Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman has angered some Everton fans following some of his recent comments.
The Dutchman was sacked in October 2017 after the Toffees fell into the relegation zone following a poor run.
Everton had brought in around six players to join their first-team, spending around £150 million.
However, Koeman could not get the best out of his team despite leading them to a seventh-placed finish in his first season.
Romelu Lukaku – who scored 25 league goals in 2016-17 – left to join Manchester United, and Everton’s best attempts to land Olivier Giroud as his replacement did not work out.
Koeman believes that played a huge role in his side’s struggle that season, but he reckons the club and the fans expected too much given their history.
“It was difficult, that period, because Everton are a club, and also the fans, who expect sometimes too much,” the Barcelona manager told The Athletic.
“I think sometimes they are still living in the past about the great seasons that they had at Everton.”
Those comments have not gone down well with the Goodison Park faithful, and here is how some of them have reacted to it on Twitter:
No we had high hopes with Farhad coming in and putting money into the club only for Koeman and Walsh to go and spaff it all up the wall.
It took just 18 months for them to create a mess that the club is still trying to fix more than for years on from his sacking. I despise him.
— Pringy (@PringyUK) February 2, 2021
Well, he was the right man for the job, wasn’t he? How to display a complete lack of understanding of the essence of football in one sentence. What on earth is the point of following a team if you don’t expect too much?
— Dominic Kearney (@KearneyDominic) February 2, 2021
Everton are a club still suffering as a consequence of the atrocities made during his tenure. Ok, 100% of the blame cannot be pinned on Koeman but we could of been closer to reaching our fans ‘high expectations’ if we weren’t carrying the burden of the ‘Koeman and Walsh’ days!
— CameronAustin. (@camaustin28) February 2, 2021
Imagine opening 220 million and blaming the fans. If he had spent less time on the golf course things might have been better. Also not signing a whole team on number 10’s
— Danny Lorentz (@Danny_Lorentz) February 2, 2021
And who spent more money than any other Everton manager prior to him. So it’s not like he had an opportunity
— Mike Benjamin (@Mikeben72444055) February 2, 2021
Koeman is a manager, and also a person, who thinks of himself as a manager sometimes too much, and I think sometimes he is still living in the past about the great seasons he had as a player.
— Cal (@CalClowes) February 2, 2021
If ever there was a man living on past glories it is @RonaldKoeman. It wasnt the fans that squandered millions and couldnt put a half decent team together. 🤫 Ronald
— . (@TRYFAN63) February 2, 2021
Spoken like a true failure.
Imagine trying to lead the club with this mindset?
Couldn’t be us #UTFT 💙
— P T G 🟠🟤 (@p_0208161986) February 2, 2021
Never disliked an ex manager as much as him. Dont even dislike Big Sam as he did a job for us. Koeman was not even liked by the people working in the club.
— Zombie (@IptvZombie) February 2, 2021
Coming from the bloke that is literally living on past reputation as a player
— Darth Kebab (@DarthKebabs) February 2, 2021
Everton owner and majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri had launched a takeover of the club in February 2016 and was looking to immediately turn them into a top-six side.
However, the team’s struggles after a £150 million outlay led to the sacking of Koeman.
Director of Football Steve Walsh was sacked at the end of the season and replaced with Marcel Brands.
Everton are still recovering from the bad transfer business done in the summer of 2017, and the fans are yet to forgive Koeman for the role he played.
His latest comments have not done him any favours from the look of things, though, and he should not expect a warm welcome should he ever visit Goodison Park in the near future.
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