Royston Drenthe
Royston Drenthe’s loan spell at Everton remains one of the more colorful chapters in the club’s history, marked by both on-field promise and off-field controversies. The Dutch international, who joined the Toffees from Real Madrid, was known for his vibrant lifestyle, which often clashed with the club’s ethos.
Ryan Babel said: “You can’t make this stuff up.”
Tim Howard said: “We’re Everton, rolled sleeves up, worker bees. you were just at Real Madrid, what are you doing here? This is weird. you’re just thinking: ‘You’re at the wrong club here mate’.”
Phil Jagielka said: “[It is tough when] you either get a bad period, or when people start doubting, or you get a rogue player who doesn’t want to be on time.” Asked for an example, he said: “The easiest one is Royston Drenthe . We’ve all heard stories about him.”
Royston Drenthe said: “The real story ended up being blown up massively and turned into something which wasn’t true. I didn’t see anything wrong with it at all.” He added: “A lot has been made in the past of my time at the club, and the kind of character I was when I joined, and people know all about my relationship with David Moyes – especially while I was a player at Goodison Park. As a 36-year-old, I can understand and appreciate the job he was doing and how I thought back when I was 25 perhaps wasn’t always right.”
Drenthe’s tenure at Everton was punctuated by tales of his party lifestyle, including an infamous allegation of building a nightclub in a house rented from fellow Dutchman Ryan Babel. Although Drenthe has since clarified that the story was exaggerated, it remains a part of his legacy at the club. Former teammates like Tim Howard and Phil Jagielka have shared their perspectives on Drenthe’s time at Everton, highlighting the cultural clash between his flamboyant lifestyle and the club’s hardworking ethos.
Reflecting on his relationship with David Moyes, Drenthe admitted that his younger self often misunderstood the manager’s intentions. Now, with the benefit of hindsight, he acknowledges that Moyes was trying to get the best out of him, even if their interactions were fraught with tension at the time. Drenthe’s retrospective understanding underscores the growth and maturity he has gained since those days at Goodison Park.
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