FAN ARTICLES

Everton Chile

YOU may think we haven't been doing too well recently. I'm afraid the results of the Everton in Chile have been even more disappointing. Now I'm thinking of asking for your help.

After leaving the pitch to a great ovation at Goodison Park on August 4, our Chilean friends returned home to tell everyone what a fantastic time they had in Liverpool. Perhaps it was too good. For they did not win a game until October 30. Today, with four games to go in their league campaign, they are 17th out of 18, occupying one of the two automatic relegation places.

The writing was possibly on the wall before they left for these shores. Following a mid-season break for the World Cup finals, they played three games in the league in July before setting off for Europe, losing two and drawing one. Were the players sub-consciously focusing on the trip to glorious Goodison? We shall never know.

But when they got home, they went on a disastrous run. Their first game back in Chile ended in a 5-1 defeat. Two draws followed. But this was the start of an 11-game sequence in which they drew four and lost seven.

Three weeks ago, following a 4-0 defeat, coach Nelson Acosta resigned after a three-year reign in which the club won the Chilean championship. He was replaced by Diego Osella, a young Argentinian coach. His first game was at home to arch-rivals Santiago Wanderers, which resulted in a 2-0 defeat.

Better was to follow in his next game. On the weekend we played Stoke, the other Everton travelled to Cobresal and won 2-1, their first league win since May 9, before the mid-season break for the World Cup finals - and long before those miners got stuck.

Osella's third game in charge was last weekend when Palestino were the visitors. There were big hopes for a win at the Sausalito but Evertonianos had to settle for a 1-1 draw.

Today Everton stand on the brink of relegation. The bottom two teams, 17th and 18th, are automatically relegated. The bottom club, San Luis, on 21 points look doomed. Then there is Everton, in 17th spot, with 30 points.

The 15th and 16th teams - currently Santiago Morning and Nublense, both on 32 points - go into play-offs in which they might retain their Primera status. At the moment Everton are four points off the safety of 14th spot, currently held by Universidad de Concepcion.

With just four games to go, every game is obviously crucial. This weekend they are travelling to Rancagua to play on Sunday night against 12th-placed O'Higgins who are on 36 points and could be dragged into the relegation mire. Rancagua, by the way, is where England played their three group games in the 1962 World Cup finals before losing to Brazil in a quarter-final at Everton's Sausalito stadium.

Everton have taken four points from their last two games so there is reason for optimism. But after the O'Higgins game, the remaining last three matches are against teams currently in the top six. Home to Union San Felipe then Audax Italiano, followed by a trip to championship-chasing Universidad Catolica.

Can they do it? Well, three points against O'Higgins on Sunday would obviously be a boost. Can we help? Can we do our bit with the power of thought? Can we will a win for the Evertonianos? Before or after our game against Arsenal on Sunday, should we raise a glass to the Everton in Chile? Send some positive vibes to suck a goal in for them? Or, if you prefer, say a little prayer. If nothing else, it will at least hearten them to know we will be rooting for them. Vivamos Everton!

MIKE OWEN

www.theruleteros.com

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