Ronald Koeman
According to a report by Marca, Dutch boss Ronald Koeman stated that he would be interested in taking over as Barcelona manager once the Euro 2020 event gets completed.
The former Barcelona defender affirmed that there was a clause in his contract that would allow him to leave for free once the widely anticipated tournament concludes next summer.
Meanwhile, Ernesto Valverde, who replaced Luis Enrique at the helm as Barcelona boss, has not yet managed to bring the coveted European trophy to Camp Nou since taking over in 2017.
The Spaniard was on the receiving end of some criticism after suffering shocking defeats at the hands of Athletic Bilbao, Granada, and Levante early in the season.
Things have improved since then for the Catalonia side, who now sit on top of the La Liga table.
With two La Liga titles (2017-18, 2018-19), one Copa Del Rey (2017-18) and Spanish Super Cup (2018-19) respectively, Valverde has had a successful time with the Spanish giants.
But a team of Barcelona’s stature needs much more than domestic trophies as their search for European glory still continues.
With pressure building on the former Athletic Bilbao coach, Koeman appears to be one of the potential targets who could take over the reins at Barcelona, according to Daily Mail.
Meanwhile, Koeman, who was a commanding presence during his playing days at the Blaugrana, seems keen on taking over the top post at his former club.
A two-time Champions League winner – first in 1987-88 with PSV Eindhoven and second with Barcelona in 1991-92, Koeman had a career filled with trophies.
But that has not been the case for the four-time La Liga winner when it comes to his role as a manager.
For the time being, Koeman has assured that all the talk should be left for the future as he and his Orange squad are entirely focused on qualifying for the Euro 2020.
En route to the Euro qualifiers, Koeman had guided his Holland side to the final of the UEFA Nationals League final, which they lost by a narrow one-goal margin to Portugal.
The 56-year old Koeman is not new to the managerial job in Barcelona. In fact, he was an assistant to Louis van Gaal.
Unlike his playing days, his managerial career has not been entirely satisfactory. Koeman has only eight major trophies to his credit till date.
Of them, three Dutch league titles – AFC Ajax (2001-02, 2002-03) and PSV Eindhoven (2006-07), and one Copa Del Rey (2007-08) while managing Valencia being the highlight of all.
His last job as a manager of a club ended on a sour note when he was sacked by Merseyside club Everton 16 months after taking over as manager in the summer of 2016.
After a seventh-place finish in the first season, a disastrous spell awaited Koeman in his next season at Goodison Park, as Everton were reeling in the relegation zone with just two wins from nine league games.
Hence, it would be unwise to hand over the top-job of a club of Barcelona’s standards to Ronald Koeman until he proves his credentials as a manager.
Also, with his recent experience as a club manager ending in tragedy, it would be safe to say that the Spanish giants better seek the services of someone with a proven track record.
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