What The Papers Say

A summary of Wednesday's papers.

The views on this page are taken from the local and national media and do not necessarily reflect the views of Everton.

 
DAVID WEIR pulled on an Everton FC shirt again yesterday at the age of 41 – just hours after joining the EFC coaching staff.

And the popular defender admitted: “It feels like coming home again, although I certainly wasn’t expecting to be playing 90 minutes immediately upon coming back!

“But I’m always happy to help out and I enjoyed it. I am happy to help the young players and hopefully they can learn and get better and become Everton players.

Weir was announced as the latest member of David Moyes’ backroom staff yesterday – with responsibility for helping out Alan Stubbs with the reserves.

But with Shane Duffy injured, Aristote Nsiala on loan at Accrington and Shkodran Mustafi recently released, Weir stepped in at centre-half to help Everton FC to a 1-1 draw in the mini derby clash at Liverpool’s Kirkby Academy.

“David’s returning to us in a coaching capacity,” stressed Blues boss David Moyes. “He will help out Alan Stubbs with the reserves and he will also play in the occasional reserve game to help support some of those younger players coming through. It will be good to have him around the place. He is a great professional and someone all the players at the club can look up to.

“He did great for us when he was a player here and we are looking forward to being able to work with him again as he starts out in his coaching career.”

David Weir made 269 appearances during an eight-year playing spell at Goodison Park and had been training with Sheffield United after agreeing to the termination of his playing contract with crisis club Glasgow Rangers last month.

After winning the last three SPL championships at Ibrox, Weir made just one appearance this season after failing to break up a defensive partnership between summer recruits Dorin Goian and Carlos Bocanegra.

“It is great to be back,” Weir added. “I had five great years in Glasgow and loved every minute of it but it is nice to be back and even after only a short time it already feels like home.

“The manager has always said there was a role here for me when I finally decided to come back.

“I was always around Finch Farm and kept in touch with him and he has given me this opportunity to help Alan Stubbs and Andy Holden with the reserves.

“I think I was at the stage where it was the right time for me. Hopefully it will develop into a good role and I can spend a lot of time here and learn from good people.

“I am glad to be here and will do whatever the manager requires.”

Although Weir will retain his playing registration, he has all but closed the door on adding to his tally of 269 first team appearances.

Everton’s injury woes increased during the mini derby. With Weir forced into action because of a lack of options, skipper Jose Baxter admitted on Twitter that he shouldn’t have played. He tweeted: “Played well today the lads. Good point. I was awful. Groin is in bits Shouldn’t have played. #madeitworse.”

HE’S a player who famously made his Everton FC debut at Wembley.

But after winning that Charity Shield clash in 1984, Paul Bracewell infamously featured in four FA Cup finals . . . and lost the lot.

After collecting runners-up medals three times with Everton (1985, 1986 and 1989) and then again with Sunderland (1992) the league and European trophy winning midfielder’s eyes lit up when this season’s FA Cup quarter-final draw pitted two of his old clubs together.

And he’s eagerly anticipating the Goodison showdown later this month.

“It will be a massive game,” he declared. “A quarter-final has a big prize at stake. The place will be jumping. Sunderland will obviously bring a great following and there will be a fantastic atmosphere.

“It’s a proper quarter-final game.

“You just want to get through. The lads will be able to taste that semi-final at both clubs.

“It’s a massive reward. A lot of people are traditionalists and will ask whether Wembley is where you should have the semi-final. But the way the game’s changed now I don’t think it takes anything away because everyone wants to play in the final.

“Everyone dreams about going there and I was lucky enough to play in four, so the lads will really look forward to this game knowing there’s a big prize at the end of it.”

Bracewell enjoyed a remarkable record in FA Cup quarter-finals.

He was on the winning side against Ipswich in 1985, Luton in 1986, set up a winning goal for Stuart McCall against Wimbledon in 1989 and was in the Sunderland side which defeated Chelsea in 1992.

As a result he can’t wait for this season’s showdown with a Wembley place awaiting the winners in the semi-final.

“Everton is always going to be a fortress. Even when they’re having a bad time people have to go there and work and scrap for every point,” he explained. “They started badly at the start of the season but have picked it up and have a momentum going now. Their league form has picked up and that’s fallen nicely for their Cup form as well.

“That’s what sometimes happens. The cup can be a distraction, but more than anything it has spurred on their league performances.”

He added: “It’s another big tie and people really tend to switch on when you get to the quarter- final stages, not that they haven’t before, but all of a sudden you feel like you’ve got a great chance now.

“Martin O’Neill’s gone in at Sunderland and done a fantastic job. Obviously they got beat by Arsenal the week before the Cup tie.

“I was at that game, but then they got a great result at the weekend.

“Their tails are up at the moment, but then again so are Everton’s.

“They’ve picked up, had some real good results and that’s been reflected in their performances as well.

“Both teams have a great tradition and they’ve been to Cup Finals before – obviously Everton a lot more than Sunderland – but make no mistake they are two massive, massive clubs and it means an awful lot to the clubs and the supporters. It will be a fantastic day out.”

 

David Weir has returned to Everton in a coaching capacity and marked his first official day in the job by playing in the "mini derby" against Liverpool at the age of 41.

The veteran Scotland international, who left Rangers last month after a trophy-laden five-year spell and had been training with Sheffield United, played the full 90 minutes at Liverpool's academy in Kirkby. He produced a solid performance as he coaxed Everton's young defenders through the 1-1 draw, with Apostolos Vellios giving the visitors the lead before the highly rated Raheem Sterling equalised for Liverpool.

Weir will begin his coaching career with Everton's reserve and academy players having decided to return to the club where he made 269 appearances over eight years. David Moyes said: "David will help out Alan Stubbs with the reserves and he will also play in the occasional reserve game to help support some of those younger players coming through. It will be good to have him around the place. He is a great professional and someone all the players at the club can look up to."