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The manager of Everton, Sean Dyche, has acknowledged that the team’s 10-point penalty may have had a mental impact on his players.
The Toffees are currently waiting for a decision on their appeal regarding their penalty for violating the Premier League’s financial rules in November of last year.
The punishment has put the Merseyside team in a tough position for avoiding relegation, and Dyche believes the uncertainty surrounding the possibility of regaining points may be affecting them.
Dyche spoke to several national newspapers, stating, “It impacts everyone – we’re all just sitting here, waiting and pondering.”
“It is important to note that the table is constantly updated and the 10 points are immediately deducted. This leads to continued questioning about being in the bottom three, four, or five. As a result, it is difficult to determine the psychological impact of this constant fluctuation.”
“It alters the way we view things, the atmosphere, the support, and the overall experience of watching the team perform. This is an undeniable truth. Our evaluations of the team’s success differ depending on their ranking, whether they are at the top, middle, or bottom.”
“Does this have an impact on the team during the process? Initially, everyone may say no because of the four wins, but one could argue that there is a delayed consequence.”
The verdict for Everton’s appeal hearing, which took place at the end of last month, is expected to be announced soon. However, an exact date has not been determined for its delivery.
It would be beneficial if it occurred sooner rather than later.
“At the moment, I have no idea,” stated Dyche during a press conference.
“We will need to wait and see as both our guidelines and those suggested by the media have a similar timeframe of the end of the month.”
“I am not familiar with all the legal procedures for appeals, but I believe it would be beneficial for everyone, including ourselves, and for the betterment of football if a decision is made sooner rather than later.”
Despite initially bouncing back from a points setback, Everton has now gone eight Premier League games without a victory.
They currently sit above the relegation zone by only goal difference following a 1-1 tie with Crystal Palace on Monday.
Sean Dyche, whose team will be visiting Brighton this Saturday, has been satisfied with the positive attitude his players have maintained during a difficult time.
“He expressed his satisfaction with the players’ hard work and dedication. He believes they are consistently putting in great effort and it does not interfere with their daily tasks.”
I believe they are still curious, thinking, “When will you reveal our current situation and provide a more factual perspective?” However, we are all on the same page – the situation is what it is and that’s final.
“We assess its current state and wait to see what happens next. We are unable to make any changes until it is completed.”
The source is The Independent, a UK-based news website.
