Now is the right time to ditch Koeman

RONALD KOEMAN’S days are numbered at Everton. In truth, I struggle to see him lasting the international break. Everton’s next game is a trip to Brighton. On this form, with Koeman in charge, would you have any confidence they would get a result? I do not like to see managers lose their jobs, particularly early in the season. Frank de Boer was given no time at Crystal Palace but the situation is different with Koeman. He has had his feet under the table since the start of last season and has had money to spend. When you pay out close to £150million, you do not get the luxury of time. With expectations so high, Koeman needed players to hit the ground running. Instead, in their last nine games Everton have won just twice — a streaky win over Bournemouth and a victory over Sunderland in the League Cup. They have lost four of their seven Premier League games and it is the manner of the defeats which is most concerning. Their recruitment has been a large part of the problem and Steve Walsh, Everton’s director of football, must shoulder some responsibility. He arrived with a big reputation having discovered the stars that fired Leicester to the title. Everton had plenty of time to replace Romelu Lukaku but somehow they have bought three No 10s — Wayne Rooney, Davy Klaassen and Gylfi Sigurdsson — and no striker. Rooney was heralded as their marquee signing but yesterday against Burnley, Koeman thought he only warranted a place on the bench. For how much longer will the board back Koeman to turn things around? The international break may be the logical time for them to make a change.