Everton manager Ronald Koeman is under huge pressure already this season.
Pundit Thierry Henry has told The Sun that he thinks Everton manager Ronald Koeman will turn the club’s fortunes around this season – if given time to do his job.
The Toffees went into the season with major optimism, as whilst top goalscorer had been sold to Manchester United, additions such as Jordan Pickford, Michael Keane, Davy Klaassen, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Wayne Rooney were seen as exciting signings.
Despite the financially outlay, Everton simply haven’t got going this season, and have now lost four of their first seven games this season having been beaten 1-0 by Burnley before the international break.
Manager Ronald Koeman is coming under increasing pressure from fans, pundits and the media after such a poor start to the season, and the Dutchman will desperately want a result against Brighton and Hove Albion today.
Everton have never really been ‘a sacking club’, but majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri has put considerable funds into this project, and he isn’t getting any return on his investment right now.
Ahead of today’s trip to take on Brighton at the Amex Stadium, pundit Thierry Henry has reminded fans that Koeman teams regularly go on such losing streaks, but then bounce back out of nowhere with a run of results.
Speaking to The Sun, Henry pleaded with fans and clubs for patience, suggesting that so many sackings in the early stages of the season is ‘mad’, and pointed to Carlo Ancelotti’s shock exit from Bayern Munich as one example.
Henry added that Sir Alex Ferguson was given time at Manchester United, and Everton need to stick with Koeman after his exploits with Southampton and a solid season last term, with Henry confident that Koeman can turn around this bad run of form – just as he has done previously.
“Ronald Koeman teams do tend to go through streaks,” said Henry. “At Southampton, during his final season, he had one win in ten mid-season but they bounced back to win seven out of nine at the end of the campaign to sneak into Europe. Last season with Everton it was the same. They won five on the bounce at the start of the season and then won one in 11. Then they won five in eight.”
“There needs to be patience. All these managers getting sacked so early in the season is mad. I know with all the money in the game everyone demands success straight away. But give the guy a chance. Look at Carlo Ancelotti at Bayern — but that’s the way it is. It’s become normal. Well, you can’t sack 22 players can you? As soon as the season starts, bookmakers have a ‘sack race’. That was never a thing.”
“Sir Alex Ferguson’s first season with Man United wasn’t glorious but they stuck with him and we all know that story. Yes, Koeman has been at Everton for a little while but it’s still the beginning of the season and he’s had a summer of change. Let’s not forget his achievements. He’s led both Everton and Southampton to the Europa League. That deserves credit and should surely buy him time. Also, Everton have played four of the top six already and three away. Koeman has turned around bad runs before and I think he can do it again — given time,” he added.
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