Merlin Rohl says he is “starting to realise” the scale of Everton after finding himself explaining the club’s stature, history and expectations to people back in Germany.
The 24-year-old arrived from Freiburg on loan last year before earning a permanent move to Merseyside, and has offered an intriguing insight into how his understanding of Everton has developed since then.
Rohl has already spoken at length about life inside the club, with his recently released photography book documenting his first year through pictures of teammates, supporters and the city. He has also revealed how Seamus Coleman and Leighton Baines encouraged his photography after his arrival.
His latest comments, however, say rather more about what he has learned about Everton itself.
The size of Everton…
In a wide-ranging interview with Henry Winter for FourFourTwo, Rohl recalled a recent conversation with a German journalist who appeared more interested in Liverpool when discussing his life on Merseyside. It left Rohl feeling the need to explain the significance of the club he now represents.
“I’m starting to realise how big this club is,” he said. “I’m sometimes trying to explain it to German people.”
Rohl said he had done exactly that with the journalist the previous week because he felt there was a lack of awareness about Everton’s standing in English football.
“I was trying to explain to him how big Everton is in this country, and how famous this club is, the history, the expectation,” he said. “Some people just need a little bit of a reminder, so I’m happy to express that.”
An interesting observation from a player still relatively new to English football. Everton’s difficult recent history has inevitably shaped perceptions of the club from outside Merseyside, but Rohl appears to have quickly grasped the weight of expectation that remains around it.
Everton pressure appeals to Rohl
That expectation is not something Rohl wants to escape. The German spoke positively about the demands Evertonians place on their team and the energy he believes that creates between the players and supporters. With David Moyes’ side sitting fifth in the Premier League, Rohl said there is a feeling within the group that they should be trying to win every game rather than settling for something more modest.
“I always have the feeling we need to win every game, so we meet expectations,” he said.
Rohl added that he prefers working towards the best possible outcome rather than approaching a season with the ambition simply to finish in mid-table.
“I really like the pressure,” he said. “I really like the expectations.”
There is perhaps a connection between the two strands of Rohl’s thinking. The longer he spends at Everton, the more he understands why expectations remain so high – and the more comfortable he appears to be with them.
His appreciation of the club also extends beyond football. Rohl told Winter that he wants to develop a deeper connection with Everton’s community work and better understand the city and its people, while proceeds from his Life with Everton book are supporting the Everton Multi-Academy Trust.
For a player who arrived from Germany little more than a year ago, that education is evidently continuing. Rohl, though, appears increasingly aware of precisely where he has landed.
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