News Headlines & Features

Putting Everton on the map
30 Jun - We've had quite a few e-mails asking about those top Evertonian lads who have been putting the club's name in front of billions of TV viewers with giant flags at the World Cup, not only at England matches but countless others.  The now-famous "Everton FC Huyton" banner is the work of Ritchie Harrison, while "Cush" (aka Paul) from the USA is the proud bearer of the flag of St George with "Everton FC" in enormous black letters that was so prominent in the England-Brazil game.  Well in, lads!

Nyarko has finally flipped
28 Jun - More incredible garbage from the mouth of Alex Nyarko, who now says Everton fans didn't like him because he was married to a white woman!  Hands up, all you fans who had the faintest idea he was married to a white woman?  And hands up all those who would even care???  Unbelievable!

Moyes confirms Breen link
27 Jun - David Moyes has confirmed approaches to Gary Breen and Mart Poom, among a list of more than 10 players (unidentified) whom Everton have enquired about.  The 28-year-old Irish International would be on a free, but high transfer fees seem to be the problem with a lot of the other deals as Moyes refuses to pay over the odds for what are � let's be honest � essentially journeymen.

Which goalie will it be?
26 Jun - As the World Cup nears its climax, the Silly Season swings into full gear at home, with various sources touting the foundering deal for Mart Poom, while less reputable sites (e.g, Planet Football) quote Czech sources as gospel, claiming that Everton are about to sign young goalie Petr Cech.

Moore part-ex for McBride?
25 Jun - Since David Moyes has previously taken the USA's Brian McBride on loan while he was at Preston, perhaps it is not a huge leap to consider that he may once again be interested in the 30-year-old striker after his impressive form in the World Cup.  Rumours suggest he may offer Joe-Max Moore back to the MLS in part-exchange.

Stepping up the pace
24 Jun - Pre-season training for most of the Everton squad is just a week away, but David Moyes has already set the bar high in terms of effort and fitness levels he wants to see achieved.  Players are being requested to report for special training assessments in Lyon, France, ahead of the main effort that will begin in earnest next week at Bellefield and later at the training camp in Austria.

A Buyers' Market?
19 Jun - Everton's desire to off-load Alex Nyarko as finally forged a deal with Paris St Germain, where the God-fearing Ghanaian will initially go on loan for a meagre �300k fee upfront.  Another another �2.7M is due in January, when the French transfer window opens and his registration will finally be removed from Everton's books.

100 and counting �
18 Jun - Criticism of the Everton club management has been muted since the appointment of David Moyes but Everton fan Tony Wooly feels compelled to enumerate his strongly felt concerns about missed marketing opportunities in this hard-hitting piece about the apparent failings surrounding what should be a joyous celebration of achieving 100 seasons in the top eschelon of English football.

Window Shopping
16 Jun - David Moyes may only have a paltry £5M to spend this summer but, as his flying visit to the Far East a couple of weeks would suggest, that probably won't stop him running the rule over some of the talent currently on parade in Korea and Japan.  It also doesn't stop Lyndon Lloyd from casting his own eye on the players on offer and picking out some potentially affordable stars from the 2002 World Cup Finals.

Dropping like flies
16 Jun - Joe-Max Moore is the sole remaining Everton representative in the World Cup Finals after Sweden and Ireland became victims of agonizing defeats in the 2nd Round.  Niclas Alexandersson suffered a gash to the head and was later substituted as he and fellow Blue Tobias Linderoth crashed out to Senegal's extra-time "golden goal".  And Lee Carsley's Ireland went out in the worst way possible — losing a penalty shoot-out to Spain after the excellent Robbie Keane had forced the game into extra time with a 90th-minute equaliser from the spot.

Denmark 0-3 England
15 Jun - Three first-half goals — each coming with its own slice of fortune — propelled an impressive-looking England into the Quarter Finals at the expense of a less-than-solid Denmark despite another impressive performance by Everton's Thomas Gravesen.  Branded an 'enforcer', Gravesen was impressive going forward and enjoyed more space than he is used to in the Premiership, spraying passes around with surprising accuracy. England, however, proved too strong on the day and they await the wiinner of Brazil's matchup with Belgium on Monday.

As bemused as the rest of us
14 Jun - In a light-hearted article in today's Telegraph, Clive Tyldesley empathises with the head scratching that Everton fans have been doing as they watch all five of their World Cup stars advance to the second round while some of the Premiership's elite — Veron, Henry, Wiltord, Petit, Forlan, to name a few — have made embarrassing exits from the competition with their respective countries. The question is, will David Moyes be able to do what Walter Smith couldn't — get this world-beating form out of the likes of Alexandersson, Linderoth and Gravesen next season!

Yanks through on a knife-edge�
14 Jun - Joe-Max Moore made his 100th international appearance for the USA, coming on as a second-half sub to help the Yanks recover after falling behind to a devastating two-goal blast from Poland in the first 5 mins of their final Group D match.  The US needed to at least draw, or have Portugal � who dropped down to 9 men with two sent off � lose the other game.  The Poles grabbed a third goal just as Korea finally made their numerical advantage tell with a goal that would put the US through to a 2nd Round tie against CONCACAF rivals Mexico.  Portugal hit the post in the last minute, but could not tie the game and they now go home.  What a World Cup!

Blues kick off Season 100 at Goodison
13 Jun - Everton's historic 100th Season in the Top Flight will begin at Goodison Park against Tottenham Hotspur on 17th August and end, again at home, against Manchester United.  Chief Executive Michael Dunford had requested that Aston Villa be our first opponents but it seems as though the FA have ignored him.  The Anfield Derby is on December 12 with the return fixture on April 19th, while October looks daunting, as does the post-Easter run-in.  We apologise, but we have chosen not to endorse the Football Association's controversial and gratuitous copyright on the Premiership and Football League fixtures by paying for the privilege of displaying the Blues' full fixture list for the coming season.  You can view them at the Offiicial Site instead.

Sweden Top Group F
12 Jun - Everton's Swedish Blues Niclas Alexandersson and Tobias Linderoth are through to the second phase of the World Cup Finals as winners of the so-called "group of death" after holding Argentina to a 1-1 draw. Knowing that a draw would be enough to advance at Argentina's expense, the Swedes took the lead through a Svensson free kick but succumbed to a late penalty that ensured a nervy last few minutes as England perplexingly ground out a bore draw with Nigeria. Although they sure must have known that anything short of a win would pit them against high-flying Denmark in Round 2, Sven Goran Eriksson's side strolled to a 0-0 draw. Sweden will take on Senegal in the next round.

Gravedigger helps bury France
11 Jun - Thomas Gravesen helped Denmark to win Group A with a convincing 2-0 victory that dumped a humiliated France out of the 2002 World Cup thanks to goals by speedy winger Dennis Rommadahl and sharp-shooter Jon Dahl Tomasson.  Needing to win by two goals to advance to the next phase, Zinedine Zidane and his teammates ended up being eliminated without scoring a single goal in the tournament — the first ever defending champions to record such a feat.  Senegal join the Danes in Round 2 and await the results from England and Sweden's group to see who they will play.  In Group E, Robbie Keane scored again as the Irish beat Saudia Arabia 3-0 while playing abysmally.  Lee Carsely got his first 5 minutes on the field, subbing for Kinsella near the end.

Q & A with David Moyes
11 Jun - The official Everton Website features the results of an absorbing question and answer session based on queries submitted by fans with the man who can't seem to say the wrong thing when it comes to Everton � manager David Moyes.

Poll poleaxes Italy
8 Jun - Referee Graham Poll attained his dream of worldwide infamy as he disallowed two perfectly good Italian goals (admittedly on the basis of dubious decisions by the linesman) � including a bizarre one from ex-Everton player, Marco Materazzi, scored from inside the Italian half in added time at the end of a fascinating game in Group G of the World Cup.  Materazzi was somewhat embarrassed during the play that led to both of Croatia's comeback goals as they recovered from 1-0 down to win 2-1, although credit should really go to the scorers in each case � especially the superb volleyed lob from Rapaic for the stunning winner.

International Blues remain unbeaten
7 Jun - Everton's World Cup stars remain unbeaten in the tournament so far following the latest round of results. Niclas Alexandersson and Tobias Linderoth helped Sweden to the top of Group F — a spot they now share with England following their win over Argentina — with a 2-1 win over Nigeria (Henrik Larsson, widely thought to be a Blue, scored both goals), Thomas Gravesen played an hour of Denmark's hot and heated 1-1 draw with Senegal, while Ireland snatched a dramatic point from Germany — although Lee Carsley was again overlooked.

Alexandersson strike denies England
2 Jun - Niclas Alexandersson's sweetly-struck left-foot shot earned a draw for Sweden against England and denied Sven-Goran Eriksson a win in Saitama, Japan. Sol Campbell's emphatic first-half header had sent England on their way but the Swedes were a different side after the break and Alexandersson capitalised on a defensive error by Danny Mills to steal a point. Tobias Linderoth, although quiet for the most part, belted what might have been the winner over the bar from 20 yards out.

Gravesen shines for Denmark
1 Jun - Thomas Gravesen was fully involved in Denmark's spirited 2-1 win over Uruguay in the second Group A game at the World Cup.  Playing a broader, more attacking role stretching from deep midfield to advanced positions on the left, he seemed a much better player than his less-effective fist-waving Everton persona.  Earlier, Lee Carsley played no part in Ireland's creditable 1-1 draw with Cameroon.