Saturday 31 July 2010, 09:28
by Adam Clark @adamclark_efc
The views on this page are taken from the local and national media and do not necessarily reflect the views of Everton.
LANDON DONOVAN has admitted he would love to return to Everton if the Blues could strike a deal with LA Galaxy.
The US international captain spent three months on loan at Goodison Park last season, scoring twice in 13 appearances.
David Moyes would be interested in bringing Donovan back, but any potential deal would have to be on a permanent basis rather than another loan agreement at the end of the MLS season. LA Galaxy are believed to want around £10m for the 28-year-old, which would mean the transfer could only happen if Moyes sold another one of his first team-stars.
Donovan has revealed that a move away from the US could happen, with several clubs expressing an interest in his services, but any talks so far have been at a preliminary stage.
He said: “I would love to go back to Everton. I love the people there and I love the fans there. But that said, I love being in America too, so we are going to take everything into account and see where it ends up.
“There’s still a lot of time left in the transfer window, so we’ll see what moves are made and, if it’s serious, then we’ll treat it seriously.”
Donovan recently came on as a substitute as the LA Galaxy suffered a 5-2 friendly defeat against Manchester United in Houston.
TALK about Tottenham Hotspur’s Champions League ambitions this season, and many conveniently forget that the Londoners must first face a qualifier to determine whether they enter the promised land.
It is the same stage at which Everton’s achievement of finishing fourth in 2005 suddenly deflated, courtesy of a rotten draw and an even worse referee.
Tony Hibbert recalls all too vividly the feeling of misery when the Blues came unstuck that season, and acknowledges that Spurs have it all to do.
Harry Redknapp’s side, who were thrashed 4-1 by none other than Villareal on Thursday night, are hoping to live the dream which Hibbert & Co came so close to five years ago.
The defeat in Spain and the ensuing UEFA cup debacle which followed, when Everton were dumped of that competition by Dinamo Bucharest, still rankles with Hibbert.
A veteran of David Moyes’ reign, the 29-year-old has experienced the highs and lows and, as he sets his sights on a new season and the challenge of usurping Spurs, Hibbert is in bullish mood.
While the Blues have had a relatively quiet summer in the transfer market, Hibbert knows that they are close to being ready for the big kick off.
Unbeaten so far in pre season, ahead of today’s friendly with Norwich at Carrow Road, the Toffees are approaching full throttle.
“Spurs have still got to qualify for that first,” says the right-back.
“It’s the Champions League and it’s not easy. If they’re not ready for it they’ll get shown up. For us it was a case of the unknown (in 2005).
“We were happy to be there but then we got Villareal – an unbelievable side and it was tough.
“I think we played well out there. We were good in that away leg but got that disallowed goal.
“It was one of the lowest points of my career. Sometimes you still look back and say ‘what if?’ but in football you are playing so many games, big important ones, that you can focus on them and forget.
“We’ve played a lot of big teams in Europe since then. It was hard at the time but we’ve kicked on.”
Hibbert insists that David Moyes decision to take his side to Australia on a pre-season tour is set to pay dividends.
“It was a change,” he says.
“We’ve been to the States a few times and the manager obviously wanted to do something different.
“It was something new and the training we did was excellent.
“We were very controlled in the pre season games. Overall it was a good experience.”
Ambitions have never been loftier among this Everton squad, despite not having the fillip of European football in the coming season.
“We can’t think below the top six this season because of the squad we’ve got,” says Hibbert.
“Let the teams around us spend all they want. They’ve done that for years.
“The Man Citys and Tottenhams will always have the big money and Spurs did brilliantly last season but they’ve got to keep it going.
“ The squad we’ve got is the best in years.”
Hibbert admits this summer has already been a hard-slog in terms of building the fitness the players need to beat the best.
“Our pre seasons have always been hard but this one has taken us onto a new fitness level,” he says.
“It’s taken us to another level. Much sharper and quicker much earlier.
“It showed in the games we’ve played.
“Playing earlier has been great. Players just want to play football and we were happy to have those matches early.
“The teams we played against were good, and games is where you get your real fitness from.
“No footballers like pre-season because it’s hard going, but it’s the only way to get back into top shape. The gaffer has us running hard.”
The intensity of Everton’s pre-season preparation, and the earlier schedule of games, may well be partly intended to avoid another slow start to their domestic campaign.
“For a number of years now we've started poorly and we’re hoping this change does us good,” says Hibbert.
“The Premier League is hard and we can’t afford to get off slowly again.”
Everton cannot afford a season without a credible trophy challenge according to the Huyton-born defender, who is relishing the chance to try and return to Wembley. We have been up there a number of years and we need to push on again this season,” he says.
“The main job is to get back into Europe because we deserve it.
“In a way it probably does give us a breather not playing in midweek European games this season but none of us want that.
“We are desperate to be back in Europe.
“We want to win a cup so there’ll be plenty of focus on that too.”
Hibbert’s main personal ambition is to be part of an Everton team which enters the history books as bringing back a trophy to Goodison Park.
For a player who graduated through the club’s youth system, it would be the pinnacle of his career.
“We’re long overdue when it comes to silverware,” he says.
“As a local lad who’s been at the club all my career it’d be amazing to be playing when we won a cup.”
IF DAVID Moyes had a pound for every time he’s been asked about his target for the forthcoming season he’d be battering down Barcelona’s door to snap up Lionel Messi.
He even travelled across the world to Australia, and still the question came.
For Moyes it is an especially difficult conundrum.
Because his answer sums up every reason Evertonians have to be thankful for their manager, and every reason why they can be forgiven for falling out of love with the Premier League.
He said: “I’d like us to finish first, even if it’s perhaps unrealistic but I can’t sit there in front of my captain and my players and say I want to finish fifth or fourth.
“I couldn’t do that to my team. I have to say we’re going to finish first, it’s probably unrealistic but I have to believe that can happen, and I have to send my team out with that.
“If we don’t finish first and fall slightly below that then maybe we’ll be happy with that. It’s not the Premier League big four anymore, it’s now the big eight.
“You’ve got ourselves, Manchester City, Aston Villa, Spurs who would not have been considered in it in the past. That’s not to mention the other teams who are improving as well, but that eight will make the Premier League interesting this year.”
Winning is hardwired into Moyes’ DNA. Like a determined prize fighter who has stepped up a weight division to face men twice his size, he will not take a step back or hide.
The Everton manager knows that on one level it is ridiculous to target Everton winning their first league championship since 1987.
The odds are too long. Even the most wildly optimistic Evertonian would secretly admit that finishing top is unlikely. More than that, almost impossible.
The spending of Manchester City, that constant flow of cash, just to break into the top four, means that the gulf only widens and widens between them and the other sides paddling furiously to reach the Champions League, let alone lift the Premier League trophy in May.
And yet, David Moyes sits there and tells journalists in Melbourne and Brisbane, in Finch Farm and beyond, that he will start the season with his eyes on the ultimate domestic prize.
He doesn’t say it but his logic is clear. If you don’t intend to win, then why bother? How can he, as he says, sit there and target anything but winning every single game?
What message would that be to men like Phil Neville, Tim Cahill, Leon Osman and Tony Hibbert? His so-called band of mini-managers within the team who might one day seek to emulate their gaffer by following him into the coaching game must be set the right example.
What message would it send to youngsters like Jack Rodwell, and Seamus Coleman; young men with potential to play at the very highest level, if Moyes conceded a kind of domestic defeat before a ball is even kicked.
Tim Howard proves that utter refusal to accept anything but a winning mentality is contagious.
“We are not terribly fearful of any particular team,” he said this week. “We know that there are teams who will give us a battle and sides in the top eight where we have been consistently will be a challenge, but we have held our own with them over the least few years.
“We would be selling ourselves short if I didn’t say we can get in the Champions League. It’s vital we get a great start. Playing at Man U that was always the golden rule; If you want to win a title, you’ve got to hit the ground running.”
Evertonians continue to fret whether they will still be treated to watching Steven Pienaar and Mikel Arteta grace Goodison next season.
They are understandably worried that a change as crucial as losing one or both of those players would derail their hopes and dreams.
But they should be mindful that the essential cog in the machine is not changing anytime soon.
Beyond players, who come and go, David Moyes and his wonderfully stoic desire to win is going nowhere.
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The views below are submitted by registered users of evertonfc.com and do not necessarily reflect the views of Everton Football Club.
stephen green
How about playing felli and rodwell as defensive midfielders Let Coleman and Baines get forward and then play Arteta, Pienaar, Billy, Saha, Donovan? as an attaking force. Think Spain in blue. Really think we have the player for this now!
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Sunday 1st Aug 2010 09:47
Agree with stephen?
stephen green
think we should lay off pienaar for the time time being the papers and agents will say anything to sell a player or a paper! He was our main man last season and need to keep him. Think we should look at selling yobo he has just made to many mistakes recently and bring in young onouha. The lad would get a chance under moyes and is english! As for the yak and donovan it might well be the right time to sell and buy we need something more down the right and nearly 25% of our squad is strikers, quite a few considering we only play 1 up frount!
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Sunday 1st Aug 2010 09:41
Agree with stephen?
Shaun Hanna
Donovan will be here shortly, fingers crossed! Let's not be to harsh on Pienaar or Arteta yet, though they havent signed they havent been sold either!! In pre-season both players look very committed to me, as do the rest of the team! The team looks white hot at the moment! Lets hope nothing changes. Finger's crossed arsenal wll keep there hands off Arteta and Jag's!! COYB
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Sunday 1st Aug 2010 09:33
Agree with Shaun?
Steve Landy
Yak did nowt last year. Lose him and Yobo. As for Pienaar, he is showing no loyalty to us or he would have signed by now. I'll take Donovan any day. He's one of us!
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Sunday 1st Aug 2010 09:00
Agree with Steve?
Drew Shortis
I don't like all this talk of selling Yakubu and Yobo. Granted the Yak had a quiet season last year, mainly due to injury, but people seem to forget how deadly he was before that. The man is an instinctive goalscorer and as soon as he knocks his first in this season his confidence will return and there will be no stopping him. The prospect of the Yak competeing for the top goalscorer with King Louis and Becks is a mouthwatering prospect. We also need strength in depth and Yobo gives us that at centre back. He is quick and has loads of experience at all levels. He's been a great asset to the club over the years and we shouldn't dump him because he has dropped down the pecking order in the past few years. He can still be an important part of the team. Landon would be a great addition to our team but I think we should show some loyalty to our existing players in the same way that we expect them to be loyal to Everton!
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Sunday 1st Aug 2010 08:38
Agree with Drew?
KEVIN ELLISON
An excellent win over a side that i expect to reach the playoffs this season. Beckford looks a real astute buy.
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Sunday 1st Aug 2010 00:00
Agree with KEVIN?
mark fenerty
what if we could offload yak to mls as makeweight , hed even score a few over there, great goal by billy today every goal ive seen by him so far has been top class
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Saturday 31st Jul 2010 21:52
Agree with mark?
Kramer Kramer
Matias Fernandez
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Saturday 31st Jul 2010 21:38
Agree with Kramer?
Harry Hesketh
Sell yak and yobo tht is abwt £12m we prob have about 3 to spend so thats £15m then sell pienaar for £15m thats £30m landon for £10m then £20m left for moyesy to work his magic on a left winger for pienaar !
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Saturday 31st Jul 2010 21:32
Agree with Harry?
David Kelly
whos said hes not loyal, annoys the hell out of me this i havnt heard peanuts say he wants to leave have you no so get of the guys back were not in europe were him and mikey both feel they should be playing so lets just see what happend this season id rather loose him on a free next year than loose him this year he is a worl0d class midfielder and as for the guy saying bk throw inhalf the money, i dont thinkhe can afford it knowing how much he loves everton i think hed give us his last penny if he had to
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Saturday 31st Jul 2010 21:11
Agree with David?