It feels like Everton are never far from the headlines, with off-the-field issues dominating conversations at Goodison Park.
The Premier League are yet to confirm whether 777 Partners will be approved as the club’s new owners, although there has been talk of a decision being reached next week.
Elsewhere, the club will find out in March whether it will be docked further points due to another breach of PSR rules.
For Sean Dyche and the players, heading off on a mid-season training camp was needed. It allowed the squad to retreat from the pressures of Premier League football.
However, the headlines have followed the Toffees overseas.
What has happened with Sean Dyche and Nathan Patterson?
According to the Daily Mail, the Toffees’ Portuguese training camp has been marred by an altercation between Dyche and several of his players.
The report claims the 52-year-old slapped Nathan Patterson harmlessly, leaving some of the squad unimpressed. It’s understood James Tarkowski had to step in to ease tensions.
Of course, for the mainstream press, a story of this nature is absolute gold dust. Yet, if you read further down the article, it’s clear that a lot was made out of nothing.
One of the lower paragraphs reads: “Everton sources insist there was no major bust-up, claiming the incident on Wednesday was a clumsy joke that backfired, but it caused a stir among fellow restaurant diners.
“Everton sources insist the trip was a success, with the players in good spirits when they landed.”
Everton: what should we make of Nathan Patterson and Sean Dyche’s bust-up?
As mentioned, this scenario has been completely blown out of proportion by the Daily Mail’s initial report. The incident was probably trivial at best.
The Everton boss will undoubtedly be questioned about the incident during his next press conference, and his response will undoubtedly be interesting.
As previously mentioned, the Toffees are without a league game for three weeks, which could be a blessing in disguise. Had there been a Premier League game this weekend, this incident could have been blown out of the water.