Ronald Koeman has looked back on his time in charge at Everton and revealed all on the day he was sacked at Finch Farm
Ronald Koeman
Ronald Koeman(Image: (Broer van den Boom/BSR Agency/Getty Images))
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Ronald Koeman has claimed Bill Kenwright had tears in his eyes when he sacked him at Everton.
The Dutchman became Blues manager in 2016 and led the club to seventh in the Premier League in his first campaign.
However, a poor beginning to the 2017/18 season meant that he was given his marching orders – with his final match being a humbling 5-2 home defeat to Arsenal in October 2017.
Koeman also presided over what has been widely regarded as one of the worst transfer windows in the club's history in 2017.
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And now as the Barcelona legend prepares to take the Netherlands to the World Cup, he has opened up on the moment he was sacked by Everton.
“He walked into my office when he had to deliver the bad news,” he said. “He had tears in his eyes because he had to fire me on behalf of Farhad (Mohsiri).”
Opening up on his relationship with Kenwright, the late Blues chairman, Koeman recalled to his agent Rob Jansen on his podcast: “He was a sweet man. He lived in London, and once a month I would go there by train to have lunch with Bill Kenwright and talk about Everton.
“Those were really fun conversations. He also always called me 'King Koeman'. But in the second season, it wasn’t much 'King' anymore.”
Ronald Koeman and Bill Kenwright at Finch Farm
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One player who Koeman brought to Goodison Park during his time in charge of Everton was Maarten Stekelenburg.
The Dutch international went on to make 26 first-team appearances for the Blues before he returned to Ajax during the summer of 2020.
And Stekelenburg, speaking on the Voetbal Volgens podcast, has revealed he knew his time at Everton was over the moment they signed Jordan Pickford.
Maarten Stekelenburg, Jordan Pickford and Joao Virginia during an Everton training(Image: Tony McArdle/Everton FC via Getty Images)
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“You are dealing with owners there, and they bought Jordan Pickford, England’s greatest goalkeeping talent at the time, for a colossal £40m,” he said. “Then you know what is going to happen.”
On his relationship with Koeman, Stekelenburg admitted: “My relationship with Ronald was always very good.
“He said back then: 'If I leave, I’ll take you with me. If I stay - I was there on loan - then I’ll sign you permanently'. He went to Everton, and I went with him.
“Sometimes you need managers in your career who help you. I signed a contract with Everton and played almost every game in the first year.”