Staying Positive

Gary is staying positive even if he has had a bad season. With Unsey gone, Nace would have thought the left back spot was his, but the the early season form of Pisto gave him no chance.

Nace says: “It’s been an unlucky season in the fact that when I lost my place in the team the team started doing well. I’ve had a couple of niggly injuries and the season has never got going for me really. It now looks like it’s not going to get going for me with only a few games left. But that’s part and parcel of football and hopefully I’ll be back for the final few games. It’s not easy for me to accept. Apart from not getting sent off against Crystal Palace earlier in the season there’s not a lot more that I could have done. For a lot of the games even though I was fit I wasn’t in the 16.

I think every game since Boxing Day I’ve been in the squad, except for two. I’ve been quite pleased with how I’ve been doing but it’s just been one of those seasons. My target is to play in those final four games of the season. That’s what’s keeping me going, that’s what I’ll be aiming for." (27/04/05)

Europe First, Me Second

Gary Naysmith is concentrating on helping the Blues secure European football, then he will concentrate on any contract negotiations that Everton might open with him. Nace who has been constantly linked with the two Glasgow giants, has been on the bench most of this season thanks to the fantastic form of 'Sandro Pistone. To cheer himself up Gary treated himself to a shave, after leaving it for six months.

Nace says: "The speculation hasn’t been difficult to deal with at all. There’s nothing new on my future. Myself and the club spoke earlier in the season but couldn’t get sorted then so we decided just to leave it and that’s where we’re up to. There’s been no change but because I’m a Scottish player coming to the end of his contract everybody seems to be linking me with going back to Scotland. It’ll get sorted when it gets sorted. I think the most important thing for Everton is to focus on qualifying for Europe. After that the future of Gary Naysmith will take care of itself." (27/01/05)

Shaggy To Play For Rezzies

Nace (now called Shaggy by his mates at the club) has withdrawn from the Scotland squad and will now play another 90 minutes for the rezzies against Forest at Haig Avenue tonight. Full marks to the lad who is trying to get fully fit and putting pressure on Pisto for the left back spot.

Head physio Baz Rathbone says: "He's done very little training, although he did make a 90-minute appearance against Wolves last week. Since then, he's been able to train fully with the reserve team. However, he has been led to believe that young players will be given a chance tonight. Because he is an established international, Gary felt that it would be a better option to remain here and get another 90 minutes under his belt in the reserve game." (17/11/04)

Nace's Contract Talks

Everton have started discussions with Nace's representatives over the possibility of a new three year deal. Rumours are rife though, that Gary has turned down the new offer, and Celtic are hovering, trying to lure Gaz back North. We will now see Big Keith's skill's in the negotiating department kick in, as Nace will try to hang out for the best deal possible. Over to you Keith.

Big Keith says: "Discussions between ourselves and Gary’s representatives are continuing and we are looking at the possibility of extending his contract." (20/10/04)

Back Training

Nace should be back training in the next day or two, according to physio, turned super sleuth Basil Rathbone. Gary who injured himself playing for Scotland last week, has been under the watchful eye of Everton's medical team, and is expected to return to training sooner than expected.

Basil says: "Gary went in for a block tackle playing for Scotland and he bent his ankle back in the process. It doesn't seem too serious and the injury has settled down quite well. I'm going to take him out for a run this morning and all being well, I expect him to join in full training over the next few days." (19/10/04)

Nace's Worry

Gary Naysmith is worried that his lack of first team action will cost him his defensive place in the Scottish line up, for the crucial World Cup Qualifier against Norway on Saturday. Nace who has had his nose put out of joint since his sending off at Palace early on in the season, has played very little footy this term, but he is hoping his adrenaline carries him through on Saturday.

Nace says: "It is frustrating because if I am not playing for Everton, Berti won't be able to pick me for Scotland. You never know how it will actually affect you until you play the game. The big thing about playing at home is the adrenaline.

It's a World Cup game; it's a sellout. That can carry you through the 90 minutes when you start tiring after 70. Hopefully, that will be the case on Saturday." (08/10/04)

Earn It

Nace is one of the many players who have just one year left on his contract and he will go out and earn another one. Well said Gary.

Nace says: "Everton's own future is more important than individual players' contracts. If we cannot go forward together as a club at boardroom level at the moment, we won't be able to get down to talking about new contracts.

"A lot of us have a year to go, Maybe we have to go out now and earn a new contract on the pitch. Like the supporters we want things are sorted out one way or another, whoever is going to take charge of the club."(13/08/04)

New Deal Please

Gary Naysmith like a lot of his team mates is hoping his future at the Blues is sorted out in the next few weeks. The 25 year old Scottish defender who is now in the last twelve months of his deal is hoping his agent meets club representatives, whoever they maybe, to sort an extension to his current deal out.

Nace says: "The situation is quite simple really. I have less than a year on my contract to run and hopefully in the next two to three weeks my agent will be meeting with the club to try and get a new contract. There has been speculation in the papers about other teams but the truth is that I have not heard anything about getting sold to another team." (27/07/04)

Back Training

Nace is back in training after a hernia operation. He missed Everton's last three games and now is hopeful all his problems are behind him. I wish I had missed Everton's last three games.

Nace says:"I want to be at the same level of fitness as the lads when they return because I had four weeks weeks at the end of the season that I missed with my ankle, so with the hernia injury, I haven't been fit for about three months. So I've Just got to make sure that I can get myself fully fit for the start of the season."(08/06/04)

Nace Last Season