International break can freshen up Everton, says Koeman

LONDON: Everton manager Ronald Koeman has welcomed the international break as an opportunity for his players to shake off the disappointment of their poor English Premier League run.

Everton were beaten 1-0 at home by Burnley on Sunday and are languishing in 16th place in the standings. They have won twice in seven games with the pressure on Koeman mounting.

The Dutch manager, who spent £140mil (RM785mil) in the close season on new recruits, said not being able to train immediately after a defeat was frustrating but he had no complaints considering the club’s situation.

“It is all about the situation the team is in. Maybe, sometimes, it is good for everyone to freshen up,” Koeman told the club’s website (www.evertonfc.com).

“Sometimes if you have a defeat and don’t have the players to train it is more frustrating. It is all about the result at the weekend.

“Of course, you like to work with the players every day to improve the team, but maybe in this situation it is good to have the break.”

Koeman is looking forward to the trip to Brighton on Oct 15, when Everton will look to inject life into their season before games against Arsenal and Leicester.

“It is all about the game in two weeks now and that is what we need to prepare for,” the manager said. — Reuters