On this day in 2016 – Ronald Koeman appointed new Everton manager

Everton appointed Ronald Koeman as manager on this day six years ago.

The Dutchman succeeded Roberto Martinez, who was sacked before the final game of the 2015-16 season.

Everton agreed to pay Southampton a reported £5million in compensation to bring the former Barcelona player, then 53, to Goodison Park from the south coast.

Koeman, who had caught Everton owner Farhad Moshiri’s eye after guiding Saints to seventh and sixth-placed Premier League finishes in the previous two seasons, agreed a three-year deal.

“We are really pleased to have secured the man who was our number one target from the moment we set out to appoint a new manager,” said chairman Bill Kenwright.

Everton had decided to make a change after Martinez’s promising first season, when they finished fifth in 2013-14, was followed by two frustrating mid-table campaigns.

It was hoped Koeman could revive their Champions League ambitions.

“Everton’s history is a big one and we will try to reach what they did in the past,” said Koeman. “That is difficult but everything is possible.”

It was to prove an underwhelming appointment, however, with Koeman lasting just 16 months before being sacked with Everton 18th nine games into the 2017-18 campaign.

There has been something of a revolving door at the club since with Sam Allardyce, Marco Silva, Carlo Ancelotti and Rafael Benitez having all come and gone before Frank Lampard took over in January.

Koeman was not out of work long, landing the job as Holland national team manager the following February after they failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. He left in 2020 to take over at Barcelona but lasted just a year at the Nou Camp.

He has since agreed a deal to return to his old job with Holland when current boss Louis Van Gaal steps down after this year’s World Cup.