Dyche on Everton takeover latest and Palace
26/09/2024
Finch Farm training complex, Liverpool, UK
26/09/2024
Finch Farm training complex, Liverpool, UK
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SportsTranscript
00:00Good afternoon, welcome to our pre-match press conference to preview our game against Crystal
00:18Palace. We'll start off with Vinny at Tysports.
00:20Sean, first of all it appears to be good news on the takeover this week, so what's your
00:24reaction to it, what have you been told about timescales etc?
00:27Well, the reaction is obviously one that there's a long way to go, I think, from what I gather
00:33of the previous situations, there's a long way to go to get everything to a final point,
00:38but the early signs look favourable in the situation, so we'll have to wait and see,
00:43but it certainly looks like a stronger situation than past.
00:46What do you hope a takeover brings to the football club?
00:51Well, I think, openly speaking, more of the stability of it, you know, because it's been
00:56on an unsettled ground for such a long time now, you know, with varying situations, various
01:02opinions about what was and what is and what should be and all the rest of it, so I'd imagine
01:08it would probably clear up that kind of changing the noise, as I call it, you know, changing
01:13the noise that surrounds the football club, certainly in its initial spell, you know,
01:19should it get over the line, then I would imagine bringing that stability and the feel
01:24of stability after an up-and-down period for many different reasons.
01:28Have you spoken to the perspective you only get when you're likely to?
01:32No, I don't know when I'm likely to, I haven't spoken to them, I don't know when I'm likely
01:35to saluate on news and that, I mean, it's not a given that they speak to me, but you
01:40would imagine they probably will at some point.
01:43When would you like to have policy on your own future?
01:46It's not really relevant, I've tried to speak openly about it, you know, I got Boyer as
01:49a custodian, I got Boyer to do a specific job, I feel, you know, especially looking
01:52backwards from where it was to where it is now and I continue to work hard at that and
01:57that's really my focus, you know, the rest of it will sort itself out, you know, obviously
02:02we've got to change results, that's a given, but the actual workload and what I've done
02:05there has been considerable, I think, and I just keep doing that and then, you know,
02:09however it opens up in the future, we'll see.
02:11If it's not about yourself, though, do you think in January you might get the opportunity
02:15to add to the squad?
02:17Well, all these things are to be decided upon should the new ownership come in, you know,
02:21I mean, there's varying reasons there, because don't forget, they'll have a view of what
02:24the club is, they'll have a view of what their thinking is moving forward, so until I know
02:29more about that, then, you know, my situation doesn't change, I'll just keep working hard
02:33as I've been doing with my staff and the players to change the current situation, the bigger
02:37situation, there has been a lot of change, a lot of good change, I think, but the current
02:41situation, of course needs changing, we've got to get back to winning games.
02:44We've got to get back to football then, so squad-wise, how are we looking this week?
02:49Grant Waite ready to return, Pato, perhaps Johnny Gaye and Nick Lonecard...
02:54Certainly, certainly, Jared's in front of the curve compared to Pato, Pato's had a much
02:58longer period out and quite a serious injury, he's doing very well at the moment, but that's
03:01a longer recovery period.
03:04Ganna, unfortunately, lost his father, so he was away, but he was in Senegal, so he's
03:08had, you know, quite a period, seven days without training, so only just back in.
03:12Miko's well again, so that's good, so they're certainly more a picture of what it is.
03:17Seamus is a bit longer, Brogie's a bit longer, who am I missing, there's one more...
03:23Oh, Youssef, Youssef is a bit longer as well, but we are beginning to look a little bit
03:28more rounded as a squad, particularly compared to as little as 10 days ago.
03:33Obviously, we go back to the Leicester game and the Southampton game, you had leads and
03:38you ended up losing those, but at the same time, you didn't compound that by losing in
03:42the 90 minutes, so does that give you at least some kind of a basis to go from, is the mentality
03:47shifting somewhat?
03:48Well, I think the thing that I've mentioned is trying to mould together the new players
03:53coming in and get them at Premier League speed, which I think they're showing good signs of
03:56doing, that attack, which I think we've done better, certainly in the last two or three
04:02games, you know, we're scoring and looking a real threat and I thought we did against
04:06Leicester and then finding that balance to tighten it at the other end of the pitch,
04:10which last season we did so well with 13 clean sheets and particularly at the end of the
04:13last season when we really needed to find results and find clean sheets, we certainly
04:17did, so there's a knowledge base there of doing it.
04:21The change of the side, the change in players, maybe learning that and getting up to speed
04:25quickly and the defensive unit coming together, you know, and joining all the dots really,
04:30but like I said, it sounds easy.
04:32It's clearly not, but we know we've got to do it better and I thought there were strong
04:35signs in the last couple of games of that and finding still the open play to go and
04:40cause other teams trouble and look a threat.
04:43We haven't been as clinical as we'd like, certainly not against Leicester.
04:45I thought we got in some great positions and had some good chances and then keeping the
04:50back door shut, which yet again, we did better against Leicester, I thought, you know, I
04:53mean, we can see when, you know, a lot was made of set pieces and I think I mentioned
04:57earlier, if someone crosses it and a marker loses their man and they head it in the goal,
05:02then of course, we as a staff, you know, have a responsibility towards that, but sometimes
05:06it bobbling around the box, they're the hardest ones, they're the hardest ones to, you know,
05:09pick the bones out of and that's really what happened at Leicester, you know, I think they
05:12had two shots on target, one of them was bobbling around the box and they got a foot on it quicker
05:15than we did.
05:16So, you know, that was a bit more of a detail that's kind of in the lap of the gods, but
05:21I think there's better signs, but then better signs have got to bring wins and I think that's
05:25the biggest change is getting that winning edge back.
05:26Has there been a case, though, of pinpointing what's been going wrong when defending set pieces?
05:31Well, yeah, I mean, apart from personnel and the change in personnel for varying reasons,
05:35we've spoken about injuries, illness, all the rest of it, then, you know, the format
05:39pretty much has only changed minorly because we were so strong, you know, last season.
05:44So, you know, it's like you don't want to over change it, you know, it could be down
05:48to personnel being fit, it could be down to the team and it could be down to individuals.
05:51So, it's sticking with the basic principles, but whilst to its very simplest form, ball
05:56comes in the box, someone's got to go and clear it, someone's got to go and head it,
05:59someone's got to deal with that situation and you want all players to have that mindset.
06:02I was wondering as well, I've kind of asked you this before, but whether nervousness comes
06:06into it when you've not been able to put teams away?
06:10Well, I don't think it's helpful, you know, when you haven't got that edge of killer instinct
06:15and, you know, I think that's both boxes, by the way, that's not just looking at the
06:18front of the pitch, you know, taking responsibility at the back is always talked about, but what
06:22about the front, you know, what about getting in the right areas, what about making that
06:25pass instead of it in the defender, making that finish, you know, putting it in the corner
06:28rather than over the bar, you know, these are all clinical details.
06:31So, I think it's partly the killer instinct in both boxes and I think we've been working
06:35on that, trying to analyse it, trying to bring it together, but equally trying to allow the
06:40players the freedom to take away that suggestion of nervousness, you know, you've still got
06:44to have the freedom to go and play and enjoy the challenge that is right in front of them
06:47and we've done that many times before here, you know, coming through tough periods and
06:51we're still coming out of a tough period, but I think there's better signs.
06:54Finally from me, Sean, just how do you sum up the importance of this game, bearing in
06:57mind that obviously it's two sides that are still looking for that first Premier League win of the season?
07:00Yeah, I mean, look, the importance of every game is quite obvious, but there are some,
07:05you know, which you look at and go, all right, that would be considerably favourable to get
07:09a win from, of course, but I mean, we're at that stage at the minute, you know, after
07:13a tough start to find whatever way it is, whoever it's against, you know, to find that
07:17way of winning, to find that way of keep calm about the situation and deliver performances.
07:21And like I say, that has to be organisational, that freedom to stay with that kind of fine
07:26line of being loose enough to play, but focused enough to stay tight as a unit and make sure
07:30that you defend properly and do all the basics.
07:31So I think we're still searching for that regardless of who we're playing, but that's
07:35the focus is on us delivering better performances to get wins.
07:39Thanks Vinny, we'll go to Alana, Premier League predictions.
07:41Obviously we've spoken about key players returning hopefully this weekend.
07:44Only one defeat in 19 against Crystal Palace.
07:47Do you feel there's a sort of air of extra expectation on this game?
07:51I think there's expectation always, so I don't think that changes Everton.
07:55I think the stats and facts are favourable.
07:59I always make it clear to the players there's no guarantee to that, but I think it's a favourable
08:04situation that doesn't make the outcome easier.
08:06You know, we're still a bona fide Premier League football club and, you know, at the end of
08:11last season being, certainly if not rave about, certainly spoken about very, very positively
08:16as we were by ourselves.
08:17So, you know, both of us haven't got off to the starts we want, I'm sure of that.
08:21One of the things particularly you were spoken about very positively about towards the end
08:24of last season was when you were at Goodison Park at home.
08:28With so much positivity around the club this week, what do you expect from the atmosphere
08:31at Goodison Park this weekend and how do you want the team to feed off that?
08:35Well, positivity this time is slightly different.
08:38You know, I think the positivity from last season was due to the team performing and
08:42the positivity this week, sorry, is more maybe that feeling of what's going to change,
08:48what could change, what ifs and what ands and all the rest of it.
08:50But, you know, inside the stadium, it's our job to bring that, certainly my job with the players
08:55to go and deliver a performance that can enhance on positivity.
08:58The fans have always been there for us.
08:59It's about giving them something to work with to go on.
09:02And I've said that ever since I walked in the building.
09:04So that'll be the main thought from us is on the pitch stuff.
09:07You know, the off the pitch stuff, it'll play its part, of course, and you guys will write
09:11different stuff and say different things than what you've heard previously.
09:13That's just the nature of what it is.
09:15But it's on the pitch stuff we need to stay focused on.
09:18Thanks, Alan. We've noticed you've been at the BBC.
09:21I just want to talk about the hope that the takeover brings stability.
09:27How far, if it gets done, how far do you think you will go to fixing things here?
09:31It's not the hope. I was just suggesting that it looks like it's going to bring a different form of stability,
09:35their form of stability.
09:36I don't know their business model.
09:38I don't know the strategy I haven't spoken to.
09:40I can only go on what broadly and very generally speaking has said that they've done a good job with Roma.
09:47You know, I think that's a general overview.
09:49So I don't know what their strategy will be and what their model will be.
09:52So that'll be the first thing to wait and see.
09:54How far do you think you will go to fixing things at this club?
09:58Well, like I say, I don't know. Until I know what their strategy, what their model is,
10:01how they see it, their viewpoint of the club, what they want to learn about it.
10:06You never know different owners.
10:09I've dealt with many. You know, someone will learn from you about it
10:11and someone will thrust upon you and the club what they're going to do or someone will learn first
10:16and then maybe change what they're going to do.
10:18So I don't know what their strategy is and what their belief is and what their culture,
10:21environment, what they want to make of Everton Football Club.
10:24They might be looking at history,
10:25they might be looking at the future and respecting both.
10:27So I'll have to wait and see. Under the circumstances and everything that's been thrown at you here,
10:34how do you feel about the job that you've done here personally?
10:36How do you think you've dealt with it?
10:38Well, there's no two ways about that. The bigger picture of the job,
10:41they've worked very hard to correct a lot of things.
10:43So I've been pleased with that. But you know, it's a strange business now in football management.
10:48You know, that's not really to be cared for by anyone else than me
10:50and the people who are involved in it. You know, the fans want to win.
10:53I've never lost sight of that. Fans want to win.
10:55They want to ideally win with style,
10:57of course, as well, and in a way that you can win that is,
11:01you know, user-friendly for the fans.
11:02They enjoy the winning aspect, but they want to win. The rest of it,
11:06the rest of the job that people don't see is the bit that, in a management view,
11:10this is. You know, not on the pitch is all your opinions,
11:13but from a purely management point of view, they've done a very good job.
11:17So one day, you know, there'll be some way of me telling people the truth of what goes on,
11:22but it's not for now. And I've said that all along.
11:25And for the fans, how important is it that this deal gets done so that they have something to look forward to?
11:32I don't think it was any more or less important than what it was in the first place.
11:36You know, I think, I can't remember, is that four or five different ownership groups have looked at the club
11:41and it's maybe, and the fans have been waiting, you know, is it going to change? Is it not going to change?
11:45I think, like myself, I think the majority of fans will be saying, right,
11:47OK, well, it's not there yet. But I think the early noise seems like it's positive, you know, about this group.
11:53And like I say, their history of, certainly their recent history of Roma, I think, looking on a football point of view.
12:00I mean, you want the fans to look forward to being part of Everton Football Club.
12:04That's been difficult, I understand that, and it's been difficult for a number of years.
12:07But that's what you want them to look forward to, the weekend, the games.
12:10I think this is maybe something they can view as, well, like I say,
12:14more stability in order to get that bit right.
12:17But I'd love to wait and see. No one knows truly yet until either they put out what they project to the club
12:23or they speak to me and I put out or whatever.
12:26But no one truly knows which way it's going to go yet.
12:28What are you going to talk about once the chaos dies down here?
12:31With who? Oh, yeah, well, hopefully football.
12:34It'd be nice once upon a time, I did, I think last season, I did speak about football twice.
12:39So it'd be nice to just come in here and speak about football and take your questions like that.
12:43Unfortunately, in my 21 months here, it hasn't been like that.
12:45And that's just the way it goes.
12:46So I just answer as many questions about as many topics at Everton Football Club as I can,
12:50and answer them the best I can, as knowledgably as I can,
12:53and try and find my way and find the club's way through it all.
12:58Thanks, Jermain. We've got Julie.
13:02Can we talk about football, then? It'd be nice.
13:05Andai has not played a full 90 minutes in the Premier League yet.
13:09How close is he to a full 90 minutes?
13:11Has that been fitness or has that been tactics?
13:13Yeah, he's had a few problems with cramping up late in games, as he did at Villa.
13:17So we've had to look at that.
13:19And he's put a lot in, as you've seen, he's a dynamic player,
13:22and that can get quite testing on the body when you're finding that true fitness.
13:25He is a fit player, by the way, but that Premier League fitness,
13:27that's a different kind of thing.
13:29So adapting to that, the challenge of what the game registers at any given time,
13:33but mainly making sure he can see through the 95,
13:3697 minutes and see it completely through.
13:38There's a lot of details in the games, we've seen that already this season.
13:41We can't afford people running out of energy because that often brings mistakes.
13:46You said Gerard Brantway is fit again.
13:48Does that mean he's in contention for a start?
13:50Yeah, he's definitely in contention.
13:51He's come through a game last week.
13:53He's done a lot of background work, as well as just a game.
13:57So he's looking stronger and he feels stronger.
14:00Pato's slightly different with the nature of his injury as well.
14:02So he's going to be a longer term.
14:05We're surprised, actually, now time flies.
14:06I think he was pushing around that six-month mark, so it's a longer period.
14:09So we've got to be a bit more careful and sort of gentle as it goes with Pato
14:13to get him back to full fitness.
14:15But Gerard's a different kind of injury and has been fitter for a longer period
14:18and doing a lot more background, sort of sports science, fitness
14:21and then coming into the football fitness.
14:22So he's had a good couple of weeks now.
14:24As you get those players back now and you've got more players available to you,
14:27when you're selecting that starting XI, how are you going to look at that now?
14:31Is it playing minutes people have had? Is it ability? Is it opponent?
14:35It's got to be a bit of everything.
14:36You know, you're trying to, certainly at this stage,
14:38I mean, I made changes for the Leicester game because I felt it was right to do so.
14:40And, you know, trying to find that winning combination,
14:43winning formula, whichever you describe as.
14:45That's the key, really.
14:46And then the one thing I do know, the Premier League will tell you,
14:49you need fit players, as in fit injury-free
14:52and then also physically fit enough to deliver performances.
14:55We've had a very disjointed pre-season for one reason or another,
14:58very disjointed beginning of the season,
14:59for one reason, that being the illness and injury, of course.
15:02So getting everyone to a fitness level that is important
15:05to what the Premier League brings has been the toughest challenge.
15:07I believe we're getting there now.
15:09So that's going to be helpful, apart from the likes of Jared,
15:11who's just getting on the cusp.
15:12You know, you can imagine, everyone knows in football,
15:15you get to a certain fitness level, the last bit is playing.
15:18That's the hardest bit to replicate in bounce games
15:20and the 21 games, is to replicate that real feel
15:23and all the emotions that go into performance.
15:25So that'll be the next step for a few of them.
15:27But some are already in front of that period,
15:29especially Illy, Jesper's getting there now.
15:31Tim got there a little bit quicker, but still flying his feet,
15:34you know, obviously quite inexperienced in the Premier League.
15:36So, you know, it's important for them all to get to that fitness level,
15:39but I think we are getting there now.
15:42You mentioned there about finding that winning formula.
15:44Is the pressure starting to build now?
15:46You know, people will go on about,
15:48there's not been a win yet this season.
15:50So how are you, if there is pressure,
15:52how are you dealing with that in here?
15:53And is it something you all speak about?
15:55The pressure has been since the moment I walked in.
15:57So for me, it's just been part of learning to normalise it.
16:01You know, that's what it's like being a manager
16:03through this spell that I've had in 21 months.
16:05You know, the ups and downs, the in and outs, constant noise,
16:07answering every question about every topic at Everton Football Club.
16:09So the pressures are given here.
16:11You know, that's what I've noticed.
16:12And, you know, I had to learn to deal with that very quickly,
16:15particularly going into the end of that first season
16:17when, you know, it's the last game of the season to win.
16:19That's as big a pressure as you're ever going to get.
16:21Trust me, especially if you remember the team we had.
16:23We were having to change shape, change players, everything.
16:25So that's as big a pressure as I've ever been in professional football.
16:29So you kind of, it normalises eventually.
16:31It becomes part of my role here is to deal with that pressure.
16:34It's not always enjoyable.
16:34The better pressure is when you're winning.
16:36You know, that's the better pressure when you're at the top end.
16:38But it is what it is.
16:39So now it's time to keep managing the best I can,
16:42keep answering all your questions about all the topics that come up
16:45and try and get a team that can win games.
16:47And that still remains my focus.
16:48But I have to do all this bit as well, as you know.