Leighton Baines has reacted to talk of an emotional return to Everton for David Moyes as the club’s next manager, while also revealing his own chances of taking on the Goodison Park job full-time.
Sean Dyche was sacked just three hours before the Toffees’ FA Cup third-round tie against Peterborough United on Thursday evening, with Everton sitting just a point above the Premier League relegation zone – prompting The Friedkin Group to act after less than a month of their tenure.
Current Under-18s coach Baines and club captain Seamus Coleman took charge as Everton saw off the League One side at Goodison thanks to goals from Beto and Iliman Ndiaye.
However, the main focus now shifts to who will be the next man to take over the hot seat on the blue half of Merseyside, with former boss Moyes currently the heavy favourite for the role after serving 11 years (2002-13) as manager before leaving for Manchester United. Indeed, he is known to currently be in talks over a homecoming.
Moyes is currently out of work after leaving West Ham last summer and TT understands that the Scot will be appointed on a deal until the end of the season with a view to extending in the summer, depending on how things pan out for the remainder of the current campaign.
And while Baines played under Moyes for six years and called him a “great coach and a good man” the former Toffess left-back refused to be drawn on whether he old boss is set to return.
Speaking after the win over Peterborough, Baines said: “I don’t know, I don’t want to get too dragged into who the right man is and all the rest of it.
“What I can do is speak to David Moyes because I played for him. He was a great coach to play for and a good man. As far as who is the right man for the job, I don’t want to get dragged into all that.”
Baines has firm answer over permanent Everton role
Baines only found out he would be taking charge of his boyhood club on the morning of the game, having been training with the Under-18s, and he admitted it was a difficult day after telling the players it wasn’t just Dyche’s fault that he was axed.
Speaking about how the players responded though, Baines was delighted, adding: “Their application was brilliant. They understood that, we spoke to them before the game that losing managers and coaches isn’t what anyone wants and that usually means something hasn’t gone quite right.
“It’s never on one person, it’s on a lot of people involved. The players knew they had to show something in terms of a response and they did.
“They tried to play with energy against a team that wants to play a lot of football, it was a nice challenge.”
As for whether Baines is actually in the running for the full-time job, he responded: “I’m not, no. I am happy to help in whatever way I can.
“I am really proud I got to help out today and support the club, which is what we love to do. What happens next, I don’t know, everything moved that quickly today.”
