Solid As Ever

The Hibbert is back. With an outstanding game against Charlton, where a couple of his legendary last gasp tackles kept Everton in the game, Hibbo now needs to do what we all know he can't learn to cross a ball.

Moyesy says: "It has been a tough year for Hibbo with one thing and another. But it has been pleasing to have him back for the last few games because you know exactly what you are getting from him. He is very reliable, he is consistent and you know that when he is playing, you will always get 100 per cent from him. He made some excellent tackles against Charlton and we are pleased with him.

Hibbo knows what he has got to improve on and we would like to see him use the ball better at times but his defending is always very good and he likes to go about his job quietly. He just gets on with things. We have missed him at times this season but he has got a role to play for us and we will need everyone at their best if we want to qualify for the UEFA Cup." (18/04/07)

Hard Work Pays Off

Tony Hilbert's nightmare season might be at an end, as the tough tackling right back is hopefully ready to go for the Arsenal game a week on Sunday. Hibbo decided against the New York jolly to put some hard work in on the training ground, and for the rezzies in midweek. You could teach Anton Ferdinand a thing or two Hibbo, well played.

Hibbo says: "I asked to play in the reserve game before I knew we were going away. I needed a game - the Liverpool (shite) reserve game got called off but I need as many games as I can now and hopefully I can play a couple more for the first team. The pitch was heavy for the reserves and I started tiring towards the end which is how I knew it would be, but at least I got the full 90 minutes and I am made up with it.

I have got a game in now though and hopefully I can keep pushing on. For me to get back into the team and start playing football will be good. Tim getting injured is a bad blow for us. Now I am back we may have more options for different formations and to play people differently so I think it will help." (09/03/07)

Knee Problem

Tony Hibbert had thought he had put his awful season of injuries behind him when he made his way back into the first team for last week's Derby draw. He then never surfaced to everyone's surprise in the win against Blackburn on Saturday, due to a knock incurred on his knee against the shite. Physio, cum Super Sleuth Basil Rathbone, has given Moyesy the good news that the knock is no more than bruising, as the tough tackling right back should be up for selection against Spurs a week tomorrow.

Basil says: "Tony had a bad knock on the outside of his knee against Liverpool. It was very badly bruised and also very painful for him but fortunately the MR scan we had done on Monday seems to confirm that it is no more than bruising and hopefully Tony will be re-available for selection quite soon." (13/02/07)

I'm Back To Stay

Tony's chuffed to be back and he wants to make sure he stays in the team.

Hibbo says: "It has been hard work for me and now I hope I can keep the place and kick on as I get my fitness back. I was just happy to be a part of this team and playing in a derby, because derbies are so special and I look forward to every derby so I was made up to be in the starting line-up."(09/02/07)

Welcome Back Me 'ol Mucka

Like most Blues, Leon Osman is made up that his mate Tony Hibbert is back in full training and in contention for this weekends Derby show down.

Leon says: "Hibbo is worth his weight in gold to us. He is one of those players that you only really notice how good he is when he isn’t there – a bit like Lee Carsley. You really miss them when they aren’t around. Tony, unfortunately, has been one of them this season. We have missed him and we are all glad that he is a long way down the road to being fit again." (31/01/07)

Aching But Happy

One of the most pleasing sights from yesterdays draw at Bournemouth was that of Tony Hibbert coming through ninety unscathed minutes of action. For the rest of the Everton players it may have just been a friendly, but the match meant a lot more to the likeable right back, and it may have put him in contention for next weeks Derby at Analfield, though he is takng nothing for granted.

Hibbo says: "I’m taking nothing for granted after the way things have gone for me but it was great to get a game under my belt. “It might have only been a friendly match with nothing at stake but it was a big afternoon for me.

As soon as the whistle went I was straight on the table for a massage! I expected to feel some stiffness after being out for so long, but this was painful. I was aching and I’m anticipating an uncomfortable Sunday morning! But the main thing is that my groin feels fine. But I’m ready and I’d love to be involved. I just want to get my season up and running now and obviously every player wants to be involved in the derby.

We had that great win at Goodison earlier in the season but that will count for nothing this weekend and they will be desperate for revenge. All our lads are really looking forward to it and, of course, I’d love to play from the start." (28/01/07)

New Signings

Cahill, Pistone and Hibbert are all nearing full fitness now and Tony thinks when they are back it will be like having new signings.

Tony says: "It will be a good boost for the squad if the three of us come back at the same time. I have started training and I have been going on and off for about a week now. Just getting back in with the lads instead of sitting in the changing room is brilliant. The lads have been brilliant. From the position we are in now, I don’t see why we can't keep pushing and it’s still early days in the season – there are still plenty more games where I think we can get a good few more results.

It is so close in the league table that you could fly up there. If you get a few wins you can be up there in the top six. I hope we are going into our best period. When the lads are back the squad will be better, there will be more players available and the lads will get a buzz from that. There will be more competition and we won’t be down to the bare bones, but I think the lads will get together and push on.

I hope to be playing soon – I can’t wait to. But I do think it will be a couple of weeks. I am doing full training now and there are still certain things I am not happy about but I don’t see why I wont be ready in a couple of weeks. Having all the banter and being out with the lads is good but I have got to keep on with my fitness and carry on my strength work." (05/01/07)

Two More Months

Tony Hibbert's groin injury will still need another two months to heal fully, keeping the defender out till early February 2007. Hibbo who has endured a nightmare season starting with a mystery illness striking him down early doors in America, then on his comeback trail he saw red at the skunks to continue his stop start season. Just when he thought he was back on track, he hobbled out of the Boro game with his groin troubles. Moyesy has had to shuffle his troops ever siince, with Joey, Phil Neville and Roger all at some point taking up the right back position.

Moyesy says: "Like everyone else, if we had more players just now, we could rest one or two, and give one or two a breather. But we don't. Whether you are flying at the minute or not, you have got to play. We are picking really from 12 or 13 players. We don't have room to leave players out even if they are badly out of form." (26/11/06)

Laid Up For Months

Basil Rathbone's diagnosis on Hibbo's groin injury is not the best Moyesy could have hoped for. The right back will be out of action for a few months according to our super sleuth cum Physio, after being crocked in the Boro defeat. Scans that came back on Tuesday confirmed that Tony's injury was as serious as the back room boys had thought, and it means a few months recuperating for the likeable full back.

Basil says: "Tony got quite a bad groin injury. You always see those famous words on teletext 'waiting on the results of a scan' but it was clear at half-time on Saturday he had a serious injury. He has been away for a scan and to see the consultant but he has got a significant injury. He is going to be out for weeks - more than weeks, months. He is Everton through-and-through, you never get a minute's trouble out of him and he will play if there is ever a chance but he has got a significant injury and he has a lot of work ahead of him." (18/10/06)

Stop Start Season

Everton have an anxious wait to see if Tony will be fit for the visit of Sheffield United on Saturday. Tony has been in and out of the team this season. Firstly he had a bad illness which sidelined him at the start of the season. He was also out suspended after being sent off at Newcastle.

Mick 'Basil' Rathbone says:"Tony went into a challenge with Mark Viduka and sustained a groin injury. We will have more information in the next 24 to 48 hours." (16/10/06)

Ready For Boro

Hibbo came through a tough Mini Derby win last night and could go straight back into the first team on Saturday, as Phil Neville is doubtful with a hamstring injury.

Moyesy says: "Hibbo needed the match practice. It has been stop-start for him but we were pleased he got a game. He needed that workout. He has always been in my thoughts. Provided he comes through everything without any reaction, we’ll consider him for Middlesbrough." (11/10/06)

Bad Decision

A bad decision to go sliding into a tackle 5 minutes after a Newcastle player had been sent off with their crowd baying for blood and a Sibierski waiting to go to ground easily. Tony misses next weeks game against Man City with a one match suspension. This is Moyesy's view.

Moyesy says: I've seen Tony Hibbert's challenge and I think he shouldn't have made it. He knew he had been booked in the first half and shouldn't have been going to make a challenge that was even remotely going to get him sent off." (25/09/06)

Bug

It look like Tony will miss the first 4 games of the season

"Tony hasn't even been at the training ground this week. He has been really sick and we have to rule him out of the Watford game.

"We think that he has picked something up from a parasite on his summer holidays. All the symptoms he has had have been consistent with that, such as sickness and diarrhoea and he has lost nearly a stone. It has set him back a good few weeks."(13/08/06)

Moyesy Concerned

Tony Hibbert has Moyesy worried after he has spent the last four days in his pit. Hibbo missed out on playing against Club America on Saturday, and he is today travelling back with the rest of the squad from their ten day tour of the States.

Moyesy says: "He is not too good. We've hardly seen him since we've been out here and has been in his bed for the past three or four days with sickness and has been really under the weather. He's had a stop-start pre-season and has missed an awful lot of training. He played a couple of games but this has set him back a bit. I don't know how long this is going to keep him out." (02/08/06)

Great Pre-season Fixtures

Having recovered from the hernia operation he underwent towards the end of last season, Hibbo is relaxing in The Woodbury Park Hotel in Devon with the squad as they spend a few days away from Bellefield. He was delighted to see the pre-season fixtures. He's looking forward to the Celtic game, the Bilbao game for Howard Kendall's testimonial, but especially going to the USA.

Tony says: "We had a great time there two years ago and we went on to finish fourth in the Premiership that season. I'm not suggesting that it will automatically happen again but it makes a difference when the players enjoy a trip and the two matches will really test us.

Finding out who we play in pre-season is just as exciting as waiting for the Premiership fixtures. I was made up when I found out we were playing Celtic at Parkhead. The atmosphere up there is always first class and Alan Stubbs has been telling us that they always sell-out for friendlies in the same way they do for every other fixture. It's a busy pre-season for us but actually playing is the best training you can do.

You are not only building up your fitness but you are getting match sharpness back too. This year we have some really tough matches but that's the way the players like them. If you are going to test yourself at this time of the year then you may as well do it against quality opposition. They are particularly useful for the new players. We've been back a few days now and we can already see that Andy Johnson and Joleon Lescott are quality players and they will be keen to impress the manager when the matches start.

It's great for the Evertonians to have a home fixture during pre-season. I know what they all think of Howard Kendall and I'm sure they will turn out in large numbers for his testimonial."

Tony Hibbert 2005/2006     Everton 1st Team Squad 2006/07