Sigurdsson joins ranks of Russia-bound Blues

Monday, 21 May, 2018 31comments  |  Jump to most recent

Ramiro Funes Mori has missed the cut for Argentina's 23-man squad for the World Cup
Gylfi Sigurdsson has been included in Iceland's party for this summer's World Cup but Ramiro Funes Mori isn't selected by Argentina.

Sigurdsson makes the cut for his country's first ever trip to the Finals despite missing the last few weeks of the Premier League season with a knee injury.

The 28-year-old suffered damage to his right knee during an innocuous passage of play in the home win over Brighton & Hove Albion in March but has been making good progress and is confident of being fit for the World Cup.

He joins Jordan Pickford and Idrissa Gueye in being called up for Russia by his country but there is no place in Argentina's final 23-man squad for Funes Mori.

The defender was a regular first-choice starter for the Albiceleste prior to his own knee injury that sidelined him for almost a year.

He recently returned to Everton's team and was agitating for more game time with the Blues from Sam Allardyce in the final weeks of the campaign because he feared missing out on the World Cup.

He started his first game of the season in the final-day defeat at West Ham having made a couple of substitute appearances prior to that but it was not enough to earn a place in Argentina's squad.

Nikola Vlasic and Oumar Niasse are two more Blues players who didn't make their country's squads for Russia.

 

Reader Comments (31)

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Tony Everan
1 Posted 21/05/2018 at 19:04:31
Good luck to Gylfi.

I am hoping they don't play him if he is not fully recovered; it may set him back.

Lawrence Green
2 Posted 21/05/2018 at 19:06:44
Feel sorry for Funes Mori, but it was always going to be tough for the Argentine boss to include him in his final party, given his injuries and loss of form. As for Tosun... Turkey didn't make the World Cup finals, did they?

It's a poor reflection on where Everton FC are at the moment, when so few of our current squad were picked by their respective national teams for the Russian World Cup.

Lyndon Lloyd
Editorial Team
3 Posted 21/05/2018 at 19:09:25
Ignore me regarding Tosun and Turkey, Lawrence. I'm going mad!
James Stewart
4 Posted 21/05/2018 at 19:22:37
Hard lines for Funes Mori, especially considering the trainwreck of a player Rojo is in the squad.
Frank Wade
5 Posted 21/05/2018 at 19:22:44
Fingers crossed Gylfi will recover in time to play a meaningful role. It's a big big deal for first timers Iceland and for him as their star player. A risk worth taking given his past endeavours.

Ramiro would have needed a run of games to prove his form, but didn't get the opportunity. Too big a risk to include him ahead of players who have been playing during past 12 months.

Steve Ferns
6 Posted 21/05/2018 at 19:27:25
Few Everton players at the World Cup. It means we can really get to work on that back four early. New signings excepted.
Ian Bennett
7 Posted 21/05/2018 at 20:00:25
I'd preferred Sigurdsson to stay behind and Funes Mori to go. One to be fit for August, and the other in the shop window...
Phil Smith
8 Posted 21/05/2018 at 20:03:34
Shit one for Funes Mori but even shitter for Niasse.
Mike Gaynes
9 Posted 21/05/2018 at 20:04:02
Congratulations to Sigurdsson on recovering quickly enough to get on the pitch on Russia, and best wishes to little Iceland for some upset victories!

Not surprised about Funes Mori – yes, there was the injury, but even when he was in the side he wasn't playing that well, and IMO when Sampaoli took over last summer, it was the end of his chances. Sampaoli prizes passing, and that's not Ramiro's strong point. Otamendi, Fazio and Mascherano were always going to get the call ahead of him. Even obscurities like Mercado and Ansaldi beat him out.

James, I don't think Rojo gets off the bench, not with Tagliafico and Acuna in the side. The latter isn't even a defender, but he was named as one, which means Sampaoli is going to attack-attack-attack.

Tom Evans
10 Posted 21/05/2018 at 20:27:19
History tells us we seem to suffer the after-effects of a World Cup more than most. 1970 being a prime example.

The fewer of our players exposed to the rigours of the tournament, the better.

Christopher Nicholls
12 Posted 21/05/2018 at 20:36:12
Apologies in advance...

So Funes Mori was overlooked by Sampaoli after being overlooked by Sam-Pie-OLE!

Grab my coat!

Derek Knox
13 Posted 21/05/2018 at 20:47:21
Tom, as we are in transition mode both with Board, Management and playing staff and so few players selected for World Cup duty, it may serve to be a blessing in disguise.

There's nothing more disruptive and counter-productive to pre-season training than having half a squad, either due to injury sustained, or them having their time off in lieu of having been involved.

The new Manager, which is increasingly looking like being Marco Silva, will at least have a chance to get to know his charges, and be able to formulate some sort of idea on what his best selection and game plan will be.

Of course, if any incoming players are involved in the World Cup, it will be unavoidable.

Peter Cummings
14 Posted 21/05/2018 at 21:10:53
I think we should look beyond Silva to replace Allardyce. I've said already we should go for someone with man-management experience and a proven affinity to the club. Dare I suggest it, IMO Moyes would fit the bill?

Granted we didn't win anything but he made some great signings on a pauper's budget and now, with nearly unlimited finances, he could be successful.

Steve Ferns
15 Posted 21/05/2018 at 21:14:02
Wrong thread Peter. And Davie Moyes? You’ll need a tin hat!
Jeff Armstrong
16 Posted 21/05/2018 at 21:39:43
Niasse, surely he's unlucky not to be going. Showed each time he started or came on he can always offer something, even if it's the unexpected!
David Hallwood
17 Posted 21/05/2018 at 21:40:49
Peter (#14), you're right, Moyes made some great signings, but his big money purchases were patchy to say the least. Bilyaletdinov comes to mind and even Fellaini split opinion, James Beattie etc. In fact you could say he was more suited to shopping at Aldi than Harrod's.

World Cup? Everton players? Who gives a fuck?

Jon Withey
18 Posted 21/05/2018 at 22:32:50
Moyes over Allardyce – but that ship has sailed, heh.

Poor showing at the World Cup for us – 3 players is dreadful; shows what a limited squad we have right now.

Martin Reppion
19 Posted 21/05/2018 at 22:59:41
I'm split on this one. I like to see Everton players in the summer tournaments. It puts some interest in the games between two countries I otherwise don't care about.

But, I remember meeting Andy Hinchcliffe at Birch Services in 1994 before a pre-season game at Oldham. He told me the manager was doing his nut over Anders Limpar, who was complaining of fatigue after playing a whole 14 minutes in his one sub appearance in the USA World Cup.

I would like to think of the squad getting a good break and detoxing last season out of their system... before coming back fresh to disappoint us all again next season.

Jason Leung
20 Posted 22/05/2018 at 01:57:19
I feel for Funes Mori, I reckon he is a decent defender, and one of the best we have at the moment. He also needs a run of games with a partner at back to build a relationship with.

Anyway, I think the less players we have at the World Cup, the better. It just delays their pre-season if they even have one and disrupts team bonding –especially with a new manager coming in.

Good luck to Sigurdsson, Pickford and Gueye! Come back injury free please!!

Danny Broderick
21 Posted 22/05/2018 at 07:16:25
Niasse is very unlucky not to go. It's a shame he didn't win an award at our Dixie awards. Even at West Ham away, he was our best player, busting a gut throughout. For endeavour alone, the lad will always be worth his place here for me. Shame he didn't get to play in the World Cup.
Lenny Kingman
22 Posted 22/05/2018 at 08:56:59
#14

Remind me again, how did Moyes get on with unlimited finances at Manchester United?!

Ian Burns
23 Posted 22/05/2018 at 09:54:59
Gylfi; Jordan, Idrissa and Cenk.... it will be interesting to see how the three outfield players perform having spent the last few months playing dinosaur football at Goodison Park.
Lenny Kingman
24 Posted 22/05/2018 at 10:10:06
Cenk won't be there, Ian.
Martin Nicholls
25 Posted 22/05/2018 at 10:10:27
Ian (#23) – you'll be lucky to see how Cenk performs!
Martin Nicholls
26 Posted 22/05/2018 at 10:12:38
Sorry Lenny - you beat me to it and my "edit" facility doesn't work!
Tony Everan
27 Posted 22/05/2018 at 11:08:08
Cenk ain’t going, he is ‘avin in it large in Turkey as we speak.

He will come back rested but looking like a Turkish Tyson Fury.

Ian Burns
28 Posted 22/05/2018 at 12:17:04
Sorry guys, I hadn't realised Cenk wasn't going to Russia. Another one to chalk off the list.

Ah well, there's always Spain to look forward to after England disappear off the scene. 16/1 today, England – nah, I won't bother.

Paul Kossoff
29 Posted 22/05/2018 at 15:43:31
So West Ham have just got Pellegrini; Arsenal have got emery; who's next? Us?

Or will we still be waiting while the World Cup is on? While Kenwright is still here, that's what we will get, the World Cup! Dance with the big boys? I doubt it!

Roger Helm
30 Posted 22/05/2018 at 16:28:08
If England with Pickford play Iceland with Gylfi (I haven't bothered looking up the schedule), I won't know who to support. Iceland probably.
Tony Everan
31 Posted 22/05/2018 at 20:35:29
Roger

The RS will sign Butland before the World Cup, then an astonishing and amazing coincidence will occur.

Pickford will get demoted.

Paul Birmingham
32 Posted 23/05/2018 at 17:22:39
I'm normally against our players in any tournament as on most occasions, they get crocked, or their form suffers, and somehow they ain't the same.

I hope Sigurdsson has a blinder, assuming he is fully fit.

Gutted for Omar and Funes Mori. Lack of game time, and it will be hard to get a better price on any player whom the club was looking to sell, by missing the premier tournament in football.

On the plus side, may we find some gold and a good price.


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