Does Ronald Koeman have the qualities to succeed at FC Barcelona?

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Assistant coach at FC Barcelona between 1998 and 2000 when Louis van Gaal was in office, Ronald Koeman already knows all about the pressure surrounding the one who coaches Barça. Chaining the experiences, he won almost everywhere. Whether at Ajax Amsterdam, Benfica (even if his passage was rather average), PSV Eindhoven, Valencia and AZ Alkmaar. Later moved to Feyenoord, he discovered the Premier League in 2014 with Southampton. Stabilizing the Saints two seasons in the first half of the table, he then took over Everton. Very interesting for his first season at the head of the Toffees, he had more difficulties then and was landed at the very beginning of his second season. If his career was on a downward slope, he accepted the Netherlands bet in February.

The challenge of a lifetime

Becoming coach of a team that had just missed Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup, he was able to showcase the young generation and worked miracles. Finishing at the top of its League of Nations group ahead of France and Germany, the selection of the Oranjes was in the final of the competition (1-0 defeat against Portugal). He also allowed the Memphis Depay gang to qualify for Euro 2020. But here is the postponement of the tournament following the Coronavirus pandemic and with the appeal of FC Barcelona, ​​he did not hesitate long before he ‘accept the Catalan challenge. An understandable decision and which is not surprising according to Steven Kooijman journalist for The Telegraph : “Yes (it didn’t surprise me editor’s note). Because the club that wanted it was Barça, the club of his dreams. There was a clause in his contract that said he could leave the national team if Barcelona were the team that wanted him. Furthermore, EURO 2020 is not sure to be held in 2021 either due to the constant threat of Covid-19. Koeman did not want to say no to Barça and find out later that there will be no Euro … “

Same story with Arno Vermeulen, journalist for WE who sees here a last opportunity to join Barca for Ronald Koeman: “Yes, I could imagine it. He had a contract with a clause. The Dutch football association could not remove it. But Barcelona had to pay the KNVB 3 million. He had the Coronavirus last summer and heart surgery. And it was probably his last chance to go to Barça. “ Not wanting to have any regrets, he is prepared to face the biggest challenge of his coaching career. And the advantage of Ronald Koeman, beyond knowing the Barcelona context, is his ability to adapt.

A pragmatist

Far from being limited, he knows how to adapt to his group like what he did when he joined the Oranjes, as Arno Vermeulen points out: “Koeman is a practical football coach. He tried a 5-2-3 (also called 3-4-3) with the Dutch team, but came back to 4-3-3. And with success. He likes to play offensively, but doesn’t underestimate defense. He puts Marten de Roon in his starting squad and Donny van de Beek on the bench to keep his midfielder balanced. ” A pragmatism that Steven Kooijman also highlights: “He’s a Dutch School fan, a Barça style of play under Cruijff, but Koeman is also a realist. If he doesn’t have the right offensive players, he will choose a more defensive style. “ This is a double-edged sword. Of course, this is a double-edged sword. Having no assurance of registering for FC Barcelona given the presidential elections of March 2021, Ronald Koeman can act quickly and quickly understand the strengths and weaknesses of his team. Able to adapt his game to his squad and restore a style to FC Barcelona, ​​he will nevertheless have to break away from Ernesto Valverde, whose pragmatism was quickly turned into a caricature.

On the other hand, unlike his predecessors and in particular Quique Setién with whom there were many tensions in the FC Barcelona locker room, Ronald Koeman is close to his players. Used to taking care of his stars, he quickly discussed with Lionel Messi and is already trying to convince him to stay. This will be enough or not, we will know over the weeks. Either way, he has the ability to take a group with him. “He’s a versatile trainer. Maybe not brilliant, but he has a good relationship with the players and the press. He’s tactically smart. He had a good relationship with stars like Memphis Depay. He has a great sense of humor and has natural authority ” explains Arno Vermeulen.

A leader of men

Sure of his strengths and those of his team, Ronald Koeman knows how to unite around him as Steven Kooijman emphasizes: “He makes everyone important in the staff and gives confidence to his players. So he doesn’t charge his team after a loss, he stays calm. It makes the players fight for him. ” However, the site promises to be important and it will have to put forward its qualities as a builder, as with the Netherlands. For this he is legitimate by his status of former glory of FC Barcelona and his career as a coach.

“The Dutch team is at a high level. Ajax are a difficult club. But Barcelona is different. But he has worked in Spain, Portugal, England and Holland in top level football and he is a better coach than ten years ago ” Arno Vermeulen analysis. For Steven Kooijman, the inexperience of Ronald Koeman in one of the ten biggest clubs in the world is far from being problematic: “Cruijff, Rijkaard and Guardiola did not train a club as big as Barcelona either before starting their reign. at Camp Nou. ” With a wide range and a strong personality, Ronald Koeman must above all remain faithful to his principles and not deny himself. Simply not be like Quique Setién …

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