Sean Dyche: Everton boss working under ‘very difficult’ circumstances

Manager Sean Dyche is working under “very difficult circumstances” amid Everton’s worst start to a league season in 66 years, says the club’s director of football Kevin Thelwell.

The Toffees are bottom of the Premier League without a point having lost all four of their games so far, conceding 13 goals.

They have the poorest record of the 96 teams in Europe’s top five leagues and were knocked out in the third round of the Carabao Cup on penalties by fellow strugglers Southampton on Tuesday.

In an exclusive interview with BBC Radio Merseyside’s Giulia Bould, Thelwell said: “Sean and I work very closely together, our offices are a metre apart so we are talking regularly and consistently about what things we can do, how we can use the resources we have available to try and make things better going forwards.

“Sean has a responsibility for the preparation and performance of the team and fundamentally the results. My responsibility is the support services that sit around that. It is about us talking through some of the performance problems we have got.”

Dyche’s contract expires at the end of the season and, despite the wretched start, club sources have told BBC Sport the 53-year-old’s job is currently safe.

Thelwell added: “I can promise everybody that there is no stone being left unturned in terms of trying to rectify our current situation. He [Dyche] is working under very difficult circumstances.

“We still have ownership and financial situations to resolve so that makes it very difficult for a manager when we want to take that next step.”

Last week, Everton said there is “some work to be done” for American businessman John Textor to complete his takeover of the club following aborted attempts by 777 Partners and the Friedkin Group this year.

The Blues are also scheduled to move to their new stadium on Bramley Moore-Dock for the start of next season.