The Mail Bag
Benfica Celebration?
Comments (19)
Don’t know if anyone else is promoting this but I’ve sent this short mail to the club…
I, like many other Everton fans, particularly of my own age group, remember Eusébio (The Black Pearl) with great affection. Indeed, growing up in the 60s, we would see Eusébio and Pele as the two greatest overseas players.
I’m sure officials of the club feel the same way and hope that something special is arranged for the Benfica visit on the 5th November.
This not only represents a great opportunity to acknowledge a true legend and gentleman but also allows us to recognise his achievements in 1966 when as top scorer (9) in the World Cup, he scored 6 goals at Goodison Park.
Here’s to a momentous occasion which will further enhance Everton Football Club’s name around the world.
Best regards,
Ian Buffey
ian Buffey, Posted 14/10/2009 at 09:47:53
Comments
Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer
While I agree with you, Ian, the club will probably let a few bangers off and present Benfica with a signed Duncan Ferguson shirt (or a club pennant if they sponsor the match ball).
Well remembered, Ian. I was there for those games myself and it would only be proper for such a great player to be acknowledged in some way.
Surely it shouldn’t be beyond the resources of the club to put up a sequence of Eusebio’s performances at Goodison on the big screen before the match? This would also be great for the supporters who were there 43 years ago. The North Korea Saturday afternoon was just one out of the football folklore storybook - magical.
We wouldn’t want to building up the opposition too much, of course. Mind you, the crowd would be reminded that Portugal also had a player called Torres. This could even do us some good!
Surely it shouldn’t be beyond the resources of the club to put up a sequence of Eusebio’s performances at Goodison on the big screen before the match? This would also be great for the supporters who were there 43 years ago. The North Korea Saturday afternoon was just one out of the football folklore storybook - magical.
We wouldn’t want to building up the opposition too much, of course. Mind you, the crowd would be reminded that Portugal also had a player called Torres. This could even do us some good!
Still remember watching "Tonto" perform... For those unaware, Eusebio, wore a bandage on his head from an injury sustained in an earlier match, and was provided that nickname from the scousers who were avid followers of the Lone Ranger series on TV at the time. I remember that, because I WAS the remote control for my Dad!
He was up there with Pele. I actually took the Confirmation name Eusebius in 1969. Mind you, there was no St Pele.
Wouldn’t it be great if the club could get "The Black Panther" over as Guest of Honour? I think it’d show a bit of class, tbh.
Wiki reports that Eusébio scored 727 goals in 715 games! Even allowing for its unreliability, I’ll bet that’s not far off the truth.
Wish I’d seen him live. The word "legend" is thrown around a lot these days, but this guy really earnt the right to be called one.
Not so sure that the club will recognise the great opportunity to show some class whilst also paying tribute to a footballing genius. I hope they surprise me.
Nice post.
COYB
Not so sure that the club will recognise the great opportunity to show some class whilst also paying tribute to a footballing genius. I hope they surprise me.
Nice post.
COYB
Gerry Grimes — as a side note, I took the confirmation name of Alexander. At the tim,e she thought it was nice of me to pick my older brother's name. Didn’t have the heart to tell her it was after the Golden Vision! Still haven’t told her, and she’s in her 90s!!!!! Bless her, x.
PS - hope she doesn’t log in to TW and read what I’ve just written....
What a fantastic idea Ian. I too saw him play at Goodison and he was a class act. Also had an aura about him that made people really take to the guy.
The best game of that series at Goodison was Hungary v Brazil, (3-1), an absolute classic with Albert the Hungary centre forward playing out of his skin, the whole of Goodison was chanting his name. After that though was Portugal beating Korea 5-3 after going three down, Eusebio the inspiration there. Worst game - Portugal v Brazil when the Portuguese cynically kicked Pele out of the game.
I’d love to see Eusebio walk out at Goodison though.
The best game of that series at Goodison was Hungary v Brazil, (3-1), an absolute classic with Albert the Hungary centre forward playing out of his skin, the whole of Goodison was chanting his name. After that though was Portugal beating Korea 5-3 after going three down, Eusebio the inspiration there. Worst game - Portugal v Brazil when the Portuguese cynically kicked Pele out of the game.
I’d love to see Eusebio walk out at Goodison though.
I only get to see Everton 7 or 8 times a season, and the Benfica home game will mark my 30th Birthday, so here’s hoping the Black Panther’s appearance will top off a memorable win.
Some great memories form that wonderful game: Torres looking like Gulliver towering over the likes of Pak Doo Ik, the crowd going wild with each Korean goal. (I think we saw Portugal as England’s biggest threat — God, being interested in the England team... seems unbelivable now.)
But the most vivid memory from my usual spec, 2nd barrier behing the goal, was Eusebio, totally professional, picking the ball out of the Korean net after every goal and legging it back to the centre circle for kick-off.
Just one more magical experience at the most special, historic stadium in the game.
At St Margaret Mary’s Juniors (Pilch Lane), they organised their own internal ’World Cup’ in 1970, just before the real one.
It was an 8-aside competition with teams made up of two kids from each year.
Your ’nation’ was drawn out of a hat and you got to wear that colour plazzy braid over your vest.
We were... Brazil and we were ABSOLUTELY made up.
We honestly thought we’d piss it, just because the real Brazil were hot favourites and they had Pele.
Anyway, we were wellied first game by Portugal and Eusebio got all three for them.
Of course, when I say ’Eusebio’, I’m talking about 10-year-old Dovecot striking sensation, Tony Scott.
(One of those kids who commentated as he played - eg: "Eusebio beats one man, and another, he’s scores! This feller makes the game look fucking ’nimps’ lar"...)
It was an 8-aside competition with teams made up of two kids from each year.
Your ’nation’ was drawn out of a hat and you got to wear that colour plazzy braid over your vest.
We were... Brazil and we were ABSOLUTELY made up.
We honestly thought we’d piss it, just because the real Brazil were hot favourites and they had Pele.
Anyway, we were wellied first game by Portugal and Eusebio got all three for them.
Of course, when I say ’Eusebio’, I’m talking about 10-year-old Dovecot striking sensation, Tony Scott.
(One of those kids who commentated as he played - eg: "Eusebio beats one man, and another, he’s scores! This feller makes the game look fucking ’nimps’ lar"...)
He also inspired my favourite football chant to the tune of the Beatles' Hello, Goodbye:
"Eu-se-bio, I say Kiddo,
Kiddo, Kiddo."
Could we do our own ironic version with Hibbo replacing Kiddo? ... Perhaps not!
"Eu-se-bio, I say Kiddo,
Kiddo, Kiddo."
Could we do our own ironic version with Hibbo replacing Kiddo? ... Perhaps not!
Carl Rutherford It must have been a retrospective chant.. Hello Goodbye wasn’t recorded until 1967. Sorry. I’ll get me anorak...
Carl,
Can the Gwladys Strret end sue Paul McCartney for nicking their song?
Can the Gwladys Strret end sue Paul McCartney for nicking their song?
My Dad, Brother and Uncle all worked for Arrowsmith Tours in Bold Street. They had organised travel/accommodation and tickets for a group of Mexicans. Luckily they had to cancel as Mexico were drawn in the boring group with Ingerland... the whole family ended up using the tickets for Goodison and Old Trafford.
I remember sitting in the upper tier of the Gwladys St end and in the row in front were sat Yeats, St John, Callaghan and the rest of the red shite side. Can’t imagine my reaction to that nowadays - or the reaction of the rest of the fans.
On getting home from the matches at GP and OT, we’d sit and live through it again... I can even remember my Mum saying that if Pele was that great, why did he spend all of the match against Portugal picking himself up off the deck... dooooooooorrrrrrrrr, Mum!
Phil — Pak Do Ik was a great player. Ball control, buzzing energy and an eye for a pass. The Italians didn’t know how to handle him and he nearly undid the Portuguese.
A number of posters here claim that some players are too small to be in the PL, but skill, a good brain, and a hard as nails attitude like Pak Do Ik had can go a long way. Alan Ball, who joined us for the next season, had all of these qualities.
A number of posters here claim that some players are too small to be in the PL, but skill, a good brain, and a hard as nails attitude like Pak Do Ik had can go a long way. Alan Ball, who joined us for the next season, had all of these qualities.
Add Your Comments
In order to post a comment to the MailBag, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site.
Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and MailBag submissions across the site.
© ToffeeWeb
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
1 Posted 14/10/2009 at 14:52:48
Report abuse
Ive only seen highlights of Eusebio, but my grandad, who's not around anymore, used to say he was the world's greatest player, better than Pele. But because Pele was Brazilian, he got all the plaudits.
Maybe Everton could get Eusebio to come over. Bet he can still smack a ball... what a shot he had.