It is difficult to imagine that Carlo Ancelotti was at the helm at Everton with James Rodriguez dictating the play for his side a little over 18 months ago.
But since he was lured away to a slightly more lucrative Real Madrid job, things have never been the same for the Merseyside club.
In came Rafael Benitez, an extremely polarising and controversial instalment considering his ties with staunch rivals Liverpool. He brought with him some mundane football that, at least initially, produced results.
But six and a half months in, dwindling results and the same mundane and boring football meant the Toffees were facing a relegation battle and the Spaniard was given a boot.
In his place came former England international Frank Lampard. The new manager started when the club was 16th in the league and ended there as well, but with many tops and turns, including THAT night in Goodison where his team came back from two goals down against Crystal Palace at halftime to win 3-2.
That win established Everton’s safety and confirmed a 69th straight top-flight season for the club.
With a buoyant mood and fans firmly behind the Englishman, much was expected this season.
Yes, the loss of their talisman in Richarlison did not help, but five key signings made over the summer and a good start to the season meant there was hope for the Toffees that they would not be embroiled in another relegation battle this season as well.
Alas, what was expected has not transpired.
A run of eight consecutive PL games without a victory has left Everton 19th in the table and only above Southampton on goal difference. With a little under halfway to go in the league, there is still time left to fight back. Leicester City at 14th place are only 3 points above Everton, hinting at a game of tight margins at the bottom of the table.
Farhad Moshiri and co. will need to get the next appointment, their seventh permanent one since 2016, spot on to have any chance of avoiding the Championship next season.
Whether the problems run deeper than the man in the dugout is another issue that the board may or may not choose to address, after all, Jamie Carragher only just called them “the worst-run club in the country”.
But what they can change is the manager, and they have decided to do so. So let’s assess who can come in and take this struggling side up the table.
The Favourite: Marcelo Bielsa
The man with the money is apparently in favour of appointing the former Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa. However, it is said that he lacks the support of the other board members in this regard.
The 67-year-old has an impressive CV, with spells in La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1 and even the international stage with Argentina and Chile. Most recently, he was the man credited with waking up a sleeping giant, bringing Leeds United back to the Premier League after 16 years.
Questions: His fast-paced approach to football will surely excite many Evertonians, but will he take a job mid-season? And will he take a job where so much needs to be fixed and so little time to fix it?
The Inside Man: Duncan Ferguson
Some say the Big Dunc, who has already had two stints as an assistant manager at the club, is also in the running for the job. He previously expressed his desire to become the main man after his caretaker stint but was overlooked.
Questions: Will he be the right appointment? Should Everton be sticking to a known and proven quantity rather than trying out something new at this stage?
The No-Nonsense Approach: Sean Dyche
Sean Dyche was sacked by Burnley last April and has since been without a job. Dyche worked miracles in the decade he was employed at Turf Moor, leading the club to two promotions to the top tier. Dyche is a realistic solution to at least the club’s short-term goals.
Questions: His brand of football is less than ideal. Will the fans accept such an appointment? Should they care as long as Dyche keeps them in the Premier League? And if he does not, should Dyche be removed in favour of someone who offers more exciting football?
The Emotion Appointment: Wayne Rooney
The prodigal talent has already had two stints as a player for Everton. Is it time for his first one as a manager? Rooney has been in charge of MLS club DC United since last July, after a stint at Derby, where he earned plaudits for his work.
He was already offered an interview for the job at Everton last year but he turned it down citing that he was not ready. He, however, has outlined his intentions to lead the club one day.
“Obviously Everton and Manchester United are the two clubs who are really close to my heart so to manage one of them two would be a dream,” he told CNN in November.
But for Rooney, coming to the club in such trying times may not be ideal. A failure means he risks tainting not just his reputation with the Evertonians, but also his future job prospects in the top tier of management.
Questions: After a not-so-ideal player-turned-manager appointment in Frank Lampard, surely Everton cannot risk the same outcome again?
The Returning Messiah: David Moyes
Moyes is no stranger to Everton, having managed the club for close to a decade. Those were also some of the best times for the club in recent memory, finishing consistently between fifth and eighth in the league, a feat they have rarely achieved since he departed for Manchester United.
Currently, at West Ham, he himself is close to being fired, with the club languishing just over the relegation zone in 16th place.
Can the man who instigated the Lampard sacking to come in to replace him?
Questions: Would Everton really want to employ a manager who was sacked by another club owing to poor performances?
Who will be the latest to walk through the rotating doors at Goodison Park? With a new stadium being built, and the club being 19th in the latest Deloitte rankings, the club is in no way a bad job.
Whoever comes in has the goal of keeping the club in this league and then leading them out of the massive mess created over the past few years.
That person will have a tough job indeed. Will he succeed? Only time will tell.
