Everton manager Sean Dyche is grateful for the clarity their successful appeal against a 10-point deduction has brought and insists they will take on the rest of the season “with an open mind”.
The long wait for a decision on the punishment for breaching profitability and sustainability rules was ended this week when the penalty was reduced to six points, lifting the club out of the relegation zone.
There is another case still pending for a breach on the latest set of accounts – and the long-running takeover sage by 777 Partners is still dragging on – but for now Dyche is looking to capitalise on the boost it has provided.
“We’re pleased we have got something back, obviously,” he said.
“You are always greedy and want more and more but the points the club put forward have been listened to and we have got the four points back.
“We will take that and now it brings clarity to the situation, which is good for us and the players but good for all actually.
“We’ve certainly parked that now because it’s become a fact; a line has been drawn under it and the players are clear on it.
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“We take on the rest of the season with an open mind.”
Dyche admits the long delay in receiving a verdict had started to play on the players’ minds but praised their ability to remain focused.
And he said the takeover issue would not affect them at all.
“It does start to creep in eventually. To be fair to these players, it took a long time for that to happen,” he said.
“We were all waiting, the noise gets bigger and bigger – ‘when’s it coming?’ – and the players hear all that and I thought they have stayed pretty steadfast in performance levels.
“The league table looks different and now it is about using that wisely and stepping on.
“They (the players) are not worried about takeovers, that is miles above what you do on the football pitch.
“I think the points tally and the idea of the appeal was a much different situation.”