Has Koeman made the right choice?

By Simon Wright – Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88

Everton have got their man in the form of Ronald Koeman. The Toffees have agreed a £5m compensation package with Premier League rivals Southampton to make the Dutchman their new manager.

He becomes only the fourth Toffees manager of this millennium and succeeds Roberto Martinez, who was axed just before the conclusion of the 2015/2016 season.

It was another disappointing campaign for Everton last term, who despite reaching semi-finals in both domestic cup competitions, finished a distant 11^th for the second successive season. They mustered a meagre six league wins all season at Goodison Park too.

Ronald Koeman becomes only Everton's fourth manager since 1998

Koeman (pictured) is a highly-rated manager and has done great work at Southampton over the past two years, but has he made the right choice in his career?

Squad potential

There is no doubt that the squad Koeman will inherit has the capabilities to be doing far better than a mid-table league position. John Stones, Ross Barkley and Romelu Lukaku are the three jewels in Everton’s squad.

His appointment could end the speculation about Stones’ future. The defender was subject to serious interest from Chelsea last summer and he is likely to be courted again. Lukaku might be a stretch too far. The Belgian international has already indicated he wants to leave the club and play UEFA Champions League football. Koeman will do well to hold onto Lukaku.

Everton have recently been bankrolled by some extra cash. In March, Farhad Moshiri took over 40% of shares in the club and has already promised he will finance the squad and inject some fresh impetus into the team.

It is believed that Moshiri played a significant role in Martinez’s departure. Bill Kenwright has always been loyal to his managers but with results getting worse and control of the dressing room lost by the Spaniard, it forced Kenwright’s hand to back the will of Moshiri with the new investment available.

The figures haven’t been made officially public, but it should make Everton compete in the transfer market. However, many clubs have shown in the Premier League they can do that in recent seasons and they will struggle still to attract players against the likes of Southampton, West Ham United and Stoke City.

The manager’s pulling power will be crucial in identifying and succeeding in the transfer targets Everton will have.

Other opportunities

Everton might be a ‘big’ club in terms of being in one of the UK’s largest cities and they have a boisterous support too around the world. The reality is stark though. They haven’t won a league title since 1987, no silverware whatsoever in 21 years and have often been a stable model, but not made the next step forward. They’ve only beaten Liverpool FC three times in the final league table since their last title triumph when Merseyside was the domineering force in English football.

The club has stagnated in recent years. Martinez’s promise to bring Champions League football to the fans turned out to be hollow and it is important for Koeman not to make similar claims in his first press conference when he returns from holiday.

The fans must give him time. They gave Martinez three years and in today’s management game, that is long enough to see if any progress has been made. Everton have sadly reversed in recent seasons and it can be a hard route back. Just look at Newcastle United and Aston Villa – two big names but both playing football in the second tier of the English pyramid next year.

It is a surprise to see Koeman quit Southampton for Everton too. The Saints have become a feared club over the past two campaigns. He has guided them to 7^th and 6^th placed finishes, bettering their highest points’ tallies and he’s reacted well to testing summers on the south coast when most of their star players left.

Other opportunities might have been out there for Koeman. He had one more year left to run on his Southampton contract and with them in European football next season; they had a wonderful platform to build on. If he’d waited another campaign, one of the top jobs in Europe might have been available for him. This is a major gamble for Ronald Koeman and the risks are if it goes wrong for him, his reputation in the game could be significant.

What happens now to Southampton?

Southampton fans are going to be bitterly disappointed and they will feel it is another case of déjà vu. Mauricio Pochettino made his mark in English football at St Mary’s, and then got snapped up by Tottenham Hotspur. Now Koeman has effectively followed in those footsteps.

They’re also used to seeing their best players leave too. The likes of Luke Shaw, Adam Lallana, Nathaniel Clyne and Morgan Schneiderlin have all left for bigger pay deals at higher reputation clubs. It seems like if you do really well at Southampton – you’ll get snapped up elsewhere.

Maybe Koeman didn’t have the promises he was looking for to stay on? Perhaps there was the fear the likes of Victor Wanyama, Ryan Bertrand, Sadio Mane and Graziano Pelle were going to be sold? We might find out from the man himself in the coming weeks.

Southampton have done exceptionally well to rebuild constantly in recent seasons. They’ve done a great job in the transfer market to get big money for their squad and then invest well in those positions with cheaper, but still equally as good alternatives. Virgil van Dijk is an upgrade on Dejan Lovren; Pelle’s goals ensured Rickie Lambert wasn’t missed, whilst Dusan Tadic has coped brilliantly in replacing Lallana.

That track record has done well for them now, but there is only so long that can go on for. So they now have a crucial appointment to make in the managerial dugout. AFC Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe is the favourite at 3/1, though it would be unlikely he would swap the Cherries for the Saints.

Frank de Boer must be a more viable contender, having just left his role at Ajax. His style of football could suit Southampton well and he’s looking to make the move into English football having been interested in the Everton vacancy.

Andre Villas-Boas is a candidate too, but he would be brave to come back to a country that saw him struggle to make an impact with Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur. Other names mentioned include former Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores, ex-Everton boss David Moyes and Ryan Giggs, who is set to end his association with Manchester United for his big break in management.

Southampton’s loss is most definitely Everton’s gain. Ronald Koeman is a fantastic appointment for the club but the choice to swap Premier League sides does feel curious to say the least. Only time will tell to see if it was the right choice.