Despite Everton’s disappointing record under Sean Dyche, the near-immediate decision by the new owners to sack the former Watford and Burnley boss from the Friedkin Group comes as a surprise.

Less than three weeks after completing his takeover of the club – and 20 days after Dyche described executive chairman Mark Watts as his “perfect assistant” – the Toffees are looking for a new manager to lead them into their new 52,888-capacity stadium at Bramley. Moor Dock next season

Jose Mourinho is the most high-profile 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 the end of his two-year stay.

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 temperament has occasionally proven to be low, the three-time Premier League manager of the season and two-time Champions League-winning coach Turkish giants Fenerbahce are unlikely to leave.

As well as citing his lack of appetite for a relegation battle, Mourinho and the Friedkin Group’s relationship soured when they sacked him as manager of their Italian club, Roma, in January 2023.

The 61-year-old responded in typically barbed style, claiming that organization owner Dan Friedkin “doesn’t understand football.”

Mourinho is one of the most successful managers in English football history, having won every major domestic trophy at least once at Chelsea, as well as the EFL Cup and Europa League with Manchester United. Will his ego allow him to reconcile with the Friedkins and survive?

David Moyes

Moyes made a name for himself during 11 years at Everton, guiding them to four European campaigns and eight top-seven finishes – including fourth in the 2008/09 FA Cup final in 2004/05.

Such was the Scot’s stock that he soon succeeded Sir Alex Ferguson in a poor spell at Manchester United in 2013/14, eventually rebuilding his reputation in two spells with West Ham between 2017 and 2024.

The 61-year-old won the Hammers’ first European trophy since 1965 with the 2023/24 Conference League, and his departure at the end of last season had more to do with his team’s 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 “do not want to be in a bottom fight relegation”. He has reportedly already discussed replacing Dyche.

David Moyes has held talks with The Friedkin Group and could return to Everton 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 – effectively admired by Pep Guardiola this season – could appeal.

The 39-year-old honed his style at MK Dons and Swansea City, with his best achievement coming at Southampton last season, when his first campaign ended in promotion via the play-offs.

A gamble on Martin would require Everton to ignore Southampton’s dreadful start to the season, when his tactically booming defense was naive, rigid and lacked the practicality needed to survive in the Premier League on relatively limited resources.

After he was sacked on 15th December, A 5-0 home thrashing by Tottenham That left the Saints nine points from safety.

“In what I believe I will live and die by the sword” 🗣️

Russell Martin discusses Southampton’s style of play 🔴⚪ pic.twitter.com/K3qInjRtsF

– Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) October 27, 2024

Steve Cooper

Welshman Cooper is a hero at Nottingham Forest, where he guided the club to the Premier League after less than a season in charge in 2021/22 and retained it the following year, ending his reign in December 2023 for just one win in 13 matches.

Cooper became known as a specialist in coaching young players, guiding the England Under-17s to world and European titles and reaching the Championship play-offs in consecutive seasons with Swansea City, which ended in defeat in the 2020/21 final.

The 45-year-old was interviewed for the vacant Brighton & Hove Albion job before embarking on a forgettable five-month spell at Leicester City this season, where a widespread lack of faith in his methods among fans was reportedly replicated among his players.

The Foxes were 16th after 12 games when they sacked Cooper, who has since been out of work and may not have emerged with enough credit to secure a job up front in the Premier League.

Lee Carsley

Initially signed by predecessor Walter Smith in 2002, Carsley became an integral part of Moyes’ midfield at Everton between 2002 and 2008 and is highly regarded at the club.

As a coach, his greatest achievement was winning the Euro Under-21s with England in 2023, and he took interim charge of the senior team following the resignation of Gareth Southgate last July.

Carsley was favorite to become England’s permanent manager after winning his first two matches in charge, but a home defeat to Greece and comments in which he appeared to shy away from the job meant he effectively ruled himself out of the running.

The 50-year-old led England to promotion from the Nations League in his successive games and is always likely to be discussed when Everton need a manager, but the Friedkin group may be keen to appoint a name they are more familiar with.

“Hopefully I’ll go back to the U21s”

Lee Carsley gives an update on his future 💭 pic.twitter.com/XhOjx20VQY

– Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) October 10, 2024

Andoni Iraola

Perhaps the longest shot on this list, Iraola initially eyed a major stage with Spanish side Rayo Vallecano before joining Bournemouth in 2023, where his side have become increasingly dominant.

The Cherries play attractive football and have finished just once higher than 12th last season, although only West Ham have conceded more goals from teams that cannot be relegated.

They have been tighter this time around under the 42-year-old Spaniard’s watch, winning nine and losing just five of their first 20 games to finish three points behind fourth-placed Chelsea.

Whether the shrewd Iraola will see the approach as a step up is a matter of conjecture. While Bournemouth’s history in the top flight doesn’t compare to Everton’s, it would be a brave call to abandon high-pressure rebuilding ambitions at his current club.

Paulo Fonseca

An intriguing option, Fonseca’s split with Friedkins appeared amicable when he left Roma at the end of his contract in 2021, having been in charge when the American took over the club a year earlier.

The 51-year-old Portuguese is adept at creating an exhilarating – occasionally cavalier – style of play and nurturing young talent, and has faced arguably unfortunate circumstances during his time in Rome, including navigating the Covid pandemic and injuries to a string of key players. .

Fonseca has a knack 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 to win against Manchester City.

His sacking by Milan in December was partly seen as a sign of instability behind the scenes, although the Rossoneri never looked set to mount the title challenge that Fonseca had promised in June.

Thomas Frank

Brentford’s dire away form this season has hurt their chances of challenging for European qualification, and there is a sense that Frank can achieve as much as he can with the Bees over six years in his tenure.

Just like Iraola, Everton will have to make a persuasive case to lure the 51-year-old from one of the division’s most stable jobs to one of the most dangerous roles. A run like that, which saw Brentford lose 14 of their 18 league games between last November and March, certainly won’t wear off Patience.

Frank joined Manchester United earlier this season, with reports also suggesting he was auditioning to take over from Erik ten Hag before the embattled former boss secured a 2-1 comeback against Brentford at Old Trafford.

There is also the question of whether Friedkins is chasing a big name or will see Frank as a threat, given that his current position is his only job in England. The call to be the Denmark boss also seems inevitable at times.

Edin Terzic

Terzic’s last game as manager was last season’s Champions League final, ending an association with Borussia Dortmund that lasted more than a decade. Defeat to Real Madrid at Wembley.

The 42-year-old has two years of Premier League experience as Slaven Bilic’s assistant at West Ham, and his Dortmund side could have won the German title in 2022/23 had they not drawn at home to Mainz in their final game of the season. .

Dortmund won the 2020/21 German Cup under Terzic but their fifth position last season was their lowest since 2014/15 and they fell out of the title reckoning early on.

The German’s pedigree and availability could tempt Everton, in which case Terzic will have to decide if he wants to challenge at the lower levels of the division for the first time in his managerial career.

Leighton Baines

Born in nearby Kirkby, Baines played for Everton for 13 years and can be as reliable an option for the club as he was during his days at left-back.

The 40-year-old became an academy coach at the club two months after retiring from playing in 2020 and has long been considered to have strong managerial ability.

Whether that move happens now depends on whether Everton can secure their first-choice targets to replace Dyche. Under-18 manager Baines and club captain Seamus Coleman stepped in on an interim basis to lead Peterborough United to a 2-0 home win in the third round of the FA Cup.

“There will be a new manager – and he will bring opportunity,” Baines said afterwards. Currently, the former England international is almost certain to return to his youth-team role.