45 Min Run Out

Pisto came through 45 minutes in a 3-2 defeat against Man City for the reserves last night on his quest for fitness. (29/03/06)

First Session

Sandro has come through his first session for months (training we mean), and he is delighted if not knackered to put it bluntly. The girls in the ticket office are over the proverbial moon to have Sandro back around the place, but the Italian heart throb is still about three weeks away from a run out with the rezzies.

Sandro says: "I feel tired but we had a good session and it is obviously the first time I have trained fully with the lads, but I have been training since the second week of February so it is already three weeks of football training I have done with Baz the Physio. It shouldn't take too long (to be back). What we want to see in the following weeks is that the knee doesn't react to the different training that I am doing. So if there is no problem with the knee, then I believe that in two or three weeks I should be fit and ready to be selected.

But it is finally good to be back and joining in with the lads. It was quite a good session with shooting and games and it was a good feeling. The knee reacted well so I am really pleased with that. It is nice to be back so soon because it means there have been no problems with the rehabilitation, so I have been able to do everything without stopping and that means a lot. I am ahead of schedule but obviously that is the first training session so I need to see how it goes in the following weeks." (07/03/06)

Sooner than expected

The gaffer has hailed Sandro's powers of recovery as he hopes to get a game or two in before the end of the season. The beautiful one has been out injured since the away game at Bolton at the end of August after badly damaging his cruciate ligaments during the 1-0 win.

Moyesy was probably touching wood (hopefuly not Sandro's) when he says: "Sandro will start training on Monday, which is way ahead of schedule. He will play before the end of the season unless he has any setbacks. At the moment, he's shaved months rather than weeks off his recovery time.He's a very good specimen. He is a good professional who tries to prepare his body well. But with his cruciate, it's something we will judge daily for a reaction." (03/03/06)

Back Before The Season Ends

Pisto who is currently recuperating back home in Italy is hopeful to play again this season.

Mick Rathbone says: "Even Alessandro, who we have sort of written off for the rest of the season, is assuring me he will be back well before the end of the campaign. We will give him every opportunity to do that." (22/11/05)

Second Op

Pisto has had a successful second operation in the USA and Everton physio Matt Connery was with him.

Matt says: "It was a successful trip. Alessandro has had his anterior cruciate ligament reconstructed now. It was the second operation he has undergone. The operation went according to plan and very smoothly. Dr Steadman is world renowned. He sees a number of footballers every year specifically because he is one of the best in the world at knee surgery. Every player heals differently but it is a fairly predictable period of rehabilitation because you are using a tendon to replace the ligament and do the job of the ligament. As a result, the tendon has to change from a biological point of view and you cannot rush that kind of injury."

See you next season then. Good job you got the second year, Sandro. (01/11/05)

Back For Last 8 Games

Pisto has spoken for the first since his op for a cruciate knee ligament injury to his right knee during the game at Bolton in August. Sandro is hoping to get a few games at the arse end of the season.

Pisto says: "I am hoping to be back and ready by March. It is good to have a goal and a target. I recovered from my left knee after five months and with this one I want to be back a little bit sooner, so four-and-a-half would be a good achievement for me. The second operation is the main operation because the knee has to be ready and must get used to moving with a new ligament. But it all depends on how the muscles react and how the knee reacts. There is a program you can follow but your body dictates the pace. You can't really force it." (18/10/05)

Success

Pisto has had a successful operation, at the hands of American Surgeon, Richard Steadman. It was the same quack who fixed Dickie Wright's knee up a few season's ago. Sandro' will still be out for a good while yet, and will face a battle to regain his place with the form of new boy Nuno Valente. Joke, get it.

Basil says: "Alessandro has had his cartilage repaired. The surgeon managed to save the cartilage. There had been fears it may have needed to be removed. Repairing the cartilage is good news for Sandro in the long-term. He will go back to America next month to have the cruciate reconstruction and he is almost certainly going to miss the whole season." (22/09/05)

Curse of The Left Back

It looks like Everton's left back curse has struck again. 'Sandro Pistone looks like missing the rest of the season after he was stretchered off against Bolton last weekend. Pisto sustained severe cruciate problems, that's the Gazza injury to you and me. With Nace also out for the foreseeable future, and Zinedine's left back career over, Moyesy is about to clinch the signature of Matteo Ferrarai as defensive cover.

Moyesy says: "Alessandro Pistone has cruciate problems and will be out for possibly most of the season. It is a blow so we will probably need to bring in a left-back as well." (26/08/05)

Out of Euro Tie

Pisto chances of playing against Villarreal in the Champions league on Wednesday are very slim, after he was stretched off in the away win at Bolton.

Moyesy says: "Pistone looks like he has damaged the ligaments in his knee and Marcus Bent has gone over on his ankle so hopefully they are not too serious but it's obviously going to be a real worry for the game in midweek.

Baz says: " It is difficult to know clinically when you are dealing with knees and I am hoping that Sandro and Marcus are not as bad as they both could be. But if you are carted off on a stretcher on a Sunday and the game is Wednesday then it is a long shot. We are, however, more optimistic with Marcus and we will see how he goes.” (21/08/05)

Results Will Come

Sandro reckons if Everton keep up the high-intensity football, we will get the results, starting at The Reebok on Sunday.

Pisto says: "We just have to keep going because we have played against two really good teams. The lads have done well in both games and now we will see what happens in the next game. If we maintain the level of performance the results will come. That is what we need to do because the performance has been excellent. It is a bit frustrating at the moment because we know we did well against Villarreal and we again did well against Man Utd but we lost both games. That is frustrating, but we know what we can do. We showed on Saturday again that we can create chances. Edwin Van der Sar was brilliant on a few occasions.

We play high-intensity football and we play as a team, that is the main thing. We showed against Villarreal, we showed it again against Manchester United and we have to show it in the next game. The timing of the goals (either side of half-time) on Saturday was not good. That is the sort of thing that keeps you down because to concede at the end of the first half and the beginning of the second, the timing was not right. But we just have to keep going. We play as a team. There are no good players or bad players, just a good team or a bad team. We have a week to the next game and that will definitely help. We can work during the week on getting even better." (16/08/05)

Glad To Be Back

Everton and Pistone are both relieved and happy about the signing. Everton because they now have a fit left back and Pisto because he has a two year contract. Sandro had his best ever season playing in 38 games for Everton last term. He will not fly out to Thailand, as it's too hot and humid. This will play havoc with his new hair style. Instead he will start training at Bellefield to get ready for the match against Fenerbahce in Istanbul on Saturday, 30th July 2005.

Alan Irvine says: “We are obviously delighted that Alessandro is staying with us. He was offered a contract last season but chose not to take it. Fortunately for Everton he has now changed his mind. Hopefully he can have as good a season for us as he did last season."

Sandro says: "It is definitely good news for me because it is a big challenge in the season coming with the Champions League. I think it is a very good thing for me in terms of my career so I am happy about it. There was a point when I thought that maybe I would not be coming back. But I have always been in contact with somebody at the club and I have always been in negotiations during the period. I am happy that at the end we have reached an agreement because this is what I wanted from the beginning.

I have been working on my fitness over the summer. I am looking forward to joining up with the players again next week, it will be good to see everybody again. I said last season that this is where I wanted to stay because I have found a good club with good people and I was happy here. It is good to be involved in a competition like the Champions League. I cannot wait, I am sure it is going to be a good season. Finishing fourth was a great result. It would have felt like I had missed something not to play here this season after helping the side get fourth.

Sandro Last Season            Full Squad 2005/2006