Potential candidates to replace Ronald Koeman at Everton

There is sweet, sweet relief on the blue side of the Mersey. Ronald Koeman is gone, and he takes his nonsensical lineups, low scoring attacks, and underachievement with him. The problem is, Everton are now faced with one of the biggest decisions in club history.

Who could be the right man to lead the Blues into the future?

David Unsworth 9/4

The manager of Everton’s highly successful U23 side is likely to be appointed interim manager, at the very least for the league cup match against Chelsea on Wednesday. However, some feel that Unsworth deserves a shot at the permanent gig. The youth squad won the Premier League 2 last season, and the former Blues’ defender knows the club well.

Unsworth took over for Roberto Martinez on the final day of the 2015-16 season and lead Everton to a 3-0 win over Norwich City.

David Moyes 4/1

You don’t have to do this, Farhad.

Moyesy is obviously one of Everton’s more successful managers - even leading them to a Champions League place and FA Cup final - however, in the time that’s gone by, it seems the game has passed the Scotsman by.

Moyes has slogged through a highly unsuccessful stint at both Real Sociedad and Sunderland since his ill-fated tenure at Manchester United, and was also embroiled in a sexism scandal at the Stadium of Light. Hard pass.

Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Sean Dyche 8/1

Now we have arrived at the more realistic candidates. Dyche isn’t going to excite the restless natives, but the current Burnley manager has a strong reputation around England.

Media sources seem to believe that Dyche is the front runner for the permanent position, with both the Mail and Telegraph naming him.

Dyche has been at Burnley since 2012, amassing a 91-67-71 record with the Clarets. He consistently sets up his side in a 4-4-1-1, and is known for his sides being hard to play against. While that might seem drab right now, Everton could use a little edge to their game, no?

Burnley are currently sitting in 8th place, with wins over Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, and...Everton.

Eddie Howe 14/1

Long tipped to succeed Arsene Wenger at the Emirates, Howe plays a more aesthetically pleasing style of football than Dyche at Bournemouth. The Cherries, in large part thanks to Howe, have gone from League Two to a Premier League staple.

This year, though, has been a struggle for Bournemouth. After bringing in big money signings like Asmir Begovic and Jermain Defoe, the Cherries are languishing in 19th place, just one spot behind Everton.

Paulo Fonseca 14/1

Currently at the helm of Shakhtar Donetsk, Fonseca also has recent stints at FC Porto and SC Braga in Liga NOS.

Fonseca’s history makes him something of a risky choice, though. In the cases of both Porto and Shakhtar, Fonseca has inherited clubs that were expected to win and win big. It’s arguable that Everton need more of a stabilizer in the dugout.

David Wagner 18/1

Often compared to Jurgen Klopp, David Wagner was in charge of Borussia Dortmund’s academy prior to leading Huddersfield Town to the Premier League. The Terriers play an aggressive style, and it just last weekend led to a watershed victory over Manchester United.

The German American may see value in waiting on a new gig, though, because it’s likely that bigger clubs than Everton could come calling soon.

We’ll have more coverage later today on some of the sexier names being linked with the club - Tuchel, Ancelotti - but these six men are largely considered the favorites for the unenviable job of cleaning up Ronald Koeman’s mess.