Everton manager Ronald Koeman's strongman act turns sour: Players are being treated like children... and even have to queue behind him for food

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After Southampton finished sixth under Ronald Koeman in 2016, other mid-sized Premier League clubs were surprised to receive overtures from several Saints players, particularly as they could not afford to pay bigger wages.

When those overtures stopped the day Koeman left St Mary’s for Everton, it became clear dressing-room discontent was down to the manager rather than money.

Everton would have known about Koeman’s demanding methods - aloof and uncommunicative were two common complaints on the south coast - when they appointed him 16 months ago.

Ronald Koeman's demanding methods worked at Southampton - but not this season at Everton

Koeman makes players queue behind him and the coaches to get food in the club canteen

The manager is aloof and distant in training, letting his assistant and brother Erwin take charge

Indeed, it was a major reason why he got the job ahead of Manuel Pellegrini. The board and senior players at Goodison wanted a boss to ruffle feathers after the softer regime of Roberto Martinez.

It is fair to say the strongman approach has not worked out so far. Everton face Arsenal at Goodison Park hovering above the bottom three having spent £150million in the summer to break into the top four.

Six of their last eight Premier League games have ended in defeat and Koeman’s popularity within the dressing room is slipping to Southampton levels.

Koeman was chosen by Everton to contrast with Roberto Martinez but is yet to succeed

Whereas Martinez would let players and coaches queue up together in the canteen, Everton’s first-teamers now have to wait until Koeman and his staff are served before they get their food.

What may seem like a minor issue takes on significance when morale is at rock-bottom and players feel aggrieved at being treated like schoolkids. Koeman has always given his brother Erwin the responsibility of taking training sessions while he stands apart until a correction has to be barked out. He has variously accused the team of lacking passion, aggression and self-belief this season.

Young midfielder Tom Davies described his manager as ‘tough and demanding’. He didn’t mean it as a criticism, but others aren’t as charitable.

Young midfielder Tom Davies described his manager as ‘tough and demanding’

Trevor Steven, part of the club’s glory team of the Eighties, said: ‘The team look a mess. There doesn’t seem to be any continuity of style or selection. The players brought in haven’t settled into a team.’

Koeman usually keeps his office door shut. While he can be charming and a good listener, it doesn’t encourage players to go to him with problems. Pre-season hopes were high with 10 players, including Wayne Rooney, signed to compensate for the loss of Romelu Lukaku, but the team have lacked pace and balance with too many No 10s and no regular goalscorer.

Age-wise, Everton haven’t got enough players at their peak. Too many of the squad are either still learning - Jordan Pickford, Michael Keane, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Davies, Davy Klaassen, Nikola Vlasic - or on the downward slope like Ashley Williams, Phil Jagielka, Leighton Baines and Rooney.

Those few in the ideal 25-28 age bracket have issues. Idrissa Gueye’s proposed contract remains unsigned amid interest from Arsenal, while £45million record signing Gylfi Sigurdsson hasn’t scored in nine games since a freakish goal against Hajduk Split.

Everton spent big in the summer and brought back Wayne Rooney, but they are still struggling

Seamus Coleman, Yannick Bolasie, James McCarthy and Ross Barkley haven’t played this season because of injury. One wonders if Barkley, running down the final year of his contract, might stay if Koeman leaves.

That is a distinct possibility should Everton lose their third home game in a row this afternoon. Last Thursday’s latest defeat in the Europa League was marred by an on-pitch brawl that has seen one fan banned for life.

Koeman appears fatalistic about his predicament. ‘If the board thinks I’m not the right man, then they will tell me,’ he says. It is almost sad to see one of the great players of his generation fail to live up to his reputation as a manager. 

Koeman is trying to be more empathetic. Mason Holgate, who turns 21 today, wasn’t blasted for conceding a rash penalty in the loss to Lyon last Thursday. ‘Nobody roasted me for it and that helped me a lot because I can get it out of my mind,’ he said.

Koeman needs a repeat of last season’s performance against Arsenal when a late winner from Williams completed a 2-1 comeback at Goodison in December. Otherwise the experiment of replacing a sympathetic Spaniard with a demanding Dutchman will have failed.