How Everton's players found out about Sean Dyche's sacking as Kevin Thelwell role revealed
Michael Keane believes Everton’s players must take responsibility for Sean Dyche being sacked as he opened up on how Thursday’s events unfolded. Speculation had been rife about Dyche’s future at Goodison Park after it emerged on Monday that Graham Potter was being considered by some members of the club’s hierarchy.
However, after conducting his pre-match press conference on Tuesday afternoon, it looked as though Dyche would remain in charge for Thursday's FA Cup tie against Peterborough United. But not for the first time this week, claims began to emerge on the morning of the game that the 53-year-old could be on his way.
And a little over three hours before kick-off, it was confirmed that Dyche, along with Ian Woan, Steve Stone, Mark Howard and Billy Mercer, had been relieved of his duties. It was a turn of events that Blues supporters were most certainly not expecting, especially given Dyche had taken a training session just hours earlier.
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The news also came as a shock for Keane, who, speaking following the 2-0 victory over Darren Ferguson’s League One side, admitted he and his team-mates must shoulder the responsibility for the sacking.
He said, “It’s not been a good day for the club. Any time you lose a manager, it’s really disappointing and sad.
“As players, we need to take responsibility for that. I don’t think we as players have been good enough as a collective and shown the quality we’ve got.
“So it’s not been a great day. With him leaving on a matchday, the preparation wasn’t what we usually have for games.
“Bainesy [Leighton Baines] has done really well. He only had 20-30 minutes to prepare the game. So a difficult day, but the main thing was that we had a match to win, and thankfully we did that.”
Asked directly who informed the players of the decision, Keane replied, “Kev [Thelwell] pulled us in for a quick meeting.”
But while speculation might have been rife that a change could be on the way, Keane, who also worked alongside Dyche at Burnley, revealed neither he nor any of his team-mates knew a sacking was imminent.
“We don’t (get an inkling),” he said. “We just come in every day and train and get on with it. We hear whispers and rumours like you do, but we didn’t find out until pre-match tonight.
“It was the pre-match meal, so three hours before the game and quite late. But we’re all professionals. We know how to prepare for games, and even when it’s been a tough day, you get on the pitch, work hard, and know what you’ve got to do.”
Despite criticism for his style of play, Dyche, to his credit, has managed to keep Everton up two years running despite having to contend with a number of off-the-field issues. And Keane believes it is unfortunate how things have ended.
“He’s been brilliant for me,” the centre-back said. “He’s been a brilliant manager, is a brilliant manager, and his staff are as well. It’s just one of those things.
“It’s football, and it doesn’t always work out. But when you look at his time here, the two years in general, he’s done a really good job.
“Last season we had deductions and ended up staying up relatively comfortably. There were a lot of good things, and he’s a great manager; it’s just unfortunate the way it’s ended.”