No. 3 in a regular series of Everton articles
Koeman deal done |
| Everton announced the signing of Ronald Koeman on Tuesday morning |
The acquisition of Southampton’s Ronald Koeman by Farhad
Moshiri is a very interesting and equally significant one to say the least.
It would be fair to say that managerial appointments reflect
the financial position and attitude of the club doing the appointing. Roberto
Martinez’s signing in June 2013 by Bill Kenwright and the board very much
reflected the financial position and attitude of Everton Football Club at that
time: limited funds and trying to make the most of it. While Kenwright may have
played the Champions League card in order to try and convince the masses, he
had ultimately appointed a relegated manager (and we all know how that turned
out).
Fast-forward three years and the story could not be more
different. The poaching of Ronald Koeman from Southampton who (as we have been
reminded continuously by the media and a never-ending stream of Saints fans)
finished above Everton for two consecutive seasons under the Dutchman, is a
real statement of intent. It represents Everton’s powerful financial position
in the Premier League and the new, ambitious attitude that Farhad Moshiri has
brought with him. While Koeman may not have the status of Jose Mourinho, the
club’s new investor has demonstrated that he has the ability to recruit his
number one target.
And not only is it important that Moshiri has got his man – it sends out a powerful
message that Everton now have the ability to persuade a manager to trade a
tempting project and upcoming Europa League campaign for a squad which is in
need of considerable amending and without European competition.
Moshiri, from Arsenal, evidently admires the Dutchman’s work.
Koeman has been touted numerous times as the successor to Arsene Wenger, and so
if he is choosing Everton over not only Southampton but perhaps the chance of
managing the Gunners in the near future too then this adds to the significance
of his signing. I’m not convinced whatsoever Koeman is tempted only by the
large payday Moshiri is offering; there is evidently something special
beginning at Goodison Park and the new manager has jumped at the chance to be
able to play a central role within it.
Perceptions
 |
| Moshiri and the club are actively looking to resuscitate Everton's more successful days |
Amidst the ‘bigger club’ debate that has not only been
discussed sufficiently on Twitter of late but also by media personalities such
as John Motson, there arises the issue of perception and just how exactly
Everton are seen through the eyes of the football world.
Throughout the Premier League era the Toffees have been
mainly average. This helps to explain why fans and media outlets naively
believe Everton to be nothing special. Since 1992 the top flight has been
dominated by Manchester United and an exclusive, accompanying handful of clubs
with only Leicester and Blackburn proving the real anomalies; in the modern
climate, ultimately, if a club desires to mount consistent challenges for the
top four and the title, those at the club have to find serious investment from
somewhere. Only Leicester appear to have found an alternate route to success.
While this method of buying glory is often frowned upon, if
you can’t beat them, you really do have to join them.
Perceptions of the Toffees have been confused for some time –
however now the Blues are steadily beginning to conform to modern-day ‘big
club’ status, this will begin to
shift. Since the 1980s Everton have slipped from European heavyweights and England’s
finest to being a plucky club who frequently overachieve in the eye of the
media. The huge change in the landscape between then and now certainly
contributes to this and the relatively recent success of clubs such as Manchester
City and Chelsea (in addition to Roberto Martinez’s final two years) has not
helped the Blues’ cause whatsoever.
It has been hard to justify and argue that Everton are a ‘big
club’ when the modern-day understanding of such a concept revolves around recent
success. This is exactly why John Motson’s recent comments surrounding the
Koeman story were quite so irritating: “I guess Everton is a big club if we can
use that expression” he stated, “but I don’t know why we say that because
they’re not in the top six”.
What is most surprising about Motson’s views is that he has
been commentating on English football since the early ‘70s and yet still does
not feel that a ‘big club’ can be one which has finished outside the top six –
despite one of the biggest and most decorated clubs in English football
history, Aston Villa, finishing rock bottom of the Premier League this season.
It almost appears that Moshiri’s arrival at Everton, the
investment he has brought and the ramifications of this has gone very much
under the radar until now – and, brilliantly, it is ruffling a few feathers to
say the least.
This is where the signing of Ronald Koeman comes in. This is
the man who has accepted the task of restoring Everton’s reputation and
correcting the skewered perception of the Blues which many in the media and
countless football fans seem to hold. Ending the Toffees’ trophy drought and
breaking into the top four is unlikely to be a straightforward venture and may
well take some time. But one thing is for certain – Moshiri’s investment will
certainly help Everton to do that.
It’s finally time
for NSNO to truly mean something once again.
@AlexLen1995.
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