The former Everton star butted heads with David Moyes as his penchant for parties turned the heads of an ex-Liverpool forward
Royston Drenthe was on loan at Everton during the 2011-12 season.
Royston Drenthe was on loan at Everton during the 2011-12 season.(Image: 2012 Getty Images)
View 3 Images
It's safe to suggest that former Everton loanee Royston Drenthe will not go down in the club's hall of fame. Drenthe’s spell with the Toffees came during current boss David Moyes’ first stint as Everton manager, arriving from Real Madrid during the 2011/12 season.
What followed was a run-in with Moyes and the former Feyenoord star being branded as the “tenant from hell” by ex-Liverpool forward Ryan Babel. Drenthe, now 38, endured a difficult relationship with Moyes during his time on Merseyside.
The troubled winger reportedly often found himself distracted by matters off the field, such as the pool parties at his Liverpool-based residence, which was owned by Babel.
Drenthe was also known for notoriously bad timekeeping. On one occasion, his tardiness was the spark for a heated exchange with Moyes that ultimately ended his career with the Toffees.
It began as Drenthe turned up late for a team meeting ahead of the Toffees’ FA Cup semi-final in April 2012: a Merseyside derby against Liverpool.
“I was waiting outside the room,” Drenthe explained to Four Four Two. "Whereas I probably should have just walked in quietly and taken a seat. When I went in afterwards, Moyes told me to f*** off.
"I should have accepted it, but I said, ‘What do you mean, f*** off, bro? You f*** off.’ And then I left for Holland and didn’t come back."
David Moyes, Manager of Everton, reacts
David Moyes was unhappy with the former Everton star
View 3 Images
Drenthe’s stint at Everton was also noted for wild claims that he built a nightclub inside the home he was renting from his compatriot, Babel.
Writing on X, formerly Twitter, Babel said: “The time has come to pass it on to its next lucky owner. This house holds so many memories… it was the first place I moved into after leaving my parents’ home, full of excitement, mistakes, and lessons.
"When I left Liverpool, I rented it out to a few tenants… one of them being my good old Dutch teammate Royston Drenthe. Let’s just say he gave “tenant from hell” a new meaning."
Drenthe's passion for a party even expanded to one notorious allegation that said he attempted to gain access to the jacuzzi at Everton’s Finch Farm training ground in the early hours one morning for his personal use.
Former Blues goalkeeper Tim Howard explained how Drenthe didn't meet the criteria of an Everton player back in 2021.
“We're Everton, rolled sleeves up, worker bees," he said. "In comes Royston in Rolls-Royces to training, bowls in with his shoes untied, he has to run the perimeter of the training ground because he's always late, his eyes were half open... you were just at Real Madrid, what are you doing here? This is weird.
Ryan Babel has admitted that Royston Drenthe built a nightclub in his Liverpool home.
Ryan Babel claims that Royston Drenthe built a 'nightclub' in his Liverpool home
View 3 Images
“I guess he'd never heard of CCTV and he ended up coming to the training ground in the middle of the night with friends, and they're in the hot tub... you're just thinking: 'You're at the wrong club here mate’".
Drenthe left Everton in March 2012 and returned to Real after making 21 appearances at Goodison Park. The Dutchman went on to represent 12 more clubs across his career but struggled to carve out a lengthy career with any of them.
Now older and wiser, Drenthe admitted to Four Four Two that his career could have been a bit different had he decided to knuckle down under Moyes. He said: “If I’d adapted more to Moyes I think I’d have reaped the benefits, as initially I did play a lot under him."