US men’s national team manager Jurgen Klinsmann was linked on Wednesday to the Everton head coaching job by ESPN commentator Ian Darke.
Roberto Martinez has managed Everton since the start of the 2013-14 season, but has come under fire recently as the Liverpool club has endured a disappointing year in the English Premier League. Everton came in fifth in the EPL in Martinez’s first season in charge, finished in 11th last year and currently sit in 14th with just seven games remaining.
Fans of the club, which will play in the FA Cup semifinals later this month, displayed banners calling for Martinez to be fired during the team’s 1-1 draw at Watford last Saturday.
Klinsmann has led the USMNT since 2011 and is under contract through the 2018 World Cup. The former German national team and Bayern Munich manager has been linked to other European jobs during his tenure with the US, including with Tottenham and Aston Villa in the EPL.
ESPN's Jeff Carlisle has since tweeted an update:
Later Klinsmann himself took to Twitter to pour cold water on the chatter, calling the rumors "wrong" and praising Martinez:
