Leighton Baines makes Everton job admission and explains Sean Dyche sack message to players

Leighton Baines makes Everton job admission and explains Sean Dyche sack message to players

Leighton Baines led Everton to a 2-0 victory over Peterborough United after Sean Dyche's sacking

Leighton Baines gestures during the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match between Everton and Peterborough United at Goodison Park on January 09, 2025 (Image: Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images )

Stand-in Everton manager Leighton Baines has ruled himself out of the vacant manager’s job. The former Blues star, and current Under-18s boss, oversaw the club’s 2-0 FA Cup win over Peterborough United on Thursday night, assisted by club captain Seamus Coleman.

The 40-year-old said he had been working at the Finch Farm training ground when he was asked to go to the team hotel and work with the first team after being informed of Sean Dyche’s departure on the day of the game.

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Asked after the match whether he would consider launching a bid for the permanent job, he said: “No, I’m happy to help in whatever way I can, and I am really, really proud that I got to help out today and support the football club, which is what we love to do.

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"I’m made up that we got to do that and what happens next I do not know, everything moved that quick today so I do not know.”

Everton won courtesy of a Beto goal and a late Iliman Ndiaye penalty. Asked how he found being in the dugout, Baines said: “Good, it was different, similar to what I do but in a different context with having to take the first team but it was a hectic day but I actually enjoyed it.

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“I thought their [the players’] application was brilliant. We spoke to them before the game, losing managers and coaches is never what anyone wants and that normally means that something hasn’t gone quite right.

"It is never on one person that, it is on a lot of people that are involved in it and the players knew they had to try and show something in terms of a response to it and they did.”

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