through more luck than judgement from Everton’s under-fire owner and board – who on another day of protests against them, again stayed away from Goodison Park for Arsenal’s visit rather than offer their support in person to their new manager in his first game in charge – the appointment of Dyche could prove to be the most crucial piece of recruitment by the Blues this season. Unfortunately, all signs pointed to Everton plunging headfirst towards relegation under Frank Lampard.
The 44-year-old gleamed just 15 points from 20 Premier League matches (the lowest-ever tally at that stage of a season), suffered eight defeats from his last nine games in all competitions – a sorry run that featured exits from both domestic cup competitions – while also including the aforementioned defeat to Southampton, one of four consecutive home losses for the first time since 1958 while being beaten by Leicester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers sides also in the drop zone at the time. Meanwhile, Brighton & Hove Albion ran wild in their 4-1 Goodison Park triumph, netting three times in the space of just six second half minutes.
Perhaps that last humiliation might have been a more opportune moment to relieve Lampard of his duties – in retrospect, some have claimed he should have gone after Boxing Day or even as early as following the double debacle at Bournemouth before the World Cup break – but at least Everton have made their change now before they were cut adrift. What could also be crucial about the timing of the hiring of Dyche, who always appeared to be the obvious candidate for clubs looking to bring in a manager who understood the territory when it came to digging in for a fight against relegation, is getting in there ahead of Southampton and now Leeds United.
Despite his far from insignificant opinion of himself, Jones was always something of a left-field choice by the Saints and he’s been feeling the heat for several weeks. St Mary’s chiefs haven’t pressed the button – again – just yet but they have over at Elland Road where Jesse Marsch might have feared he was on borrowed time ever since they started calling the All-American from Wisconsin ‘Yank’ Lampard.
Although Dyche won’t underestimate the magnitude of the task ahead, he certainly won’t be fazed by it after his nine-and-a-half years at Burnley where he often got the Clarets to punch above their weight and, having recharged his batteries following his shock sacking at Turf Moor on Good Friday last year, he’ll be relishing the challenge. Some might have had their reservations over this self-proclaimed ‘Marmite manager’, but the 51-year-old already appears a natural fit for the requirements of Evertonians and what their club needs right now.
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