Everton manager Ronald Koeman has been hailed by Stan Collymore.
Pundit Stan Collymore has told The Mirror that he thinks Ronald Koeman will make Everton a regular top six club in the Premier League, possibly even taking them to the Champions League.
The Toffees decided to sack Roberto Martinez back in May, and landed a major coup by appointing Koeman as his replacement in June.
Everton manager Ronald Koeman
The Dutchman, 53, guided Southampton to seventh and sixth-placed finishes in the Premier League having replaced Mauricio Pochettino in 2014, and even achieved Southampton’s record Premier League points total with 63 last season.
However, Koeman turned his back on the Saints to join Everton, with many left bemused by his switch given that Everton finished below Southampton in each of Koeman’s two seasons in charge at St. Mary’s Stadium.
So far though, Koeman’s move has been justified. With five wins in their ten Premier League games, Everton sit sixth in the table right now, just four points off a Champions League spot after a promising start to the season.
Radio presenter and former player Stan Collymore
Now, pundit Stan Collymore has told The Mirror that, whilst Everton’s city rivals Liverpool have been earning all the plaudits for their displays under Jurgen Klopp this season, Everton have a manager to rival them in Koeman.
Collymore predicted that Koeman will make Everton a regular top six team in the Premier League, and even thinks that the Dutchman could take the Toffees to the Champions League – a tournament they haven’t been in since losing in the qualifying rounds in 2005.
Collymore added that whilst predecessor Martinez was often tipped for Barcelona, he thinks Koeman could end up in charge at the Camp Nou, having been a Barca legend in his playing days with 88 goals in 264 games for the Catalan giants.
Everton manager Ronald Koeman in the stands
“Box-office Klopp might have captured football’s imagination as a frenzied touchline tornado screaming orders, wearing his heart on his sleeve and endearing himself to players and fans alike, but ice cool Koeman is proving every bit as effective in his own way,” said Collymore. “And from what I’ve seen so far it’s been a smart move by new owner Farhad Moshiri landing the tough Dutchman.”
“Koeman’s management career hasn’t been Mourinho or Guardiola-spectacular. He’s more of a slow-burn. But I’m convinced he’ll get it right at Goodison and go on to make them regular top five/six finishers with maybe a Champions League spot thrown in.”
“Barcelona was always tipped as the ultimate destination for Martinez when he arrived at Goodison but that dream has gone. For me, though, Koeman – an ex-Barcelona favourite as a player – looks much more equipped to one day return as manager and continue a Dutch tradition at the Nou Camp,” he added.
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