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Everton manager Ronald Koeman will take a tough approach with Ross Barkley as he sets about improving the England prodigy
- Ronald Koeman was appointed as the new Everton boss on Tuesday
- The Dutchman admires Ross Barkley and wants to improve the 22-year-old
- Barkley has been out of form with Everton and is out of favour with England
- Koeman is looking forward to working with the Wavertree-born attacker
By
JOE BERNSTEIN FOR THE MAIL ON SUNDAY
PUBLISHED: 22:37, 18 June 2016 | UPDATED: 23:30, 18 June 2016
Everton's new straight-talking manager Ronald Koeman will end the sugar-coated approach of his predecessor Roberto Martinez and demand more from the club's talented but frustrating young England international Ross Barkley.
Barkley's form dipped alarmingly in the second half of last season and he hasn't been called upon yet by Roy Hodgson at Euro 2016.
Many blamed Martinez's relentless positivity towards Barkley – once hailing him as potentially the best English player of all-time – as doing the 22-year-old few favours.
Ronald Koeman is keen to get to work with Ross Barkley but wants to see improvement in his game
The Everton boss signed a three-year-deal with the club on Tuesday after two years with Southampton
The 53-year-old Dutchman is not one to mince his words and will be firm with everyone, not just Barkley
Koeman, straight out of the Dutch school of searing honesty, has promised a different approach both in front of his players at training, and in talking to the club's supporters via the media.
'That is my character, I don't like to lie or even make the picture nicer than the picture is,' he says.
'If we play bad, we play bad. I think that is the way to win. Put ambition and high standards to everybody.'
Martinez became mocked for his half-glass full assessments of matches and his failure in training to demand more of the young players like Barkley, John Stones and Romelu Lukaku grated with senior professionals including Phil Jagielka, Leighton Baines, Leon Osman and Tony Hibbert.
Koeman is aware of Barkley – the midfielder ran the show when Everton beat Southampton 3-0 at St Mary's last season – but thinks it's time to stop treating him like a kid.
'He's already a key player for Everton, even at a young age. I look forward to working with him and making him a better player,' said Koeman, who starred for Barcelona and Holland in his career.
'I like him as a player because he is good with his left foot, right foot and has a good view of the pitch. But he needs to improve, he is not just a talent any more he is a national team player and expectations are strong.
'We will give him every support. It is about building a good relationship with the players, showing them what they have to do to improve. It starts in the morning and finishes in the evening.
Barkley started last season excellently but went off the boil and has not figured for England at the Euros
'I am a nice man in the press, in the dressing-room, sometimes different. You need to be critical if you have reason but most of the time, you keep that inside the club.'
Barkley could be given an early chance to impress his new club boss if he is called upon by Hodgson for England's final group game against Slovakia tomorrow (Monday).
Everton chairman Bill Kenwright and new owner Farhad Moshiri will be delighted to have secured someone of Koeman's strength and stature to compete with the likes of Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiola, and in particular Jurgen Klopp across Stanley Park.
Kenwright was a huge personal admirer of Martinez but it was generally accepted within the club that the Spaniard had lost his grip on the dressing-room and some of his statements – predicting Lukaku could become the greatest player in the world – looked increasingly bizarre.
In contrast, Koeman backs himself to win any argument and is prepared to be confrontational to stick up for his club.
Koeman was Everton's first choice to replace Roberto Martinez, who was sacked in May
He once famously refused to shake hands with Sheffield United manager Nigel Clough after a stormy Capital One Cup night at Bramall Lane that saw Blades No2 Chris Morgan sent to the stands as Southampton crashed out.
Koeman said then he only shook hands with rivals who respected him and the officials, and now reveals: 'My criticism was good because the son of Clough later came to our hotel and apologised for the behaviour of that Sheffield technical team.'
The bluntness is about to return to Everton and it'll be the making or breaking of the gifted Barkley.
