Tuesday 14 June 2016 17:36, UK
With Ronald Koeman confirmed as Everton's new manager, what changes can fans expect? Mario Melchiot knows his compatriot well and also worked with predecessor Roberto Martinez at Wigan. Adam Bate spoke to him to find out how the two compare...
"I really enjoyed his training and the way he prepared during the week," recalls Mario Melchiot. "He brought me back to what I was used to at Ajax from the age of nine to 21 and that was a joy. He wasn't a fan of just running, he wanted us to run with the ball. So even if we were working on our fitness it didn't feel like working."
Melchiot might be reminiscing about the brief time he spent with Ronald Koeman. But instead it's not a fellow Dutchman to whom he's referring. It's the season that the former Chelsea defender and Netherlands international spent with Roberto Martinez at Wigan. He has fond recollections of Martinez's methods.
He brought me back to what I was used to at Ajax and that was a joy.
"I spent a lot of time with him and we had a good understanding," Melchiot tells Sky Sports. "At that time I was the captain so he gave me quite a lot of responsibility. I enjoyed that. I liked him a lot and with his philosophy of the game he understands it well. He did analyse in a way that was different to what I was used to. He'd talk to players differently.
"It was interesting how he'd work on players individually. Sometimes I'd speak to him and wonder about it. When I was upset, he'd be really calm. I'd ask him, 'What's going on?' and he'd just tell me not to worry. I'd be wanting him to show some fire. But then there'd be other games and he would show it. So I was trying to figure him out.
"I liked the way he was playing because it was all about passing the ball out from the back. But sometimes when it doesn't work out, you need that gritty side when it's going against you. I think at the end at Everton, people were questioning him about it because the results weren't going so well."
Given that Melchiot sees much of the Dutch style in Martinez's way of working, there's a certain irony in the fact that Everton have turned to Koeman to turn the club's fortunes around after a bottom-half finish. His fundamental ethos is similar. "Koeman is a Dutch coach with the Dutch mentality," says Melchiot. "That's all about playing football.
"I worked briefly with Koeman when I had to stay fit for the national team as I trained with Ajax when he was the manager. He was super nice and treated me really well. I know roughly how he works and there are a lot of similarities between him and Martinez. Both coaches are good people-coaches and players like working with them."
Perhaps the key difference is that Koeman has shown another side to his management - the grittiness to which Melchiot refers. Southampton suffered eight defeats in 10 games either side of Christmas, but while Martinez was unable to arrest Everton's slide, Koeman turned things around dramatically. Saints picked up 39 points from their last 18 games.
Anyone can deal with winning because there's no pressure but how do you react when you lose? That might have been decisive in getting him the job.
"Last season there were ups and downs but you saw his character," says Melchiot. "If you can lose games and then get it back on track that's key. Anyone can deal with winning because there's no pressure but how do you react when you lose? That might have been decisive in getting him the job. He knows how it feels to not win and then change things."
One of the big changes that Everton supporters will want to see is in terms of defensive organisation - something that was so sorely lacking during the latter stages of Martinez's reign. With Koeman's Southampton boasting a far better record in this regard, there's cause for optimism and Melchiot believes the coach's own defensive nous could be an advantage.
"He was an amazing player and brings a lot of experience on that side of things," he adds. "As a manager, what he wants is to get the team balanced. Hopefully, as a defender, if John Stones stays he can learn a lot from him at the back because the gaps that Everton were leaving at the back were exposing the central defenders.
"If he can manage to make the team a little harder to beat again and keep the players who can change games then Everton will be back where they want to be. I don't think the team needs to change a lot because I like that team. Everton are not a team that's crumbled and needs to rebuild because it has a lot of problems.
"Everton need to go to the next stage. They need to get back into Europe and then compete for those Champions League slots. They maybe just need a change of manager. I'd have loved to see Martinez take them to the next level because I enjoyed working with him. But now it's Koeman's chance." Everton fans will be hoping he's different enough to seize it.
