Home Sweet Home

With 2 of Everton's last 3 Premiership games at Goodison Park, Joe who has just completed 200 games for Everton thinks that European qualification will be secured.

Joey says: “Towards the end of the season you always want to be playing most of your games at home and we’ve got that opportunity now, so hopefully we can take advantage of that. We’re playing for the right to reach the UEFA Cup so we are all playing for something and that makes it very exciting. If you’d have given us fifth at the start of the season, we’d have taken it.

If you look at the way the Everton team has been going this season, we’ve been fourth of fifth for quite a long time now so it’s going to be disappointing now if we don’t qualify for Europe. Once you’ve played in Europe, most players want to do that every year. We’ve tasted it a few times now, and we know what it’s like and we want to get there again.” (22/04/08)

Wembley Wishes

While in Ghana for The African Cup Of Nations, Joe will be watching and hoping that Everton can go through to Wembley in the Carling Cup.

Joey says: "There is still a lot to play for but we are disappointed because we thought we could have had something from the game. It is very disappointing but this was just the first half of the game and we have the home game still to play. It will be very, very tough but you never know what football brings and we will give them a tough game in the second leg. I will be watching nervously from Ghana. If we had a draw or a win I would be more relaxed but it would be nice to come back with a cup final to look forward to.

It is mixed emotions and people have complained about the timing, especially as we are trying to win something. I have been here for a few years and I am trying to win something with Everton so it is disappointing but as I said I am switched on now and when I get there I will focus on playing for my country. I hope everything goes well while I am gone and I will be wishing everyone the best.” (10/01/08)

Please, Please, Please Berti

Joey Yobo will be going cap in hand to Nigerian Manager Berti Vogts to try and get some leave of absence with Everton's Carlin Cup Semi Final on the horizon. Joey and The Yak will be departing with Nigeria for a training camp in the New Year ahead of the African Tournament, but Joey would love to stay back and help the Blues on to Wembley. I did just write that, so I will do it again, I said to Wembley, Jesus that felt good.

Joey says: "At the moment I have not really talked about the African Cup of Nations because it is sad that Everton are doing well and I will be leaving. I have been playing Nigeria for the past seven years and I am always happy playing for my country but it is just a bad time at the moment.

We are going to try and work something out,” Yobo said today. “I have got to stay focused on the games that we have coming up over Christmas and see where it leads me. I would like to delay it, but it’s not up to me. It’s up to the Nigerian FA and the manager. If the Gaffer here tries and pushes, we will see what happens. We need to talk about it. The way we are playing, it is going to be very hard for me and Yak to leave. We know that we have got to play for our country as well but we would like to sort something out if we can. We have had a great win but we want to keep our run going now." (14/12/07)

Its an Honour

Dixie, Labby, Ratters, Waggy, now add Joey Yobo to the Everton Captains Hall of Fame. In the absence of Captain Phil Neville at the weekend, Joey Yobo took the armband on for the wins against Larissa and Derby County, and the Nigerian International could not be prouder.

Joey says: "I feel honoured because Everton is a great Club. I have been here for five seasons and I know what the Club is all about. When the manager called me saying I was going to be the captain it shows he believes in me. It is more responsibilty but it is a good one." (29/10/07)

Joey Too Ill To Train

Joey is doubtful for the Carling cup game against Sheffield Wednesday with a virus. He's missed some training this week. Alan Stubbs is on standby to play.

Alan Irvine says: Joseph Yobo didn't train today because he is under the weather. I don't think it is anything major and he may well be available for the game but if not, Stubbsy can go straight in there anyway." (26/09/07)

Goal For The Fans

Joey is looking forward to a great European night at Goodison on Thursday and hopes he can break his duck to repay the fans for their great support.

Joe says: "I think we will all enjoy the night and we need to make sure everyone leaves the stadium happy. The fans are fantastic. They have always been behind the team whenever we are playing. They were very supportive last season and we achieved the European place all together - not just the players, not just the manager - it was the fans as well that played a big role in it.

It is a long season. But I have scored almost every season so it is something I look forward to. I’m in no hurry, there are plenty of games to go. Obviously the most important thing is to win the game but if I get the chance – and I know my chance will come – I am going to score. I know I am going to score a few goals to help the strikers and the manager has asked us to do that. Joleon has scored a couple this season but I am waiting for my chance and I am going to take it." (20/09/07)

Tooth and Nail

Joey Yobo fought tooth and nail to make Saturdays side against Reading, but Basil Rathbone decided it was best that the Everton's centre halves run of consecutive matches came to an end as his groin injury finally took its toll. Joey has also pulled out of Nigeria's squad this week to face Macedonia, as he fights to be fir for the weekend.

Basil says: "Saturday it was down to the wire. He'd played the last 40 games and he didn't give up without a fight and full marks to him for playing 89 minutes (at Spurs).

Joe's been fantastic, he really digs deep now, I'm not saying there were times when he didn't, but I think when you've been in the country for a while, you need to play in discomfort sometimes and we're fortunate that all our players accept that." (20/08/07)

On The Mend

Everton physio Basil Rathbone has given Joey's injured back the all clear, and he has been told to rest it over the coming weeks. Joey who was sent home from Nigeria's African Nations Qualifiers after injuring his back will be fit for pre season according to Everton's Super Sleuth cum Physio.

Basil says: "Joe injured his back last weekend, and because he had some intermittent pain towards the end of last season we wanted to see him immediately. We saw him last week and while the injury isn’t as serious as he first thought we feel that he should rest for the remainder of the month. We’re confident he will be fine in time for the start of pre-season." (11/06/07)

Joey Last Season           Full Squad 2007/2008