Ronald Koeman

[Romey 1878]

My first choice right from the off so I'm so happy we've made such a good start under him. A start is all it is though, so I'm not getting too excited just yet.

[markjazzbassist]

My first choice right from the off so I'm so happy we've made such a good start under him. A start is all it is though, so I'm not getting too excited just yet.

 

he was one of my top choices as well, i'm very happy we got him. great start so far, he's handled ross and romelu well, and brought in with walsh some very quality signing (williams, gana, stek, bolasie). i'm excited but grounded and just happy to watch good football again

[Hafnia]

I like the way he carries himself. Could he be the type of manager who falls out with players? Well sometimes players need sorting.

 

I think we have him at the right stage of management. Another job after southampton and he may have been in the super manager category pushing to manage the likes of bayern, barca, real.

[markjazzbassist]

I like the way he carries himself. Could he be the type of manager who falls out with players? Well sometimes players need sorting.

 

I think we have him at the right stage of management. Another job after southampton and he may have been in the super manager category pushing to manage the likes of bayern, barca, real.

 

there's only one club he truly wants to manage, which is Barca. If this year keeps up and maybe next year as well, and Enrique has issues down in catalan, i can see him going. It's his dream job and I wouldn't even be mad, he was a legend down there.

 

It will be interesting to see him go against his old Barca teammate in Pep. Similar philosophies albeit different ways of going about it.

[Aidan]

 

there's only one club he truly wants to manage, which is Barca. If this year keeps up and maybe next year as well, and Enrique has issues down in catalan, i can see him going. It's his dream job and I wouldn't even be mad, he was a legend down there.

 

It will be interesting to see him go against his old Barca teammate in Pep. Similar philosophies albeit different ways of going about it.

Until he leaves then we will sulk and be angry at him! Haha.

[Peter H]

I think Arsenal might try to sign him when Arsene leaves. I dont know how he would respond to that. Id be gutted if he left for another PL club. Lets not think about that now though.

[Hafnia]

Until he leaves then we will sulk and be angry at him! Haha.

Oh do shut up ffs. If he starts issuing come and get me interviews and stops doing his job with months left of the season I will throw blue paint all over his car.

 

Fook me, everyone trying to find ways to level out Lukakus behaviour... you can't. You are happy with him being a disrespectful tit - leave it at that.

[Romey 1878]

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11671/10584461/everton-players-in-fear-of-manager-ronald-koeman-says-phil-jagielka

[Hafnia]

One of my frustrations with the team under Martinez was that they indulged in his fluffy stuff.

 

Koeman has the air of the strict history teacher, martinez was like the supply teacher.

[gethinO]

One of my frustrations with the team under Martinez was that they indulged in his fluffy stuff.

 

Koeman has the air of the strict history teacher, martinez was like the supply teacher.

The bloody caretaker by the end if you ask me...

[StevO]

More like the weird lad whos just passed his test who drives past the school gates at 3:30 every day

[Hafnia]

I'll save my 16,000th post for Big Ron...

 

14 and a half years ago I was sat in the paddock applauding David Moyes on to the pitch against Fulham in a game that ended up being a ridiculous nail biter - I think I nearly cried through sheer nerves and relief at the end of that game. The next few years were reminiscent of the Dogs of War under Big Joe Royle.... we had a team that fought and could play a little bit and we were safe from the threat of relegation that the Smith/Knox regime put us under. Those two should have been prosecuted for job abandonment.

 

Its fair to say I got tired of Moyes after a few years and that's a pity. I really thought we had a bright young manager who would evolve his methods. He did a decent job to be fair - he just got on my nerves with his expectation dampening - and although he worked well on a budget he had no "big game" mentality. We were as good for him and his bank balance as he was for us and our stability. It wasn't a healthy relationship though - many fans wanted more even if it meant risk.

 

Martinez temporarily bought some much needed gusto and flair to our play, the shackles were off and the first season we looked superb, really good and he made some smart signings. The second season just felt different - he had definitely changed and there was an arrogance that wasn't right.... turns out he had no risk of failure having been awarded a "fail proof contract". He had to go, he completely blew it and all the good work he had done.

 

So here we are now with Big Ron. A man who has won almost everything as a player - someone I had the privilege of watching ping 50 yard balls all over the place at Goodison in 1995 for Feyenoord, a class act. He seems to understand what us fans have been crying out for - he understands how to handle players with different "attitudes".... all with the calm authority of high court judge. His face doesn't change if he's providing some cutting criticism or well deserved praise - he will keep the players guessing.

 

I think its fair to say that I am highly optimistic about Everton in his hands.... the players look respectfully petrified of him. Go Ron!

[Eric]

Emery would have won all 5 games.

[MikeO]

Emery would have won all 5 games.

 

You'd have thought it would have been easier for him to do it at PSG but he hasn't; ten points from five.

[badaids]

I'm loving Koeman's "realpolitik" approach. He just tells it like it is, doesn't dress things up and speaks pragmatically according to how things are and how things are going. Very refreshing when compared to Martinez's spin machine. I was staggered when the 'Barclay must do better' articles came out, and I wonder how Ross took it to get some proper feedback. Too soon to say if it will pay off as we're just 5 games in, and we haven't really got into third gear a steam yet, but the initial evidence looks positive - it's nice to feel that the team is moving forward and progressing.

[Aidan]

Oh do shut up ffs. If he starts issuing come and get me interviews and stops doing his job with months left of the season I will throw blue paint all over his car.

 

Fook me, everyone trying to find ways to level out Lukakus behaviour... you can't. You are happy with him being a disrespectful tit - leave it at that.

This forum is actually getting dreadful when people can't even have a laugh.

[duncanmckenzieismagic]

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/712176/Everton-Ronald-Koeman-new-manager-best-start-1978-behind-the-scenes

 

 

[Romey 1878]

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/712176/Everton-Ronald-Koeman-new-manager-best-start-1978-behind-the-scenes

I got butterflies in my stomach reading that.

[markjazzbassist]

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/712176/Everton-Ronald-Koeman-new-manager-best-start-1978-behind-the-scenes

 

 

 

Fantastic article, thanks dunc! Goes to show how far things had gone south with Martinez. Lemon drizzle cake? I'm surprised they even serve dessert at all. With these athletes I would think its all lean meats, fruits and veggies. I love that bit about they all eat together but not until he says buon appetito.

[Ghoat]

Can't load it, DNS failure - not even the homepage. Or they hate 'Muricans pinging from the States!

[duncanmckenzieismagic]

Can't load it, DNS failure - not even the homepage. Or they hate 'Muricans pinging from the States!

 

Ronald Koeman uncovered: The man behind Everton's best start since 1978 EVERTON had just pulled up at their team base ahead of Ronald Koeman’s first match in charge when the clearest sign arrived that life under him was going to be different

It was meal time at a hotel outside Barnsley where the pre-season programme was beginning, and the Dutchman expected his squad would be sitting down to eat.

As staff scurried round trying to get food on the table, Koeman’s blood pressure began to boil. He was told the delay would be two minutes. Five then elapsed and the meal still was not ready.

Roberto Martinez was not one for confrontation, preferring to shush those players willing to speak out in the dressing room following a defeat rather than allowing debate to rage.

His successor did little to disguise his unhappiness; making plain his anger and voicing his upset in a manner which confirmed to those in the vicinity the outlook was changing.

The rumpus was not for effect. Koeman is a stickler for timekeeping, insistent everything is done in a certain way, and from that moment on Everton’s players realised they would be conforming to a new set of rules.

Pre-season training had already been brought forward by three days to July 4 and 9am starts, not 10am, at Finch Farm were made compulsory. The school run was out and hard work in.

“Anyone looking for love found out it wasn’t going to be here,” said one staff member.

In isolation, it might seem a trivial episode but it was one which helped embellish the aura that Koeman exudes around Goodison Park.

It is no coincidence that Everton, in EFL Cup action against Norwich on Tuesday, have made their best start to a season since 1978.

The approach is hardline, but underpinned by honesty which ensures his players know exactly where they stand when the dressing room felt there was too much cloak-and-dagger towards the end of Martinez’s reign

This was not always the case.

When Martinez pushed the responsibility for gym work, and recovery sessions, onto his players it was initially embraced as a manager putting his trust in his charges.

When apathy set in, however, the practice was open to abuse. Corners were cut. There are no such loopholes under Koeman. Everything is done as a group, instilling a sense of team-work rather than promoting the individual.

Everton’s matchday routine has changed markedly.

For a home game, the squad is expected to arrive at 11.30am for a 3pm kick-off and be sitting down together at 12 noon for a meal in the players’ lounge at Goodison Park. Previously they ate at Finch Farm.

An in-depth team meeting then follows for the starting XI and the substitutes. Those not in the 18-man squad are excluded.

The amount of people milling around the tunnel on match-days is also now kept to a minimum which is a theme continued at the training ground. Where previously a dressing room overflowed with support staff, so Koeman has cleared it out ensuring only his technical staff – such as brother, Erwin, Jan Kluitenberg, Duncan Ferguson, David Unsworth, John Ebbrell and goalkeeping coach Patrick Lodewijks – get changed together now.

It may have felt harsh to those who had grown accustomed to life in the bosom of the first team, but it serves merely as a reflection of Koeman’s clinical attitude.

He is a man who keeps conversation to a minimum – lunch is served when he says “buon appetito” and no one eats before then – with Erwin more hands-on during training which is shorter but more intense. Everton look fitter, Koeman has estimated the players have lost around 8lbs on last season, although that may also be due to fitness coach Kluitenberg banning the homemade lemon drizzle cake that was favourite in the canteen.

There is a sense that Koeman is a coach who comes alive on matchday and he is not someone who lives and breathes Everton in the same way as David Moyes and Martinez did.

His Aston Martin is more likely to be found leaving the training ground at nearer to 4pm than 8pm.

Days off are sacrosanct. Last week he went mountain biking with Kluitenberg, but Koeman’s love of golf means he considered staying at Formby Hall, about 30 minutes from Finch Farm, when he first arrived at the club in June only for the venue, popular for weddings, to be deemed too busy. He is now living in Alderley Edge in Cheshire with Erwin, in contrast, residing in Liverpool city centre.

How long Koeman remains at Goodison Park remains to be seen. The ambition fuelled during stellar playing career can be seen in his eyes, yet he is proving to be exactly what Everton needed.

A manager whose tactical acumen and willingness to make changes turns defeats into wins, draws into victories, and whose plain speaking is an antidote to the sunny-side-up appraisals of his predecessor.

The sight of the Premier League table, and the buzz around Goodison, shows Everton are enjoying less words and more action.

[Eric]

The blimp headed Dutch fraud should be ashamed of himself tonight.

[duncanmckenzieismagic]

The blimp headed Dutch fraud should be ashamed of himself tonight.

I don't think he is a fraud, although he did play a major part in conning me out of £20 tonight, and I have no idea whatsoever what a blimp head is but I do agree that he dropped a major bollock tonight and I just hope it doesn't derail the decent start to the season we've had

 

 

[Romey 1878]

if there is a good point to come out of tonight it's that he knows the players who came in tonight with the exception of Mori and Holgate are not good enough and all need to be out the door.

Kone and Valencia with them.

Mori and Holgate were both awful tonight.

[StevO]

For me Mori can play left of a back three, anything else is just a no. Not on the same level as Williams and Jags.

 

Koeman needs to use last night as an arse kicking for the players and the board. We have a very short squad, maybe 13/14 first team choices at best.

[Hafnia]

The one player we needed was a striker of decent calibre. When Rom has his lulls or gets injured we haven't got anyone to pressure him/replace him.

[Romey 1878]

you can't tell me Mori and Holgate arnt good enough for the squad since coming into the team both have been excellent.

I'm pointing the finger at Gerry Cleverley Valencia

Lennon and kone, I think they will all leave In next window or the summer.

 

Where in what I said does it say I don't think they're good enough? I was just pointing out that the two you seem to be letting off for last night were awful themselves.

[markjazzbassist]

I agree Steve we are very short on depth. January will be important to strengthen. And the summer will be important to get rid of dead wood anyone who wants them for a pittance or free Gibson mcgeady kone Lennon Joel Oviedo etc. Bring in some youngsters with holgate Davies and maybe one other and sign some better players.

[Bailey]

Mori was crap but I thought Holgate did well.

 

Cleverley did well on the whole too.

 

Not sure how Kone can be blamed either considering how long it took Koeman to get him on the pitch and the mess of a formation he used as well.

[duncanmckenzieismagic]

I agree with Romey I thought Mori and Holgate were awful last night, in fact I never want to see Mori as a LB ever again