Fellaini claims 'tiredness' excuse

, 23 April, 52comments  |  Jump to most recent
Everton's failure to put in a worthwhile performance at the Stadium of Light was apparently dues to tiredness, accordingly to Marouane Fellaini, as it came so soon after their Sterling efforts to win a point at The Emirates.

“Everybody was perhaps a little bit tired [on Saturday]. It was disappointing for the team and the staff. There weren't a lot of chances. Sunderland were playing at home, for a new manager in his first game here. They had a lot of energy.”

“It was a very difficult game for us. It was a bad goal to concede with the mistake, but football is like this. When you concede a mistake, it's difficult to win the game.”

“We have four more games and we must keep going and try to win. It's difficult now but if we try, we will see at the end of the season. We have four more big games — two at home and two away. We will try to win those two at home and we will see where we are after Liverpool and Chelsea."

Quotes or other material sourced from Liverpool Echo



Reader Comments (52)

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Timothy Sebastian
1 Posted 23/04/2013 at 14:58:15
I've never quite understood this tiredness excuse from professional footballers. They are athletes at the height of their physical peak. Playing football twice a week should be well within their capabilities. Top tennis players, for instance, play in average about 2 hrs per game at high intensity. And they play as many as 6 games per tournament over an 8 to 10 day period. They then jet off immediately half way around the world to another tournament and do it all over again. I never hear a tennis player complaining of tiredness.
Paul Ferry
2 Posted 23/04/2013 at 15:26:11
Ah bless, poor little Felli and the other fellas. Such a hard life you all have. Get some perspective and man-up you big Jessy and get your hair cut while you're at it.
John Gee
3 Posted 23/04/2013 at 15:22:49
I agree Timothy to a certain extent. Although tennis players regularly take time off during the year for minor/major injuries and even tiredness.

I think Fellaini is being honest. I watched that game and it really struck me how some of the players were missing an extra gear that they had at the start of the season.

We came back early to try to get a better start and it was always a risk that, without investment in January, our end of season form wouldn't match up to previous seasons. I think we've peak this season, now it's just a case of hanging on. Signing Fer could have been the shot in the arm we needed. Either him or Messi.

(i'd play Messi and scruffy up front. Big man/little man)

Ross Edwards
4 Posted 23/04/2013 at 15:44:54
I'm sure all working people feel the same when they have to work 9-to 5 Felli, except that you earn about 100k more than most of the population. Tiredness should not be an excuse for that shocking display against Sunderland, if they keep complaining they should get another job.

You don't see doctors working in A&E for 24 hours complaining of tiredness,it's just pathetic. Just get on with it and stop moaning.

Tony Hanlon
5 Posted 23/04/2013 at 15:55:57
If Fellani is tired then don't go to a champions league team cause you will be playing a dozen more games a season. Pathetic excuse. On a different note , the analfield spin doctors are out again announcing Gerrard to have a testimonial in which all proceeds will be donated to CHARITY (don't forget to mention the charity Liverpool Echo)
John Gee
6 Posted 23/04/2013 at 15:54:44
Ross, I don't think he was moaning. I think he got asked a stupidly obvious question by a journalist whose boss lets him out of the office once a week. He gave an appropriate answer. Judging from past interviews with thousands of other players from other clubs this is the time of the season when they're feeling tired. They looked tired at Sunderland. Felli's said they felt tired. I think, and I'm going out on a limb here, they're tired.

As for your doctor's argument, not really relevant but I'm with you. If capitalism didn't flog us with long hours and minimal staffing levels we'd have full employment and a happier life although some billionaires might have to limit their property portfolio's to just a FEW dozen houses and just ONE Yacht.

Paul Andrews
7 Posted 23/04/2013 at 16:40:45
A few of them have been out on their feet for a few months now,add to that they are playing with injuries and you can see what he means.
Down to two things,the chairmans inability to provide funds for squad players and the managers refusal to play any of the squad players he has.
Mark Scarratt
8 Posted 23/04/2013 at 16:50:39
Funny how you are never tired when you win
Interesting to see what he would have said if we had just won and he scored 2.
Mark Scarratt
9 Posted 23/04/2013 at 16:52:00
On that note the 1984-85 championship team played 42 League games, 4 League Cup Games, 7 FA Cup games, 9 Cup Winners Cup games and the Charity Shield.
That is a total of 63 games

This season so far we have played 34 League, 2 League Cup and 5 FA Cup
That is 42, which is 21 fewer.

Also they played on crap pitches. This current lot play on carpets every week

Dean Barton
10 Posted 23/04/2013 at 16:57:26
Mark 233. Remind me the reason the players gave for their loss in the FA Cup Final.
Ralph Basnett
11 Posted 23/04/2013 at 17:07:17
Quite funny that, as I'm tired of an excuse!!!

Shane Corcoran
12 Posted 23/04/2013 at 17:06:42
Mike and others, back in the mid-eighties the top teams were all playing the same number of games with similarly sized squads. They were all tired.

Everton's squad is tired today relative to the top teams who can rotate. Moyes doesn't trust his squad to avoid tiredness.

Peter Laing
13 Posted 23/04/2013 at 17:07:39
Dean, I think that the loss in the 1985 FA Cup Final against a ten man United side was down to tiredness but also due to a lack of discipline on the part of Kendall who let the players celebrate following the win against Rapid Vienna. The goal from Whiteside was a match-winner and the likes of Reid was out on his feet due to the excesses described above.
Jason Heng
14 Posted 23/04/2013 at 17:29:46
How hard do these players train on non-match days?

Not being cynical here, just asking to be enlightened.

Ray Roche
15 Posted 23/04/2013 at 17:27:55
Peter Laing @ 242

Peter, that is one thing that really pissed me off, the team going on the lash after Rotterdam. We had the chance to win the treble and blew it because of a lack of discipline, choosing to celebrate instead of waiting a few days and really having a blow.

Andrew Ellams
16 Posted 23/04/2013 at 17:33:32
Have seen a video of the team coming back from Rotterdam chatting stewardesses up and necking champagne from the bottle. This was early hours of Thursday morning with a cup final on the Saturday.
Paul Gladwell
17 Posted 23/04/2013 at 17:47:15
Hasn't he just had a three week break with suspensions etc.
Phil McKeown
18 Posted 23/04/2013 at 18:18:04
Hurry up and leave for £25million you big jessie , then we can get £8million for a replacement whilst the other £17M goes into the British Virgin Island account remind me why I renewed my season ticket again????
Mark Scarratt
19 Posted 23/04/2013 at 18:15:24
In 84-85, 8 players played more than 50 games
Southall 63
Ratcliffe 61
Steven 61
Mountfield 58
Stevens 58
Bracewell 57
Reid 57
Sharp 55

Fellaini has played 32 games for Everton this season.

No comparison

Also I think we are being a bit harsh on the whole Rotterdam celebrations. It was different times then. The Wembley final against United went to extra time and it was really hot that day

Mark Scarratt
20 Posted 23/04/2013 at 18:38:28
Also I can't add up. My entry at (233) should read as 41 played this season and not 42.
Doh
Jeff Beaumont
21 Posted 23/04/2013 at 18:45:46
No excuse not to win on Saturday then.
Colin Glassar
22 Posted 23/04/2013 at 19:03:44
Tired? Try doing a full days work 5 days a week for a pittance compared to what you are paid Fellaini. Make me sick these overpaid nobs.
Steve Edwards
23 Posted 23/04/2013 at 19:13:42
The fact is that if you have 6 or 7 days to recover from a game then you have an advantage on a team that has only 2 or 3 days to recover. Tiredness is the wrong term to use, being a bit fresher than the other team would be more appropriate. I've noticed over the years that teams that have longer to recover usually do better. Also the team with more time can concentrate on the training pitch for a tactical way to deal with their opponents.

The reason I don't want us to play in the Europa League is that with a small squad we can't rotate the players, keeping them fresh like the money clubs and we'll pay for it. Look what happened to Newcastle this season and they have a bigger squad than us. So I fully understand what Fellaini was trying to say, in fact I was worried about it long before a ball had been kicked. I've seen it all before.

Steven Telford
24 Posted 23/04/2013 at 19:51:17
Plus, He gets extra "rest" because he paicks up so many bookings.

Also in the old days it was all done with pints after the game.

Peter Mills
25 Posted 23/04/2013 at 20:25:06
I'm getting a bit tired of paying to watch poor old Marourane. I felt particularly fatigued the last time I saw him play in an FA Cup tie.
Ross Edwards
26 Posted 23/04/2013 at 20:32:29
I think we play better without him anyway.
Colin Wainwright
27 Posted 23/04/2013 at 20:36:44
Can't wait until next season when we can "play better without him" for 38 games. He was asked a stupid question and replied with a footballing cliche. Don't see what the fuss is about tbh.
Mark Frere
28 Posted 23/04/2013 at 20:48:01
Ross Edwards
We play better when he's not playing behind the striker, he doesn't have the creative ability to play that role. He is a decent CM though, but unfortunetly he's our biggest goal scoring threat and that is why Moyes probably plays him there. I hope fella is sold and then we can buy a good striker and 2 or 3 more decent players aswell
Stephen Pitts
29 Posted 23/04/2013 at 21:06:09
Non story.
Throwaway answer in an interview he probably just wanted over.
Quite churlish to judge him on that I reckon, considering he was one of the few on Saturday (if not the only one) putting in a decent shift.

Fellani's certainly got his faults, but let's not berate one of our own because he gave a cliched answer in an interview.

James Flynn
30 Posted 23/04/2013 at 22:38:07
They get tired because they run miles and miles every game under intense pressure; our boys more than most.

And for you 9-5ers, I'm curious. I lived the military life for 26 years and can good guarantee you, physical strain absolutely tires you; mentally first. I'm retired Army, but still working and can't believe how easy the 9-5 life is. What exactly do you do in your 9-5 life compares to running miles and miles under exacting demands?

Andy Crooks
31 Posted 24/04/2013 at 00:13:56
James, I don't ever recall Alan Ball saying he was tired. Also James, footballers aren't 9 -5ers, the t don't work anything as much. You make footballers sound like soldiers in Afghanistan. Over paid, pampered , over respected, greedy mindless , soft bastards might be a better description.

I really don't begrudge them their money. Most of them are working class lads and I'm glad for them. Someone, though, should advise them to take their money and at least fucking pretend to put a shift in.

Steve Edwards
32 Posted 24/04/2013 at 00:23:25
Most of these posts are due to the fact we happened to get beat. If we had played badly and won 1-0 by a sporny goal, they would be singing a completely different tune. Such is the strange logic of the football supporter.
James Flynn
33 Posted 24/04/2013 at 01:31:14
Andy - "James, I don't ever recall Alan Ball saying he was tired".

And so he wasn't? Did Ball play in the back-to-back, 4-5 games a week era? Did he? In that era when if a player even peeped a word of complaint, he's traded or dumped straight away.

If so, he and all the players on the pitch weren't tired, they were fucking exhausted. Are you proposing they steely-eyed, hard-manned, teeth-gritted their way to maximum performance back then? Tell me you don't think that so. What happened was players, Ball included, stumbling and staggering thru games on shaking legs. Did you get your money's worth sitting and watching?

"You make footballers sound like soldiers in Afghanistan". That's what you got out of my post? Bait the hook better if you want more than this nibble from me on that one.

"Over paid, pampered , over respected, greedy mindless , soft bastards might be a better description". No it wouldn't. And won't. Reading that, though, some fellow might conclude you're just jealous. Or full of shit. Not me Andy, mind, but some fellow might.

Chris Jones [Burton]
34 Posted 24/04/2013 at 02:52:48
Yes, tiredness is a bit of a cliche and we've all heard the arguments re tennis players and teams of old, etc. etc.. It's not just our team/players who trot out the explanation, EVERY team/player does. Why do we have to rehearse it all ad nauseam? What does it achieve?

One thing I've not heard said though, when comparing today's teams and those of the 80s etc.. Today's game is a lot, lot faster, and doubtless takes more out of players. Everything seems to be done at 100mph. It's one of the things I dislike about football these days, compared to past decades. The game seems to be full of athletes now rather than the ball-players of yesteryear.

I'll get me coat.

Chris Jones [Burton]
35 Posted 24/04/2013 at 03:09:12
"I don't ever recall Alan Ball saying he was tired"

Back in the 60s/70s we didn't have the wall to wall media trying to find copy to fill their organs 24/7. Had we, we'll, you'd have heard plenty from Bally, and every other great, enough to make you sick of the sight/sound of them. Why, I if I was constantly having to answer prosaic questions about MY job/performance night and day, I dare say I'd come out with some right old shite meself from time to time.

Jim Harrison
36 Posted 24/04/2013 at 03:28:08
Have to say I agree with James, not on the military thing as I have no experience, but 9 to 5 tiredness is more mental than physical. I don't think Fella is complaining so much as stating. The fact that he earns shit loads and acts petulantly has nothing to do with how tired he gets. The bigger picture would be the size of the squad. If the players are tired there are no real quality replacements to give them a rest. Baines is looking a tad jaded, Mirellas fades in matches.

Comparisons to teams of old is a bit misleading too. The intensity of the game in terms of athletic performance is massively different today. No old school tackling to deal with, but fitness comparable to olympic athletes.

Alan McGuffog
37 Posted 24/04/2013 at 07:08:01
It may be his reason but it is for others to excuse
Bob Parrington
38 Posted 24/04/2013 at 08:08:15
Baines looked tired and so did Osmond and Anichebe. The games at Spurs and Arsenal were probably somewhat to blame - but did our training program between such exhausting games allow for recovery. Sometimes coaches have rocks in their heads when it comes to understanding the need for recovery in the case of elite athletes, both physically and mentally.

This is the situation in which a larger squad of better quality players helps. If Tuesday's game had been versus a lower half table club a few of the better players might have been rested in favour of the likes of Velios, Oviedo and Berkley. Pienaar and Fellaini would have no excuses as they'd each missed a few.

Andy Crooks
39 Posted 24/04/2013 at 09:17:58
James, I have said in the past on many threads that I dislike the fact that footballers wages are always referred as per week . It has always seemed to me that it was an attempt to cause jealousy and resentment of working class lads made good. I am absolutely not jealous of footballers. Full of shit? Now there, you might be onto something.
Patrick Murphy
40 Posted 24/04/2013 at 09:39:42
If you watched Barcelona last night against Bayern Munich they looked tired too, whether its physical - which it probably isn't - or Mental tiredness - which it probably is, it does effect performance and last night's result shows that even the best teams can suffer from it, especially when squads suffer from injuries and suspensions.

Talking about Bayern, today is the anniversary of that wonderful night at Goodison back in 1985, how times have changed, when we compare where Bayern are now to where Everton find themselves.

Steven Telford
41 Posted 24/04/2013 at 09:52:42
If Anichebe is listed as one of the tired ones, then I would say that has to be monumental lack of fitness, firstly because he only really played half a season - maybe less, and secondly because he doesn’t on average seem to expel much energy. The amount of balls he does not chase is criminal.
Gary Clark
42 Posted 24/04/2013 at 09:54:51
Forgive me but is 'tiredness' another word for 'we played shite'? I wish these over-paid Blouses would get a grip and grow a pair of round ones (well slightly oval I think). I want to say more but I am too tired coz I went to work two days ago and stayed behind for an hour for an extra tenner. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....
Andy Meighan
43 Posted 24/04/2013 at 12:18:00
Nothing to do with tiredness. They were just shit on the day. Is he saying if you put a shift in midweek, then don't expect one at the weekend? I'm sick of these idiotic excuses and it's got nothing to do with the money they're getting either.

I'm just listening to Sheeds on TalkSport – now thats what you call a footballer, absolute quality I can't remember him moaning about being tired.

I was up at half-five this morning, walked to work, and will be on my feet for 8 hours with only two 20-minute breaks in-between. Now Felli, I am fucking exhausted, like nearly everyone else on here, so do one with your moaning!

Brian Harrison
44 Posted 24/04/2013 at 12:57:41
I think the tiredness is as much mental as physical. The teams with the bigger and better squads can rotate on a regular basis, but given our small squad the chance for us to rotate and be competitive is hard. I am sure anyone who has watched us regularly would have to admit that in the last couple of months that some players have looked a bit leggy. There is no coincidence that clubs with massive outlay can afford to have top class internationals on the bench, were our bench is usually made up of players past the best or just not good enough to replace the regulars as well as a few promising kids.

So unless massive investment is found we are always going to be found wanting when it comes to the business end of the season.

Charles Brewer
45 Posted 24/04/2013 at 13:34:21
From what I saw, Fellaini's comment seemed pretty reasonable, and those who ciriticise have to take into account a few things.

First, as has been stated, today's football is much faster and more intense, especially in the Premier League, than it was in the past. You might get chopped by Hunter or Smith, but watching a game from the 60s or 70s it all looks relatively sedate by comparison.

Second, it is a long season, and to play at their best footballers need to be motivated for the event; there is often much complaint that Everton play well against "Sky 4" teams but drop points against mid table, and this may be a perfect example of why. Going up against Man Utd or City is going to get a player's adrenalin going much more than an away match at QPR, and if QPR follows a thriller against Man Utd, it's going to be close on impossible for a manager to get players to the same level of intensity, no matter how good. In a team which can rotate players can get the same level of commitment out of a second string player at QPR as out of a first stringer simply because the former doesn't get played in the big games and is therefore trying to win a place.

Third, and most important, I remember hearing Joey Barton (an unusually intelligent footballer, if somewhat unbalanced on the field) saying that he would still play with just the same intensity, passion and love of the game even if he played for a pub team and got nothing. That some footballers are paid very well is dependent only on their effectiveness on the field (a mix of talent and character) not on their motivation. The fact that Fellaini is very well paid is a reflection of his market value, and almost certainly has next to no effect on his play (unless his pay is reduced, of course). Does anyone think that paying a surgeon more will make him operate better? Or that paying someone involved in cancer research more will make them more likely to discover new and better treatments?

In my view, Fellaini gave an honest and reasonable answer and while we would love every Everton player to have endless and unlimited resilience, motivation and talent, footballers are, in most respects, just the same as everyone else.

Trevor Thompson
46 Posted 24/04/2013 at 14:07:36
I think it's perfectly reasonable that even an athlete can be tired. Last time I looked they were human beings. Sometimes the body might be willing but the mind isn't or vice-versa. Doesn't matter how much money you get, there are going to be some days when you're just mentally or physically tired. Just shows that as fans we can be pretty unrealistic and unforgiving. I'm not excluding myself from that either.
Peter Warren
47 Posted 24/04/2013 at 14:15:37
He's a guy who plays in midfield and is about 10ft tall so has a good view of the pitch and who is also extremely fit and has the best stats in our team so I think he's pretty well equipped to judge.
Harold Matthews
48 Posted 24/04/2013 at 14:18:15
Strange statement. He looked to be the only one with energy.

On the other hand, like Fellaini, Pienaar and Osman, we'd all be knackered if we had to cover for non-tackling Gibson every week. The moment the opposition get the ball we are immediately down to 10 men because of his reluctance or inability to get involved. Moyes is fed up with it and so am I. If he made one decent tackle against Sunderland I didn't see it. What I did see was his pathetic, almost apologetic, attempt to prevent Sessegnon from hitting the winner.

Do we actually pay this guy money !!??

Wayne Smyth
49 Posted 24/04/2013 at 18:14:44
More to do with desire than tiredness in my opinion.

I can accept tiredness as an excuse if we play well for 70 minutes then really collapse in the last 20 mins. I don't think its valid in this case cos we were awful from the start

James McGarry
50 Posted 24/04/2013 at 20:06:05
Tiredness? The prick wants to try working 5 days a week like the majority of the supporters on a fraction of what the prick earns every week. I really hope this idiot gets sold, he's no big loss. £25 million? Thanks, I will take that. Let's say £15-20M for Baines, £25M TV monies and whatever we get for finishing 6th. Lets round that up to £75 million.

Break that down now: £10 million for the new manager to bring in some loan deals and the rest swindled off by Kenwright and the muppets on the board. I'm certainly not looking forward to the summer. We have all heard the Government's saying 'The Winter of Discontent'... Well now we have the Summer of Discontent which comes around every year at Goodison and seems to spoil every supporters summer holiday.

James Flynn
51 Posted 25/04/2013 at 01:20:35
Andy (363) - Good stuff.

Better answered than I would have. Consider me properly humbled.

Mike Keating
52 Posted 25/04/2013 at 15:27:52
So what was the excuse for the display against Wigan?

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