Everton boss Sean Dyche downplayed the fact that he is a Liverpool fan ahead of the Merseyside derby by claiming that Kettering Town was his first love when it came to football. The former Burnley has put himself into a corner after previously announcing Liverpool as the team he backs up during his extended break from management.
But the comments have now come back to haunt him after he was appointed Everton manager following the sacking of Frank Lampard.
Inevitably, Dyche has since been pressed for clarity about his affiliation with Liverpool and has provided reassurance to Everton fans that Kettering has always been his main focus during his younger days.
“I don’t mind telling you I’m seven years old in Kettering, not exactly the football capital I’m going to tell you about,” Daichi said.
“I was actually a Kettering fan, which by the way never makes for a story. I actually had a season ticket and I would physically go and watch Kettering.
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Daichi added, “I can tell you a million Kettering stories, and I cannot tell you many more Liverpool stories than the one you all know.”
“I actually came to Anfield with Phil Neal because he was from Irchester, a little place near Kettering.
“We’ve been invited as a local elite team if you want to play half an hour before kick-off when you’ve played 15 minutes, you know what I mean?
“I almost actually scored an own goal. I flogged it off the line. I got past her goalkeeper, ran after her and swept her off the line.”
Speaking to LADBible, Dyche originally dropped himself when explaining his admiration for Liverpool earlier in the season.
He said: “I was a kid in the ’70s so I supported Liverpool. Local Kettering, Kettering Town, my dad and I used to go down and watch them, they were so great on the non-league scene but Liverpool from a distance.”
Dycke could hardly help himself when he described Kenny Dalglish as his childhood hero, adding: ‘I have to be King Kenny. I meet him in the most bizarre of circumstances because obviously I’m a man and he treats you like a man at football, but in my head I’ll go ‘You’re King Kenny’ as he talks to me Just., Burnley is going well, and I keep thinking in my head ‘You’re King Kenny’.
The Toffees boss is looking forward to following up on the perfect opener after the 1-0 win over Premier League leaders Arsenal last weekend.
He has already achieved success of his own against Liverpool as Burnley beat the Reds 1-0 in 2021 when football is played behind closed doors.
Burnley also picked up points from Jurgen Klopp’s side in the 2016/17 season, and the 2017/18 and 2019/20 campaigns as Dyche looks to repeat his feats with Everton.
