Sean Dyche has revealed the extent of the challenges he overcame at Everton before leaving the club ‘in good shape’.
He also recalled his honest conversation with successor David Moyes before his return to the Toffees at the beginning of the year.
Dyche became the Everton manager in January 2023 and was crucial to ensuring their Premier League survival across two seasons.
A poor run of form at the beginning of 2025 led to his dismissal and the return of Moyes in the Goodison Park dugout.
However, Dyche believes that his Everton tenure was a success as he insisted a lot needed changing on and off the pitch at the club.
Speaking exclusively on talkSPORT, he said: “I was really positive about it when I left and I still am. People only see what they see and that’s fine. Fans don’t understand the amount that we had to do behind the scenes, not just me by the way.
“There was a lot that needed doing. Another thing I need to be clear about, because when you talk about the club when you took over people presuppose its managers and all that.
“I’m not questioning managers. Everyone has their own style. Everyone has their own way of doing things, but there was a lot that needed correcting. I’m not talking about just on the pitch.
“All sorts of it needed correcting. I went in there with an idea of thinking it was this. And it wasn’t. It was miles away from where I was. It was in a lot worse shape. I don’t want people to misconstrue it.
“I don’t mean on the pitch. Frank [Lampard] was previous to me trying to do everything he could to get that team to win. But there was a lot of things away from the pitch.
“Externally, people can measure it differently and I’ve always been a bit Marmite anyway. But there’s probably that split of Evertonians who go, ‘Yeah, but look at the job he did in the bigger picture’.
“If they knew the depth of what we did not just me, the players included, and all the challenges we went through I’d be surprised if there’s many who went we didn’t do at least a half decent job. I think we did a very good job. So I’m very proud of it.”
Moyes succeeded Dyche nearly 12 years after he left for Manchester United and has so far enjoyed a successful return.
The Scotsman has steered Everton 17 points clear of the relegation zone with nine games left to play.
Dyche insists he left the club in a good position and despite the challenges, he told Moyes that there’s ‘a lot of good’ at Goodison.
“I left it in good hands. I’ve left it in good shape. I said that and I got batted for that as well. I said it was in good shape. Moysey has taken over and he knows it and he gave me a shout out about it.
“I said to him they’re in good shape. They’re fit, but the weight of a club sometimes gets too much. I think for the players it got too much. You know I was okay with it. I learnt about the size of the club and the feel and the weight of it, I was alright.
“But you could see it in the players, and it was time for me to go and have a chat with Kev Thelwell [director of football] and go, ‘Listen, this is what I’m seeing, this is what I’m thinking’.
“I’m putting it out there for the club because I insisted that it was in a better shape when I left than when we got there, we’d come through the challenges.
“And I knew deep down, they just needed a new… Football’s a weird business, sometimes you just need a new voice. You know, small details can change, a new manager going in. And Moysey, who I admire a lot, I think he’s a fantastic manager and a good bloke as well.
“Spoke to him as well, by the way, very open about that. I told him there’s a lot of good there, and I’m delighted for him, I’m delighted they’re going well.”
Dyche also responded to those who believe that he’d be disappointed with Everton’s progress since he’s left by dismissing any sense of resentment.
“You know what I can’t get my head around, people go, ‘Oh, you must be disappointed they’re doing well’.
“What? After two years of grafting out, why would I want them to struggle, why would I want failure? We fought to keep it right, I wouldn’t want it to do anything else than be successful.
“There’s not a single bone in my body of any resentment, any anger, nothing like being gutted they’re doing well. I wish them well.”
Everton return from the international break with a Merseyside derby away at Liverpool, weeks after their dramatic 2-2 draw at Goodison.
Listen to the full two hour show of Sean Dyche alongside Jonny Owen on talkSPORT on our YouTube channel.
