Koeman given time to reverse slump
Ronald Koeman is expected to be given time to try to turn around Everton’s appalling start to the season after spending £140million on players in the summer.
Manager Koeman hit back at Jose Mourinho’s claim that the Dutchman’s team should be challenging for the top four this season because of the club’s transfer business.
Koeman’s side are third from bottom in the Premier League and have won only one game. They also lost 3-0 at Atalanta in the Europa League and Koeman stressed the need for time after the 4-0 defeat to Mourinho’s United on Sunday.
Frank de Boer’s sacking after just four games by Crystal Palace underlined the need for instant success in the Premier League and bookmakers’ odds on Koeman becoming the next manager to be sacked tumbled over the weekend. But, although the aim of majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri is for Koeman to build a team capable of challenging the top six in the Premier League, he is also understanding of the fact this was a summer of change for the club.
Big spender: Ronald Koeman has overseen just one victory in the league this season
Moshiri still expects Everton to be challenging for European qualification this season, but is unlikely to make any early or rash decisions.
There is also acknowledgement within Goodison Park that, while significant money has been spent, the club did not secure a natural replacement for Romelu Lukaku during the summer. Everton felt confident they would land Olivier Giroud, only for the Frenchman to decide he wanted to stay at Arsenal, while a loan move for Diego Costa failed after initially receiving encouragement.
They will try again to buy a striker in the January transfer window.
Meanwhile, Everton striker Wayne Rooney has apologised for his “unforgivable lack of judgment” after pleading guilty to a drinkdriving charge. Rooney was banned from driving for two years and ordered to perform 100 hours of unpaid work as part of a 12-month community order.
Rooney said: “Following today’s court hearing, I want publicly to apologise for my unforgivable lack of judgment in driving while over the legal limit. It was completely wrong.”