Ronald Koeman said Everton must use the remainder of the season to consolidate seventh place in the Premier League and implement the improvements needed to match the club’s stated ambitions.
Everton’s last chance of tangible success from Koeman’s first season in charge, and hopes of ending a 22-year wait for a trophy, ended on Saturday with defeat at home to Leicester City in the third round of the FA Cup.
The Everton manager made no attempt afterwards to hide his frustration at what he perceives as a lack of transfer activity from the club’s hierarchy, insisting everyone needed to “open their eyes” to what is required.
His comments were the first sign of strain in his relationship with the Everton board and possibly the director of football, Steve Walsh, who so far this month has brought the 19-year-old Ademola Lookman to Goodison Park from Charlton Athletic in a deal which may rise to £11m. But, despite their prospects of landing a trophy ending and sitting seventh in the table, nine points behind Manchester United in sixth, the manager claimed Everton’s season is not over.
“For the rest of the season it’s easy,” he said. “We have to try to keep this position in the table because there is a big difference between the first six and the rest of the teams. That’s already difficult, we know, so for the rest of the season the aim is to improve and change the team. That’s not done by one week, one night, two months. We know it and need to accept it – and how difficult it is to accept.”
Koeman also claimed the paucity of Everton’s squad was exposed by Tom Davies’ impressive performance in central midfield, the homegrown 18-year-old talent one of the few players spared criticism for the defeat.
He added: “That was not my comment just because I am frustrated or disappointed by the result. Even if we had won 1-0 I would have had the same feeling. That’s no different because of the result. It’s why we need to change.”
Asked whether he expected deals for the United pair of Morgan Schneiderlin or Memphis Depay, the latter of whom could replace Yannick Bolasie, to be concluded before Manchester City visit Goodison in the Premier League next Sunday, Koeman replied: “Everyone inside here knows my opinion and they know the opinion of Steve Walsh, so we will see.”