Sean Dyche shares Dominic Calvert-Lewin fitness doubt for Fulham
Sean Dyche doesn't expect Dominic Calvert-Lewin to be fit enough to start against Fulham as he also opened up about the "reality" of managing Everton.
Calvert-Lewin has endured a torrid couple of years, with injuries preventing him from playing for his side. The England international has featured on just 36 occasions in all competitions over the duration of the last two seasons.
However, he ramped up his return from a hamstring injury in recent days, with 45 minutes in a behind-closed-doors match with AC Monza on Tuesday and another 45-minute outing against Sporting CP at Goodison Park on Saturday afternoon.
And just days after making his first appearance of the summer, Calvert-Lewin was back among the goals as his penalty earned Everton a 1-0 win over Ruben Amorim’s side in their final outing before their Premier League opener against Fulham on Saturday.
And asked after the game if he thought Calvert-Lewin would be fit enough to start against Marco Silva’s side, Dyche revealed that he doesn't because the "game’s programme" the forward is currently following has not yet been achieved.
The Everton boss said: "I doubt it because the game’s programme hasn’t been achieved yet; he has played two 45-minute games, so therefore we have to keep building him up because we cannot go down the cycle of events from the last two years; we have to break it.
"We tried to break it last season; we nearly got there, but it didn’t quite work. Now we have to be cautious to make sure that he is well, which he is.
"You saw that today, but we have to make sure he is over everything and clear minded and his body is clear as well. All problems can be remedied in the human body; it is just some bodies take longer than others."
Dyche made no attempt to sugarcoat Everton’s latest relegation escape after victory against Bournemouth on the final day of last season. Survival afforded the 52-year-old the opportunity to speak with refreshing honesty.
The former Burnley chief explained that there was a "massive amount of work to be done" and Everton had to start acting like a "big club" again. However, with less than a week to go until the start of the new campaign, the Blues have only added two new additions to their squad in the shape of Ashley Young and Arnaut Danjuma.
But when asked if he was feeling frustrated by the fact more strides have not been made over the summer, Dyche replied: "No, I took over the reality, the reality of a club that needs reality, the fans have enjoyed a period - enjoyed is a strange word for Evertonians, I presume - but I imagine they enjoyed a period where there money was free flowing and lots of signings were coming in and out the building, managers coming in and out the building, all that kind of history.
"Now the new history, or the history we are trying to make, is ok; we are back to the reality of a real club pulling together to try and change the future and push it into a better direction.
"That is just part of the job, part of the understanding of me coming in. I was under no illusions; I knew we would have to lose players because I knew the market would be tougher than it has been previously because of money, but, equally, the club has to have a proper footing and a real base to work from, and a reality of where it is.
"I think the fans have been terrific with that; actually, the noise I hear is very positive of trying to say this is where we are at. At the end of last season, I made it clear of where it is at.
"The fans said to me they want the truth; I have told them the truth, so let's build on that and build together."
