JOSE MOURINHO has emerged as the shock bookies’ favourite to replace Sean Dyche as Everton boss.
The Special One is rated odds-on to move to Merseyside with new owners The Friedkin Group believed to be ready to dump Dyche by as early as next week.
Dyche admitted in the build–up to tonight’s FA Cup third-round clash with Peterborough United that TFG would not be doing their jobs if they were not considering the possibility of replacing him.
The Americans ARE doing so and ex–boss David Moyes is also in the frame to return to the club and take it into their new Bramley – Moore Dock home next summer.
The appointment of Mourinho could be seen as a spectacular coup – despite TFG billionaire owner Dan Friedin, also owner of Roma, sacking him a year ago.
The Portuguese was also twice axed by Chelsea as well as Manchester United, Real Madrid and Inter Milan but he described his dismissal by Friedkin as the “one that most hurt”.
He took over Fenerbache last summer but is at war with Turkish authorities over the way Turkey’s Super Lig is being run.
Despite being so upset by the way Friedkin got rid of him the 61-year-old would love a chance for another tilt at the Premier League.
Dyche, almost two years in charge, is understood to have come to terms with the fact that his time at the club is coming to an end with fans turning on his style of football.
Everton takes on Posh in what he calls “a banana skin” encounter having won only three Prem games in 19 with the Toffees lying one point above the drop zone.
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Dyche declared of talk that TFG are sizing up replacements for him: “It should be.
“If you’re a business of this size and this club, then succession planning should be part of their diligence. I’ve got no problem with that at all.
“I think that should be ongoing at every football club.
“That’s part of the business, surely. I’m sure it is in what we’d call normal business life.”
JOSE MOURINHO launched a sarcastic blast at ref Clement Turpin after he was red-carded in his clash with former club Manchester United.
The Fenerbahce boss saw his side fight back to earn a point as United tossed away the lead for a third successive drawn Europa League match.
Mourinho was sent to the stands after raging against Turpin’s failure to award a penalty against Manuel Ugarte for a challenge on Bright Osayi-Samuel.
And Mourinho scowled: “The referee told me something incredible. He said at the same time he could see the action in the box and my behaviour on the touchline.
“I congratulate him because he is absolutely incredible. During the game, 100 miles per hour, he had one eye on the penalty situation and one eye on my behaviour on the bench. That’s the explanation he gave me.
“That is why he is one of the best referees in the world!”
What is almost certain is that the former Burnley manager is on the way out.
And defeat to Darren Ferguson’s League One club would only hasten his exit.
