TOM HOPKINSON Koeman to Everton is the signal for Stones to stay put

AFC WIMBLEDON’S promotion to League One didn’t receive anything like the publicity Leicester got for winning the Premier League title. But their rise from playing on a Sunday League pitch on Wimbledon Common to the third tier of English football in just 1

Fwolwloww. Tew. eurk: @peoplesport EVERTON’S move for Southampton boss Ronald Koeman is a smart one and it could yet prove smarter still.

Because not only is the Dutchman an excellent coach, but his potential arrival at Goodison Park could yet make John Stones think twice about heading out in the opposite direction.

Stones is a world-class central defender in the making, no doubt about that.

Not even a poor season by the standards he has already set, in what was a disappointing campaign all round at Everton, can detract from that.

It certainly doesn’tt seem to have put off suitorss at Manchester United,ed, Manchester City, Chelseasea and Barcelona.

But while it would always be difficult to turn down any of those clubs, as Stones found last year when he handed in a transfer request to try to force e through a move to join oin Jose Mourinho at Stamfordmford Bridge, the idea of working with Koeman might just ust convince him to stay put for one more year.

Koeman was a beast at the back in a career which saw him play for Holland and three big teams in his homeland: Ajax, PSV Eindhoven and Feyenoord.

He was also a key part of the Dream Team Johan Cruyff assembled at Barcelona, spending six years at the Nou Camp. And he ended his playing days with more than 500 senior appearances and 193 goals at club level, having won the Eredivisie and La Liga four times, the Dutch Cup three times, the European Cup twice, the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Super Cup. His free-kick against Sampdoria was the only goal of the 1992 European Cup final. Oh, and there was also the small matter of him, Ruud Gullit, Marco van Basten and Co winning Euro 88 with Holland. Koeman has been there and done it as a player and his managerial CV is also impressive. He has been in charge at Ajax, Benfic Benfica, PSV and Valencia, amongamo others, and has donedo a fine job in the PremierP League since taking charge of the Saints. While there’s an a r g ument t hat Stones would also benefitb from working withw Mourinho, Pep Guardiola,G Antonio ConteCo or Luis Enrique, it can’tcan be stronger than the one which says he should further his education under the Dutchman. Linking up with Koeman could be the making of the 22-year-old from Barnsley and so, too, could a positive Euros. Which is why it would be great to see England boss Roy Hodgson give Stones a start against Russia on Saturday alongside Gary Cahill or Chris Smalling. That pair have had more than enough time to stake their claim to be nailed-on starters for England, yet neither of them command a place in the same way that John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Sol Campbell or Tony Adams did before them.

Stones, on the other hand, has the quality and potential to one day be talked about in the same revered tones as England’s best central defenders.

And given the fact the performances against Turkey, Australia and Portugal did nothing to suggest Hodgson’s men will cut a swathe through Europe, why not let Stones, Eric Dier, Deli Alli and Harry Kane get to work on becoming the spine of the national team for years to come?

Smalling might have had a better season than Stones this time out but is as likely to make a mistake or get himself sent off as the Everton man while Cahill, solid as he is for Chelsea, never quite looks as comfortable without Terry next to him.

Viv Anderson, the former Manchester United and England defender, knows a thing or two about playing at the top level and about tournament football.

And before setting off on a charity bike ride on behalf of Prostate Cancer UK on Friday, he said: “Stones is young enough and bright enough to forget what has happened in the season.

“He’s in there on merit and if I was Roy Hodgson I’d be saying to him, ‘Go and prove everybody wrong’.

“I would definitely play Stones in France, especially because in international football centre-halves have plenty of time on the ball and they can come forward and join in play. He’s ideal for that.”