Former Everton goalkeeper Joel Robles has said he respects Ronald Koeman’s honest approach but said he knew the time was right to leave the club after a clear conversation with the manager about his role.
Robles reflected on his time at Everton during a recent interview with Flashscore, where he outlined his happiness with the Blues, but said a lack of first-team football persuaded him to turn down a contact extension. The Spanish shot-stopper signed for Everton from Atletico Madrid in 2013, reuniting with former Wigan manager Roberto Martinez.
He made 65 appearances across five seasons, before snubbing a new deal to sign for Real Betis. On his time at Everton and exit, Robles said: “I was really happy. That was also thanks to Roberto, because as soon as Roberto Martinez signed for Everton, he called me, because I had one year left on my contract at Atletico, and Everton bought me because Roberto wanted me.
“Obviously, the first years weren’t easy – I had to compete with Tim Howard, who was a great goalkeeper, a club legend, and was at a high level, especially in the early years, so I had to work hard and be patient until I got my chance.
“I tried to make the most of it, and then in my third year Roberto was sacked, Ronald Koeman came in, and I had to fight again. It’s true that Ronald Koeman had a very good quality – he was the kind of guy who would call you up to his office and tell you things straight. He didn’t beat around the bush.
“I remember Koeman arrived in the second week and told me, ‘You’re going to be number two; I’m going to go with Stekelenburg’, the great Dutch goalkeeper whom Iniesta scored against in the 2010 World Cup final.
“And I told him what I thought at the time. I accepted the role, worked hard, and ended up playing quite a few games that season, until my last year, when, before the season ended, he told me they were going to sign a new number one, so we had a conversation about leaving in the summer.
“That’s when they signed Jordan Pickford, the young England international from Sunderland, who’s shown a great level both at Everton and with England. That was my last year at Everton – Koeman was sacked in December, and I stuck it out for the rest of the year, and that’s when I finished there.”
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