Ron Koeman

[Faz]

Much as I would have liked Ron to stay, if we end up swapping him for FDB + £2.5m, I can live with that.

 

We had a fantastic finish to 2015/16, but I do wonder what might have happened had Forster not been available. His re-appearance saw the whole team grow a couple of inches - it was massive for our season. On such things are fortunes made and lost.

[Saint Charlie]

I think Ron is going to come across a couple of fairly sizable problems.

 

1) Everton's owners have put their cards on the table. If you're going to blow our wage offer out the water and make Koeman one of the top paid bosses in Europe, people are going to notice. That means when you go in for a player, the clubs, the agents and the players will all jack their prices up. Remember Damien Duff when he was at Blackburn? He was a decent, £10m player around 2003 but if Chelsea are bidding - £18m please. You could spend £100m and end up with Mangala, Lovren and Benteke.

 

2) This is a completely different job to the one he was expected to do at Saints, Feyenoord or AZ. They were all about team spirit and getting the most out of shrewd signings. Now suddenly he's going to have a dressing room full of bill big ******, all on big wages, demanding Champs League football, expecting to be first name on the team sheet etc. It's a completely different task to the one he's used to.

He will do well because he is a good Manager as we know as well as anyone.

 

Just like anyone sane knew Pochettino would do well for Spurs.

[James]

He will do well because he is a good Manager as we know as well as anyone.

 

Just like anyone sane knew Pochettino would do well for Spurs.

 

As much as I like Koeman, he's not in the same league as Poch was/is. Poch never had us playing as badly as we did this season when we didn't win in something like 12 games.

[Jimmy_D]

Disappointing that it looks like we're losing him purely to a massive wage that we're not willing to compete with.

 

Think it may have become a point of principle for Everton's new shareholder almost, in that he's paying whatever it takes to avoid his first choice turning him down, regardless of value.

 

Especially disappointing as we've moved ahead of Everton in almost every other aspect over the last few years, both on the pitch and behind the scenes.

[doddisalegend]

Disappointing that it looks like we're losing him purely to a massive wage that we're not willing to compete with.

 

Think it may have become a point of principle for Everton's new shareholder almost, in that he's paying whatever it takes to avoid his first choice turning him down, regardless of value.

 

Especially disappointing as we've moved ahead of Everton is almost every other aspect over the last few years, both on the pitch and behind the scenes.

 

 

This

[shurlock]

Disappointing that it looks like we're losing him purely to a massive wage that we're not willing to compete with.

 

Think it may have become a point of principle for Everton's new shareholder almost, in that he's paying whatever it takes to avoid his first choice turning him down, regardless of value.

 

Especially disappointing as we've moved ahead of Everton in almost every other aspect over the last few years, both on the pitch and behind the scenes.

 

According to Jeremy Wilson:

 

The money that is available to spend on new players and potentially drive Everton's infrastructure forward in the long-term will form a far bigger part of his thinking than simply the salary on offer.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/06/03/southampton-manager-ronald-koeman-to-hold-talks-with-everton-abo/

[Greenridge]

Has he definitely left yet ?

 

No...oh......

 

After reading all your posts you've convinced me these are nothing but rumours and he's definitely staying.

[Macker71165]

I cannot understand the emotions of most posters.

As they say re property there are three factors to take into account when considering future employment offers:

What is best for you and your family. What is best for you and your family. What is best for you and your family.

As for employer/employee loyalty I found out the hard way that there is no such thing.

I'm certain that RK like any sensible mature man will make his decision according to the above criteria.

As far as I'm concerned the main reason for not going to Everton would be the nightmarish prospect of having to live in the area. However at £6mill a year he can afford a chauffeur to drive him in from somewhere reasonably civilised in Cheshire or North Wales. It still wouldn't hold a candle to South Hampshire though.

Hysterical and bitter comments are pretty pointless, as the only thing that breeds respect in football is success.

obviously your disappointed as I would be and have many a times at losing a player/manager and just for the record I and many blues don't want him wouldn't have been my first choice put it that way I think we're way to too big for a man who done nowt!!!! But saying it would be dreadful to live here is total bullocks ya prob ably never heard of Formby, Southport and other surrounding areas I think yous will do well if he does come to us but I have my fingers crossed so good luck hope stays were he is

[eurosaint]

obviously your disappointed as I would be and have many a times at losing a player/manager and just for the record I and many blues don't want him wouldn't have been my first choice put it that way I think we're way to too big for a man who done nowt!!!! But saying it would be dreadful to live here is total bullocks ya prob ably never heard of Formby, Southport and other surrounding areas I think yous will do well if he does come to us but I have my fingers crossed so good luck hope stays were he is

 

There are clearly some nice places to live up there but do they have schools ???

:)

[JRM]

According to Jeremy Wilson:

 

 

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/06/03/southampton-manager-ronald-koeman-to-hold-talks-with-everton-abo/

 

If even starts trying to buy Bertrand / Van Dijk / Long etc he'll become even more hated than Redknapp

[Graffito]

obviously your disappointed as I would be and have many a times at losing a player/manager and just for the record I and many blues don't want him wouldn't have been my first choice put it that way I think we're way to too big for a man who done nowt!!!! But saying it would be dreadful to live here is total bullocks ya prob ably never heard of Formby, Southport and other surrounding areas I think yous will do well if he does come to us but I have my fingers crossed so good luck hope stays were he is

 

Is English not your first language?

[Saint Benali]

If the echo are right and he is leaving due to not being given much transfer funds then shows our ambition.

[nta786]

obviously your disappointed as I would be and have many a times at losing a player/manager and just for the record I and many blues don't want him wouldn't have been my first choice put it that way I think we're way to too big for a man who done nowt!!!! But saying it would be dreadful to live here is total bullocks ya prob ably never heard of Formby, Southport and other surrounding areas I think yous will do well if he does come to us but I have my fingers crossed so good luck hope stays were he is

 

Can anyone interpret this for me?

[Macker71165]

There are clearly some nice places to live up there but do they have schools ???

:)

 

It's a forum mate..not writing a essay!!!! Derrr

[CanadaSaint]

Just a thought , was RK approached by Everton before our last game of the season by any chance ,

Just that it's an odd thing to suddenly change your long trusted agent ?

 

Saturday morning conspiracy theory:

 

It's not beyond the realms of possibility that Ron actually had two agents on the go - his official one, Guido Albers, and another one who was secretly talking with Farhad Moshiri.

 

It's intriguing that Koeman would dump an agent who also represented one of his rivals for the Everton job.

 

It will be very interesting to see how Albers reacts to this - he just lost a very big payday.

 

What a dirty business football has become.

[miserableoldgit]

It's a forum mate..not writing a essay!!!! Derrr[/quote

 

..."an" essay.....:-)

[Millbrook Saint]

obviously your disappointed as I would be and have many a times at losing a player/manager and just for the record I and many blues don't want him wouldn't have been my first choice put it that way I think we're way to too big for a man who done nowt!!!! But saying it would be dreadful to live here is total bullocks ya prob ably never heard of Formby, Southport and other surrounding areas I think yous will do well if he does come to us but I have my fingers crossed so good luck hope stays were he is

 

You're way too big, what a ******* joke, you're a has been club who's got lucky with an owner willing to put cash in, you may have won things 30 years odd ago but most people don't remember that, including I suspect some of your fans. Before you come back with what have we won, we know exactly where we are in the football pecking order and without the lure of your new investors we wouldn't be losing managers to your lot so don't try delude yourself that you're some massive club.

 

Now if you could kindly fook off to whence you came and whilst there ask the rest of you filthy scouse *****s to swallow that phlegm in your mouths before you talk as it's irritating listening to whiny voices as you cover us in spit when you talk

[Inchy]

Sound a little upset...

[BallBoy]

I think Koeman gave the biggest clue to all this at the end of the season and before his contract talks commenced. He said that Saints needed to "show ambition" or words to that effect.

 

I don't think this is a done deal yet but it is looking ominous.

 

I would find it very sad and even a little humiliating if we lost Koeman because we were not ambitious enough. The sad thing is that he is probably right. We are showing ourselves to be below the level that we should be aspiring to.

[Saints foreva]

BBC Solent Sport ‏@solentsport 6m

#saintsfc #efc: @philmcnulty: "Indications are this is very close now...Ronald Koeman will be announced as Everton manager very soon"

[Macker71165]

You're way too big, what a ******* joke, you're a has been club who's got lucky with an owner willing to put cash in, you may have won things 30 years odd ago but most people don't remember that, including I suspect some of your fans. Before you come back with what have we won, we know exactly where we are in the football pecking order and without the lure of your new investors we wouldn't be losing managers to your lot so don't try delude yourself that you're some massive club.

 

Now if you could kindly fook off to whence you came and whilst there ask the rest of you filthy scouse *****s to swallow that phlegm in your mouths before you talk as it's irritating listening to whiny voices as you cover us in spit when you talk

 

Calm down!!

[Window Cleaner]

Saturday morning conspiracy theory:

 

It's not beyond the realms of possibility that Ron actually had two agents on the go - his official one, Guido Albers, and another one who was secretly talking with Farhad Moshiri.

 

It's intriguing that Koeman would dump an agent who also represented one of his rivals for the Everton job.

 

It will be very interesting to see how Albers reacts to this - he just lost a very big payday.

 

What a dirty business football has become.

 

I think a few players and possibly managers have found that dumping an agent for another when you're about to negociate a big new deal isn't as simple as it seems. Think it was Valbuena who changed agent, moved the week after and still owed his old agent a big slice of the new contract. Agents have contracts with those they manage and can't just say Heyho I'm off, see you around.

[Saints foreva]

I think Koeman gave the biggest clue to all this at the end of the season and before his contract talks commenced. He said that Saints needed to "show ambition" or words to that effect.

 

I don't think this is a done deal yet but it is looking ominous.

 

I would find it very sad and even a little humiliating if we lost Koeman because we were not ambitious enough. The sad thing is that he is probably right. We are showing ourselves to be below the level that we should be aspiring to.

 

Adam Blackmore ‏@bigadamsport 19h

Koeman was happy with new contract offer from #saintsfc & key players signed new deals, 5yr plan agreed - then he got a new agent #nuffsaid

 

Adam Blackmore is usually spot on with his Saints info.

 

Koeman is leaving for the money, not because we weren't ambitious enough.

[Saint Without a Halo]

And that 1.7 billion won't be cash - most will be tied up in assets and holdings

and he is limited in what he can put in by the FFP

[simo]

Looking forward to Rons first Everton interview and him trying to keep a straight face saying he went for the ambition and not money haha

[Donatello]

I'd doubt that actually, Koeman has done nothing reproachable up to this point as far as I can see. A few internet fans having worked themselves into a frenzy over speculation and rumour is all that it's about at present.

 

I thought he was too Dutch for you?

[Inchy]

He's moving on for bigger and better prospects....Everton have offered him the opportunity to really do something special....something Southampton could never realistically do....

[JRM]

Adam Blackmore ‏@bigadamsport 19h

Koeman was happy with new contract offer from #saintsfc & key players signed new deals, 5yr plan agreed - then he got a new agent #nuffsaid

 

Adam Blackmore is usually spot on with his Saints info.

 

Koeman is leaving for the money, not because we weren't ambitious enough.

 

I agree, however he tries to paint it he is going for the money, if I see him wondering around Ocean Village in the next couple of weeks he'll be going for an unexpected swim.

Better off without the greedy c*nt, our fans will be hoping De Boer gets the job so those orange wigs don't go to waste.

 

Onwards and Upwards.

[Batman]

He's moving on for bigger and better prospects....Everton have offered him the opportunity to really do something special....something Southampton could never realistically do....

 

lets see how it pans out.

bare minimum has to be top 6 next season then. surely?

 

what is it with the word 'special' and the the area of Liverpool?

[Saint-Armstrong]

BBC's chief football writer, Phil McNulty: ""Indications are this is very close now... Ronald Koeman will be announced as Everton manager very soon."

[Window Cleaner]

I thought he was too Dutch for you?

 

He is but that's not particularly reproachable to most. Just trying to be fair to the bloke, even if I'm really not fussed either way.

[Pamplemousse]

We will still finish above Everton next season. They'll be lucky to finish in the top 8.

[Saint Charlie]

Looking forward to Rons first Everton interview and him trying to keep a straight face saying he went for the ambition and not money haha

Isn't it almost the same thing. Not saying Saints aren't "ambitious" but if Everton are going to pay Koeman a lot of money then it indicates they will also look to pay good players a lot of money to join them.

 

Which is basically showing ambition rather than talking about it.

[Inchy]

Think you'll find there is a bit more ambition than top 6....but we'll see....do you not use the word "special" down South?

[nta786]

Isn't it almost the same thing. Not saying Saints aren't "ambitious" but if Everton are going to pay Koeman a lot of money then it indicates they will also look to pay good players a lot of money to join them.

 

Which is basically showing ambition rather than talking about it.

 

Actions speak louder than words though, let's see who they attract...

Even if they spend £70m it could be on absolute duds.

[Batman]

Think you'll find there is a bit more ambition than top 6....but we'll see....do you not use the word "special" down South?

 

not like the city of liverpool. its all you hear...mainly from Liverpool FC, granted

 

top 6 is the absolute bare minimum then. fair play

[simo]

He's moving on for bigger and better prospects....Everton have offered him the opportunity to really do something special....something Southampton could never realistically do....

 

Money doesn't = Success , Last season has gone to prove that above all things and if you think Koeman will stay long enough at Everton to leavr a legacy you're as deluded as some of us were!

[Saints foreva]

On a plus side that awful "The Koeman, the Koeman" chant won't be making an appearance at St. Mary's ever again.

[nta786]

He's moving on for bigger and better prospects....Everton have offered him the opportunity to really do something special....something Southampton could never realistically do....

 

He hasn't moved for the prospects... Let me explain why he is gone:

 

1) Money

2) Whilst your deluded fan base want top 4, realistically you'd be happy with top 10, which wouldn't be too difficult with the squad you got

3) Money

[Saint Without a Halo]

Don't kid yourself Macker

You are only getting him ( assuming he signs) because you are going to spend money on him your squad and wages and because you are easier to improve on given your 11th And not because you are a big club

This is the type of risk we are not prepared to take as we are looking at slow sustained improvement within our means that has served us well so far

if your investor can put money in and abide by the a financial Fair Play rules you will increase your cost base beyond your ability to pay as a club and will be dependant on your investor to bail you out. Should and should he ever get bored with funding the difference you may be in trouble and end up doing a Blackburn Wigan Newcastle or Villa

Good luck as you roll the dice

Edited 4 June, 2016 by Saint Without a Halo

[benjii]

He's moving on for bigger and better prospects....Everton have offered him the opportunity to really do something special....something Southampton could never realistically do....

 

Lol. "Something special".

 

Good luck.

[Saint Charlie]

Actions speak louder than words though, let's see who they attract...

Even if they spend £70m it could be on absolute duds.

Of course it could. But you would rather have more money to spend than less.

 

They won't pay Koeman a fortune and promise big funds and then sign a load of middling players, they obviously want to improve quickly. Fair play to them, no guarentee of success but they will probably be better than they have the last few years.

[Jimmy_D]

Think you'll find there is a bit more ambition than top 6....but we'll see....do you not use the word "special" down South?

 

My advice, keep an eye on where the money is actually coming from.

 

Portsmouth thought they had a rich owner once (and twice, and a third time, then there was that one that didn't exist...)

 

Anyway, there's a short thread summarising all of that in The Lounge section of the forum.

[Pamplemousse]

Leicester, Saints and West Ham all had good seasons because we are all well run clubs. Everton not so much. It'll take them a good season or two for them to catch up with us in terms of our quality behind the scenes. And by then we will probably have moved on.

[Saint Without a Halo]

Think you'll find there is a bit more ambition than top 6....but we'll see....do you not use the word "special" down South?

Good luck with your gamble as you are proposing to do a Leeds Koeman sees you as a stepping stone to Barca Arsenal or Holland over the next year or two where you end up when he is gone is not his concern

Edited 4 June, 2016 by Saint Without a Halo

[Chalkboy]

I think Koeman gave the biggest clue to all this at the end of the season and before his contract talks commenced. He said that Saints needed to "show ambition" or words to that effect.

 

I don't think this is a done deal yet but it is looking ominous.

 

I would find it very sad and even a little humiliating if we lost Koeman because we were not ambitious enough. The sad thing is that he is probably right. We are showing ourselves to be below the level that we should be aspiring to.

 

In my opinion it would not matter how much money the club throws at Ron's "ambition", he would still leave once a bigger job came along (more money). He can set the bar of ambition as high as he likes and no matter what the club offers it's easy for him to say it doesn't match his vision. He surely knew when he joined what kind of club Saints are and the way they operate financially, trying to change that to suit his own short term ambitions and reputation isn't going to happen. The club isn't going to change how they operate to satisfy one person who will likely leave in a year's time. Ron wants access to the big time, he's ambitious, that's fine, but it shouldn't be used as a stick to beat the club just because they can't match the lofty heights he imagines he can reach.

[diggers]

In the subject of chants.... Who's Virgil belong to now??

[Donatello]

He is but that's not particularly reproachable to most. Just trying to be fair to the bloke, even if I'm really not fussed either way.

 

Said in jest, don't worry (you're not, but y'know what I mean)

[Donatello]

Isn't it almost the same thing. Not saying Saints aren't "ambitious" but if Everton are going to pay Koeman a lot of money then it indicates they will also look to pay good players a lot of money to join them.

 

Which is basically showing ambition rather than talking about it.

 

How do you envisage that they're going to deal with FFP? Their revenue is similar to ours :S

[ToffeeInPeace]

One thing doesn't seem to have clicked with the Everton fans who are too busy congratulating each other on what a big club they are is this. Their new Part owner is worth a reported 1.7 billion and has promised 100 mil to spend plus fund a new stadium. New stadium surely going to be around 150 mil at least. 100 million won't compete with Chelsea city or even united and Arsenal. So he is going to need to chuck 100 million a year for 4 or 5 years to have even a chance of regular champions league football. Surely they are not stupid enough to expect the owner to pump half of his wealth into the club.. every chance this goes badly wrong for them!

Hi Davey. Honestly not coming here for a fight, but had to just clear something up on this topic.

 

You're right that Moshiri's last quoted wealth was about £1.7bn (even though estimates due to market moves put the likely current total at closer to 2bn - it's still as near as dammit)

 

Couple of things on that score. We've gone from having an owner worth about £33m to one worth £1.7bn - and one who appears willing to put his money where his mouth is, at that. Secondly, most of the local stories seem to imply that Moshiri will in the short-medium term be looking to bring on board at least one other major investor. Some rumours say Usmanov (he and Moshiri are long term partners in almost all their business interests, and jointly held 30% of Arsenal before Moshiri moved over to us). For both these reasons, surely it's hardly surprising that as a fanbase we're feeling optimistic for what the future could bring, after a couple of decades of dining at the pauper's table (in relative PL terms)

 

I can completely understand the anger from Saints fans - to have well liked and successful managers leave twice inside 2 years must be exceptionally annoying. What I do struggle to understand is how it's being seen as a step down for Koeman. CLEARLY he (like Pochettino before him) is of the opinion that he has a better chance of moving onto the next level in terms of success with the financial backing he'll receive at Everton - something the Saints board don't have a recent history of providing.

 

The one way you can term it a step down is by looking just solely at the last two seasons of league positions. I would wager that most unbiased observers (fans of other clubs etc) would say that most if not all of that disparity is down to the absolutely WOEFUL way we've been mismanaged by Roberto Martinez over the last two years (the more we became "his side", the worse we became) rather than any huge difference in the quality of the two squads. You've got some excellent players (big fan of Tadic, van Dijk, Forster and Wanyama) but we have just as many (Coleman, Stones, Barkley, Deulofeu and Lukaku (albeit he's likely to be on his way this summer)) - unfortunately for us while Koeman had your players performing to their ability, Martinez had ours performing WAY below.

 

Anyway, I do hope you guys continue to do well - I actually like Southampton, they're a good proper club with by and large good fans (all clubs have their muppets). Just for the love of god don't take Martinez or Moyes as your next boss - seen rumours for both.