I Want To Be Part Of It

Training with the rest of the first team squad at the new Finch Farm training complex feels like a new beginning for Andy. If he gets the chance to play again for the first team, he is determined to grasp it with both hands. Haven't we written that here before. At least twice before. We'll see Andy.

Andy says: "I am very happy to be back part of the squad. It is not nice training on your own. It is hard and you have to push yourself. You aren't playing games or shooting at goal and you miss that. This is the first time I have been fit and not in the team. I hope to get my chance and if I get it I will not let it go. It is frustrating. I love the ball. I like to play with my teammates and have fun in training. I don't like watching from the sidelines, I hate that. I want to be part of it.

We have a lot of games so my chance will come. I was back with the squad at Sheffield Wednesday on Wednesday and that is important. People get injuries and with the number of games people get tired so there will be chances for me. I do feel like a new player. Today I went to the new training ground and everything is new for me now. It feels like everything is fresh and there are no problems anymore. Bellefield was nice and had its charms, but with the new training ground it feels like we have a new fresh start. I want to be part of that. I hope everything is forgiven and forgotten. We have to focus on football now and I hope Everton win a lot of games, with or without me. I still want to be part of it of course." (28/09/07)

Back In The Fold

Evertonians may see something many thought would never happen again, Andy in a blue shirt again. He has been brought back into the squad for the Sheffield Wednesday game. With no word about what he's been doing for over a month, he joined the first team for one day's traning and is back in the squad. He must have been keeping himself in tip top shape.

Alan Irvine says: “Andy was disciplined for badly stepping out of line and there has to come a point when the punishment is over and Andy has trained with us today for the first time. He’s in the squad for the Sheffield Wednesday game. We all want to see the player who played for Ajax and went to Inter. Sadly for a number of reasons we haven’t seen that. I hoping that this is a major lesson for Andy and sets him back on the right path. I’m sure it’s been very difficult for him but he brought it on himself and I’m sure he accepts that." (26/09/07)

One Shandy Too Much

Andy van der Meyde's Everton career is in tatters, after he has been suspended for a week and fined the maximum possible by David Moyes after he failed to attend training on Sunday after he was sub against Wigan last Saturday. Word on the street is that he had a hangover, although the club will not confirm this. The talented Dutchman wants his bumps feeling. He was left out of the Spurs squad on Tuesday and will take no part in the Reading game.

For such a talented player, he has never put a run of games together, having all sorts of problems. It looks like he will be put on the transfer list and end up a bit player for some other team who thought they will get him to knuckle down, train hard and play football. Fat chance! What's wrong with these fella's?

Moyesy says: "Andy has had numerous warnings about this type of thing and we won't tolerate it any longer. I will make a decision regarding the player's future next week." (17/08/07)

Hard Work

It's all about hard work for Shandy at the moment. He can't believe he played 90 minutes, he's wiped out.

Shandy Andy Vandy Mandy says: "I'm feeling a bit tired but that is normal for pre-season.The game (in Northern Ireland) was good for the conditioning but you don't need to look at the game itself. A full pre-season is very important for me because you are working with the group and the conditioning gets better every day and that is important to not getting injured.It doesn't really matter who you play in pre-season because it is part of the fitness work.

If you win or lose it is the hard work that counts." (17/07/07)

I Blame Myself

Andy is hoping to put last season behind him and start fresh and is relishing the challenge in Europe. He hopes that he can get in the starting 11 and make an impact like he did in the Champions league with Ajax.

Andy says: "I'm looking forward to going back to Italy next week. Alan Irvine has said we will be working more with the ball. I've not had good years at Everton. I've been unlucky with injuries, but I blame myself for some things. We all know the stories and I want to put it behind me and please people and myself. You train all week to play on the Saturday. I want to prove it. I want to play. I've got experience in Europe with the Champions League. It is completely different in Europe. You play against different style of football in different countries. We have a very good team here and will go far in Europe if we concentrate.
Full interview on Everton TV (06/07/07)

Back And Training Hard

Fans have been surprised that Shandy has gone on the pre-season trip to Scotland. After plenty of public apologies and cross words last season in which the Dutch International only completed one full game all season, he is donning a new skin head hair cut and apparently knuckling down to the hard training regime. Now where have we seen this before? (05/07/07)

Andy Pandy Shandy 2006/2007     Everton 1st Team Squad 2006/07