Ronald Koeman Says Football a 'Man's Sport' After Liverpool Loss

Everton manager Ronald Koeman has been criticised after he described football as "a man's sport" following his side's 3-1 defeat to Liverpool in Saturday's Merseyside derby, where he also scrutinised the behaviour of Jurgen Klopp.

The Dutchman encountered accusations of sexism for his take on the Anfield defeat, and he also called out Reds chief Klopp for his animated displays on the touchline.

When quizzed on a studs-up tackle from Ross Barkley on Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren, Koeman said, per The Independent's Jack de Menezes:

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It's part of football. I saw also some tackles from Lucas and that's all about football, but we don't make a show like the bench of Liverpool about faults, what happened on the pitch. We're different, we're more into the game and not about what happened with referees, linesmen and tackles. It's football, it was a hard but fair game and that's football.

I don't like coaches from the bench the whole time shouting to referees, to linesmen and to make a big show about tackles... because it was one tackle and they were crazy, and even [when] they did not need a physio on the pitch. It's not what I like, it's a man’s sport and your behaviour has to be like that.

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One might forgive Koeman for using a common English phrase in his second language after a hard defeat, but it appears the comment regarding football being a "man's sport" hasn't sat well with all.

Klopp wan't the only member of Liverpool's backroom staff who appeared to draw Koeman's attention for the wrong reasons, however, per The Times' Paul Joyce:

The loss to Liverpool compounded an unfortunate week of events for the Everton manager, who saw Morgan Schneiderlin, Ramiro Funes Mori and Seamus Coleman all pick up injuries during the recent international break.

Regardless of the reasons for Koeman's ire, Klopp wasn't concerned about entering a war of words with his Toffees counterpart, which is unsurprising given the margin of Saturday's win for the Reds, per The Mirror's Jim Boardman:

The result undoubtedly came as a humbling experience for Koeman and Co., and his rivalry with Merseyside opponent Klopp could only just be entering its infancy as both managers get to grips in their posts.

In any case, Koeman may think twice about the phrases he uses in his post-match press conferences when criticising members of the opposition, even if he believed his side to have been dealt an injustice.