Under-fire Ronald Koeman lacks connection with Everton fanbase, says Alan Stubbs

Former Everton defender Alan Stubbs does not think Ronald Koeman has an emotional bond with the supporters at Goodison Park and believes the Dutchman will never have the same relationship that Jurgen Klopp has with Liverpool's fanbase because of his "calm and calculated" demeanour.

Koeman has faced intense criticism in recent weeks after overseeing a dreadful start to the new campaign which has plunged the Toffees to 16th in the Premier League table. The Dutchman recently suggested that his side are currently in the midst of a crisis, but also revealed that he still has the "total support" of the Everton board.

Stubbs, who made 192 appearances during his two spells at Everton, has noticed the lack of a "connection" between Koeman and the Goodison Park faithful and does not think the former Southampton boss will ever have the same type of fraternisation that Klopp enjoys with Liverpool on the blue half of Merseyside, which may prove crucial in the coming weeks if results do not markedly improve.

"With Ronald, there seems to be a real lack of connection between him and the fans," Stubbs told the Daily Star. "There doesn't seem to be a bond. You see Klopp with the Liverpool fans, he seems to get it.

"With Koeman and the Everton fans, it seems to be a cold relationship. We all have different personalities but there doesn't seem to be a connection between the manager and the fans right now.

"I don't think he's ever going to be like Klopp because he wears his heart on his sleeve. He's a very emotional manager who seems to be in the game."

Klopp's Liverpool tenure was called into question recently after they went on a run that saw them win just one match from eight, but the Reds' 7-0 mauling of Maribor will surely have eased the pressure on the former Borussia Dortmund boss, who will look to get back to winning ways in the Premier League against Tottenham.

Koeman's situation at Everton is more desperate and Stubbs, who has dipped his foot in the managerial water with Hibernian and Rotherham United, would not be surprised to see the Barcelona legend relieved of his duties if he fails to drag the Toffees out of the mire soon.

"Ronald is a calm and calculated person. Everton fans' problem with Koeman is he doesn't make decisions when needed," Stubbs said. "He seems to be playing like-for-like, he doesn't change his formation when needed. There seems to be more questions than answers right now."

"You only have to look at Frank De Boer at Crystal Palace," Stubbs said. "If Palace can do that after four games then no matter what size of contract Koeman's on, the most important thing is the club and the team.

"And he is accountable for that team, whether he likes it or not. You're the leader of the team and when times are difficult, that's when he earns his money and drags the team out of it when things aren't going well."