Ex-Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa flew to London yesterday for last-ditch crunch talks to replace Frank Lampard as Everton manager, with the club allegedly hopeful of making an appointment by the weekend.<\/p>\n
Bielsa and Sean Dyche are the two frontrunners favored to replace Lampard after he was dismissed on Monday. Ralph Hasenhuttl, one of the initial leading candidates, is understood to to have no interest the post.<\/p>\n
Everton\u2019s majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri is said to be pressing ahead with trying to convince Bielsa to take the Goodison post, with the situation looking like the longer Bielsa stalls, the more likely it is that Dyche, out of work since leaving Burnley towards the end of last season, will end up with the opportunity to save Everton from relegation.<\/p>\n
Apparently there is already an understanding that although the Argentinian has agreed to meet with Everton officials, they have yet to convince him regarding the quality of the current squad and the improvements required.<\/p>\n
The club is said to be hopeful of getting final clarity over whether or not he will accept their offer as it is understood Moshiri is still earnestly desiring to explore every avenue with Bielsa before moving on, although he realises time is fast running out to ensure the next coach can work in this transfer window.<\/p>\n
The Everton top brass have already held talks with both coaches and Dyche\u2019s enthusiasm for the role \u2013 in stark contrast to Bielsa\u2019s caution with his reservations \u2013 may end up compelling Moshiri to reluctantly give up on his pursuit of the highly-revered Argentine doyen whom his peers hold in the highest esteem.<\/p>\n
Should Dyche eventally emerge as the final candidate, he could likely be an initial short-term measure to plug the gap in the hope he can lead the side out of the drop zone. However should he continue to impress after that, that could open the way for a long-term contract.<\/p>\n
Comparisons will be made in this area with Everton appointing Sam Allardyce midway through the 2017-18 season, as Allardyce was not the first choice as Moshiri preference then was Marco Silva, who was at that time still at Watford.<\/p>\n
Ex-England manager Allardyce arrived as an emergency measure but was immensely unpopular with the Everton fans even though he led the side comfortably to eighth position in the league.<\/p>\n
Moshiri was left with no choice but to replace him that summer in the face of escalating fan hostility, by which time Silva was already available.<\/p>\n
It is imperative for Moshiri to also consider the possibility that his next appointment will have to lead the club out of the Championship if they cannot escape the bottom three this season.<\/p>\n
Both Dyche and Bielsa won promotion to the Premier League with Burnley and Leeds, respectively, although the obvious, immediate priority is to preserve Everton\u2019s Premier League status.<\/p>\n
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