It was shortly after 9.30pm on Tuesday night when Sean Dyche decided to leave Finch Farm.
As he made his way out of the gates of Everton’s training complex he was greeted by a small number of fans and stopped to sign autographs. The supporters in attendance weren’t there to welcome a new signing, but to again show their displeasure towards the running of their club.
Yet as Dyche made his way home, he could be forgiven for thinking what the hell had he signed up to. To say the Blues endured a dreadful end to the transfer window would be an understatement.
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Numerous apparent attempts to strengthen Dyche’s relegation-threatened squad resulted in as many knock backs. No one, it seemed, fancied the challenge of helping Everton to safety.
The whole thing is a desperately sad situation for the club. But one that feels like it has been coming.
The January transfer window was meant to offer the Blues a chance to bring in some much-needed attacking reinforcements to give them the best possible chance of climbing the table in the second half of the season.
Instead, Everton find themselves in a weaker position than when the window opened; Anthony Gordon's departure to Newcastle United weakening an already struggling squad.
An already huge task for Dyche just got even bigger. In fact, it is no surprise that many supporters believe the former Burnley boss needs to produce a miracle if the Blues are to avoid relegation to the Championship.
Dyche has a pub named after him in Burnley following his impressive work at the Turf Moor club, but if the 51-year-old keeps Everton up, then there is a strong argument to be made that he deserves a hell of a lot more than that.
Despite promises from owner Farhad Moshiri that Everton would secure a much-needed striker this month, his club ended the window without one. Only links with former Swansea and West Ham forward Andre Ayew - who is a free agent - remain.
One of the most respected football writers on Merseyside recently wrote that it was too charitable to describe the Blues as a club in crisis. What has occurred this month further backs up his point.
Not for the first time the club’s board of directors find themselves under mounting pressure. More protests were already planned ahead of this weekend’s game against Arsenal before the end of the window.
The botched recruitment drive over the last few days is only going to add fuel to the fire. The shambles of January leaves a lot of people, no matter what their role at the club, facing questions about how it unfolded.
But one man who should not be under pressure is Sean Dyche. In no way can he be held accountable for the current situation.
Yes, Everton still have more than a fighting chance to stay up, but if recent events are anything to go by then the odds are stacked against them.
Dyche, however, has inherited this mess and that should not be forgotten. He has in no way played a part in the club’s demise.
But, as history shows, when it comes to knee-jerk reactions and hitting the panic button, no one does it quite like Mr Moshiri. He’s become an expert since his arrival at Goodison Park back in February 2016.
However, this time round, he has no choice but to avoid those two options, regardless of what happens next, and certainly if the club is relegated.
Sacking another manager will achieve absolutely nothing and in no way should Dyche carry the can for other people’s mistakes. Now is the time for the club to stick by their word.
When Dyche was announced as Everton’s new manager last week the club confirmed he had signed a two-and-a-half-year contract. Not six months or a year.
Now is the time for Everton to stand by their manager and trust him to deliver. That could end up being a promotion bid from the Championship to the Premier League next season.
If Everton were to sack Dyche in the summer, or even before then, then they would find themselves looking for someone like Dyche to come in and take over. So why be stupid and fall into a familiar trap? It would show nothing has been learnt from past mistakes.
Things could get a lot worse before they get better for the Blues, both on and off the pitch, but no matter what happens now is the time for those in charge to stand by Dyche.
Mr Moshiri’s Goodison reign has lurched from one calamity to the next, and a sixth manager over the course of the last seven years was recently dispatched.
But for the sake of everyone at the club, the knee-jerk reactions and hitting of the panic button have to stop and they have to stop now.
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