We here at Vital Everton have a heart of gold. We understand that many fans are of tender age or student years were they can barely dare to spend ‘too much’ money on a pot noodle never mind £3.10p on Shoot Magazine!
For the older fans, many are too busy or tired to devote some leisure time like reading a magazine. So we read them for you, and tell you what has been said right here.Outstanding.
So when Everton Striker Andy Johnson was featured in a big interview for Shoot Monthly this month, it was time for me to put pen to paper and save you a few quid and tell you what was said.
After having a barren pre season with the blues last term were all eyes were on him even his boots (a lucky fan grabbed them from him invading the pitch at Gigg Lane), Aj was eager to score a goal, and he told the magazine about the relief of doing so on the first day of the season
‘It was a relief to score, yes, especially after i’d failed to do so in pre season! They managed to give that goal to me which was nice because it took a bit of a deflection and to be honest I wasn’t sure whether it was going in or not. It’s usually a scrappy goal that changes things and gets you back on the goal trail again.’
Its pleasing to find out that their are professional footballers out there who are meticulous and dedicated trainers, especially when you find out one of our star players is one of them. Like every other footballer, AJ wants to get better, and theres only one way of doing that ‘My goal drought from mid-october till the end of December was hard mentally because you just want to score again, but every striker goes through it. Alls you can do is get in on the training ground and work hard day in day out. Its the only way you can make things right again, going in every day, working hard and trying to change things. Every day after training i’d hit 30-40 balls into the back of the net and do different drills.’
Its a testament to our team really that despite AJ’s goal drought we lost very few games at the time.
Everton’s number 8 was also asked about that memorable Merseyside derby win over bitter rivals Liverpool. The striker admitted he was taken aback by the rivalary despite having a reasonable idea of what it was like anyway ‘I knew there was a massive rivalary between the two teams, but didn’t realise how big it was until the day of the derby. It was a fantastic occasion, especially as we won 3-0. The atmosphere was incredible and its a day that will live long in the memory for a long long time. Scoring two goals made it a dream start for me.’
Its rare these days that players on our staff never mind prospective signings have a decent appreciation or inisght of the stature and calibre of Everton Football Club. You have to look below the surface to realise what a great club this has always been. If you read the article in the magazine, you will notice that AJ frequently states how good the fanatical support at home and especially away is, and promotes the history of the club exstensively.
This is why he picked Everton over past suitors Wigan and Bolton, and it was also the influence of Everton players Tim Cahill and James Beattie that made up his mind.
‘Everton were definetly always my preffered desination. I had a meeting with David Moyes who told me his plans and I had no doubts that Everton were the club to sign for. They’re a MASSIVE club who get 40,000 plus fans every week,so the chance to play in front of those sort of crowds on a regular basis was a factor. Also, in the season before I signed they finished 4th, so its club going in the right direction. Hopefully we can now build a great Everton team.
I already knew Tim Cahill, and James Beattie told me they had a great team spirit and that the fans were fantastic. He basically confirmed what I thought the club was all about.’
He also went onto say that the most important thing about qualifying for Europe is that its fans rewards like myself and many others who’ve travelled all over the country this season and seasons before that to make excursions further a field to new, foreign, exciting places.
I like AJ will acknowledge that our succesful campaign of last term wad down to the strikers excellent form but for the Everton forward their were other key figures too, a certain spanish midfielder, a heroic Star Trek character (or actually, Lescott) and a wallabee (not the Kangroo).
I think Mikel Arteta has been a top, top player. He’s a great talent. Tim Cahill was a big loss when he got injured. Joleon Lescott has been a great signing for the club. A great defender and I haven’t seen many people go past him. I knew Joleon, who signed at the same time as me more or less, when I was at Birmingham and he was at at Wolves. Lee Carsley as a holding midfield player did a great job for the team and Alan Stubbs put in some top performances at the back.
The player also spoke of his debt to England manager Steve Mclaren for continuing to pick him and stay confident in him. Personally I think the stick AJ recieved after the Israel game was out of order, bordering on a witch hunt. He nearly scored numerous times. Even England legend Terry Butcher see’s the international player in him. Bleeding Butch said:Johnson has shown with Everton in the Premiership that he belons in International company. He’s shown he’s got ability, the only question was whether he had confidence in himself,whether he felt he deserved to be there. I think he does now, and he should form a dangerous partnership with Wayne Rooney.’
Some Evertonians are opposed to star players being taken off onto international duty for fear of them getting injured and having to go on a long lay off, but playing with John Terry, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney, plus over top opposition players, makes me think that this will only improve Andrews game.
To read more on the interview and to go beyond our little taster, go into your local newsagents, slap £3.10p on the counter, go out into the garden, sit back on a deck chair in the nice warm sunshine, pour yourself a cold glass of Lemonade while reading just how excellent Andy Johnson is.
(altogether now) Der dar de……..
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