Martinez was soft and very pro Ross. That did not help.Here's what Koeman's position is on Barkley: he sees him as a player that he can build a team around, but only if he becomes consistent. It makes no sense to do that if his form is sporadic. I get that.
But Ross is Ross and he needs the velvet glove more than the iron fist. It's all down to how you coax out the consistency. I'm afraid Koeman is just going to crush a butterfly of a talent on a wheel if he hooks him and undermines his confidence.
Koeman is maybe not the best manager to get the best out of Barkley. That's my biggest fear. And that would be a minor disaster for us.