The Official Everton thread - Vol 2
Discussion
Ruskie said:
I was a lower league player with a decent reputation in the early 2000’s thanks to playing some league games at a young age and playing for England youth teams. My contract was running out at the end of the season and my club were looking to cash in as I was not going to sign a new one.
Everton announced they were interested in looking at me in a trial situation. I went over and trained at Bellefield with the first team for a few days. David Moyes was the manager, with Chris Woods as the goalkeeping coach at the time with Paul Gerrard as the No1. Memorable highlights from the week, were saving a penalty from David Unsworth during a practice match and getting a lift to training with Lee Carsley who I was staying in the same hotel as, he had a dark blue Jeep Grand Cherokee for PH relevance!
A request was made for me to be allowed to play in a testimonial match in Scotland against Falkirk. I was beyond excited for the opportunity and I met the team bus at Carlisle, after staying the night in a hotel on my own the day before. I got on the bus and it was a mixture of first team and reserves in the squad with some very well known players involved.
The team was named and I was starting, the two Goalkeeper kits were laid out and before I could get to my seat Paul Gerrard had sat next to the number one kit. Despite him not starting he had pettily taken the number 1 jersey. A player with hundreds of premier league appearances was now making a point to me and attempting to put me off before the match, very weird and insecure behaviour given my age and where I had cold from.
As I put the shirt on my stomach literally flipped. The only thing that came close was playing for England. What a feeling that was. I didn’t care it was a meaningless friendly. It was special to me. The game went well from my point of view, good distribution, couple of saves and a clean sheet on a 3-0 win. Next stop was Glasgow for a night out. I remember a very surreal moment in the first bar where Kevin Campbell dressed in a suit, had a bottle of champagne to himself. As the night went on the team drifted apart and ended up in a night club with the younger reserve team lads.
Nothing ever came of the trial, my team wanted too much money and Everton weren’t prepared to sign me. Nevertheless as a lifelong blue, I can always say I played for Everton, even if it was just for 90 minutes.
Good for you mate. Nice story. Everton announced they were interested in looking at me in a trial situation. I went over and trained at Bellefield with the first team for a few days. David Moyes was the manager, with Chris Woods as the goalkeeping coach at the time with Paul Gerrard as the No1. Memorable highlights from the week, were saving a penalty from David Unsworth during a practice match and getting a lift to training with Lee Carsley who I was staying in the same hotel as, he had a dark blue Jeep Grand Cherokee for PH relevance!
A request was made for me to be allowed to play in a testimonial match in Scotland against Falkirk. I was beyond excited for the opportunity and I met the team bus at Carlisle, after staying the night in a hotel on my own the day before. I got on the bus and it was a mixture of first team and reserves in the squad with some very well known players involved.
The team was named and I was starting, the two Goalkeeper kits were laid out and before I could get to my seat Paul Gerrard had sat next to the number one kit. Despite him not starting he had pettily taken the number 1 jersey. A player with hundreds of premier league appearances was now making a point to me and attempting to put me off before the match, very weird and insecure behaviour given my age and where I had cold from.
As I put the shirt on my stomach literally flipped. The only thing that came close was playing for England. What a feeling that was. I didn’t care it was a meaningless friendly. It was special to me. The game went well from my point of view, good distribution, couple of saves and a clean sheet on a 3-0 win. Next stop was Glasgow for a night out. I remember a very surreal moment in the first bar where Kevin Campbell dressed in a suit, had a bottle of champagne to himself. As the night went on the team drifted apart and ended up in a night club with the younger reserve team lads.
Nothing ever came of the trial, my team wanted too much money and Everton weren’t prepared to sign me. Nevertheless as a lifelong blue, I can always say I played for Everton, even if it was just for 90 minutes.
We haven’t won this for a generation. Can’t see it changing today. Liverpool always raise their game, even when they have a run of bad form when we play. We always seem to have a problem and we rarely seem to raise it.
I’ve no idea what Everton team will turn up, I hope it’s not the one that prefers to pass backwards when there’s a decent chance of getting the ball forward. Infuriating tactic.
I’ve no idea what Everton team will turn up, I hope it’s not the one that prefers to pass backwards when there’s a decent chance of getting the ball forward. Infuriating tactic.
hilly10 said:
It’s maddening when Doucoure plays so well and then as you say blue he is sloppy, if we can get that part out of him we will have a real top player. Carlo is putting a team together that I think we will be proud of, a few pieces missing but we are getting there. Godfrey is a talent no doubt, and of late my heart never skips a beat when the opposition get a set piece near the box, not like last season.
A bit like Barkley. Good player, kept giving the ball away. Blue62 said:
hilly10 said:
FFS Dom you should have buried that. I am going behind the Sofa
Room on the end Hilly. I just can’t get my head around it, maybe it’s when teams sit deep but I’d rather watch dancing on ice with the Mrs! Do you need a TV guide.....?
Let’s not fall into the trap of being to harsh on our players during a good run, yes there will always be players that we could improve always better players that we could dream of having. But criticising our players when we are winning, and in a reasonable place, perhaps challenging for a top four post.... well, that’s what they do ‘over there’. Let’s not. COYBs.
Gassing Station | Football | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff