Season › 2016-17 › News
Koeman pleased to add competition with Stekelenburg signing
Ronald Koeman is happy to have quickly addressed what he determined was one of the weakest areas of the squad he inherited from Roberto Martinez by making Maarten Stekelenburg his first signing.
The 33-year-old Dutchman was picked up from Fulham for a nominal fee on 1st July, adding depth between the posts where Everton had just one senior ‘keeper following the departure of Tim Howard for MLS outfit Colorado Rapids.
Despite the release of Jindrich Stanek, a Martinez signing from January 2014 who didn't ultimately make the grade, there are plenty of young goalies at the Academy and Under-21 level in the likes of Russell Griffiths, Mateusz Hewelt, new signing Chris Renshaw, Connor Hunt and perhaps Louis Gray who looks to still be part of the Finch Farm setup after joining initially on short-term loan spell from Colywan Bay last autumn.
Prior to Stekelenburg's arrival, however, there was only Joel Robles on the books and even though the Spaniard had made the first-choice goalkeeping slot his own by the time Martinez was sacked in May, Koeman is still believed to be targeting a new“number one” to add further competition in that position.
"I'm very pleased,” Koeman told evertontv. “We had Joel (Robles) as the goalkeeper and we need competition in that position. Of course, I know Maarten very well.
"I took him to Southampton and he did a good job. He was the second [choice] goakkeeper [under Fraser Forster] but really a good professional and I'm very that happy he is one of our first new players.
"First of all he will bring quality and that's most important. He's a goalkeeper with a lot of experience.
"Six summers ago he played in the final of the World Cup in South African in 2010. Goalkeepers have their best seasons from the age of 30. Maarten is 33 years old and still has a good future as a goalkeeper ahead of him and that's very important."
New Everton goalkeeping coach, Patrick Lodewijks
Koeman has also been lauding another new related appointment in the form of goalkeeping coach Patrick Lodewijks who comes in from Feyenoord. The 49-year-old succeeds Ià±aki Bergara who left Finch Farm along with the rest of Martinez's backroom staff.
“We have a very strong relationship,” Koeman explained on evertontv. “We played together at PSV and I worked with him at Feyenoord for three seasons so there's lot of [mutual] confidence.
“The most important thing is that he brings a lot of qualities in coaching to the goalkeepers because it's a very important position in the team. We always try to get the besty out of eveeyrbody and that's one if the reasons why I'm proud Patrick is joining us at Everton.
“[The fact that he also coached outfield players in Feyenoord's U21 setup] makes him more complete as a coach because coaching goalkeepers is sometimes a different part of football.
“If you gave experience managing a whole team, that is always good but being the goalkeeping coach is his main job at Everton.”
Reader Comments (39)
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2 Posted 08/07/2016 at 21:21:42
3 Posted 08/07/2016 at 22:04:18
5 Posted 08/07/2016 at 23:20:15
Joel Robles is no where near good enough either, so expect number 1 to come in soon.
7 Posted 09/07/2016 at 02:29:28
8 Posted 09/07/2016 at 03:24:07
9 Posted 09/07/2016 at 06:14:03
10 Posted 09/07/2016 at 07:59:48
11 Posted 09/07/2016 at 08:09:38
12 Posted 09/07/2016 at 08:45:19
The signing isn't exactly inspiring but it is safe and sensible. He also knows him so may know he's excellent on the training ground and in the dressing room.
3 senior goalies is what a team with any sort of ambition should have so en experienced number 2/3 is normal
13 Posted 09/07/2016 at 09:36:31
14 Posted 09/07/2016 at 11:45:37
15 Posted 09/07/2016 at 13:12:04
I suppose I am one of the aforementioned, in that I too, would have expected to have seen a big name signing by now.
The fact that friendlies are underway should serve as a reminder that time is running out.
16 Posted 09/07/2016 at 13:17:59
A Fistful Of Fannies, surely? (Directed by Sagihole Leone. Music by Ennio Messicunni. Starring Clit Eastwood).
17 Posted 09/07/2016 at 13:26:28
18 Posted 09/07/2016 at 14:01:57
Personally I wouldn't see it as disastrous if this was the way we started the season, as both those goalkeepers are good enough to do well in the Premier League.
There is only a small pool of goalkeepers in the world who are both available and worth buying as a significant improvement. If we can get one, and most of seem to agree that Butland is our top choice, then we should.
If we can't, then we should go with these two and wait til a significant improvement becomes available.
19 Posted 09/07/2016 at 14:10:19
Robles should be given an opportunity, I think he has earned it. I am more concerned about midfield and left side attacking player with a new striker if RL goes or stays.
20 Posted 09/07/2016 at 15:11:52
21 Posted 09/07/2016 at 15:24:27
22 Posted 09/07/2016 at 15:41:16
23 Posted 09/07/2016 at 16:13:54
24 Posted 09/07/2016 at 16:26:02
25 Posted 09/07/2016 at 16:31:47
26 Posted 09/07/2016 at 16:34:53
27 Posted 09/07/2016 at 16:41:10
28 Posted 09/07/2016 at 16:43:21
I'd say he's a 6 or a 7 who gets talked about as if he's an 8 or a 9. I much prefer Butland, who I believe will supersede Hart as England's no.1 this season.
29 Posted 09/07/2016 at 16:47:57
30 Posted 09/07/2016 at 16:52:35
31 Posted 09/07/2016 at 16:57:57
32 Posted 09/07/2016 at 16:59:00
Ray I have to correct you. The collective name for several or more fannies is actually a "feast."
33 Posted 09/07/2016 at 17:04:23
34 Posted 09/07/2016 at 17:48:09
35 Posted 09/07/2016 at 17:53:19
Ian, "swarm of fannies" sounds more devastating. It does feel that way occasionally too.
36 Posted 09/07/2016 at 20:19:44
37 Posted 09/07/2016 at 20:21:16
38 Posted 09/07/2016 at 20:44:55
The screenplay was by Aline Bush McKenna.
39 Posted 10/07/2016 at 05:30:29
Koeman won't want to be rushed into making snap decisions on expensive signings until he's sure the one(s) he wants fill(s) a certain weakness in the squad or add(s) to the overall strength of the squad. Koeman knows that he's inheriting a good core of players. So his first task will be to try to keep the likes of Lukaku, Stones and Mirallas. He also knows that he has a strong crop of youngsters who look ready to step up to the first team and he needs to create space in the squad to allow for that. So, if I was Koeman, I'd be using the pre-season games to run the rule over the youngsters and to make sure the new team tactics and systems are bedding down well.
Koeman will likely add 2-3 new signings over the next month, but these would be experienced squad fillers to give a bit more depth to the squad, like Stekelenburg. They won't be your marquee signings. Rather, they'd be solid journeymen types. At best, he may bring in one top quality 㿊-35mil type signing, but I think this would be at the tail end of the window when prices will be more reasonable as desperate sellers become more desperate. Everton can hold out till window's end if (i) Koeman can hold on to Lukaku, Stones and Mirallas, and (ii) if the youngsters can prove to Koeman over the pre-season that they can add competition for places. Both of which I think are fairly likely.
That's how I see the next couple of months panning out, and hence my doubts about us signing big name(s) so soon.
40 Posted 10/07/2016 at 06:03:08
41 Posted 10/07/2016 at 11:31:27
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1 Posted 08/07/2016 at 20:57:49