Sean Dyche will rather celebrate his first Everton anniversary with a trip to Fulham on Tuesday, mindful of the short shelf life of managers at Goodison Park.
Dyche has suffered financial constraints, ownership turmoil and points deductions during his time in charge, which saw him escape relegation on the final day of last season.
His two predecessors, Frank Lampard and Rafa Benitez, have failed to last 12 months and since Roberto Martinez was sacked in 2017, no manager has ever lasted two years in office.
Everton traveled to Craven Cottage on a run of one win in eight and were booed after losing at home to Luton in the FA Cup on Saturday.
They are one point and one place above the relegation zone, having been deducted 10 points for club breaches of the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules.
Sean Dyche will celebrate his first Everton anniversary instead of celebrating with a trip to Fulham
The Toffees are one point and one place above the relegation zone in the Premier League
Dyche is aware of the short-term sustainability of managers at Everton
Interesting and challenging were the two words Dyche used to describe his first year in charge, and he does not hide the difficulties that also lie ahead.
“There are a lot of expectations here in general. I imagine all the managers have been praised when they come in, and then it’s ‘get them out’.
‘That’s how it goes. I work very hard to make sure we stay here and give a chance to build. But the fans, if they want you long enough they will keep you and if they don’t, they won’t. Ownership has choices, stick to it and stay strong because you believe he is the right person or you will change.
‘This club has changed many times in the last seven years. Maybe they’ll change me, who knows? You can’t guarantee it at clubs like this because of their track record.
“I think we’re doing a good job of remodeling and reshaping, especially financially, the team.”
Everton would be comfortably in twelfth place without the points deduction they are appealing, although they also face a new charge for the period 2020 to 2023.
Dyche has credit in the bank to keep the team competitive
Dyche is credited with keeping the team competitive despite Everton having to sell seven players in the last two transfer windows, including Anthony Gordon and Alex Iwobi.
But the 52-year-old’s pragmatic view is that he will be judged on Everton’s final position in the league and not on the hurdles he has had to overcome.
‘Internally I know the work that has been done and I am happy with it, but externally I am very aware of a lifetime in football, no one cares.
‘The fans just want you to win a game. Don’t worry about the finances, it’s not about 10 points, just win some games, mate. That’s it, end of story.
‘My mentality is that you have to win to succeed. If you put the ten points on the board, we are actually in a better place than we were a year ago. The feeling of the team, the energy and the commitment, yes.
‘But if the 10 points are not there, no one will tell the story, and rightly so. You can’t keep worrying about it. I don’t like to whine about it. Facts are facts. We are one point outside the relegation zone.
Everton were impressive in the Premier League after their points deduction
Dyche has admitted it is unlikely anything will be signed in the January transfer window
‘Have we made progress? Yes, I think we have that as a club and as a team. We have done that in different ways, but the facts remain the same and that is where the table says we are.”
Club captain Seamus Coleman has a chance to return from injury, but Dyche will still have to make do without influential midfielders Abdoulaye Doucoure and Andre Gomes, while Idrissa Gueye is still on duty at the African Cup of Nations.
In line with Everton’s recent history, he does not expect any reinforcements to arrive before the end of the transfer window, despite only having two available midfielders, Amadou Onana and James Garner.
‘There’s no point in me crying here, there’s no way to change it. It is very unlikely that there is money available to change this,” he said.
‘We continue to work with the players we have. We need to maximize their physical capabilities.”
Everton’s punishment appears to have curtailed spending across the Premier League.
‘It’s been quiet. “I don’t know if it’s because of the 10-point deduction, everyone is saying ‘We have to put on the brakes’, I don’t know,” the Everton boss added.