Derby Fever

Ossie has been a revelation for Everton this season. Since he became a regular in the first team he has become an integral part of the team and we have missed his goals when he has been missing. As a local lad, he knows how important the derby game is to the fans.

Leon says: “You always look forward to the derbies when they come around. We’d like to beat them just as much as the fans would so we’ll be giving it our all.”

Dave 'Cannonball' Hickson says: "David Moyes should be credited for giving Leon Osman an extended run in the first team." (17/03/05)

Thanks Mate

Double goal hero Leon Osman is telling his team mates to just concentrate on their own games, and not worry about anyone else. I take it he means the shite.

He is also quick to heap praise on the returning Tiny, who stole the show at Villa Park on Saturday, with a gem of a performance.

Ossie says: "Our aim is to finish as high as we can, getting as many points as we can and hopefully we can keep on doing it. It’s a massive gap and they will have to play their game in midweek with a build-up of fixtures but we can only concentrate on ourselves and see what happens.

We have come to Villa knowing the importance of the game and we put the performance on that the fans have been wanting us to do and deservedly got the points. When you come away from home you have to work hard and coming to Villa Park is no different and we weathered the early pressure and didn’t feel pressurised after that. It was a great bit of play from Tim and he set both my goals up, so I have got a lot to thank him for. Tim is a fantastic player and you might say we missed him last week. We probably did. He was outstanding. He deservedly got his goal and he has shown what he is capable of." (28/02/05)

League Always The Priority

One plus from the defeat in the FA Cup was, the return of Ossie.

Leon says: “I was happy to be involved again. Every footballer who misses a game is chomping at the bit to get back in and I’m no different. It felt good to be out there again. Fitness-wise I felt really good right up until the end. The League has definitely always been the priority. Everyone was expecting us to be battling relegation, so for us to be as high as we are we’re delighted and we’re determined to keep ourselves up there challenging for Europe. Every game we’ve gone into this season has been the most important game of the campaign and that’s the same next weekend against Aston Villa. We lost the last League game to Chelsea and we’re hoping to put that right against Aston Villa.” (21/02/05)

Player of The Month

In form Leon has won Everton's OPTA Player of the Month for January. The tiny forward who last gasp goal gave the Blues their only three points in January against Pompey, pipped Tiny, and the returning Joey to the award. Leon receives a year supply of Wensleydale cheese, and like all the other monthly winners is put in to the hat for the overall prize of a long weekend in Center Parcs. (02/02/05)

Injured Or Dropped

Evertonians were surprised not to see Leon starting the game against Boro, and the tongues started wagging when he wasn't even named on the bench. Ossie wants to stay beyond his contract which runs out at the end of the season. Apparently he was injured in training, but should be ok to be in the squad against Charlton. He was greatly missed, especially after scoring in his last game against Plymouth.

Ossie says: "I'm very happy here, I've been around so long I feel like part of the furniture. My friends told me to be patient and it would work out in the end - and it has. It would be a wrench leaving in any case. I've been here longer than half the staff." (17/01/05)

Ossie Winning The Battle

Ossie is winning the race against the clock to be fit for our visit to Spurs on Saturday. Everton physio Mick ' Basil ' Rathbone, is happy with Leon's progress, after the youngster stepped up his training today.

Basil says: "Leon Osman jarred his knee at Blackburn and he’s making decent progress all the time but he has had a couple of operations on that knee and we are being ultra cautious with him. He is going to do some light training today with the lads and that is a step up for him. We will have to reassess him after that but we are taking things steadily." (30/12/04)

Festive Cheer

The scan results have been good. So hopefully we will see Ossie in a Blue shirt over the holiday period.

Moyesy says: “The scan didn’t show an awful lot. Ossie has had a problem with his knee over the years and as everybody knows he had a cruciate injury earlier in his career. So we were a little bit concerned but the scan has shown no major damage, which is good news. We feel that it is probably bone bruising in the knee and hopefully he will not be too far away for the games over the Christmas period.” (22/12/04)

Leon A Doubt

Everton are entering into alien territory, with news of an injury worry ahead of our Christmas programme. The player concerned is Leon Osman, who is suffering with a knee problem, that he picked up at Blackburn. Moyesy is remaining upbeat, as he has an array of talent from our small squad, all chomping at the bit to have a go this Christmas.

Moyesy says: "Leon’s got a knee problem, which is a concern but we will not know for a day or two if it is serious or not.

I think we are coming into a period where we’ll have to use the whole of our squad. I’ve got no problem with that. There are people there ready to play: Joseph Yobo, Duncan Ferguson, James McFadden, Steve Watson, Kevin Campbell, Gary Naysmith, Richard Wright if need be, are all available and ready to come into the team. I would have no problem putting any of those players in. We have a small squad, but those we have waiting to get a game I’m pleased with." (21/12/04)

First Derby - Can't Wait

Ossie has played in several Mini Derby's, but Saturday will be his first for the first team and he can't wait.

Leon says: “You always look forward to the derbies when they come around. The fact that we’re playing well and we’re nine points ahead gives it that bit of extra spice. We’re due for a win against the reds and we’d love to beat them. We’d like to beat them just as much as the fans would so we’ll be giving it our all next week.” (08/12/04)

My Goal

Ossie came off the bench to score the winner against notloB. The shot being sliced into the Bolton net by Radhi Jaidi, but Ossie wants to claim the goal.

Leon says: “To be honest I’ve hit it and it’s gone in so I’d like to claim it. But it will probably go off to the panel so we’ll have to wait to see what they say. It was one of the hardest-fought victories of the season. Bolton are up there as well and their position is down to just as much hard work as ours. It was two hard-working sides going at it and we came out on top. We always believe we can win games. We say that all the time. The circumstances were that at that time we were getting beaten, but the desire and belief doesn’t change. That’s what we expect from the bunch of lads we’ve got. We’ve formed a team spirit and we saw that on Saturday.”

“I was a bit disappointed to be on the bench because we’ve been picking up results recently when I’ve been in the team. I was a bit surprised that having not lost, the manager changed the team. But he picks the team, that’s what he’s paid to do.” (06/12/04)

Stalemate

There seems a bit of mystery around Leon Osman's reported refusal of turning down Everton's new deal that is on to offer to the talented youngster. Ossie's agent Dave Lockwood seems a little pissed off, that reports have been leaked to the papers over the stalemate in negotiations, as he prepares to hold out for £12k a week for young Leon.

Ossies Agent says: "I was surprised to read details of contract negotiations in this morning's papers because the matter is private and confidential. We have been discussing extending Leon's contract and that process is on-going. There is a desire from both parties to try and reach an agreement and I am looking forward to meeting with Everton again in the near future to continue talks." (01/12/04)

Top Of The Shop

Ossie sits proudly at the top of Everton's goal scoring charts, and he intends to do so all season. Ossie who will be a certain starter in tomorrow's live game at Norwich, is still taking nothing for granted, and does not even consider himself to be a regular in the first team yet. Fuck that Leon, we do.

Leon says: " I’m top scorer at the moment and I’d like to stay there until the end of the season, but Marcus is doing a great job and I’m sure he’ll score even more. I don’t consider myself to be a regular at the moment and I don’t think I ever will. You always have to keep fighting for your place, so you can’t afford to get relaxed. There are talented players waiting in the wings, chomping at the bit for their chance and if they get it, I am sure they’ll take it.

The team is doing well at the moment, but if the manager wants to change the side, I am sure he will do. It is his decision. It’s been a real learning curve for me. I’ve been brought into the team, kept my place and to do that I’ve had to adjust and improve my game." (22/10/04)

1 Nil So What

The victory against Southampton was Everton’s forth one nil win in 6 wins so far this season and that doesn’t bother Saturday's goal hero one bit.

Ozzie says: “It is surprising just how much that sort of belief can carry you, and how far you can go. We are a unit, more than we were last year. It will get harder as the season goes on, but it's been hard already. We have belief in ourselves and we can keep it going.
It's another 1-0, but we don't bother about that. A couple of seasons ago we strung together five 1-0 wins in succession and finished seventh, almost getting into Europe. We would take something like that again." (19/10/04)

Terrific

Man of the moment Leon Osman, has earned some glowing praise from Assistant Boss Alan Irvine. Moyesy and Irvine had their doubts whether Leon would be able to cope with the demands of the Premiership, but they have both been left in no doubt, that Ossie is well up for the challenge, after his explosive start this season.

Alan Irvine says: "Leon has been a real bonus. His impact has probably been greater than he or we would have anticipated. He is not the quickest or the biggest and there were doubts whether he would cope with the physical demands of The Premiership but he overcomes all that with his technical ability and courage. He has been terrific for us." (22/09/04)

Bring On Boro

Ossie is joint leading goalscorer with 2 from 5 games and is glad he's been given the chance to start all the games this season. Long may it continue.

Leon says: "Things happen so quickly in football. One minute you're struggling to get into the reserves and the next minute you're scoring in the Premiership. You have to take your chances when they come and I think I've done that. I've started every game since the season began.

I'm enjoying it. I was number 31 last season - and I've become number 21 this season, so it's an improvement of ten numbers. That doesn't mean a lot in football these days, but starting football matches does - and the past few games have been a dream. It's great to be playing against quality teams every week and Middlesbrough are no exception. They've really strengthened their squad during the summer. It will be a tough game, but we're at Goodison. We expect to be winning our home games." (17/09/04)

New Contract For Ossie ?

The talk at Goodison at the moment, is that in form front man Leon Osman is about to earn himself a new improved contract. Ossie who has started the season in a rich vein of form has ten months left on his current deal. Come to think of it, I believe half the playing squad has the same time left as well.(03/09/04)

Staying in the Team

The two goals against West Brom has Leon hoping for a good run in the side. The Boss might agree.

David Moyes says: "People around here have known about him for a while. He's a very good young player. He had a spell on loan at Derby last season and did very well. He fully deserves to get his go this season and we are delighted with him.

Leon says: "I am hoping that my form is going to keep me in the team and in the process keep others out but with the competition we have for places here you can never be too settled. The two goals will make it even better and as far as the team is concerned we have been confident all summer believing in ourselves."

Starter

Leon is getting in everybody's good books after impressive displays in pre-season and he looks a certain starter for the opening game against the Arse.

Moyesy says: "If you're using pre-season to judge, well Leon Osman is doing as well as well as anybody" (04/08/04)

Ossie's Battle

Young Leon Osman who broke into the Everton first team set up so well late last season is relishing the battle ahead to secure a starting eleven place. With the arrival of Tim Cahill, Marcus Bent, and Moyesy hoping to add Mark Van Bommel to his ranks as well, Ossie knows competition will be hard to force his way in. Well in Ossie, wish there where a few more with attitudes like that.

Ossie says: "It’s always good when new players come in because they strengthen the squad and increase the competition for places. It is now down to me to keep working hard to try and make sure I get one of the places available and keep others out of the team. I also find that it can be a bit difficult for new players coming in because they don’t know anyone, but then it’s up to us to help them settle as quickly as possible." (26/07/04)

Forest Bid

Notts Forest manager Joe Kinnear has confirmed his interest in Ossie. It's thought Forest have bid £400,000 for the midfielder, who was on loan at Derby County last season. Forest are awaiting a response from Everton. (06/07/04)

Moyesy Happy with Ossie

After being one of the only success stories in the end of season run in, Leon has put himself in with a shout of starting next season.
Moyesy says: " Leon did well in the last few games and will be part of the 1st team squad next season" (18/05/04)

Ossie Last Season