Would hiring ex-Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal be huge Everton error?

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Everton fans were sick of Koeman’s plodding football – so appointing Van Gaal would perhaps not be the best move.

When Louis van Gaal was brutally sacked by Manchester United a matter of minutes after basking in the glory of his 2016 FA Cup triumph, few expected the veteran Dutchman to ever be linked with a return to the Premier League.

After all, Van Gaal did not exactly set English football alight during his two-season spell at Manchester United. Not only did his expensively assembled side finish fourth and fifth in two years, they also played some of the most tedious and unadventurous football in United’s recent history.

No wonder Everton fans were left divided when the odds dropped on him taking over at Goodison Park from 40/1 to 7/2 on Monday afternoon.

Van Gaal is undoubtedly the biggest name still available to Everton, having won trophies at Bayern Munich, Barcelona and lifted the Champions League at Ajax. He was also in charge of the Holland side who finished third at the 2014 World Cup.

On the other hand, however, Everton fans were left frustrated by the rigid tactics that typified the final few months of Ronald Koeman’s reign on Merseyside. And if there’s one manager who is associated with the same plodding, possession based style so lacking in cutting edge, its Koeman’s old rival and compatriot Van Gaal.

Everton have the quality to be one of the most exciting sides in the division, particular with the creative talents of Gylfi Sigurdsson, Davy Klaassen, Aaron Lennon and co on their books and plenty of highly-rated youngsters ready to make the next step.

But appointing Van Gaal, who’s United side scored just five goals more (49) than relegated Newcastle in 2015/16, may not be the key to turning the Goodison Park giants around.