Koeman orders Everton to atone for Spurs flop
Everton embark on the latest stage of their Europa League journey with Ronald Koeman demanding a reaction after last weekend’s heavy defeat by Tottenham.
Five days from their mauling, Everton are under pressure to come up with an instant response when they face Atalanta here in their Group E opener. Koeman will take no chances, so Wayne Rooney and £45 million record signing Gylfi Sigurdsson are expected to start against the Serie A club.
And while the Dutch manager is determined to extend Everton’s European tour into next year, he is clearly still pained by the memories of last weekend’s 3-0 humbling on home soil.
“The defeat against Spurs is not what we expect from ourselves,” said Koeman. “After last weekend, we need to react. If you lose the game you get another opportunity to put it right, so I am confident about tomorrow. I am the manager and I take this competition really seriously. For every club, to be part of Europe is important. We were out for many years but now we are back. Let’s hope the journey takes us a long way in Europe – but we have to fight for it.”
Rooney’s presence in northern Italy has generated much excitement among the locals and Italian media. The former England striker was charged with drink driving on Sept 1 and he will appear in court the day after Sunday’s return to Old Trafford in the Premier League.
He flew out with his team-mates from John Lennon Airport yesterday morning and Koeman appeared to confirm he would start tonight.
“Rooney is a great player and he has showed it from the start of the season,” he said. “I need to talk to the players about the team first, but he is part of the team tomorrow and he travelled and he is looking forward to the competition.
“He won last season with Manchester United. They had a great season in the Europa League.”
United’s focus on the competition, usually regarded as the wooden spoon by most Premier League managers, was rewarded in Stockholm with victory over Ajax.
And after a summer spending spree of around £130million, Koeman will be acutely aware that his recruitment will be judged on how far Everton can progress. The club have not lifted a trophy in Europe since the halcyon days of Howard Kendall, when his legendary team won the Cup-winners’ Cup in 1985.
“I think every manager in the past took every game seriously, but maybe they did more rotations than others,” said Koeman.
“But it’s still difficult to play on a Thursday and a weekend. It is the same days of rest, but a different mentality. Now everyone realises it is a tough competition. You start it and you want to win it, taking it step by step.”
Everton will face Atalanta at the Mapei Stadium, almost two hours away from their opponents’ home.
Atalanta will have to play all their European games here as their ground is being renovated, ensuring Koeman’s first game could be almost a home tie as more than 4,000 Evertonians will attend. Davy Klaasen, the midfielder, is targeting another long campaign in Europe after reaching the final with Ajax, his former club. “I still feel the pain from last year’s final,” he said. “We want to reach as far as possible. We all start at zero. We have to start with a win, get confidence and space.
“Our last result was not good but we try to pick it up tomorrow. The results have not been good but I like the life and the club and my team-mates. I am enjoying it. I need to improve, everyone needs to improve and we will be there.”