Everton striker has sympathy for manager who isolated him from first-team.
Everton striker Oumar Niasse has revealed that he feels sorry for the club’s former manager Ronald Koeman.
Koeman was sacked last month after overseeing a miserable start to the season and Niasse expressed sympathy despite the Dutchman having isolated him from the first-team set-up last season.
Niasse had his locker taken away and was made to play for Everton’s U23 side last campaign but is grateful that he got a second chance this season.
As reported by Sky Sports, Niasse said: “I feel sorry for him, what happened to him when the club got rid of him.
“Honestly, they were ready to let me go. I was ready also to go because I knew that it would be a difficult season if I stayed here but at the end I didn’t go.
“I said thank you to him because he could have said ‘no, you are staying with the U23s’ but when I came back he brought me back to the team.
“That has allowed me to be here today.”
Since returning to the fray Niasse has scored four goals in six Premier League games and has produced some encouraging overall performances.
A quick player and a clinical finisher, Niasse will hope to get on the scoresheet again when Everton face Crystal Palace away on Saturday.
Everton have still yet to appoint a permanent successor to Koeman, with David Unsworth remaining in temporary charge, and Niasse will be determined to prove that he can still have a long-term future at Everton regardless of who the manager is.
Currently in 15th place in the Premier League, Everton know that they can ill afford to have many more slip-ups if they are to preserve their top flight status and, following his resurgence, Niasse could well have a pivotal part to play in proceedings.
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